Including your Dog in your Newborn or  Family Portrait Session

As a dog lover and owner myself, I absolutely love welcoming families to the studio and photographing every special relationship — from newborns and parents to babies, children and their much-loved four-legged friends. Your dog is part of your family, and it’s a joy to include them in your portraits whenever it is safe and appropriate to do so. However, as a professional newborn and family photographer, your baby’s safety and wellbeing will always be my highest priority. With this in mind, I’ve put together the following guidance, which I kindly ask you to read carefully before deciding whether to include your family dog in your newborn or family photography session.

Please don’t be surprised if, on the day of your session, I photograph your child and dog separately. This is something I do as standard to keep the session calm, safe and enjoyable for everyone - and you would never know from the final images. It’s not about trust at all. With the excitement of a new baby and a new environment, even the most relaxed dogs can become a little unpredictable. Photographing them separately also allows me to focus on getting the very best expressions from your dog first, and then give my full attention to your baby, rather than trying to manage both at once. Treating each of my models individually helps me create the best possible results for every family.

Just a few things to bear in mind for the session. Health and safety in my studio is really important, so please make sure your dog is fully house-trained, healthy, and up to date with vaccinations and worming (common sense with a new baby around, I know!). I’ll ask you to sign a brief disclaimer before we begin to confirm you’re happy with my studio safety guidelines.

The studio will be nice and warm for your newborn session, so please bring your dog’s water bowl and, if they’re comfortable in the warmth, something for them to lie on. If your dog doesn’t cope well with the heat (or has lots of energy) it might be best for them to head home or wait in the car after their photos are done, as a calm atmosphere works best for newborns. Finally, don’t forget some favourite treats for rewards (and gentle bribery!).