Photographing dogs is really fun but very often not an easy task. Even a well trained dog will get distracted by sounds and smells or will look at the owner for directions (instead of looking at me). After meeting the pup for our photo session, I usually leave him/ her alone for a bit to settle down. Just watching a dog can help with predicting a bit what they will do next and gives me a change to check the lighting.
My dog ripped open her stuffed animal a while ago and I kept the squeaker that was inside. It's always in my back pocket when I go out on a doggie shoot. So far I haven't met a dog who won't look up or cocks its head when I push the squeaker! Making weird noises with your mouth works well too.
When photographing a human and dog together I try to capture the bond they have. Which means that they don't have to stare at the camera. Just looking at each other and their expressions can be magical!
Dogs who are active are great for getting some nice action shots. I always make sure to crank up my ISO and use a shutterspeed of at least 1/500. Get low and have the dog run towards you (have the owner stand behind you and call the dog), catch a Frisbee out of the air or jump into a pool or some body of water.
A wonderful dog photographer to check out is Emily Abrahams. She's made it a true specialty. https://inspawrationphotograph...
Emily also gives workshops. https://inspawrationphotograph...
