Five Tips to Get Your Dog to Look at the Camera

“Whenever I try to photograph my dog, he looks away. He just won’t look at the camera.”

Does this sound familiar? I hear this constantly, and I get how frustrating it is. Here are some of my favorite tips for getting your dog to actually look at the camera.

Make a weird noise

Something they’ve never heard before — a high-pitched cat meow, a sneeze, a harmonica. Novel noises get their attention. Vary your sounds too — high-pitched, soft, loud. Variety keeps them guessing. Squeakers are almost always a hit, and if you want more options, search “dog sounds” in your app store. There really is an app for everything.

Be ready the moment they look, because that window is small. And this is key, something most people don’t do: once they look, stop making the sound. If you keep going, they’ll tune it out and it won’t work anymore.

Toy motivated or treat motivated?

Hold their favorite toy — or a treat, or a treat bag you can also shake — right over your lens. Hard to ignore.

Throw something in the air

Grass, a stuffed animal, anything — they’ll follow it. Just make sure they’re looking at you when you throw it, or they won’t see it. And they’ll look in the direction it goes, so aim accordingly.

Reward every look — immediately

Train your dog to associate looking at the camera with something they love: cheese, bacon, playtime with their favorite toy. The faster the reward comes, the faster they make the connection.

Black and white mixed breed dog sitting on a crate outside in the fall in Loudoun County, VA.

Keep it short and fun

A few photos and move on. This is fun for you; try to make it fun for your dog too. Treats, play, attention, whatever they love most.

Bonus tip: direction matters

If you have someone helping you and they’re making a noise three feet to your right, that’s exactly where your dog will look. That can be great if you want them to look off camera. But if you wanted eye contact, not so much. Make sure any noise or movement is coming from behind you or right above the lens.

Two Boston Terriers with head tilts sitting outside together in Northern VA.

I photograph dogs all over Loudoun County and Northern Virginia,  and getting their attention is literally my job. Schedule a consultation.