6 Reasons to Include Your Pet in Family Photos

….and some tips and tricks to help as well!

If you find yourself here- it’s a good bet you love animals and probably have a pet or two (maybe a mini zoo?!) at home. If you have ever tried to take photos of your dog you know how hard it can be sometimes- especially if you add kids into the mix. The thought of it might stress you out so much that you think it’s better to leave them at home during your family photo session. But have no fear- that’s why we are here! Your local Philadelphia dog trainer (We recommend Opportunity Barks!) can give you all the tools you need for a balanced pup and a stress-free photo session and I will be there to document your full family in all their glory (including some funny outtakes).

1. They Are A Family Member

Your pets are an important piece of your family; not including them in your family photos would be leaving out a family member. Your pet is with you daily, and your family photos should reflect that! By including your pet in your family photos, you can document any of the training your family has worked hard on and really show off their skills! I’m sure you have hundreds of pictures of your pet, but how many do you have of your pet with the entire family? Including them in your family photos will give you the ability to capture your family as a whole.

2. Watching Your Pet and Child Grow Together

In many cases, your pet is essentially another one of your children (Maybe you say they are your first baby). Watching your pet and child grow up together is truly a beautiful experience to observe. They form such an unbreakable bond, and it’s important that you capture that bond! We can adapt to capturing their bond depending on your pet’s obedience and cooperation levels. Depending on your situation, we can get photos of your pet and child cuddling or simply having the pets peek into the crib! Your family photos should represent you as well as the relationships you have with one another. By incorporating your pet into your family photos, you will be able to document their growth both as individuals and as a pair. Especially if you choose to regularly update your family portraits.

3. Pets Lighten the Mood of Your Family Photos

Pets have a personality of their own and are always finding new ways to make you laugh. By including your pet in your family photo session, you can allow that personality of theirs to shine through! Whether that be from their playful antics or the funny expressions they make, including them will add a fun element to your photos. You can also even show off your dogs’ skills and tricks. Op Barks has some great classes and basic dog training tips that you can use to include pets in your photos effortlessly! No dog is too difficult to photograph- we simply have to find their cheat code.

4. Capturing Memories With Them- They deserve the spotlight too!

Having family photos taken that include your pet will be treasured by your family for years to come. It’ll give your family the opportunity to look back at the photos and remember the memories that were created from them. It will be nice to see how they have changed both physically and personality-wise. It’s also a nice excuse to show off all their training and skills so you can always look back at the photos and say “what a good dog.” Side note- you don’t have to have kids to get a family session with your dog! Pet sessions with complimentary humans are also available 🙂

5.  There is never enough time with them.

Having your loved furry friend included in your family photos will create an archive of the time you’ve spent together. The images will be so valuable to you later on in life, when they may not be with you anymore. By including them, you will have full family portraits that will be held so dearly in your heart and memories you can look back on.

6. I want to meet them.

Sorry, not sorry. I love all animals and just want to snuggle with them.

Our friends at Opportunity Barks have all the best tips for Dog training in Philadelphia. Not only did they train my pups so wonderfully- they’re also just great humans. I love to support fellow women-owned businesses. If you have any dog behavior questions or needs, they are definitely our go-to for dog training in Philadelphia. They have multiple locations including a farm up in Quakertown!

Check them out and give them a bark here- https://www.opbarks.com/ and as always…BRING ME ALL THE DOGS!! For other dog-based recommendations- check out my Philadelphia Dog Guide, where I share with you all my favorite locations.

To book your family session, fill out the contact form on my website so that we can further discuss the details!

Check out my Philly Blog stories to read more about lifestyle family sessions or even a pet session!