What can I use to make a dog paw print?

Ever thought of taking a print of your dog’s paws? Yes, it sounds a bit weird but it is not wrong at all. There can be plenty of reasons why you might want to take your furry friend’s paw prints. Some take their dog’s paw prints for school art projects whereas some take it for mold casts to represent them as a member of their family.

People also get tattoos of their dog’s paw prints to immortalize them. Whatever the reason is, it is always a good choice to take the prints of your dog. And if you are also curious about how to take one of those, this article for you.

Dog Paw Print Kits

There are some dog paw print kits available in the market that help you in getting a cast of your dog’s paws. Cremation and memorial services take a paw print for you as a memorial in case your dog has passed away recently. But it is always better to take your dog’s paw prints by yourself which can also be DIY project and bonding experience with your dog.

A necessary thing to consider first before taking a print is to make sure that your dog’s paws are clean. If not, a quick wipe down with a moist towel is all that it takes. However, you should not do anything if your dog’s paw is cut or injured. Here are some ways that you can use to take your dog’s paw prints:

Paints

If you choose to use paints, make sure that they are child safe. Any paint that is easy to clean will work very fine. Washable finger paints and body paints work best and as they don’t cost too much, they are worth trying. Furthermore, water-based or tempera paints are also good for printing as they are non-toxic.

When you are done selecting the appropriate paint, just dip your dog’s paw in the paint and then gently press it onto a robust paper for a few seconds. Afterward, lift your dog’s paw straight up and wash it properly. At last, expect to take more than one print to confirm that you get a good print.

Dough

When it comes to taking a paw print of your dog, the dough is one of the safest ways to take a good imprint. First, mix a cup of flour with a cup of salt adding water until you have enough to kneed for making a ball. Cover the resulted mold with some wax paper.

After covering the mold, press your dog’s foot into it. Then you can bake the pressing at a temperature of about 200 Fahrenheit for approximately 2 or 3 hours. Lastly, just be sure to check the pressing at a regular interval, otherwise, it might crack.

Inks

Ink is another great option to imprint your dog’s paw. Despite resulting a bit messier sometimes, it is still one that deserves a recommendation. Always remember to choose a non-toxic and archival ink for imprinting as it is less likely to fade in comparison to others.

After choosing a suitable ink, just apply it to your dog’s paw properly and then press it to a clean paper or a wooden plank. Make sure that the print has resulted correctly. At last, don’t forget to wash your dog’s paws after printing as they can lick it. Though non-toxic, it is not good for dogs to lick ink.

Safety Measures to follow while printing your dog’s paw

After discussing the ways to print your dog’s paws, here are what you should consider while printing:

• Don’t forget to wash your dog’s paws after applying ink and paint methods to print.
• Never use these methods if your dog’s paw has a cut or injury. It can worsen the condition.
• Make sure your dog’s paws are clean before applying any of these methods.
• You should not let your dog lick the ink or paint. It doesn’t matter whether if they are non-toxic, they, in no possible way, are meant to be licked.
• Use paints and inks that are child safe and washable.

Visit Doglime for more dog related information.

Many dog owners want to know how to get a dog paw print as it’s a really lovely keepsake and it’s actually very easy to capture.  There are a few different ways you can take a dog paw print and we will look at some of those in this blog.

How To Get A Dog Paw Print With Ink Pads And Paints

You could use some pet safe paint or an ink pad to get a dog paw print at home. You do need to check your paint is safe to use with pets as they can be quick to lick their paws before you get a chance to clean them! Please be careful.  Ink pads and paints are often readily accessible in the home already and provide a low cost way of capturing your furry friend’s paw print. Remember to put some
newspaper on the kitchen floor first though as this method can get a bit messy!

Big thanks to Kirsten who gave us permission to share the paw prints she captured from her dog Alfie using an ink pad at home.

Alfie’s paw prints created with an ink pad at home

How To Get A Dog Paw Print With Play Dough

For those of you with little people in the house, there’s a good chance you’ll have some play dough in a tub in the playroom. Simply take a good size piece of play dough, roll it out with a rolling pin so you have a nice flat area. Now press your furbaby’s paw into the play dough to get a dog paw print.  You can use a cookie cutter to cut the play dough into a heart shape or whatever shape you would like. Now leave the playdough to dry, this may take several hours.

Big thanks to Fay’s owner who gave us permission to share her paw print in play dough. Fay was a rescue squirrel who very sadly passed away a little while ago. We used this gorgeous paw print to create a personalised paw print stamp for Fay’s owner.  As you can see you can use play dough to capture a dog paw print or in fact any paw print!

Squirrel paw print in play dough

How To Get A Dog Paw Print With Salt Dough

Salt dough is very easy to make and you can find lots of simple recipes online. Make up a quantity of salt dough and roll out a good size piece with a rolling pin so you have a flat area. Press your furbaby’s paw into the salt dough and you will make a paw print in the dough.

Use a cookie cutter to cut the salt dough into a shape e.g. a heart or star. You could also make a hole in the top of your salt dough so you can thread ribbon through and create a hanging decoration with your furbaby’s paw print. These would look beautiful hung on your Christmas tree, but please bear in mind the salt dough can be a bit delicate when dry.

