Photo Shoot 3 - Piper

I thought it would be a good idea to photograph a new subject this weekend so I set up a small set and my dog. Well I will say that there is a reason why I was taught in school "KISS". Animals are not always the easiest models. Lets take my dog for instance. She was not in to having her photo taken as much as she was interested in sleeping. How ever I did manage to grab a few shots.

I tried my new found knowledge on using the "manual" function on the camera and started snapping. First think I found was that my lens would not open up anymore then a 4fstop. And even with all the light from 2 500watt lamps and a white back drop, I still needed to slow down the shutter to capture an image with proper lighting. Not good when working with a dog. Especially one that keeps moving.

I wonder if there is any way around this with out having to buy a lens? Do I need a lens with a larger aperture? or Do I need to break down and buy a new flash for on the camera, with a "soft box" or diffuser attached?