Pictures Question - Manning,IA

You're forgetting to factor in while they may listen to sit and stay to you, they are little and a new person (the photographer) will completely turn puppies into rebelling "toddlers"

If I were you I'd do the following.

Pick an outside setting, let the photographer pick...she probably knows awesome ones
Bring a stake with a leash to put them on for when they are not supposed ot be in the photos so they will still be contained and safe while you're not paying attention
Plan for fun candid shots of the dog and your son...them knocking him down playfully, him climbing on them, then maybe try and bribe the pups for a good photo or two but if you J. enjoy it and go with the flow the candid photos will be better

then get some of the three of you minus the pups while they are contained and bring a favorite "clean" snack and a blanekt to sit on for your son and a quiet toy for him to sit and playw ith while you get a few photos without him

My sister had a photographer come to her house to take pics of her daughter for her 1st birthday.
They have 2 large dogs that she wanted included.

It worked out MUCH better because the dogs were in a familiar environment.

We like to find a park where there are pretty, natural background.

Before you go, make a list of all the breakouts you want. If it were me I'd do this:

Whole group picture, with dogs
Whole group picture, w/o dogs
Kids together, with dogs
Kids together, w/o dogs
Kids Individual
Hubby and me with and w/o dogs

You may find the pictues without the dogs turn out better b/c no one is distracted so you may want choices with and without.

I found some great picture ideas on Pinterest. When we had our pics done, we had our photographer (SIL) come to our house and we did pics with the dog in a nearby park, about 1/4 mile away. When we were done, we took the dog home, and went back out with the humans and did the individual shots. Try to find somewhere close by for pet pics so you can take pets home when you are done, and then do the rest of the shots. I'm like you, there is no way we are getting a family picture done without our dog.

And take along a friend (or two) to herd the puppies! They'll be in a different place, and they may think the house rules don't apply. My son and DIL have done this with their children and dogs. The pictures turned out beautifully, but they were so happy to have a "wrangler" (her dad) along!