Pictures! For Real-see for yourself!-EDIT

**cyber-sibes** · 11-09-2007, 08:33 AM

Funny comments! Exceept for the closed eyes, that's a very nice picture of both of you.

I was hoping to pick up some tips from your thread too - Star doesn't run, but always looks the other way - she's sneaky - looks right at me then turns her head just as the shutter clicks! Our best "portrait shots" are either profiles or taken from 50 yards away & enlarged, LOL! She's also not food oriented either, so treats don't work.

My best advice - use a telephoto lens, (then Photoshop yourself in

)

!

**Husky_mom** · 11-09-2007, 10:49 AM

I think the treat/toy/disguise advices are great.... you just need t figure out which one works best for her....

try making some sessions of petting and treat giving while holding the camera.... no pics though.... just hold it as bckrazy suggested, so she associates the camera is harmless and get sused to it being there......

later on try shooting somehting, not her, so she gets used to the sound of the shutter and the flash light....

then you can attempt taking one of her...

but every time shes good for even 5 secs, treats/toys/praise are a must....

you can also disguise it in some clothing, so it´s not another box shaped item, and just peek our the lens, and try be more casual as she might pick the pic vibe also...

**Canis-Lupess** · 11-09-2007, 12:48 PM

Her fear of the camera won't be because she doesn't want to have her photo taken. After all, can anyone really expect a dog to understand the concept of photos. They say dogs can't even see or make sense of 2D images nevermind understand that a lump of plastic and glass etc...can take a photograph which is then printed off for or simply viewed on computer.

The reason she always hides is because she associates the sight of the camera with an unpleasant experience and this usually boils down to owners fussing about too much trying to get the dog to pose and maybe getting a little frustrated and fed up which the dog picks up on, when things don't go to plan. The dog soon realises that this same old unpleasant ritual will take place whenever that camera appears which is why they learn to run and hide when one comes out. Sometimes, the dogs might not like the flash.

The only way to change her is to teach her that the camera brings good things.
Try getting it out when she gets fed. Take some photos of her eating even if they are rubbish. Doesn't matter to her. Don't say anything to her, coax her or anything. This will just encourage the behaviour you've described.
From now on, she only gets fed when the camera is out, she only gets played with when the camera is out...so be prepared to have the camera out a lot from here on, lol. At the same time, the camera must not be put across as being a big deal. It is there but that is it. At first, just get the camera out in view and place it somewhere and then resume in giving the dog something nice and then graduate to holding it but without taking pictures at first.
Later down the line, teach her that the click from a camera is a prelude to something nice...in the same way that you'd use a clicker in clicker training.

Do some general obedience so that you can get her to sit easier for when you take a photo and have a toy on the ready to make her look or find ways of getting her to strike certain poses on her own accord...like the poised stance of a dog waiting for a ball to be thrown. Be sure to throw the toy or let her play with it after the photos are taken as a reward.

This means she'll learn that the sight of a camera brings good things, not bad and she'll look forward to seeing it.