Canine Photography Tips

I photographed Molly a few weeks ago. Molly is so lovely and she has an adorable temperament but she is very laid back. Some dogs are like this and it can make photographing them a challenge.  The first thing I ask every dog owner is what sets their pooch off? We call this their drive. Some dogs go crazy over food, others toys, chasing balls or high pitch noises. If the owner is not 100% sure I can usually find out within the first 5 minutes of the session by challenging the dog with various stimuli. It is important to know their triggers in order to get the best out of each canine photography session.

So what ‘drives’ your dog? I would love to know the answer and the breed. Let us know in the comments section below. 

If you don’t know, then here are a few tips you can use to find out.

As mentioned above the common things that can set your dog off are: food, motion and sound. Test your dog’s drive by using stimuli that fit into these three categories and measure your dog’s reaction. Once you identify what sets your dog off then, you can use this to your advantage and capture some amazing canine photography of your pooch. Not only that but you can also use it as a tool to train your dog in obedience at a faster rate.

Most people think dogs always love food. Not so. Every dog is different. Sometimes a dog’s drive can be inherent in a specific breed. For instance herding dogs love fast moving objects so balls are a great choice. A dog’s excitement level can change as well depending on recent activities. I know if I have just come back from a long run, I’m hot and tired, so the thought of eating food straight afterwards is not appealing. The same goes for our dogs too.

When photographing your dog use the item that works best to hold your dog’s attention, to move him into position and to get him to do tricks or other crazy stuff. Having a helper is also a good idea that way you can focus on the canine photography.

Back to Molly. Her trigger was food but she wasn’t too overly obsessed by it. If it was presented to her then great otherwise she wasn’t too fussed. Sue, Molly’s mum, let’s us in on a few of Molly’s secrets below.

How old was she when you got her?

Molly was 8 weeks old when we brought her home. She was given to our daughters on Christmas morning 2007. She is 6 years old now.

How did you come up with her name?

Originally we considered naming her something associated with Xmas. I really liked the name Holly, but we have a niece named Holly and thought she may not appreciate us calling our dog Holly as well. So we settled on Molly.

Any specific circumstances on how/why you got her?

Early on we wanted to save a dog from the Lort Smith Animal Hospital and we visited there a few times but didn’t find a dog we thought would be appropriate for our young children. I also liked King Charles Cavaliers for their temperament, but my husband didn’t want a dog that would moult. I saw a Cavoodle (King Charles Cavalier/Poodle) in a pet shop & decided that breed was perfect for our family.

What is her character like?

Molly sleeps outside but besides that, if we are home then she is inside. Molly is very affectionate and she loves to be patted. She is very spoilt. She sleeps a lot and has no interest in playing ball or outside games! She loves routine & she is very smart. Molly is always happy to perform tricks just to get treats!

Funniest thing she has ever done?

When Molly was a puppy she used to see her reflection in the glass and bark and growl at herself.

When does she make you smile/laugh?

Everyday when I come home she is so happy to see me.

When does she make you angry?

Never! The only time I raise my voice to her is when she is barking at someone walking past our house.
She sometimes digs in the fernery which makes my husband cross.

Favourite thing you like doing with her?

Taking her for a walk and letting her sleep on my knee while I’m watching TV.

It is always great fun to see owners and their dogs at our studios having a great time during a canine photography session. We encourage owners to have fun using items that their dogs love, usually brought from home. At times, with really high energy dogs, these activities are a lot more subdued. But hey, like people every dog has their own personality and we need to work with that.

If you would like to join in on the fun and have your beloved canine photographed email the studio or contact Warren on 9570 6191.

Take care

Warren