Should you bring your fury friend to your engagment photos?
Bringing your dog to your engagement photos can be a fun idea. Dogs are part of the family. Including them can add joy to your pictures. However, there are some things to think about before you decide.
1. Consider the Location of Your Shoot
Is it a public or busy area (like a downtown, popular park, or hiking trail)
are they allowed at your chosen location?
Is the terrain safe and comfortable for your dog (hot sand, rocky trails, etc.)?
Will it be off-leash friendly or require leashing?
Not all venues or parks are dog-friendly, so be sure to double-check before your session. Additionally, some locations may be very overstimulating for your pup. Busy parks, city streets or places with lots of wildlife (BIRDS & SQUIRRELS! make my dog go crazy for example) may be too distracting for your dog and could even take away from the amount of time you spend taking actual photos.
2. Is Your Dog Easily Distracted or Reactive?
How does your dog behave around strangers, including other people and pets?
Are they reactive to new sounds, unfamiliar places, or sudden movements?
In my opinion this is the most serious point in this whole article. If your dog is reactive and they have a past of being aggressive and have even bitten or tried to bite in the past, you need to think seriously about whether to include them. The last thing you want is to have your dog bit you or your photographer during a photoshoot.
3. How Does Your Dog React to Cameras and Equipment?
Some dogs are spooked by large camera lenses, clicking shutters, or flashes.
If you’ve never had a professional shoot with your dog before, consider doing a test run at home to see how they react.
Some dogs can get reactive to a camera being pointed in their direction. If you think of it, it’s a strange black object that makes weird noises and sometimes has a super bright flash. If you are concerned or you don’t know how your dog will react you can try and do a test at home with the flash on your cellphone.
4. Can You Comfortably Manage Your Dog While Taking Photos?
Will you be able to pose and relax while also handling your dog?
Is someone coming along to help watch or wrangle them between shots? (Highly recommended!)
If your dog is reacting to stimuli or is having other issues during your photoshoot and its just the two of you managing it might end up being stressful instead of joyful and you may see the effects of that in your final photos. Consider having family or a friend come with you to help manage your pup and consider only having your dog in a portion of your engagement photos instead of all of them.
5. Your Dog’s Personality & Energy Level
Is your dog calm and obedient or high-energy and unpredictable?
Even well-trained dogs can be overstimulated in unfamiliar places. A super chill couch dog might be perfect for 10–15 minutes of photos—while a high-energy pup might be better left at home. Consider creating a back up plan if your dog starts having a difficult time.
6. How Long Can They Actually Be Part of the Session?
Does your dog really need to be in every photo?
I totally understand wanting your dog to be apart of this big step in your life but your dog doesn’t have to be in every photo in order to have a perfect engagement session. Consider having them involved for the first 10–20 minutes, then letting a friend take them home or back to the car. Additionally Dogs can get tired, hot, or overstimulated quickly—especially if the session includes lots of movement or posing. Almost always when my couples include their dog they only include them for a portion of the session for these reasons.
7. Will Bringing Your Dog Take Away from the Intimacy of the Shoot?
Will having your dog there distract from that energy and connection?
Engagement sessions are meant to celebrate you two as a couple. If you’re constantly managing your dog, it might take away from those sweet, candid moments.
8. What’s Your End Goal With the Photos?
do you just want your dog in a few photos for your save the date or do you want enough photos to create a gallery wall in your home?
Having a clear idea of what you want out of your engagement photos will allow you to communicate that to your photographer. Having clear communications and expetations will allow you to get the most out of your engagemnet shoot!
For Alyssa and Brian, the answer was an absolute YES! to include their dog. Their pup, the location we selected, and the timing of the photoshoot allowed the experience of including their dog to elevate the photos and tell their story as a family rather than take away from it. Because we ended up shooting at two nearby locations, we were able to do the first half with their pup and then take him back to the hotel to let him crash for the second half of the shoot. The result was a stunning Oregon coast engagement session that I’m proud to have been a part of.
