One of the best ways to bond with our dogs is to take curated pictures of them. It allows us to see them in their cutest and most adorable moments… and even lets us test their obedience, come to that.
Naturally, if you have a dog that gets easily distracted, trying to take pictures can be a nightmare. Oftentimes, pictures will look blurry — to the point where it’s unclear if the subject is indeed a dog.
Enter the question. How do you deal with a dog that won’t cooperate for a few photos?
Most dog trainers would say not to force the dogs. It only stresses them out, which will make it a lot harder to take pictures. Instead, wait for a time when they’re relaxed and calm.
Luckily, we know a few other tricks dog owners can pull to keep dogs still for a few shots. Read them below to see which one works best for your dog!
- Start with “Stay” and “Sit”
One of the most effective ways to keep your dogs still is by asking them to stay or sit. If your dogs have been trained, we’re confident that taking photos of them wouldn’t be too difficult.
However, if your dogs aren’t familiar with these cue words, it wouldn’t hurt to start training them right now.
You can do this a bunch of times without even breaking a sweat. Just make sure that treats are inside your pocket at all times.
After all, dogs are smart enough to follow their owners’ orders if they know that a reward awaits them!
- Don’t Forget to Use Treats
As just mentioned, giving treats is the most basic way of catching your dog’s attention. Use that to your advantage when you’re taking photos of your dog.
For example, show them that if they hold still before they hear the click of the camera, they’ll get a treat. That’s a pretty basic way of conditioning them to do what you want.
It’s also better to hand out dry treats so the dog’s face and paws don’t end up messy. We don’t recommend wet treats because they would just make your task more complicated.
- Ask a Friend for Help
Let’s face it: taking pictures of your dogs all by yourself is sometimes impossible. There may just be too many things to do!
On top of taking photographs, for instance, you’re also in charge of giving treats so they would stay still and not run around. That’s too stressful to do on your own.
So, if you have a friend who also loves dealing with dogs, then you might want to ask for their help. Your friend can be the one to catch your dogs’ attention while you’re clicking away.
- Don’t Be Afraid to Use a Leash
While using a leash might seem like a bad idea, it can come in handy while taking pictures of your furbaby. It’s also one of the best ways to catch up with them in case they start to run around during the photoshoot.
However, we can only recommend it if you have some editing skills up your sleeves. That’s if you don’t want the leash to show up in your photos.
- Use a Familiar Location
If you’re planning to do the photoshoot outside, it’s best to choose a location that’s familiar to your dog. Pick a place that’s relatively quiet too.
Never bring your dog to a crowded place for a photoshoot because it will end in chaos. All that stimulation would make it impossible for them to stay still.
Familiar, quiet places are soothing to them, on the other hand. Such places can help them relax, so they’re advisable.
Anyway, once you’ve found the perfect location, remind yourself of our tips if you don’t want the day to be wasted. And above all, enjoy your little outing and bonding experience with your dog!
- Engage a professional
If all else fails, engage a professional dog photographer in Singapore. Magicdow has a few tricks up their sleeves and they have extensive experience with pet portraits in Singapore as well as in other parts of the world. Just take a look at their portfolio.
Meanwhile, keep shooting. You will definitely be able to get a nice nice shot of your furkid.
While on the topic of portraits, you might want to check out the Studios for the Best Family Photography in Singapore 