Big thanks to Emma Holland for allowing us to share these beautiful photos of her dog Mollie and Mollie’s paw print in salt dough. Emma said “In such a difficult time and knowing we only had a few hours I will forever be thankful for the advice you gave me to capture her little paws before she had to head to heaven…”

Capturing a dog paw print needn’t be difficult or time consuming, but can certainly be a very precious keepsake and give you a lifelong memory to keep forever.

Mollie’s paw print in salt dough

Inkless Paw Print Kit

Another option is to order an inkless paw print kit so you can capture your furbaby’s unique pawprints without any mess and have them to keep forever. Paw print kits from Cheeky Little Prints are presented in a beautiful presentation folder so you have somewhere safe to keep your furry friend’s precious paw prints. Your pet’s paw prints will also be checked and any extra furry bits tidied up for you.

A digital copy of your furbaby’s paw prints are kept on file for 6 months free of charge and this storage can be extended after 6 months if you would like that peace of mind they are kept safe for you.

How To Capture Your Furbaby’s Paw Print With An Inkless Paw Print Kit

Preparation & Tips

• The process is very quick and simple and won’t cause any mess as everything is inkless!
• If your pet has very furry paws please try to carefully trim the fur yourself or book your pet in at the groomers.
• Dogs are often more calm and relaxed after being taken our for a pee.
• It is usually best to have two people taking the print; one to rub the wipe over your pet’s paw and one to hold the paper flat & still. This saves filling your paper with lots of your own fingerprints!
• If your print smudges or your pet’s paw is very furry, don’t worry we tidy up and darken the prints for you.
• Inkless wipes are very safe but we do advise wiping your pet’s paw with a baby wipe/damp cloth after.
• The inkless wipe may feel dry, this is normal and it will still work with the inkless paper.
• The wipe can be sealed and re-used so please take as many paw prints as you can.
• This is particularly helpful if your pet is very bouncy & excited or not in a good mood! Simply try again when they are calmer and happier.

Creating The Paw Prints

• Place inkless paper on a flat surface (table/hard floor/clip board) with the black spot on the paper facing upwards, the inkless wipe will only print on this side of the paper.

Wiping and inkless wipe over Wirral the Corgi’s paw ready to take a paw print

• Remove the inkless wipe from the packet and rub it over your pet’s paw pads.
• Carefully place your pet’s paw flat onto the paper and press to get a good print. A paw print will magically appear on the paper! If you can hold your pet’s paw on the paper for a few seconds that will help get a darker paw print.

Placing Wirral the Corgis paw onto inkless paper to make an inkless paw print

• Once finished wipe your pet’s paw with a baby wipe/damp cloth.
• Take a photo of your pet’s paw prints and upload them to the website so we can check them for you, see below.

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  Wirral the Corgi sat with her inkless paw prints she just made with a kit from Cheeky Little Prints

• Keep your original prints safe inside this folder and we will keep a digital copy safe for you.
• Any extra furry bits will be tidied up and a proof emailed to you for approval. If you have ordered any gifts or keepsakes, these will then be created.
• Alternatively you can post your original prints to us, however, we strongly advise you take a photo or scan for your own records in case they get lost in the post. This is especially important if your pet is no longer with you as their paw prints are irreplaceable. See website for postal address. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

Wirral the Corgi’s unique paw print taken with an inkless paw print kit

New & Improved Paw Print Kits

Recently we have been looking at ways to improve and add even more value to our popular inkless paw print kits.  Our inkless paw print kits now come with 2 A4 sheets of inkless paper as standard so you have plenty of room to capture lots of your furbaby’s precious paw prints.

Kits come with full instructions to help you get a great dog paw print and we are always on hand to give you some help should you need it.  When you order an inkless paw print kit from us you will also receive a discount code to get 10% off future orders.

Our inkless paw print kits can be used to capture paw prints from many different pets including cats, dogs, guinea pigs, hamsters and mice.

Once you have captured your furbabies paw prints you then send a photo of the paw prints to us () and we will check they are all ok.  We will also spend time tidying up any extra furry bits so you have a clearer paw print to keep forever.

We have added 2 stunning frame options to our inkless paw print kit, French oak effect and brushed silver.  These beautiful frames can be stood up on a shelf or easily hung on a wall as a wonderful memory.  Pet parents can frame their furbaby’s original dog paw prints or the tidied up paw prints we send to you.  Each frame holds 2 photos/images 6″ x4″. Frames are made with 1mm perspex safety glazing instead of glass so they are safer to post and safer around your home.

French oak effect frame with dog paw print and photo keepsake (original inkless paw prints framed)

Brushed silver frame with cat paw print and photo keepsake (tidied up paw print framed)

If you ever have any questions about capturing your furbabys unique paw prints, please get in touch and we will be happy to help you.  Find out more about our inkless paw print kits and how we can help you keep your furbaby with you forever today.

* We are just waiting for the last few bits of packaging to arrive, to ensure your high quality frame is well protected during shipping..  You can place your orders for paw print and frames and they will be posted asap in a few days.