If your pet is a part of your family, of course you’ll want to include them in your session with your Delaware family photographer! I have photographed many pets with their families over the years and I love seeing children snuggle up with their pets, happy little pups running through the water at the beach, and newborns snuggled up between two front paws. I’ve complied a list of 5 tips for including pets in your portraits to ensure a successful session.

Bring the treats – and make sure they’re the good ones!

No dried out, stale Milkbones over here! Think about high-value treats for your dogs (ours would rip through a solid wood door for these) and bring a bag of them (we love this little bag to carry treats). If you use a clicker to train your dog, bring that as well. We’ll use them to get the dog’s attention and reward for good behavior.

Plan a long walk ahead of the session.

AMAZING how dogs have a reservoir of energy that truly can’t be emptied. Here I am, sitting on the couch, with two dogs dropping their toys at my feet – and this was after 2 miles of walks, a playdate with their doggy friend, and a bone. Before your session with your Delaware family photographer, make sure that you take your pet for a long, long walk – and maybe even some puzzle or mental stimulation games, too. We want that pup calm and tired out before the session!

Wrangle a friend or family member to take the pup after their portraits.

Find someone who owes you a big favor and ask them to meet you at your session with your Delaware family photographer; best case scenario, they can walk and catch up on podcasts during your session time while the pup hangs out with us for the duration of the session, and worst case scenario, we can send a SOS signal for them to get the pup once they’re done with their portraits. I’ve had families put their pup in the car (ONLY if it’s a safe temperature and the windows are cracked!) for the duration of the session if no one is available.

Bring a lint roller to your session with your Delaware family photographer

I’m one of those lucky ones whose dogs don’t shed (though I’d be lying if I said I didn’t dream about having a huge Newfoundland or Great Pyrenees) but my sister has a Jack Russel Terrier and LORDY that dog explodes in a cloud of fur if you even look at it. If your dog sheds, make sure that you grab a lint roller before leaving the house. After you’ve arrived at your location and everyone is out of the car, do a quick once over with the lint roller to ensure that everyone is fur free for their portraits.

Make sure your session location is pet friendly

Before choosing a session location with your Delaware family photographer, you’ll want to ensure that your location is pet friendly (something I take care of for all of my clients!). Imagine showing up to your session location and finding out that – whoopsies! – no pets are allowed. There are many, many dog-friendly locations in the Philadelphia area to choose from for your family session and your photographer should help guide you to choose a location that makes the most sense for your family.

Ready to book your Delaware family photographer? I’d love to learn more about your family! Please contact me for more information.

5 tips for including pets in your portraits from a Delaware family photographer

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