Depth of Field

I have a point-and-shoot camera; as a result, I can't adjust the aperture setting as I please, independently of other settings. In order to create a shallow depth-of-field effect, I have to use the "soft snap" or "twilight portrait" modes.

Another trick is to set the focal point apart from the background; that alone helps achieve the desired effect.

Today I did a mock photo shoot with my VS puppy, and here's what I came up with:



I took this one in the "soft snap" mode w/flash. As you can see, the background is much less defined than the focal point.



I took this one in the "twilight portrait" mode w/low flash. The colors are less saturated and the background is even blurrier than in the previous shot.



I took this one in the special "ISO" (high-sensitivity) mode...this mode is designed to be used in low light and reduces blur. The dog is still the focal point, but the background is not as blurred as it is in the previous shot.



This shot was taken in the "landscape" mode w/flash. Notice how the background isn't that blurry and the dog doesn't stand out as well as it does in the other modes. I just took this to show how "landscape" mode is not appropriate for this type of shot.



I took this final shot in "landscape" mode w/o flash. Notice how the dog is blurry but the background is clear. This is definitely NOT a good example of shallow depth- of-field!

I'd like your feedback. Which of the above shots do you think best illustrates the shallow depth-of-field effect: #1, 2, or 3? Thanks!