We’ve all heard it said — dogs are man’s best friend. And those of us who’ve owned dogs can attest to that fact. It’s difficult to explain what it is about canine love that makes it so special. But the one thing we do know is they’re unconditionally faithful. Dogs love us exactly where we are in life. From the moment they join our family, they’re willing to do anything for us.
So, it’s no wonder we love doing things to ensure we always remember our faithful, furry friends. Some people hang pictures of their dog around their house. Others keep a lock of their fur or a favorite toy. But now, a new, more permanent trend has caught the internet by storm: dog pawprint tattoos.
Let’s be clear — not everyone gets them to remember dogs that have passed away. Plenty of pet owners choose tattoos while their pets are still alive and well. Regardless, they love those animals so much they want to let the world know. It’s a small way to tell a beloved friend “thank you” for their love, friendship, and loyalty.
Here are 75 of the best dog pawprint tattoos the internet has ever seen.
1. The model next to the finished product
The tattoo artist had the great idea to replicate the dog’s unique spot pattern in different colors. It might not be a perfect recreation, but it captures the spirit.
It’s so hard to say goodbye to your favorite furry friend. A tattoo can be a perfect way to remember them — it’s a piece of them that’ll last forever.
This tattoo isn’t just a pawprint — it’s also a portrait of the owner’s dog. The artist did a great job of capturing the pup’s beautiful eyes and other features.
Doodle the dog might not have left an actual pawprint on her owner, but this tattoo is about as close as you can get. The owner said it looks just like the prints she leaves after a romp in the mud.
Not every pawprint tattoo is a perfect recreation. Some of them simply capture the heart of the animal. Maybe we didn’t know Snoop, but we get to enjoy this beautiful tribute.
6. In memory of a special dog
The owner of this beautiful dog, Luszi, will never forget her furry friend with this fabulous tattoo tribute. The pawprints run down her arm while surrounded by pink, purple, and blue watercolor work.
7. The heart in the middle is a great touch
There are hundreds of tattoos featuring dog pawprints. But that doesn’t mean they’re all the same. Artists make them unique in so many ways, like this rainbow one with a heart in the center.
No one ever said tattoos — even those of dog pawprints — had to be black and white. This one is a beautiful example of how artists add color to their work.
Some people say a dog’s paws are as unique as fingerprints. Whether or not that’s true, this dog certainly has a unique paw. The tattoo artist did a wonderful job recreating it.
It seems as though this dog owner has two pups — one big, one small. It’s a great way to immortalize both of them while showing how equally important they are to him.
11. They’ll never forget those paws
This pup has an unusually unique pattern on her paws, making it perfect for a tattoo tribute. The artist was faithful to all those subtle color changes.
12. What a wonderful print
What’s the best way to get a dog pawprint beautifully recreated in tattoo form? Dip your pup’s paw in ink and then stamp it on a card. This tattoo gets the detail right down to the tiny smudges.
13. The hairy toes are adorable
It shouldn’t be surprising that dogs have fur on their toes as well as all over the rest of their bodies. This tattoo is so detailed that it even shows off that toe fur, which is adorable.
It couldn’t be clearer that this dog has a close bond with her human. They sleep side by side holding paws. Now the owner has a replica of a paw on her arm.
This adorable picture doesn’t just show off an amazing tattoo, but also the relationship between the dog and her owner. It’s easy to see they have a special relationship.
It’s so sweet and simple — a pawprint containing a heart. It’s perfect because it’s also placed right below the heart of the owner. That’s certainly where her dog will live forever.
17. They got it down to the inkblots
Every detail of this pawprint tattoo is incredibly detailed. From the spray of paint to the slight smudges where the pup moved his paw, it’s a wonderful recreation.
18. Next to the paw that made it
We don’t know what kind of dog this is, but judging by that pawprint, it’s relatively big. But as dog-human relationships prove, size doesn’t matter when it comes to friendship.
This pup left a pawprint in blue paint. So of course, the tattoo artist decided to create the tattoo in blue, too. It’s as though the dog left a print directly on his owner’s skin.
20. An artist next to his work
Brandon is a red Doberman, which means one thing: his paws are enormous. But that didn’t stop his owner from putting one of them on their arm.
