What's up with dogs and cameras?

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Ever wondered what's up with dogs and cameras? I had a client of mine ask me once why her dog acted always weird when she was having pictures taken. This is not unusual. Many dogs seem to hate having pictures taken. Most likely, the answer as to why dogs act shy in front of the camera lies in the situation: the camera is there, intrusively pointing towards the dog with its big "eye" staring at them. The camera is ultimately a strange object that most dogs are not very familiar with (most likely you get it out only a few times every now and then). Add on top of that the odd noises produced and the abrupt flash and you have the recipe for fear or suspicious behaviors to set in.

 

Dogs who are well acquainted with the camera have learned that it's not a dangerous object (albeit a bit intrusive) so have come to tolerate its presence. Some dogs may act curious and come sniff the object. Others may act frightened towards the camera if they have an instinctive tendency of acting suspicious of any novel or unfamiliar stimuli.

 

And here comes the explanation as to why dogs are often seen in pictures licking their lips, yawning and turning the head to the side when having pictures taken. These dogs are sending signals left and right that they are not too comfortable with the camera and the whole situation.

 

But what to do if your dog hates having pictures taken? Your demeanor and over all attitude can help! Tell your dog to say "cheese" literally speaking. Make it a habit to feed your dog some tasty treats (cheese if it's your dog's favorite) every time you get the camera out. Then, progress to giving treats, when the camera is pointing at your dog at gradually closer and closer distances. Do this several times over several days until your dog seems more relaxed. Finally, toss a jackpot of treats once the picture is taken or right after the flash (if you're using it). The flash will soon begin a signal that treats are coming!

 

Oh, and by the way, don't forget to put the commands trained in the obedience 101 section to good use! Ask your dog to sit and stay or lie down and stay when posing for pictures or perhaps even ask him to do a cute trick such as "shame on you" as shown in the tricks section. Happy picture taking!