.jpg)
Somewhere in between all the lockdowns we visited Kylie and her Groodle Jute at home, just east of Melbourne.
Still a young pup and as soft as a cloud, I think Jute was a little perplexed by the strange chap on the floor with the clicky machine that made him smile every so often.
Incredibly well trained for such a young dog, the Pupparazzi may have upset the training program by encouraging her onto a table for a low shot but hopefully we didn’t disrupt things too much!
Do you have a Groodle? Get in touch for your own photoshoot!
Photographing Groodles
Groodles — the Golden Retriever and Poodle cross that has become one of Australia’s most popular breeds over the past decade — are a genuine pleasure to photograph, and Jute was no exception.
The appeal from a photography perspective starts with the coat. That soft, wavy or loosely curled fleece — somewhere between the Golden’s flowing fur and the Poodle’s tight curls depending on the individual dog — catches light beautifully and gives a warmth and texture to portraits that smooth-coated breeds simply can’t replicate. In natural outdoor light it almost glows. In the soft indoor light of a home session like Jute’s, it creates a wonderful softness that suits intimate, close-up portraits.
The face is equally expressive. Groodles tend to inherit the Golden Retriever’s open, joyful expression — that permanently cheerful, slightly goofy look that makes it almost impossible to take a bad photo of them. Combine that with the Poodle’s intelligence and you get a dog who is genuinely curious about what you’re doing, which translates directly into engagement with the camera. Jute’s slight perplexity about the strange chap on the floor with the clicky machine produced some of the most characterful shots of the session — that quizzical, head-tilted expression that Groodle owners know well.
About Groodles
The Groodle — known as a Goldendoodle in North America — emerged as a deliberate crossbreed in the late 1980s and early 1990s, developed initially as a guide dog alternative for vision-impaired people with allergies to dog dander. The Poodle’s low-shedding coat combined with the Golden Retriever’s gentle, biddable temperament proved to be an enormously popular combination well beyond the assistance dog world, and the breed has grown steadily ever since.
They come in three sizes — standard, medium, and miniature — depending on whether a Standard or Miniature Poodle was used in the cross, with standard Groodles typically reaching 25–35kg and miniatures sitting much smaller. Jute, at full stretch in that hero shot, is unmistakably a standard — all legs and fluff and personality.
Temperamentally, Groodles tend to inherit the best of both parent breeds. The Golden Retriever’s sociability and affection, the Poodle’s intelligence and trainability. They’re generally excellent with children, highly social with other dogs, and — as Jute demonstrated — remarkably responsive to training even as young puppies. The flip side of that intelligence and social nature is that they don’t do well with long periods alone and need genuine mental and physical stimulation to be at their best.
As a photography subject, all of that translates well. A Groodle who is well exercised, well socialised, and genuinely engaged with their owner is one of the most cooperative and expressive dogs you’ll encounter on a shoot. They want to be involved, they respond to attention, and they have the kind of face that rewards the camera from almost any angle.
Home Sessions — An Underrated Option
Jute’s session was shot at home rather than in a park or on the beach, which is worth talking about because it’s an option many clients don’t initially consider.
Home sessions work particularly well for puppies who haven’t yet built up the focus and resilience for a longer outdoor shoot, dogs who are more comfortable and settled in their own environment, and owners who want images that capture their dog in the context of their actual life rather than a generic outdoor setting.
The challenge of home sessions is light — indoor environments are generally much darker than outdoors and require a different technical approach. The reward is intimacy. Images of a dog in their own space, on their own furniture, in the spots they actually inhabit — there’s a documentary quality to those that outdoor portraits can’t replicate. The shot of Jute on the table, slightly perplexed, with the afternoon light coming in from the east of Melbourne — that’s a very specific moment in a very specific life, and it’s entirely unrepeatable.
If you have a puppy and you’re not sure whether they’re ready for a full outdoor session, a home shoot is often the perfect starting point. Get in touch and we can work out what suits your dog best.
Thinking about a session for your Groodle? View our packages and pricing here — sessions start from $150 across Melbourne and surrounds.
