Can You Have Newborn Photos With Older Siblings?
If you’re wondering whether you can have newborn photos with dog, the answer is often yes.
For many families, a dog isn’t simply a pet. They are part of the family, and including them in photographs celebrating the arrival of a new baby can make those images even more meaningful.
I love animals, so your dog’s comfort is genuinely important to me too.
However, there is one thing that will always come before creating a photograph:
your baby’s safety.
Every newborn and dog combination is different, which is why I never approach these photographs with a fixed pose or assume that because a dog is normally calm, they will automatically feel comfortable beside a newborn.
child.
Before Newborn Photos With Your Dog, We Talk
Before I photograph a newborn with a dog, I start with a conversation.
I want to know how your dog reacted when you first brought your baby home.
Were they curious?
Did they keep their distance?
Did they want to constantly investigate the new little person who had suddenly appeared in their home?
I will also ask about your dog’s everyday personality and behaviour.
Are they generally calm or very energetic? Are they comfortable with unfamiliar people and environments? What do they enjoy? Is there anything that makes them nervous, frustrated or uncomfortable?
These details help me understand the dog I’m about to photograph rather than simply seeing them as another element of the photograph.
Your Baby's Safety Always Comes First
No photograph is worth taking an unnecessary risk.
Even when owners know their dog extremely well, I continue to work on a principle of careful observation and limited trust when a newborn is involved.
Dogs communicate constantly through their behaviour and body language, so I watch their reactions throughout the process.
If something doesn’t feel right, we stop.
If your dog needs more space, we give them space.
If I don’t believe that placing the dog directly beside your baby is appropriate, we choose another way to create the photograph.
There is never any pressure to achieve one particular pose.
Link this to Blue Cross guidance about introducing dogs and babies. This supports the safety section without linking to another photographer.
Your Newborn Is a Big Change for Your Dog Too
It’s easy to look at the arrival of a baby entirely from our own perspective.
But your dog’s world has changed too.
There are new smells, new sounds, crying, feeding routines, visitors and changes to the amount of attention they receive.
Some dogs are immediately relaxed around a new baby.
Others are extremely curious.
Some prefer to keep their distance.
Others may appear unsure or need considerably more time to adjust.
All of those reactions need to be understood rather than judged.
For your dog, a newborn is a completely new situation too, and they deserve time, patience and understanding.
Sometimes I Create a Composite Photograph
There are situations where the safest way to achieve a particular final image is to photograph the baby and dog separately.
We can then carefully combine those photographs during editing to create the final image.
This is called a composite.
The finished photograph may look as though your baby and dog were positioned closely together, when in reality they were photographed separately.
I would always rather create an image this way than take an unnecessary risk simply to produce a photograph in camera.
Safety comes before the setup.
Always.
Bring Your Dog's Favourite Treats
Please bring some of your dog’s favourite treats to the studio.
Something they already know and really enjoy is usually much more useful than introducing something unfamiliar on the day.
Treats can help us encourage your dog into a particular area, reward calm behaviour and make the experience more positive for them.
If they have a favourite small toy that helps get their attention, you can bring that too.
The aim isn’t to force cooperation.
It’s to make participating in the session something positive.
Bring an Extra Person Who Can Help With Your Dog
This is one of the most useful things you can do when planning newborn photos with dog.
If possible, bring an additional adult who knows your dog and can take responsibility for them when they’re no longer needed for photographs.
Newborn sessions don’t always run exactly to schedule.
Your baby may need feeding, changing, cuddling or simply a little extra time to settle.
Your dog shouldn’t have to spend that entire time waiting in the studio.
Having an additional person means they can take your dog outside for a walk if the session takes longer than expected.
A little break, fresh air and familiar company can make a huge difference.
We Can Include Your Dog in Family Photographs Too
Your dog doesn’t necessarily need to have a photograph alone with the baby.
Sometimes the most natural option is simply to include them in a portrait of the whole family.
This can work particularly well for dogs who are comfortable being close to their owners but less certain about being positioned beside the baby independently.
If you’d like to include your pet, tell me when enquiring about newborn photography in London so we can discuss them before your session.
Dogs can also be included in appropriate family photography in London sessions, so photographs with your pet don’t have to be limited to the newborn stage.
What If My Dog Doesn't Want to Cooperate?
Then we don’t force them.
Dogs aren’t props.
They have personalities, preferences and boundaries, just like the rest of us.
A dog who is perfectly relaxed at home may behave differently in an unfamiliar studio. They may be excited by new smells, unsure about the equipment or simply decide that they aren’t interested in what we’re asking them to do.
That’s okay.
We can give them time, change the setup, try something different or decide that a composite is the better option.
Sometimes the best decision is to stop trying altogether.
Your dog’s comfort matters more to me than ticking a particular photograph off a list.
Newborn Photos With Your Dog Should Feel Safe for Everyone
Welcoming a baby changes the whole family — including its four-legged members.
I want photographs with your dog to celebrate that new chapter without expecting either your baby or your pet to do something they aren’t comfortable with.
We start by talking about your dog’s personality and their first reactions to the baby.
Then we observe.
We adapt.
And if necessary, we create the photograph differently.
That’s how I approach newborn photos with dog: with patience, careful observation and your baby’s safety at the centre of every decision.
If you’re expecting a baby and would love to include your dog in your newborn photographs, get in touch and tell me a little about your four-legged family member when you enquire.