Holidays
Seasonal & holiday portraits
Themed setups for the holidays, complete with props and backdrops. If your pet won't wear the hat, Christen can add it later in Photoshop.
Washington County, PA · from $35 · by appointment
The hard part of a great pet photo isn't the camera — it's getting your pet to sit, settle and look. Christen trains dogs for a living, so she gets the shot.
From
$35
Christen Cupler of Smarty Paws K9 University offers pet photography by appointment across the Canonsburg and Washington County, PA area — Washington, McMurray, Houston, Muse and Cecil. Sessions start at $35 per setup: a shoot of up to 45 minutes that includes the originals plus up to 5 edited photos emailed to you. Holidays, birthdays, new dogs, events and family photos (people welcome), indoors or out. What sets it apart: Christen is a professional dog trainer, so she actually knows how to get a pet to settle and hold a pose.
On this page
The difference
Anyone can point a lens. The trick is getting a wiggly, distracted animal to look up, settle, and hold it for half a second.
Most pet photo sessions fall apart for the same reason: the pet won't cooperate. The dog looks everywhere but the camera, won't hold a stay, gets stressed by the lights or the hat, and the photographer walks away with a hundred blurry frames and two keepers. It isn't a camera problem — it's a handling problem.
That's the whole advantage here. Christen has trained more than 1,000 dogs since 2009, so before she ever picks up the camera she can read your pet, earn its attention, and get a calm, natural pose without stress or force. She knows how to build a "watch me," how to set a solid stay, and how to make the whole thing feel like a game rather than a chore. The result is the shot you actually wanted — and a pet that had a good time getting it.
Portfolio
A look through recent shoots — holidays, birthdays, families and everyday portraits, indoors and out.
Sessions
Backgrounds and props vary to fit the occasion — indoors or out, a natural setting or a backdrop. Just tell Christen the look you're after.
Holidays
Themed setups for the holidays, complete with props and backdrops. If your pet won't wear the hat, Christen can add it later in Photoshop.
Birthdays
Mark another year — or the day your pet came home — with a session built around the celebration.
New dogs
Capture those first weeks with a new puppy or rescue while they're tiny and everything is new.
Events
A shoot to mark a milestone or event, styled to match — indoors or out, natural or backdrop.
Family
Your pet is family, so the whole family is invited into the frame. People are absolutely accepted in the shots.
Everyday
No occasion needed. A simple, beautiful portrait of your pet being exactly who they are.
What's included
Simple and flat-rate: $35 a setup, up to 45 minutes, with your favorites edited and emailed. No confusing packages.
STEP 01
Call or text to set an appointment and talk through what you want — the occasion, indoor or outdoor, natural or backdrop, and any props or costumes.
STEP 02
Each $35 setup is a session of up to 45 minutes. Christen handles the hard part — getting your pet relaxed, attentive and posed — while capturing plenty of frames.
STEP 03
All of the original photos from the setup come to you, so nothing good gets left on the cutting-room floor.
STEP 04
Pick your favorites and up to 5 come back fully edited, emailed straight to you. Want more edited? Add them through the Photo Edits service.
How to prepare
You don't need a trained show dog — that's rather the point of hiring a trainer. But a few small things make the session smoother and get you more keepers in the 45 minutes:
A little practice helps. If your pet knows a basic sit or "stay," even a shaky one, we have more to work with. If not, Christen will coach it in the moment.
Introduce props ahead of time. If you want a hat, bandana, costume or holiday prop, let your pet sniff and wear it around the house first so it isn't a surprise on the day. And if your pet simply refuses to wear a hat, no problem — Christen has Photoshop, and can add it after the fact so nobody has to wrestle a grumpy cat into an elf hat.
Bring the family. People are welcome in the photos, so if you want a family shot, bring everyone — just mention it when you book so the setup fits.
Two house rules: sessions are by appointment only, and for friendly pets only, please — for everyone's safety and a happy shoot.
Cost
Each setup is a flat $35 and covers a shoot of up to 45 minutes. You get all the originals plus up to 5 edited photos emailed to you. Want additional setups (a different backdrop or theme)? Each is another $35.
Need more than five images edited? The separate Photo Edits service starts at $15 and up, so you can perfect as many favorites as you like.
Pricing reflects the current listed rate: $35 per setup, up to 45 minutes, including originals and up to 5 edited photos. Confirmed when you book.
Frequently asked
The things people ask most before a shoot. Anything else, call or text 412-568-3139.
Christen Cupler of Smarty Paws K9 University offers pet photography by appointment in the Canonsburg and Washington County, Pennsylvania area, including Washington, McMurray, Houston, Muse and Cecil.
She is a professional dog trainer, which is a real advantage behind the camera — she knows how to get a pet to sit, settle and hold a pose.
Sessions start at $35 per setup. That covers a shoot of up to 45 minutes and includes the original photos plus up to 5 edited images emailed to you.
Additional edited photos are available separately through the Photo Edits service, which starts at $15.
Each $35 setup is a shoot of up to 45 minutes and includes the originals plus up to 5 edited photos emailed to you.
Backgrounds and props vary, and you can shoot indoors or outdoors, in a natural setting or against a backdrop.
All kinds — holidays, birthdays, welcoming a new dog, special events, and family photos, where people are welcome in the shots too.
Sessions can be indoors or outdoors, in a natural setting or against a backdrop, with props to match the occasion.
No, but a few basic behaviors help the session go smoothly, and it helps if your pet is comfortable with hats, costumes or props you'd like to use. If your pet won't tolerate a hat, that's fine — Christen can add it later in Photoshop.
Because she is a dog trainer, she is also very good at getting cooperation from pets who aren't polished performers.
Yes. People are welcome in the shots — family photos with your pet are one of the most popular kinds of session. Just let Christen know who will be joining so she can plan the setup.
Whatever suits your pet and the occasion. Sessions can be done indoors or outdoors, in a natural setting or against a backdrop, and backgrounds and props vary to match holidays, birthdays or events.
Christen will help you pick what will photograph best for your pet.
Pet photography is by appointment only, and for friendly pets only, please. Call or text 412-568-3139 to set up a session and talk through the look you want.
Yes. Every $35 setup includes up to 5 edited photos plus all the originals, and you can order additional edits through the Photo Edits service, which starts at $15.
The hardest part of pet photography is getting the animal to cooperate — to look, sit, settle and hold still at the right moment. Christen has trained more than 1,000 dogs since 2009, so she reads pets well and knows how to earn a calm, attentive pose without stress.
A great pet photo is half camera and half dog handling, and she does both.
Pet photography · By appointment
412-568-3139Call or text with your pet's name, the occasion, and the look you're picturing. Christen will set a time and handle the rest — including the part where your dog refuses to sit still.