Preparing Your Dog for A Portrait Session with Hounds of Hong Kong
Hear it first from Hong Kong-based dog photographer Frankie Adamson: you don’t need to do much to get your dog ready for their own portrait session.
My pack: Two hairy hounds and a space-cadet. iPhone photo.
Dog owners often think that bringing their dog to a portrait session will involve too much preparation and be far too much effort. However, this doesn’t have to be the case at all!
I have three dogs myself, and they’re all at different places with their training. One of them is a 6-month old puppy and she’s still posed in the studio for me! Two of my dogs are long-haired, with the eldest (the Border Collie) only having a trip to the groomers once a year to brush out her dead hairs. The rest I do at home. Another of my dogs is an absolute space-cadet, but she’ll do anything for a snack.
The point is, of course there are some things you should keep in mind before your dog portrait experience, but this post is here to help you see that it doesn’t need to be overwhelming.
But My Dog Doesn’t Know 87 Tricks..
This dog was on lead and, with the help of a pigeon landing nearby, I captured this pose.
Some people might look at my images and think, ‘My dog will never do that,’ or, ‘My dog never keeps still so forget it.’ Of course, some dogs I photograph can offer more behaviours and poses than others; however, the vast majority are on lead during their session with their owner standing next to them - it’s actually easier this way for a number of reasons.
Your dog does not need to know more than standing in one spot = treats. If they can sit on command, great, but they also are absolutely fine standing for pictures too. By the end of a session, you’d be surprised at how much a dog has learned that a certain behaviour is rewarded and they end up being very confident to offer something they didn’t at the beginning, even if that ‘something’ is looking at me while I make a fart noise to get their attention (yup, that’s happened!).
Don’t forget, the speeds at which my camera can capture an image are incredibly fast, so if you do have a dog with a wriggly bum this isn’t as big of a problem as you might anticipate!
I Guess I’ll have to Book Them a Haircut Then…
Those with long-haired dogs might think they have to book their dog in at the groomer to look picture perfect. This one is all down to personal preference. I always advise clients to only do what they would normally do with their dog. If they’re groomed by a professional regularly, then have at it! If they’re not, then don’t make the trip especially.
Your long-haired dog doesn’t necessarily need a professional groom!
You don’t need to go all out and have then groomed especially for the experience unless you absolutely want to. Take my two scruffy hounds, for example. I groom them at home 95% of the time, purely for hygiene and comfort reasons (things like having a wash, keeping hair out of certain places, combing out knots and taking care of nails). I photograph them a lot, and to me their wild hair is part of their wild personalities. So it’s up to you!
Seeing the light in the dog’s eyes makes a world of difference to the final image.
My only recommendation (and even then it’s a recommendation - not a must), is that those with breeds which have hair prone to covering their eyes (poodles, yorkies etc.) might want those stray hairs taken care of before their session to stop their eyes being completely hidden. Being able to see at least one of the dog’s eyes in the portrait does make a world of difference to the impact of the final picture, so that’s worth keeping in mind. However, even then there are things we can do at the session to handle unruly eye hairs.
I Bet I Have to Bring a Shedload of Stuff with Me…
Now that you’ve read the previous two sections, you might be thinking your own dog portrait session sounds more of realistic proposition than you first thought. So what do I recommend you bring with you? The reality is exactly what you’d take on a regular walk with your hound, but these few things are must-haves:
Snacks: I recommend some regular treats that your dog usually has, or even their own kibble, and a small quantity of a super high-value snacks. Lots of incentives required to reward them for being their best selves! It’s best if you bring treats you know your dog loves.
Lots of water for both human and hound.
This dog was on her lead for the whole session.
If your dog usually wears a chest-covering harness, by all means keep them on this while we are walking from spot to spot. However, if you are looking for final images like those in my portfolio then I do recommend switching their lead to attach a simple collar at the photo taking-spot. You can pop their harness back on immediately afterwards, so no worries there. I also have a simple and safe slip lead in my own kit bag if you’re happy to use this.
A can-do attitude! At the end of my sessions, a lot of clients tell me that it was a lot of fun, that their dog did so much better than they anticipated, or that they didn’t expect the experience to be so enjoyable! Why? Because I strongly believe in creating a positive atmosphere, always rewarding, and never asking for too much.
Book a dog portrait session for your own Hound today and you’ll see exactly what they mean…