Sausage Dog Puppies — A Studio Session at Bentwaters
Two sausage dog puppies came in to my Bentwaters studio for a portrait session, and it was a good reminder of why puppy shoots need a slightly different approach to adult dog sessions.
Working with Young Dogs
Puppies have a lot of energy and a short attention span. They want to explore, they want to investigate things, and sitting still is generally not high on their list of priorities. That’s not a problem — it just means you work differently. Rather than waiting for the perfect moment, you keep the camera ready and take what’s there.
These two were a good example of that. They were curious, they were quick, and every now and then they’d settle for a second into something that made a good shot. The trick is recognising those moments when they arrive.
What Makes Puppy Portraits Work
The best puppy portraits tend to come from patience rather than direction. You can’t pose a puppy the way you might settle an older, calmer dog. What you can do is create the right conditions — a quiet environment, a posing table at a good height, treats in the right hands at the right time — and let things unfold.
Dachshund puppies in particular have a lot going for them as portrait subjects. Those big eyes and long ears, combined with the general liveliness of puppyhood, gives the images a lot of life.
Booking a Session
If your dachshund is still young and you’d like to get some portraits before they grow up too quickly, it’s worth getting in touch sooner rather than later. Puppies change fast.
