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strange person and all kinds of strange equipment in between you and the dog in a strange
place. Many dogs will get nervous in such a situation and won't hold their stay. Then the
owners get impatient, making the dog even more nervous. Then you get a stressed out dog
who starts to pant and pins their ears back. Certainly not the look we want in a portrait!
Get the most out of your dog's portrait session by first practicing at home. Gently guide your
dog with a treat held in front of her nose into the position you want. Don't physically wrangle
your dog into position. They don't like it, and at the photo shoot you will mess up the
background and/or props. Once the dog is in position, keep feeding treats for them holding the
stay. Slowly back away, but step in often to reward. Don't wait until the dog has moved to go
to them and offer more food. You want to reward the stay behavior, so do that before they
make a mistake. Practice so you can get a distance of about 10 feet from the dog. Then start
moving back and forth, all the while using the food treat to keep the dog watching you and
turning it's head in your direction. Softly praise the dog for staying, and step into the dog often
to reward.
Keep your practices short at first, ending on a good note. You want the dog to be relaxed and
therefore giving their best expressions. Even young puppies can be taught quickly this way.
They find that it is rewarding to remain in place. A clicker comes in handy for this type of
training also.
If you plan to have two or more dogs pose together, it is of utmost importance to practice this
at home first! It is helpful to have another person to assist you that can be in charge of
keeping the attention of the dog already positioned while you get the next dog into the pose.
This person should stand close to the dog with food to keep their attention and keep them in
position, rewarding often. Especially if you want the dogs in different positions such as one
sitting and one laying down. And remember to work up to a distance of about 10 feet with your
multiple dog sessions.
Good preparation before the shoot will help you to get the most out of your dog, and help you
get that unique expression that makes your dog so special.