How to include your dog in your wedding + Engagement photos

Let’s Start With the Basics!

The most basic thing to think about when considering bringing your dog to your photoshoot is what gear you want to have with you. We always recommend that our clients bring an extra leash, collar, water, high-value treats, their favorite toys, a towel (which definitely comes in handy when having adventures near water, or if there is a lot of dirt), and a blanket. These are all great tools that can come in handy during the photoshoot. We also recommend bringing a friend or family member the dog is comfortable with for the times when photos of you and your partner are taken without your dog. FUN FACT: Hannah has been a dog trainer since she was in high school and got her start as a pet/dog sport photographer before transitioning to photographing people!

Know what motivates your dog

A huge benefit when trying to photograph dogs is making sure you understand your dog. Knowing what motivates your dog can help keep the photoshoot fun for them and keep them engaged. Is your dog more toy-driven or food-driven, do they like certain words or certain noises? What are they afraid of or don’t like?

Something else that is a huge help is practicing your dog’s basic obedience before your photoshoot as they will most likely be using these skills during that time. This can include things like sit and stay, and even a good paw shake can make for a super adorable photo. Having these basics down can also help the process flow smoother and it allows you to have more time bonding and playing with your dog! Who doesn’t want that?!

Picking the right location if you want to include your dog

Great so you have all the basics and you know what motivates your dog, and have put in the extra practice and training so now what? The next step is considering the location. Every dog is different and has different comfort levels so knowing that is very important when deciding where you want to have your photoshoot. Is your dog friendly or do they need some space, do they stress easily, or are they go-with-the-flow? Choose the right location according to your dog's needs. If they are friendly, then places that tend to be busier will be okay, however, if they are a bit shy and need some distance then we recommend spots that aren't as crowded and maybe choose a photoshoot time when it tends to be less busy in the area. Sunrise shoots are always great for when wanting to bring your dog because there is always little to no people around.

We also recommend doing research to make sure that it's a dog-friendly location. For example, most national parks are not dog-friendly and typically dogs can only go on paved trails and locations within the parks. This still makes for adorable photos and is a great way to include your dog in an epic location. AllTrails is a great resource if you want to have a hike/adventure-styled photoshoot with your dog. On each trail description, AllTrails lets you know specifically what trails are dog-friendly.

Our top tips when including your dog

The biggest thing to remember when wanting to include your dog is to have lots of patience. You have to think of it in the context that dogs are like kids. They may not sit still or always listen and need some guidance so having patience during the photoshoot is key to making it a fun and enjoyable experience for everyone.  Have the mentality that it's a dog's world and we're just living in it!  That will help have a go-with-the-flow attitude for the shoot. 

Another thing you could do to help set things up for success is to arrive early and allow your dog to walk around, get the zoomies out, decompress, and get acclimated to the environment. This way by the time of the shoot they are ready to go and are comfortable with what’s happening.

Having your dog be a part of your engagement shoot or a wedding is so exciting, and can be such a memorable and special experience. It should be fun and engaging, filled with lots of laughter and bonding moments (and the occasional weird noise from Hannah to get your dog’s attention) with you and your pets.

If you need more advice, tips, and even some new tricks to teach your dog, reach out to us, we'd love to chat and get to know you and your dog!

In the meantime enjoy some past photoshoots we've had with couples and their fur kids!