Getting the perfect staff photo should be a fairly straightforward task.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Stand still, face the camera and try not to blink at the worst possible moment.
Unfortunately for Indiana conservation officer Levi Knach, his K-9 partner Kenobi had a completely different idea about how their photo shoot should go.
Rather than calmly posing alongside his human colleague, Kenobi decided it was the perfect opportunity to shower Knach with affection, per ABC News.
And by affection, we mean repeatedly licking his face.
The brilliant outtakes from the pair’s staff photo shoot quickly began attracting attention online, with Kenobi seemingly far more interested in giving his partner kisses than looking towards the camera.
For Knach, keeping a straight face proved understandably difficult.
Kenobi repeatedly turned towards the officer and licked his face as the photographer attempted to capture an official picture of the duo.
The resulting images showed a very different side to the working relationship between a conservation officer and his K-9 partner.
But while Kenobi might look like an affectionate pup determined to steal the spotlight, there is a serious working dog behind the viral photographs.
Indiana State Parks explained exactly what Kenobi is capable of in a Facebook post celebrating the K-9.
“Kenobi is cute, but make no mistake – he is a trained, working officer and can track people and locate a variety of objects ranging from venison to ginseng,” Indiana State Parks wrote.
The Facebook post went on to receive 2,400 likes as people reacted to Kenobi’s attempts to disrupt the staff photo.
One of the K-9’s responsibilities is particularly unusual.
Kenobi can be used to locate ginseng when someone has illegally harvested it, adding another skill to his impressive list of abilities.
Alongside tracking people, the trained working officer can locate a range of objects and substances as part of his duties.
Knach works in the state’s Department of Nature Resources, with Kenobi serving as his K-9 partner.
Yet the outtakes offered a reminder that even a highly trained working dog can apparently decide professional photographs are the ideal time for some puppy love.
Each attempt to pose seemed to give Kenobi another opportunity to turn towards Knach.
The officer could only smile as his four-legged partner continued licking his face, creating a series of photographs that proved far more memorable than the original staff picture might have been.
Kenobi’s efforts to steal the show ultimately worked.
The affectionate outtakes went viral, giving people a glimpse at the bond between the conservation officer and his K-9 partner.
Still, there was an official photograph to take.
After Kenobi had finished delivering his kisses and the photographer had patiently worked through the interruptions, the pair finally managed to pose together.
The perfect shot showed Knach and Kenobi sitting side by side, both facing the camera like the professional team they are.
It may have taken a few attempts to get there.
But judging by the outtakes, Kenobi had already provided the photos everyone was going to remember.
Featured image credit: Indiana State Parks/Facebook
