Hello there!

This blog post is dedicated to all the dog moms who have just booked a photoshoot and might be wondering where to start. Here, I've summarized some valuable tips to help you prepare for the big day.

To begin, it's essential to establish good communication with your photographer and share information about your dog's needs, which can be crucial for a successful shoot. For example, if your dog has allergies and can only eat specific treats or doesn't eat treats at all, if your dog gets nervous around loud noises or when there are people in the room, and so on.

I'll break down these tips into two parts: first, we'll discuss how to prepare your dog, and then I'll share some tips on how to prepare yourself.

How to Prepare Your Dog for a Photoshoot:

Practice Basic Commands

Start by practicing basic commands like "sit" and "stay." This is crucial for maintaining control during the photoshoot. You can practice these commands while feeding your dog, during walks, or whenever possible. It helps your dog get accustomed to following commands in different environments and also helps you understand their motivation, whether it's food-driven or something else.

Clothing Considerations

If you plan to dress up your pup, ensure they are comfortable with wearing clothes. Practice this at home to prevent any unexpected reactions during the photoshoot.

Potty Break

Shortly before the photoshoot, make sure your dog has the opportunity to relieve themselves. This will help reduce the chance of accidents and allow them to burn off some energy, helping them stay relaxed during the shoot.

Patience is Key

Allow your dog to explore the shoot location before getting started. This will help them become more comfortable in the environment.

How to Prepare Yourself for a Dog Mom Photoshoot

Now, let's discuss some Do's and Don'ts for preparing yourself, the dog mom:

Do's

Find Inspiration

Look for inspiration to determine the mood and style of the photoshoot. This will help you choose your clothing and accessories accordingly. I personally love looking for inspiration in Pinterest.

Color Palette

Select a color palette you love, ideally consisting of 2-3 colors, but you can go for more if that's your style. I personally love to go maximalist and mix lot of color. Here is a Pinterest Board with some very colorful ideas. Also, I created this other one with more neutral tones.

Consider Clothing

I usually recommend exploring options like color blocking, layers or monochromatic with different textures. Depending on your mood, you can go for different vibes, from elegant, bossy, to cozy. For example, in my case, I love using suit pants and blazers, this combo helps me feel comfortable, while having that power woman look. This type of outfit always look great on camera! However, you can also think about using wide leg jeans, mom, jeans, cropped or straight ones. Ideally they aren’t skinny! Mixing jeans with blazers, heels, and snekers is a great combo too! However, if you are going for a more cozy mood, wearing a cool cardigan or an oversize knit sweater always works well!

Coordinate with Your Dog

This is optional! But I HIGHLY encourage it! You can coordinate your outfit with your pup by wearing same color palette or pattern style. It doesnt have to be identical!. Here is a board with some fun examples. And here is a list with some of my favorite places to find matching outfits:

Target
Sunbean
Etsy (an example, you can also try searching dod mom matching outfit)
Bois the Label

Footwear

Over the years I’ve noticed white sneakers or boots are great choices, they look great on camera and are also confortable to wear and pose. However, iff you prefer sandals, make sure to have a fresh pedicure before the shoot.

Accessorize

If you feel like it, you can enhance your look with accessories like sunglasses, hats, earrings, and bandanas. I highly recommend! Especially if you decide to go more neutral with your clothes, accessories can add the right amount of color to your look.

Props

This is optional! If you feel playful, consider incorporating food or flowers as props to add a unique touch to your photos. This should be discussed with your photographer ahead of time so we can prepare better!

Don'ts:

Avoid Tight Clothing

I don't recommend wearing tight clothing unless it's an athletic-themed photoshoot. This because you might get uncorfotable, and we want to avoid that at all cost!

Stay Away from Certain Colors

Avoid wearing black, gray, or white as they can show dog hair, treat crumbs, and drool more prominently. So what this means, is to avoid a full look on those colors, and depending on the fabric some are good and some aren’t!

Keep it comfortable

Refrain from super short skirts or dresses as they might limit your posing options during the session, especially because your pup will be on your lap or you'll be sitting or lying down.

Here are some brands I love for stylish and colorful outfits:

If you wish to know more about how to prepare your dog and how a dog photoshoot is, check out this related blog post: How to Take Photos of My Dog: 8 Tips from a Professional Dog Photographer. And if you want to take a look into previous dog mom photohoot projects, click here.

I hope these tips help you prepare for your dog mom photoshoot, and I wish you a fantastic and memorable experience!