Is your dog scared of getting their picture taken? Do this.

I often hear people say, “I wish I could take good pictures of my dog, but they are terrified of cameras.” This applies to smartphone cameras as well. If this is you, you’ve found the right blog post.

It is common for dogs to be skeptical or scared of new or strange objects. Cameras, in particular, can cause dogs to exhibit fear or even, in some cases, aggression. When people talk with me about this, they are often dumbfounded by this response from their dog. They’ll tell me how they’ve done anything mean to their dog, or nothing has ever happened to the dog that would cause them to be scared of a camera. In 99% of cases, dogs react to cameras without prior conditioning or experience.

Why are dogs inclined to be afraid of cameras?

I’m not a dog behavior expert or a dog trainer, but I can say that there are a few general reasons dogs react to cameras. If you are a behavior expert or trainer feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below.

First, it is important to understand that in the dog world, making direct eye contact is often associated with one dog challenging another. If you’ve ever encountered a truly aggressive dog, you’ve likely experienced this. The dog was probably staring directly at you as it was barking or lunging. Of course, there are many forms of dog aggression; not all will involve direct eye contact. Now, imagine what a camera looks like from a dog’s perspective. A giant bionic cyclops staring them right in the face. From your dog's perspective, you’ve magically morphed into a strange being that is challenging them by staring right at them. If the dog doesn’t understand what is happening and tends to be fearful or aggressive, you’re very likely to get fear or aggression in response.

Second, not all cameras look like a giant eye staring down your dog. Smartphones and small compact cameras are a bit less intimidating and tend to be less likely to elicit a response from a dog. Though they often come with a human face staring directly at the dog, which can be threatening. Additionally, pointing anything or holding up strange objects to a dog can make them suspicious and fearful. It’s important to recognize that dogs can’t rationalize that you’re just trying to take their picture.

Third, you may have inadvertently reinforced your dog's fear in the past. I can’t even begin to recount the number of times I’ve heard or seen someone chasing their fearful dog around their house, trying to snap a picture. This is often accompanied by an onslaught of “it’s ok Fido, I’m just taking your picture.” Chasing a dog is generally never a good idea and will certainly not make Fido think the camera is ok. On top of that, Fido will begin to associate the camera with being uncomfortably chased around the house in a fearful state! Jeez, I were the dog, I’d go running every time I saw that strange giant eye get pulled out.

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Turning a negative into a positive

The key to getting your fearful dog comfortable with a camera is building a positive association. Whenever I photograph a dog I don’t know for the first time; I pull out my camera, keep it by my side and reward the dog for approaching me and the camera. As soon as the dog displays indifference or interest in the camera, I’ll fire off a shot (still pointing at the ground) and immediately treat the dog. You can think of this as similar to clicker training. I’m building an association between the presence and sound of a camera and a positive reward for the dog. For a well-balanced dog with no prior experience with a camera, it only takes a few minutes for them to recognize it is not something to be afraid of but something to be excited about.

If your dog is already afraid of cameras, the process is similar but will take longer. Getting the dog comfortable with a camera may take a couple of days. You might even try not holding the camera, simply putting it on the floor next to you as you treat and reward your dog. Slowly work toward holding the camera, firing the shutter, holding up the camera, and holding up the camera while firing the shutter.

All of the above applies to smartphones as well. Even though Fido sees you with the thing plastered in front of your face throughout the day, it can be weird when you shove it in theirs. Going through a similar process can help them understand it isn’t something to be afraid of.

Finally, repeat, repeat, repeat! If your dog is really really scared of cameras, you’ll need to do many repetitions to help them get over their fear.

Getting their picture taken should be fun!

Nico has had a camera shoved in his face every day since we got him. For the most part, he is completely indifferent to it. But he also knows that the camera means fun will be had. If I approach him on the couch while snoozing, he’ll barely lift an eyelid. But if I grab my camera during the middle of the day, he’ll perk right up, knowing we’re likely going outside to run and play. If we’re outside and I crouch down to his level and put my camera to my face, there is a good chance Nico will come charging straight at me. He knows that getting his picture taken is fun and often results in a reward.