Why Including your Pet in your Portrait Photograph Is a Brilliant Idea
(Said No Pet Ever)
Including your beloved pet in your portrait session sounds lovely in theory.
Heart-warming. Wholesome. Very “I’m a calm, caring awesome person.”
In reality, it’s more like inviting a furry wildcard whose sole mission is to test the limits of patience, physics, and my reflexes.
Which is exactly why you should do it.
Pets Understand One Command Only: “Havoc”
You may swear your dog “usually sits” or your cat is “very chill.”
The moment I get there, they immediately forget their name, their training, and possibly who you are.
Dogs will:
Sit beautifully… facing the wrong direction
Have a sudden urge to lick their balls (if they have them)
Attempt to escape mid-shot like they’ve just remembered an urgent meeting elsewhere
Cats will:
Flatten their ears and glare in silent judgment
Hurtle off your knee like a cannonball as they suddenly remember that vital meeting they have – possibly that one with the dog.
Disappear altogether just before I get there, only to reappear within 10 seconds of me leaving.
And Horses; well horses will figure that this is the time they get to stand beside you snoozing – which means ears down and to the side, lower lip drooping, head down around nose height as they drift off for a nap while you do you.
Of course not all horses drift off to sleep - some, like my own Zephyr, (Example below) will do anything to be the centre of attention during what is supposed to be the beautiful mother and son shoot…
Not exactly the proud, majestic beast standing alongside you (or in this case, his Mother) in your time of need.
In a Family Group, the Family Pet Will Steal the Spotlight
(And They Know It)
You thought this was a family portrait.
Your pet thought this was their audition.
Expect:
The dog to grin inanely, much like a toothpaste model but with more tongue – a LOT more tongue.
The horse to snort a massive spray of snot over everyone within reach before settling in to take his mid-day nap while everyone else is now on high (snot) alert
The rabbit to resemble a startled potato in every frame and
The cat to have the sullen stare of Winston Churchill about to make plans to go into battle
Meanwhile, Dad is wondering why my car is parked at an odd angle, and Mum is wondering why the dog looks better lit than she does.
Children + Pets = Unscripted Gold
Including a pet in a child’s portrait is a bold artistic choice; a bit like adding a glitter cannon to a tea party.
On paper, it sounds totally magical: best friends, tiny hands clutching fluffy coats, a moment of pure divine innocence.
In reality, your pet has his own creative vision.
Your pooch will sit perfectly until the exact second the shutter clicks, then lick the child’s face in a manner that screams he is being paid per slobber.
The cat will tolerate the situation with the cold dignity of a Victorian aunt, before leaping off mid-shot as he remembers that crucial meeting – or is it a battle.
Meanwhile, the child alternates between the surly showing of teeth, as per parental instruction, and sudden consternation about whether the dog’s butthole is visible in the photo.
And when it all comes together?
I get a that portrait which captures real life: mayhem, love, hair on everything, and a memory far better than “everyone sat nicely and smiled.”
That look I have of calm professionalism?
Self portrait of the the photographer after a successful photo shoot.
That’s earned. Believe me when I say I have:
Crawled through mud to retrieve runaway dogs
Negotiated treats with formidable roosters
Made squeaky noises I’ll never admit to in public
I know that the perfect shot often happens between the bedlam — when no one is quite ready and the pet is being unapologetically themselves.
The Photos You’ll Love Most Won’t Be the “Perfect” Ones
It won’t be the one where everyone is sitting perfectly.
It’ll be the one where:
The dogs photobomb by staging a race around the seated subjects
The cat looks unimpressed
The horse leans in and eats the flowers on Grandma’s hat
Because that’s your family. Fur, flaws, and all.
Final Verdict: Absolutely Include your Pet/s
Your pets are part of your story — the huge tongue that just won’t roll back into place , the one with the mouthful of flowers stolen from that hat, imperial impertinence and the blob that vaguely resembles your rabbit.
They won’t always be there, but these moments will be.
So bring the dog. Bring the cat. Bring the horse, the rabbit, the chicken, the lizard or even your Goldfish (preferably alive and in a suitable water filled bowl).
Create a kerfuffle.
After all, the best portraits aren’t about perfection — they’re about expression, and most of all they are about love.