It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all you dog lovers and pet parents out there. If you’re anything like me, you’re completely unashamed about the importance of your dog and their place in the family. Therefore, shouldn’t your best four legged friend have their own ornament on the Christmas tree?
A great suggestion is to make them a paw print ornament! This is an easy DIY project for those pet parents who are not very crafty but still want something to commemorate the holiday with their pup. You’ll find all the supplies you need in your kitchen and it only takes minutes to put together. No Martha Stuart level skills required!
I first made one of these paw print ornaments for my Golden Retriever, Abby, about 12 years ago. She was the best dog, like Santa she was always merry and loved cookies. When she was a puppy, I decided I wanted to immortalize her cute little puppy paw print in an ornament. As a kid, I did not have a lot of resources to buy the fancy ornament kits from the craft store so I had to figure out another option. Luckily my mom came to my rescue and told me about this DIY method, using supplies we already had in the house. She had originally used this recipe to make handprint ornaments for my brother and I when we were babies so I figured it would probably work for a dog as well. My instincts were right and the ornament turned out so cute, I even wrote Abby’s name and the date on it as well. Straight on the tree it went. It may not have been the prettiest ornament on the tree but as Abby grew older it became even more special. Eventually, Abby passed over the rainbow bridge and now that ornament is more important to me than ever. It is always bitter sweet when December rolls around and I get to see her little puppy paw print again.
Over the years, I have made one of these paw print ornaments for all of my pets (even my guinea pigs). As a result, I have perfected the recipe and also figured out how to make them a little more visually appealing. Check out my easy recipe and tutorial on how to make the perfect paw print keepsake. If you decide to make one, share it with us on instagram, facebook or tiktok! We’d love to see your creations!
1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees fahrenheit
2. Mix flour, salt and water together. If the mixture is too sticky then add a little more flour
3. Roll dough to ¼ inch thick and cut into desired shape
4. Gently press your dog’s paw print into the dough
5. Use a straw to poke a hole to thread the string through
6. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 2 hours or until fully dry
7. Let cool and decorate with acrylic paint
8. Tie a string and hang on your tree
Looking for more Christmas content? Check out our blog to see just how much Canadians spoil their pets during the holidays and get some unique gift ideas for your pooch!
