One of the biggest misconceptions I see is that dog photography is about getting a dog to do something — sit, stay, look here, perform. In reality, a great session is about listening first. Before I ever worry about the camera, I’m watching your dog.
Their eyes.
Their ears.
Their mouth.
Their tail.
Their overall posture and energy.
These subtle cues tell me whether your dog feels curious, unsure, confident, overstimulated, relaxed, or ready for a break. And the better I read those signals, the more we can shape the session around who your dog actually is — not who we think they should be.
So if you’ve ever worried, “What if my dog is nervous?” or “What if they don’t act like themselves?” — this is exactly why body language matters. It’s how I know when to slow down, when to lean in, when to pivot, and when magic is about to happen.
Let’s break down what your dog is really telling us — quietly, constantly, and honestly — during your session.
Eyes
Eyes are where we make a connection with our dogs. They range in color from blue to gold to brown and are able to see in a range of blue and yellow color tones. Eyes also can give indicators to a dog’s comfort level.
Relaxed to watchful = content, curious & observant
Wide, whites showing = unsure, timid, stressed, frequently called “whale eye”
Staring with hard gaze = threatening, aggressive, prepare for bite
Ears
With the variety of shapes ears come in, they can speak volumes.
Upright ears function like cat or horse ears. They twist and swivel to pinpoint sounds. Half up (held a bit sideways) unsally indicates stress and being uncomfortable, while pinned back ears could be fear or a bout of the zoomies are incoming.
Ears that aren’t upright prick style also do loads of talking. Ears “missing” and tucked to the side of your dog’s head is an indicator of stress or being uncomfortable, though relaxed ears can also sit more on the side of your dog’s head. The main thing is to see how the ears are held. The tighter they’re tucked back the more uncomfortable and stressed. Upright ears can indicate alertness, curiosity, or listening.
Mouth & Lips
Your dog’s mouth isn’t simply a receiver of treats – it is also an indicator of stress level! A relaxed dog may have a closed mouth, semi open mouth or big open pant. Lips are loose, tongue is relaxed. A dog who has just run and played may pant, a stressed dog also pants!
Stressed panting is frequently paired with ears held tighter to the head and tighter anxious body language.
Dogs who are sniffing will close their mouths (they can’t take in the smells when they pant!), though a closed mouth can happen with curiosity or aggression – pay attention to position of body, ears and eyes too!
A gesture that scrunches the nose and pulls back lips while squinting eyes and pairing with a welcoming wiggly body is a submissive grin (your dog is crazy happy to see you). If the teeth are bared, with hard eyes and hard body language this dog is giving a full bugger off signal.
Soft lips = calm
Hard lips = fear, possible aggression
Yawns can indicate boredom or being tired, but can also be a stress signal – your dog might be saying I’m not comfortable and I’d rather not participate in this request.
Tail
Tails are HUGE communicators for dogs. Subtle position changes can indicate friendliness, stress, aggression, shyness and so much more. Though we don’t understand all of the nuances of tails, there are some key things to to keep an eye on.
Position!
A tail tucked way up and under is an uncomfortable dog, very stressed and nervous.
A mid held tail could be an uncomfortable dog or a happy, relaxed dog – how is the body held? Eyes? Ears?
A wagging tail could be a friendly dog or a stressed dog (note the body language & eyes)
A tail held high and stiff is an aggressive or threatening dog
A tail held high and loose is a relaxed, happy or playful dog.
Or simply a tail held high is normal tail placement! Blue’s tail is help up and slightly curled when he walks and trots around the yard. When he’s tired it hangs lower.
Posture & Body Movement
This is going to be the nuance that ties everything together. Stressed and anxious dogs might have tighter body parts & movement, a raised paw, a look away (both are stress signals). An aggressive dog or even fearful dog can have stiff body language with weight forward, and hackles up. A relaxed dog has a looseness that flows from nose to tail with ears, tail and eyes to match.
If you’re more visual, this illustration by Lili Chin is one of my favorite ways to see these signals all at once. She also has a book about dog body language too!
What I've learned from Blue
Blue has always been shy, opting to tell people to bugger off as a puppy with nips or growls and barks. As he got older, he started to gain more nuances with his body language. When he’s going to give me stellar sit & stay for pictures or if he decides there are other things to be done. He yawns to tell me he isn’t interested and vaguely considers having alert ears. He chin nibbles in a pushy manner (a submissive, almost anxious behavior), and runs away from his harness or leash (he’s super excited about what it means) – though once harnessed he stands in a calm position.
The biggest thing I’ve learned – the subtle changes from comfortable to I’m going to bite. Meeting new people Blue’s body tightens, his eyes harden to stare, his lips tighten, his hackles raise. He isn’t confident so decides he wants to tell new people to bugger off before they can cause him harm.
Although he is on the shy end, he is doing what he was bred for – a generalist farm dog. Swissys were needed to help move cattle, pull carts to market and to keep an eye on the farm yard for strange people, dogs or things. Barks first to alert the property owner and tell the stranger to bugger off. Though Blue has decided he needs to be the enforcer – if the stranger doesn’t leave, he’ll use force to tell them to leave. (Swissies typically don’t have that follow through).
How I Observe Your Dog’s Body Language During a Session
During a session, I’m constantly reading the quiet signals your dog is offering — and adjusting in real time.
If I see tension building, we slow down.
If I see curiosity spark, we lean in.
If your dog needs space, we create it.
If their personality starts to shine, that’s when I start shooting more intentionally.
This might mean changing locations, adjusting expectations, taking breaks for snacks or play, or simply letting your dog exist without asking anything of them for a moment. Those decisions aren’t random — they’re guided by what your dog is communicating.
How This Helps Your Dog (and Your Photos)
When a dog feels safe and understood, everything changes.
Expressions soften.
Movement becomes fluid.
Personality shows up naturally.
Instead of forcing a pose or pushing through discomfort, we build trust — and that’s what allows authentic moments to unfold. The images that clients love most almost always come from these in-between moments, not perfectly executed commands.
How You Can Set Your Dog Up for Success
You don’t need a perfectly trained dog to have a successful session.
What helps most is:
- letting your dog be themselves
- trusting that breaks are okay
- allowing flexibility if plans shift
- remembering that your dog’s comfort matters more than any single photo
Your only job is to show up with your dog as they are. My job is to meet them there.
One of the biggest misconceptions about dog photography is that dogs need to perform.
They don’t.
They just need to be listened to.
And when we do — quietly, patiently, and consistently — the magic tends to find us.
