No wish to alarm you but you have 41, yes, 41, days until Christmas. And if your to-do list includes sending out Christmas cards with your favorite family member (the dog) on them, you had best get going.

Speaking from personal experience, the dog can turn diva on you if she knows that you are facing a deadline. Apparently, the Beagles Union Local 602 prohibits any kind of Christmas photography, including visits with the PetSmart Santa. Sigh.

Not to worry. Our friend Tom Boggan of Thomas Boggan Photography offers some great hints on getting your dog to strike a pose:

1. Be prepared: The great candid moments come when you never have a camera around? Cell hone cameras are becoming higher quality and are usually immediately available. Just make sure you get close and shoot in an area with lots of light to get the best image from the smaller sensor and lower quality lens.
2. Posed pictures: If you want to take a posed picture of your dog outside, think carefully about the background. It’s also a good idea to use an area that the dog is familiar with. Going to a new site may be interesting to the dog but may overstimulate them.
3. Avoid other distractions: It may be a good idea to have an assistant who can hold the leash and stay out of the picture. Your assistant can also work the squeaky toy to attract the dog’s attention.

These and other great tips are available in our book Happy Dog Phoenix, which makes an excellent Christmas gift, BTW. Order here and we will take care of sending it — one less thing for you to do!