4 tips for including your dog in your engagement session

I am a dog person through and through. Our Corgi—yes named corgi—was our first baby, so we completely understand your love of that fur-family. So naturally, we understand wanting to include your dog in your engagement photos. We also, being dog people, completely support this—as long as you are okay with me snuggling your puppy a bit before we get started. 😉

Including your dog in your engagement session is the perfect way to add a personal touch to your session. It gives a fun, casual feel, while also helping you feel at ease and comfortable. Let’s face it, it’s hard not to smile when your cuddling your pup! However, we know the logistics of including your dog into your session may seem a little overwhelming, so we wanted to provide four tips for including your dog in your engagement session.

Bring a helper

Engagement sessions are a time to celebrate your engagement and get you two comfortable in front of the camera. So, while I’m sure you love your pup to pieces, I am also sure you want some photos with just your fiancé. So we suggest brining along a friend to help you watch your pup after we have finished up the part of the session with the fur pals included. Typically, I will start with photos of you, your fiancé, and your pup then move on to just you two. Once we do this, your helper can take the dogs on a walk and entertain them, while you and your fiancé can focus on each other. This also helps you not worry about finding out where to store your pup.

Bring along the essentials

Treats and squeaky toys are a photographer’s best friend when it comes to getting pups to look in the direction of the camera. So be sure to bring along your pup’s favorite treat and toy so that we can help keep their attention where we want it. Also, it helps to bring along some water in case your pup gets thirsty and a few bags to keep the environment clean.

Jazz your pup up

Just like getting professional hair and makeup done before a session, getting your pup groomed before a session can make a huge difference. So pamper your fur-family and let them get jazzed up for the session too. Feeling extra dapper, a new leash, bow-tie, or bow make for the most adorable finishing touches.

Pick a pet friendly location

When including your pup in your session, you want to make sure that the location vibes well with pups. We first want to make sure it is a location they will be safe in, public parks and nature areas are typically best. Second, we want to make sure it is a dog friendly place. So before settling on a location, first make sure that they allow pups!