How To (successfully) include dogs in Newborn Photos

Feb 4

More and more I am having expectant parents ask me if it is okay for them to include their dogs in their upcoming newborn sessions. And my answer is always a resounding YES… well… maybe… we can absolutely try! The tricky part is that dogs are so different from one another and that 99 times out of 100 I don’t know your dog or what they are like. Sometimes it just isn’t going to happen. Whether the dog is too excited, too afraid, or too protective- there are some cases where it’s just not safe. As my fiancé would say “the juice isn’t worth the squeeze”.

HOWEVERRRR, there are some things that we can try to make sure your dog is newborn photo ready.

A dog lays at the foot of his owners bed while they snuggle their newborn behind him.

A dog sniffs a newborn girl's face on their couch

A tired dog is a happy dog

If you want your dog to sit quietly or lay alongside your sleeping newborn- you are going to want them to be tired. New faces in the house can mean any number of things to your dog; new friend to play with or a new intruder to scare away. Whatever way your dog leans they are more likely to be less interested if they are too tired to be bothered. Prepare for your photoshoot by taking your dog out for a walk, scheduling a play date earlier in the day, or just letting them run around the yard a few times before I arrive. A tired dog will be easier to work with and a lot safer for your little one.

A dog sniffs a newborn boy in the family's living room

A hungry dog is an easy-to-bribe dog

Bribery is a tactic that works incredibly well with dogs. Try to avoid giving them too many treats before I arrive and maybe plan ahead and purchase some high value treats that they don’t often get to enjoy. Throughout the session we will use these treats to keep your pups attention right where we want it and hopefully keep them on their best behavior.

A family sits on the sofa with their newborn infant and their dog.

A family's dog sits in front of them while they snuggle up on the sofa together.

Play it cool

Dogs are great at picking up on our energy. If your dog isn’t cooperating try to remain calm. The more anxious and stressed you get the more your dog is going to pick up on it and the more stressed they will get. It’s natural to feel a little stressed or uncomfortable when having your photo taken so if your dog is acting a little more wild than usual it may be a good idea to put them in another room until later in the session when you are feeling a little more at ease.

New parents smile at each other while holding their newborn and their pet dog on their bed.

Safety First

You know your dog well. Often times they were your first baby. You know their warning signs and you know when they have had enough. Please do not put yourself, your baby, your photographer, or your pet in a dangerous situation for a photo. If your dog needs a break or isn’t cooperating with whatever it is that we are asking them to do- it’s okay. Put them in another room or let them run around outside. If they calm down- great, we can try again. If not it’s okay. It’s never worth risking safety.

I also find that it is a good idea to have one parent on baby duty and one parent on dog duty. Having an adult within arms reach of each means that if a situation starts to turn sideways the dog can be moved or the baby scooped up quickly and safely.