What I Notice About Your Dog That You Might Not See

Chantell Schulz • July 10, 2025

As a dog photographer, I get to meet pups from every walk of life: the bold and bouncy, the shy and gentle, the stubborn goofballs, and the soulful old souls. Every time, without fail, I catch something that even the most devoted dog moms don’t always see:


The way their pup leans just a little closer when they’re unsure.

The soft squint in their eyes when they’re happy.

The proud little puff of their chest when they feel confident.

That split-second moment when they look at you like you’re their whole world.


These aren’t things you can pose or plan, but I live for them.

You see them every day, I see them frozen in time.

When you spend every day with your dog, it’s easy to miss the tiny shifts in expression or the way their personality shows up in movement. My job is to slow that all down and offer an outside perspective that says: Look at how beautiful they are when they’re just being themselves.


Some dogs aren’t comfortable holding a sit. Some would rather sniff than pose, and some are too nervous to look directly at the camera. That’s okay, I don’t need them to perform because what I’m watching for are the things you’ve grown so used to, you might not even realize how special they are.

I notice...

  • The twitch of their ears when they hear your voice.
  • How their body relaxes when they’re near you.
  • The way their tail moves faster when I say your dog-mom nickname for them.
  • That head tilt they only do when they’re really listening.
  • The joy in their eyes that says, “I’m safe. I’m home.”

These are the moments I capture and they’re the reason your gallery might make you tear up (and not just because of the cute head tilts).

You see a pet. I see someone’s heart on four legs.

No, your dog doesn’t need to be perfectly trained. No fancy tricks. No perfect posing. Just your dog being themselves and I’ll take care of the rest.


Behind every wag, every wobble, every stubborn refusal to look at the camera… is a story. It's one you’ll want to remember, and I promise I'll see it.

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