50 Horribly Unphotogenic Animals That Might Make You Laugh Way Harder Than You Should

Toronto photographer Weiler explained to Bored Panda that new environments can cause pets stress. "Give a pet a chance to get used to the space they are in, be it outside or in the studio. Let them walk about. Sniff. Let them explore your equipment (safely) and you. All without asking them to perform," she shared with us.

"Slowly introduce any new experiences like flashing lights or strange sounds. Use a calm voice when speaking. Make sure mum or dad are close by if it is obvious that that gives them confidence. Be sure not to ask them to do anything that they normally are disciplined for," the photographer said.

"And above all, have their favorite treats and dole them out generously!" Weiler said, adding that you should always speak to the pet parent about what the animal can and cannot have. 

Meanwhile, the professional pet photographer was kind enough to share some tips and tricks that can help amateurs move past failure if their photo sessions simply don't seem to work out like they'd like them to.

"There’s a saying: Fail fast. In other words, the faster you make a mistake, the closer you are to success," Weiler told Bored Panda.

"So, when a shot doesn’t turn out quite the way you would like, take a moment to analyze it. What went well? What didn’t go well? What can you change for next time? Then go out and practice, practice, practice. And remember, it is only a true failure if it stops you."

We all want our beloved floofs, feathery-friends, and scalies to live their best lives. But sometimes, we do run out of ideas on how to keep them entertained. And nobody wants to see their pet bored and mopey! According to RSPCA Queensland, something that you could try out is playing hide and seek or tug of war with your dog.

Meanwhile, even something as ‘simple’ as playing with a ball can mean a great time for your pet (and, let’s be honest, us, too). You could play catch with your doggo or use a bouncy ball to keep your cat entertained as well.

Something else that your pets might find fun is looking for treats that you’ve hidden around your home. Or you could try teaching them a new trick that you recently saw on the internet. If in doubt, even something like grooming your pet can be an enjoyable bonding experience for both of you. And if you happen to have some non-toxic bubbles, you could blow them for your pets to chase.

The ‘Animals Being Derps’ subreddit started out as a run-of-the-mill subreddit all the way back in 2013. However, in the decade since, it has grown into one of the most popular communities on the entire site.

At the time of writing, the sub boasted nearly 7.5 million members. And, this May, the group will be celebrating its 10th founding anniversary. If it’s one thing that the internet loves, it’s silly animal pics. And r/AnimalsBeingDerps gives the people what they want!

It only makes sense that r/AnimalsBeingDerps is dedicated to [drumroll followed by dramatic gasp] derpy animals. Despite that being made very clear, some internet users do have a tough time figuring out whether the photo they want to share is actually derpy or not.

The moderator team running the subreddit explains that derpy pics can be cute, but not all cute pics will be derpy. Cute pet pics are a fabulous thing to look at and they will undoubtedly improve your day, but there are other online communities dedicated to that. Meanwhile, r/AnimalsBeingDerps is all about turning up that goofiness to the max.

“Animals just existing, or not doing anything, or otherwise engaging in normal animal behavior will be removed. Do not post images with superimposed text adding context for the ‘derp’ to be understood. Your post should be able to stand on its own without help from the title or additional text,” the team running the subreddit explains that the content that members share ought to be high quality and full to the brim with derpiness.

Meanwhile, members are also encouraged to be original with their pics and videos. Reposts can be removed “at mod discretion,” and the subreddit discourages people from “repost farming” for the sake of racking up karma. Yes, it feels nice to get upvotes and positive comments on posts, but don’t lose sight of the end goal—celebrating silliness and making people’s day better, one goofy post at a time.

What’s more, if you plan on being an active and respectful member of the online community, you should also avoid sharing any compilations or memes. Keep it simple.

Staged submissions also have no place here. The mod team puts it simply that there should be “no provoking animals to do something derpy or setting up a scene for an animal to do something cute or quirky.”

According to the mods, photoshopped or manipulated videos are also a no-go. As are TikTok trends or challenges. Moreover, “a human playing with their pet is considered staged and not derp.” And finally, members are encouraged to focus on positivity and avoid sharing sad content. Again, there are other online communities dedicated to those things, but r/AnimalsBeingDerps is not one of them.

Which of these animal pics did you think were the derpiest, dear Pandas? Who’s goofier: the animals here or your own pet at home? Share your thoughts in the comments. Meanwhile, if you’d like some more derpy goodness, take a peek at Bored Panda’s earlier features about the r/AnimalsBeingDerps community right over here, here, and here.