Two weeks ago, I lost my dog, Thibie, to congenital heart failure. She passed away in her sleep while she was sleeping right next to me in our bed. Needless to say, my husband and I were both devastated.

My husband and I got her when she was 6 weeks old two months after getting married. She was a cocker spaniel and the cutest little fur ball! Thibie was truly our first child, and my husband’s first dog ever. We both have been taking her loss hard.

After she passed, I was looking through old photos of her when she was a puppy and throughout her 12 years of life. The photos are hard to look at, but they also remind me of the sweet memories we had of her while she was with it. And I do not regret taking 20 photos of my dog when she was wearing a cone on her head or she was romping around in her first snow storm with my old point and shoot camera.

Those photos are precious memories which will be cherished by my family.

I get asked quite frequently by clients if they can bring their family dog with them for family portraits. And my answer to them is always a resounding YES!

I’ve compiled a list of why you should hire a professional photographer to capture your pet.

The puppy stage only lasts for a short time.

Puppies are the cutest, but they grow up fast! Let a photographer capture the quirky, funny, and often times clumsy puppy stage with beautiful photos you’ll always love.

Pets are only around for a short period of time.

Unfortunately, pets life spans aren’t forever, and they’re not as long as ours. You will enjoy them for years, but those years go by a lot quicker than you realize. Let a photographer capture your pet/dog in all it’s stages from puppy to adult to mature.

Your pet is a part of your family!

Dog, cat, whatever kind of pet owner you are, you treat your pet as another member of your family. They get spoiled with their own beds, special foods, and their own toys. If you’re a dog person like me, you let them sleep on your bed, take them for walks, and play with them outside. They’re a member of your family, so your dog and pet should be capture in photos with your family.

Photography takes skill.

Photography done correctly takes quite a bit of skill. A professional will have the skill to capture your pet beautifully in a photo without it having a snapshot feeling. Professional photographers can removed leashes, capture beautiful light and expressions.

Memories are priceless.

One thing I’ve never heard a client say is they regret having their photos taken. Whether it’s family photography or pet photography, you will not regret having your photos taken or photos taken of your pet or dog. Memories tell the story of your life; they are proof things happened. Don’t have any regrets on missed moment and memories. Let your photographs tell the story.

Although I know this was more dog specific, it relates to all pets. Capture the moment and memories while you can. Because in the end when it’s time for your dog to cross the rainbow bridge, you’ll have beautiful photographs and memories to remember them.