From one week old litters to leggy six month olds,
here's what puppy sessions look like in the studio, at home, and for breeders.
Killian, 8 weeks old.
Eight weeks old. Ears too big, paws too big, and zero interest in staying where I put him.
That's Killian, my Great Dane, on his first day in my studio. He climbed onto that old steamer trunk like he'd paid for it. I look at that portrait now and it feels like a different dog. Because it is. That puppy is gone, and in his place is a lanky teenager who flops across the floor like someone spilled him.
So when should you book a puppy session? Sooner than you think. Anywhere from one week old to their first birthday is fair game, and every few weeks in between looks completely different. I photograph puppies in my Newport, NC studio near Emerald Isle, in your home, and whole litters for breeders across the Crystal Coast.
How Old Should a Puppy Be for a Photo Session?
Any age under one year works. There's no perfect week, only different chapters, and each one gives you something the next one won't.
- 1 to 3 weeks
- Sleepy piles of puppies, eyes barely open. These sessions usually happen at the breeder's home so the litter stays with mom.
- 8 to 12 weeks
- Wobbly, curious, and suddenly very interested in everything. This is when most puppies come home, and when a lot of my studio litter sessions happen.
- 3 to 6 months
- Personality shows up loud. Opinions, quirks, and that one face they make that you'll be telling stories about for years.
- 6 months to a year
- The awkward, leggy, half grown stage everyone forgets to photograph. It's gone fast.
If you can only pick one, pick the stage that feels most like your puppy right now. That's the one you'll miss first.
Can a Puppy Come to a Photo Session Before Finishing Vaccines?
Yes, and you have two options. My studio is cleaned before your session, so your puppy isn't walking into a room full of other dogs' leftovers. Or, if you'd rather not leave home at all, I'll come to you. A travel fee may apply depending on where you are.
I hear this worry constantly, and it's a fair one. Your vet has probably told you to keep your puppy out of public spaces until the vaccine series is done. Parks, beaches, and pet stores are off the table for a while. The studio gets around that, and it has a bonus. Nothing in the frame competes with your puppy. No sand, no traffic, no squirrel. Just them, exactly as they are at this age.
As always, run your plan by your vet. They know your puppy's schedule better than anyone.
Do You Photograph Puppy Litters for Breeders?
I do. Breeders come to me for two things: clean marketing images that show each puppy at its best, and artwork that marks a litter they're proud of. Litter sessions can happen in my studio or at the breeder's home.
This Bernese Mountain Dog litter came into the studio at 8 weeks old, each puppy in a different colored bandana so the future families could tell them apart. For a Golden Retriever litter at just one week old, I went to the breeder's home. Newborn puppies don't travel, and they shouldn't have to.
One breeder took it a step further and gifted a 5x7 print to each family, sent home with their new puppy. Picture being handed a print of your dog's first weeks of life on the day you bring them home. That's the kind of detail families remember about where their dog came from.
What If My Puppy Won't Sit Still?
They won't, and that's fine.
I never ask a puppy to hold a pose. Sessions follow the dog, not a shot list. Plan for about 60 to 90 minutes, with no hard limit, so nobody feels rushed if your puppy needs extra time to warm up, wander, nap, or lose their mind for a bit first.
These two English Springer Spaniel littermates were 4 months old, and this is what they do every time they're together. Ears flying, mouths open, full commitment. We were laughing so hard I could barely hold the camera. I didn't stop them. I photographed it, because that's who they are right now.
Same goes for Hollywood the 4 month old Bulldog, mid squint, and the Hungarian Vizsla at 4 months, giving me the most patient look in the world from under a knit hat. None of that is posed. It's personality, and it's the part owners love most.
Why Photograph a Puppy With Their Favorite Toy?
Because the toy stays the same size and the dog doesn't. Put them side by side a year later and you can see exactly how much they grew.
Freya, a Golden Retriever, came in with her favorite ducky. Her owners already want another session once she's grown up. My suggestion? Buy a second ducky now and hide it. That way, if the original doesn't survive the next two years (it probably won't), we can photograph grown up Freya with the exact same duck and see the difference.
I did the same thing with Killian and his green stuffed toy at 8 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 8 months. At 8 weeks the toy was nearly as big as he was. By 8 months he's stretched out next to it like it's a pillow. It's one of my favorite series I've ever made, and he had no idea he was part of a project.
What Does a Fine Art Puppy Portrait Look Like?
It looks like your puppy, slowed down. Warm painted backdrops, antique furniture, deep shadows, and light placed on purpose so it feels like something you'd hang over the fireplace, not scroll past on your phone.
A 3 month old Golden Retriever, completely worn out, melting into a velvet chair. Ferris the Rough Collie, only those enormous ears and two eyes peeking up into a black frame. These are the images that become wall art, because they hold up printed large just as well as they do on a screen.
If you're already picturing where it'll go, my post on how to size dog portrait wall art walks through what fits over a couch, a mantel, or a bed. And my Experience page explains how the whole process works, from the session to your image reveal about one to two weeks later to the finished artwork on your wall.
Why Book a Puppy Session Now Instead of Later?
Because this version of your dog only exists for a few weeks. By the time you've thought about it, the ears fit, the paws fit, and the puppy is gone.
Just a girl and her dog. A 12 week old Malinois and Dutch Shepherd mix, and the person who'll be by her side for the next decade and more.
Chewing on the backdrop, falling asleep halfway through, wrestling their sibling across the floor. All of it counts. Your puppy doesn't have to do anything special to be worth photographing.
Puppy Session FAQ
Will you come to my home for a puppy or litter session?
Yes. A home session is a good fit for puppies who haven't finished their vaccines and for very young litters who need to stay with mom. A travel fee may apply depending on location.
What should I bring to my puppy's session?
Their favorite toy, a few treats they love, and the leash and collar or harness they walk best on. I bring the leads used for the portraits. If there's a toy or blanket they've had since day one, bring that too. It makes a great before and after.
Can I book another session once my puppy is grown?
Yes, and I'd encourage it. Photographing the same dog as a puppy and again as an adult, ideally with the same toy, makes a growth story you can hang side by side.
Puppy and litter sessions
Your puppy does not need to sit, stay, or listen to a single word I say to deserve beautiful artwork. That's the whole point.
Whether it's one puppy or a whole litter, start by telling me about them.
Jennifer Wakefield Canine & Equine Photography is a fine art dog and horse portrait studio in Newport, near Emerald Isle, on the Crystal Coast of North Carolina, and available to travel.