AUBURN – Waddling up the ramp, pugs Sharon, Gunther and Mugsy greeted Santa with a huff, a sniff and a snort. Really, the promise of shiny new Christmas photos did not interest them.

Placed in Santa’s lap by mom Amy Bailey, Sharon jumped down. When Bailey placed her back on, Gunther slid off. As mom settled Gunther back, Sharon hopped to the floor again.

“Good boy. Yes, you good boy,” Bailey crooned to 11-year-old Mugsy, the only dog to sit still.

In the middle of the Auburn Mall, shoppers stopped to watch.

After several ups and downs, Sharon settled on Santa’s right side while Mugsy took his left. Gunther stretched out in between. As Santa scratched the tops of their heads, the trio panted and gazed at the camera.

Click.

The perfect picture with Santa.

“We send them out to the relatives. You know, family photos,” Bailey said.

Santa photos are a childhood tradition. At the Auburn Mall, they’re rapidly becoming a tradition for pets as well. For three hours every Monday night during the holiday season, Santa poses with dogs, cats, small animals, wild animals and reptiles. Sometimes up to 100 pets can show, making the line stretch for yards.

“I’ve seen from great Danes down to chihuahuas, teacup poodles,” said Santa. “It’s God’s blessing to do this.”

Most families bring in dogs and cats, though Santa has posed at different times with a python and a baby skunk. A couple of weeks ago, someone brought in a pet turkey.

“But the turkey took off,” said Jason Field, assistant manager for Santa Plus, which runs the photo shoot.

Last Monday, as a snow storm blanketed the state, fewer families than usual brought in pets for a portrait. But there was Bubba, a 2-year-old black cat dressed in a red velvet Christmas outfit. There was 5-year-old Popcorn, an affectionate white ferret. There was Cosmo, a 9-month-old Scottish terrier celebrating his first Christmas.

“He’ll do better with Santa than he does with the other animals,” predicted Ruth Burgess, while her husband shielded Cosmo’s eyes to prevent him from seeing Popcorn.

And then there was Sheba, a 14-year-old pit bull/border collie mix, who’s posed with Santa and at least one child in the Sharpley family each Christmas for a dozen years. Despite that experience, Sheba trembled nervously as she sat on one side of Santa and 6-year-old Sabrina Sharpley sat on the other.

Santa stroked Sheba’s back. “You’re OK,” he whispered.

After years of posing with animals, he knows just how to speak to them (softly) and just how to hold them (gently). So far, he’s never been peed on. He’s never been bitten.

Like children’s photos, pet photo packages range from $12.99 to $45.99. The most popular package for pets: the $29.99 holiday special that offers 19 photos.

A portion of the pet portrait proceeds goes to the Greater Androscoggin Humane Society.

Amy Bailey and her husband, Ellis, spent about $24 on one five-by-seven and a photo CD showing their three rambunctious pugs settled happily on Santa’s lap.

Two seconds after the flash, Sharon and Gunther took off while Bailey helped Mugsy get down.

“Can you say thank you to Santa?” she asked.

He wagged his tail.

Have an idea for a pet feature? Contact Lindsay Tice at 689-2854 or e-mail her at [email protected]