Puppy? What puppy? The frame is mostly black!
Seriously, this photo illustrates a common mistake of not filling the frame with the subject. Get closer so we can get a better look at that beautiful puppy! You can alway frame it later with a black matte.
My favorite shots of kids and dogs are done very close with a wide angle lens that artfully distorts a feature such a nose or tongue, making it appear larger than life. Fill the frame with a wet nose or tongue!
-Paul