If you are in the UK and you’re a proud pawrent who is interested in submitting your dog to be a model, the world of dog modelling in the UK is exciting, fun and often full of intrigue.
In this article, we’re discussing some of the things to consider before submitting your dog to an animal talent agency as well as answering some of the questions we animal agents get asked quite frequently such as “How much do dog models make?, “Can my dog be a model?” and “How much does modelling pay in the UK?”
Do dog models get paid?
The short answer is “Yes!” Dogs do get paid for their modelling work, just like humans. At The Animal Talent, we always ensure the talent get their professional fee as well as their travel costs reimbursed. How much do dog models make? Dogs typically get paid based on their time on set and this can start from £100 per day.
Dog modelling in the UK isn’t something that you should leave your day job for, however; as a pet parent you can expect to get a couple of professional jobs per year. Generally, the better skilled your dog is, the more opportunities they will get.
What age should my dog be when I apply for modelling?
When considering how to get your dog into modelling, remember that some talent agencies have age restrictions. At The Animal Talent, we simply ask that your dog is 6 months or over, but we do advocate training as early as possible with any dog, whether you’re looking at modelling or just looking at keeping your dog mentally engaged and enriched throughout their life.
If you enrol your dog into modelling in the UK as a puppy, ensure that you update your agent regularly with size, measurement, weight and appearance changes through photos and videos.
How to get your dog into modelling
If you’re ready to apply to animal talent agencies, you’ll need to get together a modelling portfolio. This should include the following materials:
- Headshots
- Full-body shots of your dog from different angles
- Photos showing your dog’s skills (from sit and stay to a beg, or even agility course shots)
- We recommend practising in advance and getting a professional photoshoot done by a local photographer. This helps to demonstrate the dog’s capabilities in a studio environment.
- List all of the skills your dog has and what training they’ve undertaken in preparation for dog modelling roles in the UK. (e.g., gun dog work, agility, trick training, etc.).
- Age and measurements of your dog, including weight, collar size, chest circumference and so on.
- Write a paragraph or two about your dog’s personality so that your agent can get to know them.
- Compile videos of your dog performing their skills and training that you’ve listed.
Agents want to see these assets in order to present your dog to casting directors, photographers, TV producers and so on.
The people who are in charge of hiring your dog want to see if what you say about them is true and also that the dog is capable of doing what they’ve been booked for. For further information on compiling videos for your UK dog modelling agent, read our article What Is a Showreel and Why Does Your Animal Agent Want One?
Will my dog get accepted by a talent agency?
If your dog has confidence, bags of ability and knows how to relax even in busy environments, they may be perfect for a career in dog modelling in the UK or elsewhere. Typically, the more skills your dog has, the more likely they are to get work.
Ultimately, the choice of whether your dog is selected to work on set or not is down to casting directors for brands, TV producers, film directors and more. Some dog modelling brands in the UK choose to work with certain breeds only (for example, Andrex and the Labrador retriever) and some brands favour dogs that look a certain way or are known for certain attributes (such as Land Rover and athletic dogs, like pointers); what they all have in common is that they rely upon well-trained, obedient dogs that follow instructions easily.
There may be some restrictions and some dogs may be rejected for reasons beyond your control. For example, here at The Animal Talent, we are unable to work with brachycephalic breeds, as discussed in the linked blog post. There are also restrictions to the work we get for dogs with cropped ears and/or docked tails.
Always speak with your animal agent to discover the next steps to increase the opportunities for how to get your dog into modelling.
The reality of dog modelling in the UK – things to consider
Once you’ve figured out how to get your dog into modelling, got your dog’s portfolio together and submitted your application to the agency of your choice, you can start to think about what happens when your dog gets hired for professional work. Here are some things to think about when preparing your dog for work:
Travel:
Consider that you will have to travel to photo and film studios; modelling shoots won’t happen in your home. Can you travel to new locations easily? Is your dog happy to travel on public transport or in a car? It’s time to get your dog socialised and desensitised to different modes of transport.
Dog confidence:
Is your dog confident in new environments? Dog modelling services in the UK will include having your dog around other people. Can your dog be around children and nervous people? As we all know, dog socialisation doesn’t just mean meeting other dogs; it means getting used to all sorts of environments, locations and different people of all ages.
You should also ensure that your dog is conditioned to work with props, such as vacuum cleaners, hairdryers and more. Can your dog walk on different surfaces easily, including a studio’s slippery floor? There are lots of things to work on with your dog in prepping for their first real job.
Can your dog be a few feet away from you without panicking? When asking yourself, “Can my dog be a model?”, remember, you’ll have to be behind the camera, not next to your dog. Working on distance training in advance will really help build your dog’s threshold.
Can your dog perform the skills and training you’ve worked on in different environments unfamiliar to him or her? There are very many environments and settings in the UK for dog modelling. Keep practising these skills everywhere you go: in the park, in the pub, in the supermarket car park and so on! This helps your dog be confident everywhere.
It costs a lot of money to hire crew, actors and studio space, so there are a lot of people banking on your dog’s performance. Setting your dog up for success is key; practise and prepare for their role well in advance so that you are both confident for your day on set.
About you:
Are you happy to keep a secret? When you’re booked for a dog modelling job in the UK, you won’t be able to tell anyone about your booking until the finished product is released into the public domain, and you definitely won’t be able to talk about it on social media. Professional clients depend on our integrity.
Payment for your dog’s work can take between one and two months to be completed. Sometimes this also means that you will pay for your own travel in advance but be reimbursed at a later date. This is a factor when asking questions like “How much do dog models make?” and “How much does dog modelling pay in the UK?” Speak with your agent if you need some clarification on that.
Time on set:
If your dog is hired for modelling work in the UK, you can expect to work up to eight hours on set (as a full day). It is likely that a lot of this time will be “downtime” when the dog is resting, the crew is setting up the shot and the cast are getting prepared. During this time, your dog must be happy to relax in a busy environment where lots of people are milling around. Sometimes this will also require silence as other scenes are being filmed.
It can also be quite a boring time for the pet parent as there is a lot of waiting. Make sure you’re prepared for a lot of sitting around!
Have fun!
Let’s not forget that the purpose of this should always be that your dog is happy, having fun and confident in their surroundings. If the dog doesn’t enjoy this experience, let them enjoy life away from the limelight. At The Animal Talent, we encourage training and socialisation as essential parts of a dog’s life, encouraging mental enrichment for them. Dog modelling should first and foremost be fun for the dog. “How much do dog models make?” and “How much does dog modelling pay in the UK?” should not be your first considerations.
If you’re keen to explore the world of dog modelling in the UK with your pooch, you can submit your application form here. We have experience working with many breeds of dogs of all ages at our dog modelling agency in the UK. Our agents look forward to hearing from you.
