Bringing Your Dog To Your Engagement Session

Curious if I welcome dogs at engagement sessions? I do! Your furry family members are always welcome to join in your portrait session. Having your dog in your engagement session is always such a cute addition! However, without proper planning sometimes having them along can add a little extra stress. Below are my four key tips for bringing your dog to your engagement session!

1. Take a Long Walk Beforehand

Before coming to your sessions it’s a great idea to take them on an extra long walk or spend some extra time playing together that morning. If your dog is a puppy or just a little on the energetic time it might be a little hard for them to focus if they have a lot of extra energy and would rather be running zoomies around the house. Give them a lot of exercise right before your session so they’re less likely to be distracted for the photos.

 

2. Show Up Early

This is a great rule of thumb for your session no matter what, but showing up early for your engagement session gives your dog a chance to get to know the area. If it’s some place they don’t visit a lot or have never been before there’s probably going to be a lot to check out. Arrive a little early to let them get the lay of the land so they’re less distracted by all the new sights during your engagement session!

 

3.  Pack Treats or Favorite Toy

A little bribery never hurts! During the engagement session we’ll be asking your pup to sit and pose a lot so it’s a great idea to pack some treats as a reward in between the shots. It’s also handy for me to have a treat or your dog’s favorite toy to wave over my camera. This catches their attention and keeps them looking for all the posed photos!

 

4. Bring an Extra Set of Hands

Your pup is always welcome to join the engagement session, but PLEASE ask a friend or family member to come along and help out. More than likely your dog is not going to be able to stay focused the whole two hour session. It’s nice to have a friend to hand them off to so they can take a little walk or get some playtime in while we take portraits of just you two. Without someone to watch them you’ll constantly be distracted and keeping one eye on your dog when they aren’t in the photos.

 

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