Pet parents: do you have a camera roll filled to capacity with photos of your dog, but nothing of you and your pets together?

You may have even thought about booking a professional photo shoot for your dog, so you know how important it is to have beautiful images of them, but have not thought through whether you want to jump in with them or not.

I’m here to tell you that it is SO important to capture the unique bond of you and your pup during your photoshoot! Whether you are booking a pro or capturing the perfect photo yourself, getting that shot of a human and their beloved pup together is no easy feat. It takes a lot of patience, creativity, and a bit of luck.

With some careful planning and the ten pose ideas below, you can create stunning photos that show off both your pup’s personality and yours!

What Makes a Great Dog and Owner Pose for Photography?

The key to great dog and owner photo poses is to find a pose that captures the unique love between you two while both dog and human are comfortable and happy.

The pose should be flattering, but also be representative of the duo’s daily life. There is no use in having an elaborate set-up if it doesn’t truly capture the relationship between you two!

Whether it’s cuddling on the couch or chasing a tennis ball, there are plenty of creative pet photography poses out there for you to try with your dog that will become your absolute favorite photo for years to come.

Pose Idea #1 – The Classic Sitting Pose

When it comes to capturing beautiful pet and owner shots, the classic sitting pose will never go out of style. This traditional pet photography pose has been around forever, and it still remains a popular choice for pet owners and professional photographers alike.

This pose involves having the dog sit facing the camera while their human companion stands behind, beside, or holds them. Your photographer (or whoever is taking the photo) should get the dog’s attention, while you focus on also smiling and looking at the camera. The result is an adorable photograph that captures both the canine and their human’s best self.

This classic pet photo pose can become a timeless piece of art and will never go out of style!

Pose Idea #2 – The Sweet Snuggle Pose

The sweet snuggle pose is an idea for the humans and dogs who are always showing each other physical affection. Instead of looking at the camera, you will snuggle up with your pup and capture those special moments.

This heartfelt pose is a great way to show off your affection and love towards your pet while also having fun with it. The sweet snuggle can be used to express emotions for an aging pet, or take advantage of some young puppy love.

Not only does it help you capture the a strong connection between you and your dog but also the trust and understanding between the two of you.

Post Idea #3 – The Kissing Pose

One adorable pose that never fails to put a smile on viewers faces is the kissing pose. Similar to the sweet snuggle pose, if your dog is comfortable with receiving or giving kisses, this makes for a great photo.

You can also “fake” a kiss by spreading a little bit of whipped cream or peanut butter on your cheek for your dog to lick up! This is a favorite of mine for blind and/or deaf dogs.

Pose Idea #4 – The Let’s Play Fetch Pose

Capturing the energy and excitement of your four-legged family member in action can be a challenge, but it is worth it. If you have a dog who bounces off the walls for a tennis ball or frisbee, this is the pose for you.

With the Let’s Play Fetch pose, you can get some truly incredible shots of your pup running and playing with their toy. This pose involves the owner throwing a toy for their pet to fetch, allowing you to capture some great action shots.

I like to have the owner stand directly in front of the camera but about 100 feet away, and throw the toy about halfway between us to get images with them in the background of the dog chasing and grabbing a toy. You can also get photos of the dog running back to the owner and the special interactions between them.

Not only is it a fun activity for your pup, but it also makes for some amazing playful pet photography ideas that will make any photo album shine!

Pose Idea #5 – The ‘Let’s Get Tricky’ Pose

The Let’s Get Tricky is a pose idea that captures the connection between dog and owner. It involves the two of them facing each other or interaction while the pet is doing tricks!

This pose can be used to capture the bond between a pet and its owner, as well as the trust and respect they share. With this pose, you can create an image that shows how much a pet means to its owner.

Pose Idea #6 – The Not-In-the-Photo Pose

Sometimes, dog parents want to be in photos, but still want the dog to be the center of attention. It could also be the case that the owner is self-conscious of their appearance or does not like being photographed.

Enter, the Not-in-the-Photo Pose! An example of this concept is the dog sitting next to the owner’s legs, in between their shoes (especially cute boots!), looking over the owner’s shoulders, or getting a pat on the head from their hand.

This way, you can still capture the amazing bond of the owner and the dog together, without having to put pressure on the pet parents to be photographed. I especially love the over-the-shoulder pose for puppies and small dogs!

Pose Idea #7 – The Devil in the Details Pose

Similar to pose idea #6, this dog and owner pose idea focuses in closely on a small part of the dog with the human. For example, you can show the love between dog and mom by photographing the dog’s paw in her hand. This pose can get emotional if the dog is nearing the end of their life, but it is important to capture all angles of your dog during the photoshoot. 

Pose Idea #8 – The Silhouette Pose

This posing idea is unique because it can encompass so many of the other poses on this list but using the owner and dog subjects as a silhouette against a beautiful sunrise or sunset!

The key to taking a great silhouette photo is to look for a slight rise or hill and expose for the sky to black-out the subjects. You can even have fun with some action!

The result is an artistic, colorful photograph that overall will capture the bond between owner and dog without focusing on details of either.

Pose Idea #9 – The On-A-Walk Pose

What is something that you do with your dog every day? Take them on a walk! This is a great dog and owner pose because it captures their bond during a daily part of life.

The duo can either walk towards the camera, or away, as long as they are looking at eachother and interacting in their fun, normal way. 

Pose Idea #10 – The Looking Into the Distance Pose

For the final pose idea, this is a unique way to pose a dog and owner during a photoshoot: both facing away from the camera.

While it might seem odd to not have the subjects facing towards the photographer, this pose can capture the friendship between the human and dog as they take on the world together.

Try posing both human and dog seated, facing away and slightly to one side, and consider wrapping a blanket around them. You can also photograph them looking at eachother in this pose. 

Which pose will you choose?

I hope these ten poses have given you inspiration for your next photoshoot, whether you are the dog parent, the photographer, or a helpful friend!

If you want to book a professional photoshoot with me (Nadia Hall of Barking Dog Images) in the SE Wisconsin area, I can help you with any of these poses and more unique ways to include you and your dog together! To see more of my work, click here for my portfolio.