Working with puppies 🐶 for the Just Food for Dogs brand has been one of the most fun projects I worked on in 2024. It’s not just about the shoots or the campaigns; it’s about the magic of being surrounded by these incredible creatures. Two years ago, I lost my beloved dog, Jack. He was my companion for 17 years, and to this day, I haven’t brought another dog into my life. Jack was irreplaceable. However, my work allows me to stay connected with dogs, and that’s something I cherish deeply 🐾
One of my main tasks during these shoots is prepping the perfectly styled dogs’ bowls for each product flavor. The dogs were my ultimate assistants, hanging by me and staring at me with their hungry puppy eyes. Dog food styling is, for me, a straightforward process that doesn’t demand much reinvention, but it’s the interaction with the dogs that makes it all so fulfilling. Dogs are wonderfully simple in their approach to food. They’re not worried about how perfectly their food is styled; they just want to eat it. Or, sometimes, they don’t — depending on their mood, the setting, or perhaps just a quirk of the day 🐕
During one shoot, we ran into many fun and unpredictable moments, like coaxing a dog to nibble from the bowl’s right side (the way the camera was shooting), only to have them insist on eating from the left. Sometimes, they’re simply not interested in the food at all, leading us to get creative 🐕🦺
There have been moments when we’ve had to encourage a dog to snack on something they’re clearly over. We’d dangle a treat or use playful antics to make the food appealing again. It’s a dance of patience and creativity. Sure, it’s challenging at times, but it’s also immensely rewarding when everything comes together 🐩
If you are a dog working on set, you might get confused because they force you to eat for a minute when you don’t feel like it, just to take the bowl away from you (so you don’t eat too much, don’t get sick and throw up, and will still have room in your belly for more scenes).
One trick I personally came up with was playing barking videos on YouTube to grab their attention and make them more alert when they are fed up with acting. It was like flipping a switch — suddenly, the dogs were curious and engaged, breaking through the occasional moments of distraction 🦮
What I love most about these shoots is the pure joy dogs bring. Their enthusiasm, their quirks, and even their stubbornness make every moment memorable. It’s not just work; it’s a way to stay connected to the canine world I adore.
Dogs bring an element of unpredictability to every shoot. Unlike humans, they won’t marvel at how their food is presented. They’re either going to dive right in or take a curious sniff and move on. Sometimes, they’ll even ignore the bowl entirely, leaving us scrambling to adjust our approach. But this unpredictability is part of the fun. It keeps us on our toes and reminds us that dogs are beautifully unpretentious, unlike many humans.
Though Jack is no longer with me, these moments remind me of him and the joy he brought to my life. Working with dogs is more than just a job. It’s pure fun!
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