At Models Direct, we are always keen to hear about your cute canines, especially if you think they might fit the bill.

From cockapoos to collies and beagles to bulldogs, all sorts of dogs are required for a wide range of different assignments.

Lifestyle modelling jobs frequently require a happy hound to complete the family picture and, of course, pups are often essential for promoting pet food and other products.

Some of our four-legged model friends will be simply stunningly beautiful examples of their breed, while others may be quirky and cute.

We are sometimes asked for older dogs with experience on set or in front of a camera, yet at other times a client may request a playful puppy or two.

There may well be a professional dog-handler on set and crews will be very experienced at working with animals.

Your pawfect pal does not have to be a show dog or a highly trained hound but you need to feel you and he would enjoy the experience and be capable of following simple directions.

Do remember, however, many of our pet models are simply that – somebody’s pet!

And all sorts of dogs and their owners can find the whole experience extremely rewarding in many ways.

So why not ask yourself the following questions about your canine companion and then perhaps take a few photographs, send us some details and see how you both get on.

1. Would I enjoy taking my dog to modelling assignments, being on hand to help reassure him and encourage him to do whatever is required?

2. Is he happy to be around lots of people in a fairly busy environment?

3. Does he travel well when necessary?

4. Do I think my dog would enjoy being a star pet and being showered with attention?

5. Is he relatively well trained?

6. Does my faithful friend respond well to his name and seem comfortable in front of a camera?

7. Would I like to earn a little more money towards special treats for me and my pet?

If you’ve got a pet, and chances are they are super cute and sweet, could they become a model as well? The answer is: yes! Animals are featured across the board – in the digital world and print.

How can your pet step into this world?

Find an agency – a reputable one with a strong history of success stories. Our modelling agency, Models Direct, is one of them. We have plenty of modelling divisions to break into and yes, we’ve got a pet modelling section called Starpets, specially dedicated to all those adorable friends of ours with fur, feathers, spikes, shells and scales.

Don’t worry about Olympic-quality tricks, the industry is looking for animals with a great attitude, pzazz and just to be themselves.

Let’s get the ball rolling

Wondering what the next steps are? Well, you’re at the right place and at the right time. First off, your little champion needs to be accustomed to new settings. This can often mean chaotic production environments where there’s lots of hustle and bustle – plenty of new faces, noise, lights and ground to cover. If your pet is adaptable, social and trained to cope with the switch, then you’re good to get the modelling ball rolling.

Sit, stay, roll, play

If your pet can respond to your command, that’s even better! Being able to follow some basic commands can open the doors and enhance opportunities further but it isn’t a must-have skill set. Ultimately, animals are animals – they have minds of their own and have other skills such as being intuitive, smart, friendly and funny.

Calm in nature 

Having a super excited pet isn’t something unheard of and is certainly a great trait to have – it’s a natural disposition. However, when at work, pets do need to let their calm and sensitive side filter so that they can display all sides of their personality (even their professional one). Clients know that they’ll have to make provisions for bloopers and hiccups but overall, they’ll want their star of the show to be cool, calm and collected when the time calls for it.

Take lots of snaps

If your animal friend isn’t used to being in front of a camera with lots of noise and people walking about, then maybe it’s time you got them camera ready. Of course, not all animals are aware of exactly what is happening within their surroundings but you can start by getting them prepared. Preparation is key.

Hop, slither, stomp, leap, waddle or climb onto the modelling ladder

This tip can start at your home setting or a place they’re familiar with and with people they know. You can slowly introduce new people and different settings to spark a change and wean them out of their comfort zone. Hopefully, with time, they’ll get used to all the brilliant and different sights, sounds, smells and textures around them, and when you next say, “Sydney, get ready to say cheese!” chances are, they’ll know!

We give our star pets the best oppawtunities to be put forward to the best in the biz. So, what are you waiting for? Get in touch with our team for some miaow-tastic advice and room to explore a career path your pet could embark on, and of course, be paid for!

As a leading UK modelling agency, Models Direct are keen to hear from any animal-owners eager to take the plunge and promote their pets in various forms of modelling channels. Animals have several advertising qualities that humans simply can’t compete with. It’s this reason that clients are always on the lookout for incomparable animals to market their business. In this blog we’ll take a quick look at the qualities that make dogs the ideal marketing tool.

The RSPCA estimates that 12 million households (about 45%) in the UK have pets. Dog ownership is the most popular, with 9 million pooches in the UK. This in itself is a powerful advertising tool. The sheer number of dogs means that advertising viewers will relate to dogs. If you’re not a “dog person”, then no matter – companies value the fact that most of the UK population can at least relate to dogs. 

As a “faithful friend”, dogs are often used to portray trust. Think of the famous St. Bernard coming to the aid of a mountaineer, carrying a much-needed brandy in a small barrel around its neck. Though this is far from common, viewers can’t imagine any other animal replicating the scene. Dogs are obedient and largely keen to please their owners, so companies often use an assortment of breeds to represent fidelity. Could your dog be useful in similar campaigns and become a dog model? 

Dogs pull at our heart-strings. Generally, we love dogs. They stir our emotions, and are highly effective in promoting a variety of products. Dogs can also be easily-trained (see previous Models Direct blogs). With a little bit of time and dedication, your beloved pooch could be trained to star in memorable adverts, either on screen or photographed to star in print adverts.

All companies want their adverts to be memorable – after all, that is the purpose of advertising. What’s the point in having a fantastic product if the audience forgets it after a few minutes? This is where dogs are especially useful, serving to get the attention of the potential customer. Quite often, an advert involving an animal will go “viral”, increasing the advert’s efficiency. A lot of dog adverts are either “cute” or “funny”, which go a long way to be well-remembered. Sure, there are plenty of memorable adverts involving neither humans nor animals, but the animal-factor is undeniably a major factor in successful marketing. 

Dogs are versatile, too. If a company doesn’t want cute or funny, they may want a canine to display aggressiveness – a good example is a security company advertising anti-burglar locks. For dainty, almost feminine products, a small inoffensive dog breed to complement the advertising campaign would work nicely – think Chihuahua or Yorkshire Terrier. 

Dogs can also mimic human emotions like no other animal. When your dog looks like he’s smiling whilst sticking out his tongue, or simply seems “happy”, advertisers may want to use him in their marketing tools. Has your dog got protruding eyebrows that convey frowning, or wonderfully droopy eyes that convey sadness? These little characteristics could see your dog enjoying the limelight on screen, so don’t take them for granted.