Why Won’t My Dog Sit Still for Photos?

1 Overview

Smartphones make photos easy, but shooting a dog is just as hard with a DSLR as with a phone. Few dogs like being photographed; great shots are one in dozens or hundreds.

Even without flash or sound, a camera is sensitive business for a dog. Whatever it’s doing, point a phone at it and it’ll turn away or act out.

So today we learn how to make a dog love the camera.

Body language

A dog’s only way to talk is body language. When you raise the phone it thinks you’re staring at it – but you’re watching the lens.

Timid dogs leave at once; some get stiff or come right up.

All kinds of fear

Some dogs fear the lens glare, the shutter sound, the flash – all unknown to them.

Misreading

Dogs react to human eyes differently from other animals; they can read our gaze.

Experiments show that after eye contact, a dog follows the next command better.

When you pick up the phone it reads your intent; aiming the lens, it may misread you as searching for something or telling it to leave.

For these dogs, best is one person holds its attention while the other shoots, or use some aid.

So how to get a dog used to photos?

Bring its favorite treats and toys, start with the simplest tool; if you plan a DSLR later, begin with the phone.

Dogs adapt fast, but only step by step.

If you want it to be an online star, get it used to cameras and pro lighting as a puppy – quite easy then.