To me, your question is too vague.
The answers depend on the lighting.
Generally speaking, using a flash is my first approach as it allows me to bring up the shadows, thus reducing the dynamic range needed to get the photo well exposed.
If your subject is moving then forget about bracketing. If you are in a running gun situation then forget about correct exposure. If the sun is in and out then forget about getting correct ambient exposure. No camera can get enough dynamic range at all times and too many variables may exist any time that it is difficult to come up with a unique all mighty solution.
Under these circumstances (if you don't want or can't use strobe), approach it like the majority of natural light senior portrait photographers out there and expose for the most important subject of your photo. If it is the dog then make sure you can have all of its detail in post, if it is the human then expose for him/her, if it is the clothing then that is your target.
Too much theories sometimes cloud your judgement. Focus on the subject of your photography and make sure you get that part right, if you can get the rest then congratulation.
A simple example is backlight when a bride and groom enters a church door at mid-day sun. The only solution that makes sense to me is to expose for the bride. The rest matters much less.
Back to FEC, I use TTL with strobe (AD600) a lot and my approach is not to get the correct exposure during the shot (you waste model's time with your technicality). I expose ambient light properly (depending on the mood of the final result) and use flash to bring up the shadows (reducing dynamic range) or to make my subject standing out. I fix the rest in post.