Guelph Grad Photos · Pets on campus

Grad Photos With Your Dog.

How to bring your dog into your grad photos on campus: the leash-friendly rules, the spots that work best with a dog, what to pack, and why golden hour is the kindest slot in warm months.

Four years of study. Four paws in the photos.

Your dog sat through the all-nighters, supervised every video call, and greeted you at the door after every exam. If any family member has earned a place in your grad photos, it is the one who never once asked how the thesis was going. Dogs are welcome at our sessions, and with a little planning they are one of the best things you can add to one.

Campus rules for dogs, in plain language.

The University of Guelph campus is leash-friendly outdoors: dogs are welcome on the grounds as long as they stay on a leash at all times, they cannot come inside campus buildings, and you clean up after them. Since grad sessions happen entirely outdoors anyway, the rules and the plan line up perfectly. Keep the leash on, keep a bag in your pocket, and campus is yours.

The spots that work best with a dog.

We know every photo location on campus, and some of them are simply better with a dog in tow.

  • Johnston Green. Open lawn, room for a sit-stay, and space to burn off wiggles between photos. The classic gown-plus-dog portrait with Johnston Hall behind you happens here.
  • The Arboretum. Shade, quiet paths and far fewer people. The kindest spot on a warm day, and the greenery photographs beautifully around a dog at your feet.
  • The tree-lined brick walkways. Level footing, leading lines, and shade for most of the afternoon. Walking frames with a dog trotting beside a gown are effortless here.
  • The Portico. A seated pose on the steps with your dog beside you takes thirty seconds and ends up framed. Best saved for a calm moment late in the session.
  • The Gryphon statue. Two campus legends, one photo. A quick stop, and worth it every time.
  • Three graduates in black gowns striking playful poses on a tree-lined brick walkway at the University of Guelph.
    Tree-lined walkways, shade all afternoon
  • A graduate in a black gown holding her cap on her head in front of the Johnston Hall clock tower at the University of Guelph.
    Johnston Hall and the clock tower
  • Three graduates in black gowns with red and gold hoods looking back over their shoulders on a brick path with a green lawn behind them.
    Brick paths beside open lawn
  • Three graduates in black gowns with red and gold hoods raising joined hands while walking away down a brick walkway at the University of Guelph.
    Golden hour, the kindest light
  • A graduate in a black gown with a red stole sitting on the stone wall of the Lang School of Business sign at the University of Guelph.
    Evening light by the Lang sign
  • Two graduates wearing hijabs and black gowns smiling beside the bronze gryphon statue at the University of Guelph.
    The Gryphon statue, always worth a stop

Set your dog up for a great session.

  • Bring water and a collapsible bowl. Campus walking adds up faster for a dog than for you.
  • Pack high-value treats. The good ones, not the everyday ones. Ears-up, eyes-at-camera moments are bought with cheese.
  • Bring a handler friend. One person whose only job is the dog: holding the leash between frames, treat delivery, and dog duty while we photograph your solo portraits. This is the single biggest difference-maker.
  • Choose a leash that photographs well. A simple flat leash in a dark colour disappears into the frame. Retractable leashes photograph like a tripwire.
  • Take the edge off first. A brisk walk before the session means a calmer dog during it. Aim for pleasantly tired, not exhausted.

In the warm months, book golden hour. The last stretch of daylight is the kindest slot for a dog: cooler pavement under their paws, softer light on both of you, and a quieter campus with fewer distractions. It happens to be the most flattering light for portraits too, which is the easiest win-win in photography.

Which package fits a dog?

The Premium package includes dedicated pet shots, and its longer session and extra campus spots give a dog what it actually needs: time. Breaks, water stops and a second attempt at the sit-stay all fit without rushing anyone.

Booking a different package? Mention your dog when you book and we will plan for it. And if you fall in love with a frame but not the leash in it, ask us about editing the leash out of a favourite photo.

The full package comparison lives on the pricing page.

Book a session for both of you.

Pick a date, tell us about your dog, and we will plan a route with shade, seating and a gryphon photo op. The degree is yours; the photos can belong to the whole pack.

Book your session