Julie,
these are all great but the mouse is amazing! And, yes, I agree that it's important to understand what the owners are looking for in their portrait. How they see their pet.

When you go to the homes of the animals and can watch the interaction within the family, I think that helps a lot. You don't always get to see that when they come into the studio. But, I agree that our job is to capture the essential personality of the animal we are photographing. Bringing people into the portrait helps, I think. The image of the Dobe and the little girl is outstanding in that regard. This Xmas portrait really brought out the personality of the dogs and their owners.



As did this one of the Boston Terrier and his owners.



BTW, I love your use of props. Great stuff.

Jim