Nothing gets a rescue dog adopted faster than having a great photo for its online listing. Unfortunately, many shelters either do not have the time or the ability to take a nice picture. Dogs are often adopted based on their appearance, and therefore a dog with a poor picture already has a lower chance of going to its forever home. Taking a good photo of a rescue often requires a little extra work. Here are some tips for taking great rescue dog photos:

Get to know the dog!

Do not walk up to the dog and just start snapping pictures. It is important to get to know the dog and make sure it is comfortable being around you and the camera. Sit on the ground. Let the dog sniff you AND your camera (super important to let it sniff the camera considering you’re gonna be putting that thing in its face for a while!). Give it treats and give it some love, show it you guys are gonna be buds for the duration of the photoshoot. IF the dog is uncomfortable being around you or the camera, do not force it. In this scenario use a longer lens and keep your distance so that the dog is at ease.

Pay attention to your background.

Many shelter dogs have pictures with very poor backgrounds, often simply sitting in a dark damp shelter run. Honestly, these pictures are sad and often give the impression of a feral, uncared for animal. This does not get people excited to adopt. Instead, get the dog in an outside setting with green grass or trees, or alternatively, use a solid colored blanket or sheet for the background. As long as the background is clean and clear of ugly, distracting elements, you’ll be good to go.

Make that puppy grin!

The best way to make a dog look sweet and lovable for its photo is to put a big smile on its face! How do we put a smile on that pups face? By running the crap out of it before your photo session. Play fetch with it. Play tug of war. Go take it on a quick 5 minute run. Just do something so that it’s in play mode. Once it’s gotten some exercise in, it should be panting like crazy and looking happy as can be.

Don’t be afraid to use props!

Sometimes, you just have to get silly to help the dog’s personality shine in a photo. Don’t be afraid to get a dog in costume or use some silly props.