Six out of 10 pet owners want their pets in their family holiday photos. I am one of the six AND the first to admit I need holiday pet photo tips too!
Harley is wonderfully compliant when it comes to camera work. He learned my commands quickly and seems to understand all my silly gestures.
Jaxson (on the other paw) has had great difficulty learning how to close his mouth on command…
After months of trying, he surprised me one day when I gave him the signal and he closed his mouth…
Trouble is – it doesn’t stay closed for long #cantwinforlosing
MOUTH OPEN OR CLOSED –
Those are my contenders for the front of our family Christmas card this year. I continue to oscillate between the two.
Can you help a sistah’ out and tell me which one you’d rather see when you opened your mail?
When I looked for tips, these were the few I found most helpful –
- Minimize distractions – a quiet location works best.
- Let your pet be themselves – this is what makes me gravitate to the tongue out!
- Get on his level – sometimes you’ve just gotta get down there.
- Use the proper attention-getter – toys, treats, or noises from your mouth, find what works.
- Be PATIENT – not always easy – but necessary.
- Keep it short – abort after a few minutes, – give it a moment – then try again.
PINTEREST ROCKS –
I have resisted Pinterest for years. Just couldn’t feel the love for some reason. Recently I’ve become an admirer.
I wish I would have looked at Pinterest BEFORE now. There are dozens of creative ideas for Christmas photos with pets. Many seemed to highlight the pets personalities. I saw so many visualizations that could have captured their persona.
If you still haven’t taken your 2017 holiday photo – Check out these Christmas card photo ideas with dog from Pinterest.
Review this complete list of how to take perfect holiday pet pictures by Vet Street.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST –
Let us know whether we should share holiday cheer with the tongue hanging out or not!
Merry Everything & Happy Always ❤️
This is our contribution in the BlogPaws Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.
December 13, 2017
I love both pics…but if I had to pick I would say number 1…Jaxson looks very happy in that pic. Merry Christmas!
December 13, 2017
Hi April –
Jaxson should have been named “Happy” it would have been so fitting! He looks like he’s smiling when his tongue is out so I know exactly what your talking about.
December 13, 2017
Sorry no help here! I love BOTH! I can’t pick. They are beyond adorable!!!!
December 13, 2017
Dashlilly – I was sure you’d vote tongue out!
December 13, 2017
I’m in the tongue out camp! Jaxson looks much more natural this way.
I’ve noticed over the years with our granddoodle that when I hold a distraction, whether food or a favorite toy, he comes to me to get it. So we haven’t figured out how to get the boy to sit still for photos. It’s definitely catch as catch can!
December 13, 2017
I’ve tried it all. The best thing for me was to teach commands without any props. Harley never really needed any prompting. He truly loves to pose. Jaxson is fickled – so I just roll with it LOL
December 13, 2017
Every dog is different when it comes to modeling. Trial and error is what works for us. One dog is a breeze, two is a bit more work, three is always tough, but my sisters and I are pretty good at posing. We know if we get it right, we are done but we also enjoy posing.
December 13, 2017
I’m always impressed with your family photos Emma. I can’t begin to imagine how you pose in those incredible kitchen photos. Your mom is the BOMB!
December 13, 2017
Tongue out.
We’ve been blessed that one of the local charities does a picture with Santa with a professional photographer and Katy who is shy with everyone love the Santa that works with her. It’s always a tough choice. This year, my choice favored Annie. She had a very cute “smile” on her face. Katy was just settling into her coze with Santa so it isn’t her best pic of the lot. My girl who is shy with everyone didn’t want to leave Santa’s lap when she was done.
December 13, 2017
Reading your comment made me stop and think… I don’t ever remember Jaxson “shy” around anyone in his life. This was the first time I tried to get them to sit together with Santa. He definitely had his hands full. The place was super crowded, dogs all over the place, so I was amazed when I saw the pics.
December 13, 2017
Gosh, they are both really cute! I guess maybe the tongue out, but again they look adorable either way.
Getting on their level is really an important tip. Ruby is short but fortunately so am I so makes photos a little easer. LOL!
December 13, 2017
I’ve laid down in wet grass on many occasion just to get the perfect photo.
December 13, 2017
Great tips! I like open mouth photos!!!
December 13, 2017
Open mouth seems to be the overall fav…
December 13, 2017
Adorable pics. I think I like the mouth open, looks like he’s smiling.
,
December 13, 2017
He does look like he’s smiling doesn’t he? The closed mouth cracks me up because I am not used to seeing him like that!
December 13, 2017
You really can’t go wrong with either. I do prefer tongues hanging out because like Patricia Broccoli, I consider that a doggie smile.
December 13, 2017
Hi Irene – welcome to Groovy Goldendoodles! Tongues out does look cute on any dog. Come back and visit again soon.
December 14, 2017
Oh, definitely tongue out! It’s adorable!
December 15, 2017
HA! – I’m wondering if those who met Jaxson agree with you because his tongue out fits his PAWsonality… Happy Holidays my friend – hugs to Mike and Honey…
December 16, 2017
I tend to like tongue out photos because I think it makes it look more like they’re smiling. However, Harley looks like he’s smiling without his tongue out!
We don’t have too much luck with holiday photos….Cricket is so fidgety, and if you have a treat or toy in your hand that just makes it worse, because she wants it NOW! LOL
December 19, 2017
Tongue out is adorable, but then tongue in makes them both look so grown up – I can’t decide, may have to use both. Happy Holidays girlfriend.
December 17, 2017
Great photos of the boys with Santa. 🙂 Merry Christmas love, xoxoxo!
December 19, 2017
Merry Christmas to you too my friend. Wishing you and your’s all the best this Holiday season. XOXO
December 18, 2017
I kind of like the tongue hanging out 🙂 I need dog photo tips for how to velcro your dog in one place so you can get the photo taken. It’s not that easy keeping a Jack Russell from bouncing around.
Incidentally, this is why our holiday cards have a cute photo of Misha poking out of her blankets. It really is her native habitat.
December 19, 2017
HA! Velcro sounds like an excellent idea. There are good days and bad ones when it comes to pet photos – I try to just run with it.
December 19, 2017
Definitely tongue out! Most of my pix of all my dogs are tongue out. Like Jan K said, it makes them look like they’re smiling.
December 19, 2017
I know – and it’s so “Jaxson!” I think I’ll use both of them, give the ones with tongue out to my pet parent friends LOL They’ll appreciate the tongue out! Merry Christmas my friend – and the happiest of holidays.
December 22, 2017
And to you and yours as well, Cathy!!
January 7, 2018
Belated hugs to you too my friend!