You’ve booked a dog photo shoot. Fantastic! You will not regret choosing Little Tiger Feet Photography. Your gorgeous pup is about to be the star of the show, and honestly, we can’t wait to meet them. But before they strike a pose and steal our hearts (and probably our snacks), a little preparation goes a long way.
Here’s our tried-and-tested guide to making sure your dog is ready for their moment in front of the camera—and that you don’t arrive looking like you’ve done ten rounds with a muddy tennis ball.
1. Walkies First, Photos Later
The key to a chilled-out shoot? A good walk or a play session before the shoot can help to burn off that zoomies energy without turning them into a comatose furry puddle on the floor. Tired-ish dogs are usually better listeners. We love an enthusiastic model, but we also love our equipment standing upright! Think relaxed rather than wrecked.
2. Brush, Bathe and Beautify
Whether they’re long-haired, short-haired or full-on scruffy chic, a good brush makes all the difference in photos. If they’re due a bath or a groom, try to book it for a day or two before the shoot – just enough time for them to look freshly fabulous but not post-salon pristine. Pay attention to their eyes; if you have an Old English Sheepdog in full coat, then seeing any part of an eye is a bonus, but for the rest vast majority of dogs, try to make sure no hair is hiding those beautiful eyes. And if your dog has a beard? Please check for leftovers. We’re looking at you, spaniels and schnauzers!
3. Treats, Toys and All the Good Stuff
Bring along a few of your dog’s favourite treats. Their normal treats are fine, but a super high-value treat will make more of an impact – our dog will do most things for a regular treat, but if chicken or cheese is used, he will do anything and everything which leads to some great images. If you have a toy that they go mad for, bring it too. We’ll use the treats and/or toy to get their attention, make them look this way, and we are not above bring them to stay in one place! You get bonus points if you can make a weird noise that gets their head tilt just right.
4. Accessorising Your Shoot
If you’re going for a classic look, a simple collar or no collar at all is best. It’s clean, timeless, and won’t distract from your pup’s lovely face. But if your shoot is more fun and relaxed, or your dog is tagging along for a family session, feel free to accessorise to your heart’s content. Bow ties, bandanas, flower collars—if it reflects your dog’s personality (and they don’t mind wearing it), bring it along. Just keep comfort in mind—if your dog’s giving you the side-eye in a tutu, we’ll take a few snaps for fun and then let them get back to being their fabulous, unbothered self.
5. Practise the Basics
If your dog knows sit, stay, or “look at me like I’m the only human who’s ever existed” — brilliant. If not? No stress. We’re well-versed in capturing chaos and coaxing even the wriggliest pups into adorable poses. If your dog is fidgety and struggles to sit still in one place, we can introduce the use of a slip lead which gently restrains them and can be edited out afterwards. But if your dog can sit still for half a second, we’ll get the shot. However, if they can stand to attention, beg, offer paw and do other cute tricks, then all the better for a more varied gallery of images.
6. Bring a Brush, Some Wipes and a Bit of Patience
We know dogs. Which means we know drool happens. Fluff explosions happen. Sudden rolling-on-the-floor-for-no-reason happens. Even in the studio, chaos can strike at any moment. We’ll be ready with brushes, wipes, and lint rollers—but it’s always handy if you bring your own bits too, just in case your perfectly prepped pup decides to do a full shake-and-shed two minutes in. It’s not unusual for a dog to go into full-on moult in the studio; the stress of the lights, the different environment, the equipment…all can cause a bit of stress which may not be obvious in their body-language, but can be seen in their sudden hair-shedding. If this happens to your dog, please don’t worry; it’s expected and it isn’t a problem.
7. Relax—You’re in Safe Hands
We get it—having your dog photographed is a bit like taking a toddler to a fancy restaurant. You’re slightly terrified they’ll misbehave, but secretly hoping they’ll be perfect. Let us take the pressure off. We’ll guide your dog, work at their pace, and capture them exactly as they are—cheeky grins, floppy ears, and all. We are completely dog-led…if your dog gets over-excited we bring the mood down to calm them down, if they are getting anxious we whip out a toy and let them have some fun to calm them down. When they arrive at the studio I ignore them at first and let them come to me when they’re ready, giving them time to check out the studio environment and relax a bit. Your dog’s needs are front and foremost at their photoshoot. The best photos? They’re never the perfectly posed ones. They’re the ones that feel like your dog.
Ready to Book?
If you haven’t already, you can check out our dog photography sessions here. And if you’ve got any questions at all—about props, locations, or whether your pup is “too bonkers” for photos (spoiler: they’re not)—just drop us a message.
We’ll supply the camera. You bring the dog.
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