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Teti's methods have created lasting memories for Zarina Mak and her a pair of rescue mutts.

"You know when you look at the photo that these dogs are family members and not just discarded dogs," says Mak, who had the pooches photographed twice and plans more as they age.

Photo sessions usually take an hour or so, the photographers say, and their prices vary, from $175 to $500.

Fusaro has come up with some go-to spots: an outdoor dog heads to a hiking trail; a couch potato gets a sofa; and an active pooch frolics on a beach.

She never heads out without a squeaky toy, animal calls and her "secret weapon", a coach's whistle.

"It only works once to get pooches' attention," Fusaro says.

In front of the camera, some dogs are timid and some are hams, McKenna says, but her secret for a successful shoot with any canine personality is patience.

"Never force an animal to do anything," McKenna says. "If an animal doesn't want to do it, you are not going to get the image you are after anyway."

There's not much forcing to get Mak's two mutts to mug. She snaps them frequently on her cellphone, but Teti is able to capture something deeper without intruding.

"I could never get the true joy of them on the cellphone," Mak says.