Wichita ? Posing as a Santa for pets isn’t really all that different from posing as a Santa for children.

Both involve a whole lot of squirming and whining for Mommy.

Both draw parents fussing over their nervous children. And both come with the very real possibility of a dampened lap.

On a recent Saturday, pet Santa Tagg Oleson was ready for all of the above. Oleson wasn’t nervous about revealing his true identity since his clientele tends to fetch the newspaper rather than read it.

Fully costumed with a white beard and jolly belly of jelly, he accepted mostly canine visitors all afternoon at a PetSmart store in Wichita.

The pet shop, along with its sister store across town, was offering pet owners a chance to have their animals’ pictures taken with Santa until Christmas. The $9.95 price tag included two Polaroids and a picture frame.

A different local pet organization provided the Santa and the photographer for each day of visits. Half of the day’s proceeds then go to that organization.

Oleson represented Race the Wind, an organization that helps find homes for retired racing greyhounds.

He saw at least one greyhound — Okra, who was a tad too big to fit in Santa’s lap.

Stacy Hand tries to keep her 1-year-old Jack Russell terrier, McGwire, calm as he prepares for a picture with Santa Claus at PetSmart East in Wichita. On the right is Henry, a 5-year-old Italian greyhound owned by Cara Hand. The dogs posed for the photo on Dec. 4.

But it turns out other breeds had just as many Christmas wishes.

There was Cody, the one-eyed poodle whose parents requested retakes.

There was Tipsy, the beagle whose candy cane headpiece unraveled before he ever landed on Santa’s lap.

There was Chief, the Boston terrier whose ears wanted to stand up photo-ready only after they heard the click of the camera.

And there was Maxi, the beloved black Labrador retriever whose devoted owner vowed to display Maxi’s Santa photo on his desk at work.

Polly and Clell Lightner dressed their two shih tzus, Wyatt and Doc, in miniature Santa hats for their visit.

Gunnar Seal, 3, tries to keep his Alaskan malamute, Logan, and Border collie, Ibbee, in place for a picture with Santa, aka Tagg Oleson, at PetSmart East in Wichita.

Not that the dogs really needed to see Santa. Polly Lightner admitted she already had spent $50 on Christmas presents for the dogs, not including two bone-shaped stockings.

“Our kids are grown,” Polly Lightner said. “But all little kids like to see Santa, and they’re our kids now.”

Sharla Seal took her 3-year-old son, Gunnar, to see his Santa at the mall and then loaded up her Border collie, Ibbee, and her 100-pound Alaskan malamute, Logan, to see their Santa at the pet store.

The trip was a struggle, Seal admitted, but it’s also a tradition.

“We do it every year,” she said.