Humans understand what you're saying, they take direction and they generally won't bite. But Illinois photographer David Sutton says there are ways of getting a good picture of Fluffy:

First, find a good location, whether in your home or yard. A cluttered background distracts from the subject.

Block out an hour for shooting, but take a break after 15 minutes, which is about as long as animals will cooperate.

Work low to the ground, at the animal's eye level, for a more compelling photo. And get your pet to look directly at the lens.

When you want your dog to look right at the camera, try saying, "Do you want?" Mr. Sutton says that almost every dog that comes to his studio responds to the phrase.

Use natural light. If you do use flash, try to move it to one side so you're not shooting directly at the animal, which results in green saucer eyes.

Take a lot of pictures -- at least a roll of film or 30 to 50 digital shots. "Zero in on the one or two you really love ... and get a really big print made."