Does Your Dog Dislike Their Photo Being Taken?
Hello, and welcome back.
I hope you’ve managed to ‘unplug’ a little since we last spoke. Did it allow you any additional special moments with your dog/s?
As a Canine Behaviourist, I’m often looking for photos to exemplify elements of a dog’s body language. When searching through stock photos you find SO many photos of dogs yawning, flicking their tongue (like below), looking away, wide-eyed, or scratching. These are all what we’d call ‘calming signals’ - an indication that your dog is uncomfortable.
Have a quick look through some recent snaps you’ve taken of your dog - can you spot any of these signs?
With the invention of smart phones, we’ve all become prolific photographers. How many pictures have you snapped in the past week? And this is another reason your dog might not feel good about you picking up your phone.
When we take photos:
we stare at our dogs
we point a strange object at them
we may block our faces with the camera
the camera might create a sudden flash of light
we sometimes get a little too close for comfort
the camera might make strange sounds
Quite a lot there to dislike.
There’s a reason why we all get such great photos of our dogs sleeping! They’re blissfully unaware.
Of course, each dog is individual - and some, especially those exposed to cameras at a young age, may relish showing off their best side for you! But it’s worth being mindful of just how comfortable your dog really is. Look out for those small facial cues or whether they are inclined to move away when you pick up your camera or phone.
Is your dog ‘ready for their close up’… or would they rather you stick to those sleepy shots?
Until next time, try instead taking mental snapshots - you’ll embrace the moment more fully.
Caroline