Your dog is your best friend, so it makes perfect sense that you would want to include them in your engagement photos! Pictures with your fur-baby can make for adorable and unique engagement photos that you can use on your Save the Date announcements, too! To make the most of your photos, follow these simple tips to include your pup in your engagement session.

1. Find the right photographer

You don’t need a photographer who specializes in pet portraits, although that would be a bonus! Just make sure to let your photographer know that you want to bring your pup along, and ensure that the location you are taking your photos allows dogs. It helps if your photographer has a pet of their own or has experience photographing pets in the past.

2. Bring treats

We know how hard it can be to capture your dog's attention, so it's important to bring along treats to reward them for their good behavior! This will make it easier for you and the photographer to incentivize them to sit or lie down.

3. Dress the Part

Since you and your partner will be looking your best, your pup should too! An adorable customized pet bandana is the paw-fect accompaniment to an engagement session. Use one of our favorite sayings like “Dog of Honor” or “I do, too”. If you want to go for a more subtle look, a personalized pet tag for your dog's collar will look simple and cute, and is perfect for those close up shots!

4. Keep it short

Unless you have the most chill dog in the world, he or she will start to get antsy from posing after a while (just like humans!). Try to keep the portion with your pet relatively short, and utilize our last tip to make it happen.

5. Bring a helper

It’s a good idea to bring along a friend who can help capture your dog's attention and give them some play time when they aren’t on camera! You’ll probably want to capture shots without your dog too, so it’s important to have someone there who can keep your dog occupied.

6. Have fun!

The most important part is to avoid stress and just have fun during your engagement shoot. Your pets pick up on your subtle cues, so if you are relaxed and playful, he/she probably will be too! Even if your photos don’t turn out exactly as you imagined, you’ll have fun in the process. Did you include your dog in your engagement photos? Share any of your tips with us below! If you aren’t engaged yet, check out our post on how to include your pet in your wedding proposal for tips and inspiration.