Most families contact me asking for one thing:
Beautiful photographs of their dog.
Of course, we’ll create those.
But it’s also my job to remind families that their dog doesn’t live in isolation. Their dog is part of a much larger story.
What is the relationship between your child and your dog?
Who waits beside the front door when your child comes home?
Who listens to the stories no one else gets to hear?
Who curls up beside them when they’re sick, frightened or simply having a difficult day?
That relationship deserves to be celebrated, too.
Your Dog Is Part of Your Child’s Childhood
For many children, the family dog is their first best friend.
The one who follows them from room to room.
The one who joins every backyard adventure.
The one who sits beside them while they read, watches television with them and sleeps near their bed.
These moments can feel ordinary while they’re happening. Years later, they become the moments your family wants most desperately to remember.
A beautiful portrait of your dog matters.
A portrait showing the relationship between your child and your dog tells a much deeper story.
Let’s Photograph How They Love Each Other
I’m not interested in forcing children and dogs into stiff poses and asking everyone to smile at the camera.
I want to see how they naturally connect.
Maybe your child wraps both arms around the dog’s neck.
Maybe your dog leans against them.
Maybe they play together, whisper together or sit quietly side by side.
Sometimes the most meaningful photograph is the way they look at one another when they’ve forgotten about the camera.
That’s the relationship I’m waiting to photograph.
You Don’t Have to Choose Between Dog Portraits and Family Portraits
Some clients worry that including the family means they won’t receive enough photographs of their dog alone.
You don’t have to choose.
During your Portrait Experience, we can create:
- Individual portraits of your dog
- Portraits of each child with the dog
- Siblings with the family dog
- Photographs of the entire family
- Natural interactions and unexpected moments
The goal is to tell the complete story of your family—not create only one photograph.
Every Portrait Session Includes a Professional Animal Trainer
Parents often worry that their dog won’t sit still or cooperate around the children.
Every portrait session at Cusic Photo includes a professional animal trainer.
While our trainer helps keep your dog comfortable, safe and engaged, I can concentrate on expressions, relationships and the genuine moments unfolding between your family members.
Your dog does not need to be perfectly trained.
Your children do not need to behave like professional models.
They simply need to arrive as themselves.
What I’ve Learned Photographing Children and Their Dogs
After years of photographing families, I’ve learned that children rarely care whether their dog is perfectly groomed, looking directly at the camera or sitting exactly where we planned.
They love the dog who steals their snacks.
The dog who sleeps across their legs.
The dog who follows them into the bathroom and waits outside the school bus.
That is what makes the relationship worth photographing.
Perfection isn’t the story.
Love is.
Childhood and a Dog’s Life Move Quickly
Children grow up.
Dogs grow older.
Both happen quietly, and much faster than we expect.
One day, your child may be taller than the dog who once seemed enormous beside them.
The energetic puppy may have a gray muzzle.
The child who once sat on the floor whispering secrets may be leaving for college.
A photograph allows you to preserve the season when they belonged completely to one another.
Photograph the Entire Family Story
Most clients initially contact me because they want photographs of their dog.
My responsibility is to create those portraits beautifully—and then help them recognize everything else worth remembering.
Your dog alone.
Your children with their dog.
You with your dog.
Everyone together.
Because your dog isn’t simply an animal who lived in your home.
Your dog is part of your family.
And for your child, that dog may be one of the most important parts of growing up.
The Breed Portrait Series by Candice Cusic
Every dog has a distinctive personality, but their relationships make their story complete. Through Moment-Driven Photography™, I create portraits that celebrate dogs, children and the families growing up alongside them.
