Frank and Rizo — The Dachshunds Behind the Sausage Dog Photographer

My own dachshunds are the reason I ended up specialising in the breed. Frankfurter, known as Frank, and Chorizo, known as Rizo, have been around the studio long enough that I’ve had plenty of opportunity to work out how to photograph them properly.

That turned out to be useful.

Where the Specialism Came From

Dachshunds are not straightforward subjects. They are curious, independently minded, and easily distracted. Frank in particular has a low boredom threshold and a healthy disregard for instruction. Rizo is more cooperative, but only up to a point.

Learning to photograph them well — getting expressions that feel natural rather than anxious, timing the shot to catch the right moment rather than just a dog looking at something off-camera — taught me a lot about working with the breed. By the time I started photographing other people’s dachshunds, I had a clearer idea of what worked and what didn’t.

What Makes Dachshunds Good Portrait Subjects

The breed has a distinctive shape and a lot of expression in the face. The ears, the eyes, the way they carry themselves. When the lighting and the timing are right, dachshunds produce portraits that have real character rather than a generic pet photo quality.

The challenge is that they photograph best when they are relaxed and behaving naturally. A posed, over-directed dachshund tends to look tense. The aim is always to give the dog enough time to settle and then work with whatever they give you.

Studio Sessions at Bentwaters

Frank and Rizo have been through the studio setup enough times that they treat the lights and backgrounds as entirely normal. For visiting dogs, I allow time at the start of every session for the dog to explore and settle before we start shooting. It makes a noticeable difference to the final images.

If you would like to book a studio portrait session for your dachshund, you can get in touch to discuss availability and what the session involves.