"The rich man's guardian, and the poor man's friend,
The only creature faithful to the end.    Crabbe

Dogs are fun to photograph.  
I often get asked, "How do you make the dog stay in one place?"
Actually, they usually DON'T stay still.  
The fast shutter speed just makes it APPEAR that they were sitting still !
It can take a lot of shots to get a few good ones, sometimes.
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Dog photo tips

For candid pictures
Dogs tend to be curious about the camera and photographer, and they move around a lot.  
Have a friend distract the pooch, or use a toy.  Try to work without the dog noticing you. 
If you have a long telephoto, at least 100mm, you can step back a ways and get good shots.
This will also help keep the background out of focus and keep the attention on the dog. 
Work quickly, and take lots of shots.  It you try to bribe the dog with food, it may backfire. 
Once the dog knows you have treats it will keep "bugging" you. 
I usually just get all the shots, and then give a treat.

Formal posing 
When I do a formal portrait session with a dog, I always try to have an assistant.   
Few dogs will sit still, and even if they do, they'll rarely have the ideal expression.    
I get totally involved and focus on the dog's expression.   
The camera shutter makes it APPEAR that the dog was sitting still.
Props can add a lot of interest and fun to the photo.  
 Use a whistle and make sounds to get the dog's ears to perk up.   
Get in close to your subject !   It makes a big difference.....  

One more thing:
Dogs don't really understand people language very well.
They do understand Body Language quite well,
so you have to keep putting them into the position you want them.
Be persistent, and eventually the dog will get the message: 
SIT STILL!

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since April 27, 2003