You Did What With Your Weiner? | Otter, Summit, and Gretel’s PNW Pet Photography Session
When someone has THREE dachshunds and wants portraits of them, you immediately say, “YES! A million times, YES!”
These cuties belong to Jessica, the lovely human behind the packed-full-of-resources blog, YouDidWhatWithYourWeiner.com. Jessica’s blog is a trusted resource for health, behavior, and adventure tips, not just for dachshund owners. It’s received two peer-reviewed awards for best dog blog, been linked to by sites like Wikipedia and Dachshund IVDD UK, and Jessica has provided many expert interviews for magazines, podcasts, radio, and books. She’s also just a really nice human and overall lovely, and her dogs are SO sweet.
Small Dog Pet Photography
Since I am an outdoor adventure pet photographer, I get a lot of questions from small dog owners about whether I work with small dogs. Maybe their dog isn’t a big adventurer, maybe they’re a little nervous, or maybe they’re just used to the city…but I personally LOVE doing sessions with small dogs. They have the biggest personalities, and I find when they’re in the outdoors they really open up and let their joy shine through. Not to mention, there are a lot of small dogs that are already adventurers, like Jessica and her pups! I truly believe there is no one type of dog that gets to be an outdoor adventurer, regardless of their size, ability level, or even their temperament (e.g., reactive dogs can also be adventurers!).
Hiking with Small Dogs
Jessica met me near the Middle Fork River, a favorite area for Western Washington pet photography sessions. There are so many little alcoves and trails that have moss, ferns, roiling rivers, and beautiful stones to pose on. We did two stops this day, one at a popular hike that has a beautiful bridge and swimming area for those who like to brave the cold, and one lesser-traveled trail that has the perfect light through evergreens dripping in moss and huge sword ferns lining the trail.
While there are no limitations to photographing small dogs, there are important things to keep in mind, especially when there is a senior dog in the mix and with a breed like dachshunds that are high-energy but also have important safety needs to avoid back injuries. When working with small dogs, I like to choose hiking locations that don’t require any big boulders or crossing crevasses, river spots that have quiet eddies that are safe for our smaller friends to wade into, and don’t require a super long hike that might tire them out. Otter and Summit are true adventurers and can go for miles, but sweet Gretel is a senior and we wanted her to be included.
Since our session, Gretel passed peacefully with her mom and dad, but Summit and Otter are still going on big adventures with Jessica and their crew of doxie friends. If you’d like to follow along on their adventures, check out her blog or follow her on social media (Instagram, TikTok).
Ready to have your own outdoor adventure pet photography session with your small dog? Reach out using the button below to get your pet photography experience started! I can’t wait to hear from you.
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Hi! I’m Bee, a PNW pet photographer, specializing in outdoor adventure pet portraits in Seattle, Tacoma, the Kitsap Peninsula, and beyond. Through my pet photography I strive to capture your best friend as their truest selves in every frame—whether they’re goofy, playful, running, napping, or pure chaos! If you're searching for a top-notch pet photographer near Seattle who seamlessly combines the spirit of your furry friends with the breathtaking scenery of the PNW, look no further. Whether it's a playful romp in the park or a serene lakeside portrait, let's create timeless memories together.
