The Secret to Perfect Newborn Photos with Dogs Every Time

Your dog was your first baby, and now you’re adding a human baby to the mix. If you’re dreaming of that perfect shot with your furry family member snuggled up next to your newborn, you’re not alone! But you’re probably also wondering: Is it safe? Will my dog cooperate? And how do I make it happen without total chaos when it comes to newborn photos with dogs?

I completely get it because I’ve been exactly where you are. When my husband and I met, we each had a dog – Maxie, a shepherd-looking mix, and Sadie, a yellow lab. They were absolutely our first babies, and when we had our oldest son Will, there was no question that Maxie and Sadie needed to be in those precious newborn photos. They were family, and our family photos wouldn’t be complete without them.

Here our our girls with my husband and our first boy! Photo Credit : Marta Locklear

After 17+ years of photographing families and having three kids of my own, I’ve learned that some of the most meaningful images happen when we include those four-legged family members. The love and connection in those photos is just magical, and I’m always excited when families want to include your pets because I know from personal experience how important these images will become.

Safety First: Essential Precautions for Newborn Photos with Dogs

The most important thing I do at every session is meet your dog first before we make any decisions about how close we’re going to put your dog and your baby. I always tell families that if you have a younger puppy or a large dog that’s 2-3 years old, we’re not going to put them right next to each other on a bed. Instead, we’ll do other types of poses that keep both your dog and your baby safe.

I always talk to parents about your dog beforehand, and if you immediately say “no, we don’t want to put the baby near the dog,” then absolutely we’re going with that. I have several different poses we can do that still get your dog involved without your dog and baby being right on top of each other.

Since I’m typically in your home with your dog, I make sure that if I’ve touched your dog at all, I wash my hands before touching your baby. It’s a simple precaution that gives everyone peace of mind.

The key is reading the room – both your dog’s energy level and your comfort level as parents. Some families are completely relaxed about your calm, older dog being close to your newborn. Others prefer more distance, and that’s perfectly fine. My job is to work with what makes everyone comfortable while still creating beautiful images.

Preparing Your Dog for the Photo Session

Here’s something I learned from personal experience that I always share with my clients: don’t lock your dog away during the session! When we had our third baby, Grace, we thought it would be easier to keep Maxie and Sadie locked in my office and then let them out just for family photos at the end.

Big mistake! They were so hyped up and excited to meet our photographer that they were absolutely crazy. It definitely resulted in some funny family photos that we absolutely love, but it was very chaotic for those shots.

That is our crazy dog Blitz coming into our session like a Miley Cyrus wrecking ball! Oh and yes Sam our golden was blind hence the funny eyes. Photo Credit : Rachel May

Now I always tell families planning newborn photos with dogs that if they want their pet in the session, we want the dog to meet me at the beginning and just be around during the session. This way, they get used to me being in the house and settle down naturally.

I do recommend that if dad can get out before the session and take the dog for a walk to tire them out a little, that’s incredibly helpful. I always joke that you want dogs tired and hungry, and you want kids well-fed and rested! If the dog is tired out, hungry, and looking for a treat, that’s going to work much better for us than if they’re super excited with the zoomies and don’t want any treats.

Posing Ideas That Work (And Ones to Avoid)

My favorite safe poses create beautiful compositions without compromising anyone’s safety. Here are some that work really well:

The Crib Shot: This is one of my favorites! We put the baby in the crib, and I’ll get a dog treat and put it in the crib to get the dog to put their nose up to the crib to get the treat. Then I edit out the dog treat later, so it looks like the dog is sweetly sniffing or looking at the baby. For smaller dogs, I might have a parent hold the dog and lean over the crib instead.

Parents Holding Baby: Having the parents hold the baby while sitting or standing near the dog creates a natural, safe barrier while still showing the family connection. The dog can sit at their feet or beside them on a couch.

Lifestyle Shots: Sometimes just having the dog laying on the floor during regular family photos contributes to that overall lifestyle feel we’re going for.

Bed Poses (for the right situations): If it’s an older, very calm dog and the parents are completely comfortable, I have done poses where we have the dog and baby on the parents’ bed. We’ve gotten some really sweet photos of gentle dogs sniffing babies. But these are typically older dogs from calmer breeds – definitely not young, large, energetic dogs.

The honest truth? Most of those sweet “genuine interactions” you see are actually created using tricks like the dog treat technique. But they capture the feeling families want to remember, which is what matters most.

Managing the Chaos: Tips for a Smooth Session

My typical session flow is pretty strategic. I come in and introduce myself to the dog while they’re excited and want to sniff me and be petted – I do all of that! Then I wash my hands and get started with nursery shots and baby photos with parents in the nursery.

At this point, we just let the dog come and go naturally. Once the dog is relaxed and used to me being in the house, then we can get more of those shots with dogs sitting at parents’ feet. Sometimes we wait until the end for those types of photos.

I have a little trick I love to use when we’re trying to get that perfect family shot. Maybe your’re in the nursery with the dog sitting at your feet, or in the master bedroom with the dog on the bed with them. I’ll make a very high-pitched, weird noise to catch the dog’s attention and get them to perk their ears and tilt their head to look at me quizzically. It always results in such a cute photo! Sometimes I tell the parents beforehand, and sometimes I forget – which means I also get funny expressions from the parents because they weren’t expecting it, but we always get a really cute memory from that moment.

The beauty of working with dogs during newborn sessions is that they’re not the main focus – they’re just in there for a few shots here and there. They get their own natural breaks, and since animals can’t “do it over again” like we might ask people to do, I’m always watching and ready to capture those perfect moments when they happen.

The Secret to Perfect Newborn Photos with Dogs Every Time

I love being able to include pets in sessions because they’re such an important part of families’ lives. I know this from personal experience – when I look back on those newborn photos with my oldest son, I see our babies Maxie and Sadie, and I miss them. I think about them, and I’m so glad we have them documented with Will.

If you’re on the fence about newborn photos with dogs for your session, here’s what I want you to know: we can absolutely make it work. If you’re nervous about dealing with the stress, I won’t force it – no worries at all! But if you want your pet in the session and you’re just a little unsure, I can give you tips on what to do ahead of time, and we can keep things calm and easy during the session to get those photos.

I haven’t had an issue yet with getting at least some kind of newborn photos with dogs at a session. It just depends on the situation – sometimes it’s an older dog close to the baby, sometimes it’s a young dog where the baby stays safely in the crib, and sometimes it’s just the dog in the room while the session’s going on without super-posed shots. We can always find a way to include them that works for your family.

Here’s my final encouragement: it’s always meaningful to capture your family pet with your kids. Your child may not remember the pet when they’re older, but you’ll know they were there and loved. And trust me, years from now, you’ll be so grateful to have those images that show your complete family exactly as it was during this precious time.

Ready to create beautiful newborn photos with dogs that capture your growing family? Contact me today to book your session and let’s make these meaningful memories together.

Looking for ideas on Christmas outfits for family photos? Then check out my friend Rose’s article for some festive ideas!

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