Does My Dog Need to Be Off Leash for Dog Photos? Safety Tips for Dog Photography Sessions
One of the most common questions I get from pet parents is, "Does my dog need to stay on a leash during their photoshoot?" The answer depends on a few factors, but the short version is: in most cases, yes, your dog will be on a leash—and that’s absolutely okay! And would you believe me if every image on this blog post features a dog that’s actually wearing a leash? It’s true!
Let’s dive into why leashes are often essential and how they won’t stop us from capturing incredible photos of your pup(s)!
5 Reasons Your Dog Needs a Leash During Photos
1. Safety Comes First
Your dog’s safety is my top priority. During outdoor sessions, even the most well-trained dogs can get excited, distracted, or curious about their surroundings. A leash helps keep them safe, especially if we’re shooting in parks, near water, or in urban areas where cars, other animals, or unexpected noises could pose a risk.
2. Leashes Won’t Ruin the Photos
Are you worried a leash will stand out in your photos? Don’t be! I have plenty of tricks to minimize or remove the appearance of the leash in your final images.
Creative Positioning: Using angles and poses to hide the leash naturally.
Photo Editing Magic: I can professionally edit the leash out of your favorite shots for a polished, leash-free look. You’d never know it was ever there!
Your dog’s safety is worth the minor inconvenience of a leash, and I’ll ensure the end result is stunning.
3. It’s All About Your Dog’s Comfort
Some dogs feel more secure and confident on a leash, especially in unfamiliar environments. The leash provides a sense of direction and reassurance, which can help your dog relax and focus on having fun during the session.
4. When Can We Go Leash-Free?
Off Leash Dog Beach: The Huntington Beach Dog Beach and Long Beach Dog Beach both allow dogs to roam free off leash. If your desire is to capture your dog truly running free, then we can choose one of these locations to go to for your photo session. It’s still important to ensure your dog has a strong recall before doing this - having to chase after your dog for the duration of your photo session is not a situation we want to end up in.
Even then, I recommend having a leash on hand, just in case. Even dogs with a strong recall can still have a hard time with the distractions of other dogs running around off-leash at the beach, where they would rather go play than participate in the photo session. Having a leash on hand in this scenario is important to ensure we can capture a full set of photos from your photo session instead of just one or two of your dogs running by the camera with their new friends that they made.
5. Do I Need a Specific Leash?
I advise against retractable leashes as those provide little control of your dog. Using a 15ft leash is the best length for the photo session as it still allows enough space for us to capture your dog moving freely without having too much length in the leash to worry about keeping it organized in your hand. I also like to bring a 6ft leash along for the photos that the dog parents will be in since those don’t have as much messy slack that might end up in the photos. Typically, dog parents just bring the 6ft leash of their choosing with them to my photo sessions, and I bring along the 15ft leash to swap in for the dog-only photos.
The Leash is Your Friend!
Using a leash isn’t just about safety—it’s a tool that helps us create beautiful, stress-free photos. Whether your dog is a curious puppy or a seasoned adventurer, we’ll work together to make sure they feel comfortable and look amazing in every shot.
If you’re ready to capture your dog’s personality in a stunning outdoor pet photo session, leash and all, let’s make it happen. I’m Ashley, the photographer behind Dog Inspired Photography. I’m LA’s premier outdoor dog photographer, and I’d love to work with you! Click here to schedule a call with me.
