Absolutely! Your dog can stay on a leash for the entire session, and you’ll still end up with amazing photos (take a quick look below to see the magic).

Here’s the scoop: About 95% of the dogs you see in my portfolio were on leashes during their photoshoots. Crazy, right? But don’t worry—leashes are like magic disappearing acts in my editing process. The only times I leave them in are for walking shots (because, let’s be real, an arm awkwardly floating in space just looks odd) or if it’s tightly wound around a hand (which makes it too challenging to make the hand look natural without it).

I’ll even give you some tips on how to hold the leash so when I edit it out, everything looks natural—like the leash was never there in the first place.

Before and after examples

Check out these before-and-after shots to see just how seamless the leash removal process can be. You’ll be amazed!

Why keep your dog on a leash?

For one, it’s safer for everyone involved—you, your dog, and me. Plus, it keeps your dog focused, which means better photos. And trust me, after a little editing, no one will know the leash was ever part of the picture!

Storytime!

Let me tell you about a time when keeping a leash on could’ve saved the day.

A few years back, I had a session with Jessica and her golden retriever, Remi. Things were going perfectly—Remi was nailing every pose. Then came the running shots. Jessica decided to take off the leash because, as she believed, “Remi listens so well—it’ll be fine.”

Well, can you guess what happened next?

On the very first run, Remi zoomed right past me and… straight into the lake. Yep, full-on doggy paddle mode.

We rolled with it, of course. I ended up getting some adorable swimming shots, plus a few of Jessica with a very wet (but very happy) Remi.

When you’re ready to book a session with your pup, let me know. I can’t wait to capture some beautiful (and leash-free-looking) moments with your dog!