21. A sweet face and a sweet paw
Just like humans, dogs come in all shapes and sizes. It doesn’t matter if they’re big or small, like this sweet guy. The imprint they leave on our hearts (and sometimes our skin) is the same.
22. I love the initial in the middle
When one dog owner lost his best friend suddenly and tragically, he wanted a special way to remember him. His new tattoo brought him a lot of comfort amid his grief.
23. Just look at that sweet face
Looking at the expression that Sally makes as her owner pets her, it’s no wonder she’s been immortalized in tattoo form. You can just see the pure love between dog and owner.
This tattoo is amazing because it almost looks real. That is, it looks like the muddy prints an excited pup might leave on their owner’s leg when jumping up to greet them. Make that TWO excited pups.
25. Adding a splash of color
Some people go for simple tattoos, while others prefer loud and colorful artwork. Each one is a unique way of honoring the dog and the special relationship they had with their owner.
While some pawprint tattoos are full of color, this artist preferred to keep things in black and white. But it’s still a heartwarming tribute to the dog owner’s best friend.
This simple and powerful picture is a testament to the love between a dog and its owner. The finished tattoo shows they’re holding hands and paws as they lay beside each other.
This tattoo wasn’t modeled after a pawprint, but rather a picture of the dog’s paw. The artist captured every detail, even down to the tiny flecks of color throughout the skin and fur.
29. Everybody needs a paw
Dogs represent a lot for each of us. They’re our friends, our family members, our support system, and our unbiased listeners. They mean so much to us — it’s no wonder we want to remember them forever.
30. They’ll never forget Sophie
This tattoo might be on the smaller side but that doesn’t mean there’s no meaning behind it. It’s a way for this owner to never forget a good friend named Sophie.
This client brought her dog along to the tattoo parlor. The artist was happy to let him sit and watch while they etched a replica of his paw on his owner’s skin.
One of the most wonderful things about dogs is their willingness to be present with us no matter what happens. Their love is simple, just like this tattoo.
33. That infinity symbol will tug at your heartstrings
This client wanted a recreation of the unique markings on his dog’s paw. But that wasn’t the only thing that made the tattoo special. It also has the pup’s name and an infinity symbol, representing how long he’ll be remembered.
34. Remembering their favorite girl
This client was thrilled to make sure they never forgot their favorite girl. With her paw on their wrist, she would be with them forever, at least in one form.
35. It doesn’t have to be complicated
Not every pawprint tattoo is an exact replica, nor are they all complex pieces of art. Some of them are as simple and wonderful as our dogs themselves. What better tribute could you have?
36. An attractive watercolor pawprint
Watercolor isn’t just a term used in painting, as evidenced by this beautiful tattoo of a pawprint. It almost looks as though the pooch himself dipped his paw in the ink.
37. For the person who has many dogs
What’s a person to do if they have a lot of dogs that all deserve to be remembered in tattoo form? Get multiple tattoos, of course. That way, they have pawprints of every size.
This tattoo tribute is just a simple, unadorned pawprint in black ink. But I bet this person sees the tattoo and thinks of their dog every day while putting on their shoes.
Uno the dog hadn’t passed away when his owner wanted a tattoo of his pawprint. That meant she was able to get a perfect replica by stamping his paw on a piece of paper.
40. Igor must be a big dog
With a name like Igor, it’s not hard to imagine this dog being big. But you have to see the dog himself — or at least his pawprint — to get a good idea of just how big we’re talking about.
41. That’s a magnificent tattoo
This watercolor pawprint doesn’t just capture the dog’s paw, but also his shaggy, colorful fur. It’s an image that lends itself beautifully to the medium of watercolor ink.
We’ve seen some pretty big paws, so here’s a teeny one. Dogs of every size are great, so they all deserve to be remembered — even if those paws are just barely visible.
43. It’s a space pawprint
This tattoo shows the paw itself as well as a growth of fur. But if you look closely, you’ll notice the artist included stars in the fur. Perhaps it’s meant to show the owner’s love for their dog is as big as the universe.
This little dog’s barely more than a puppy, but he and his owner already have a deep relationship. It’s so deep, she’s already had his paw tattooed on her skin.
One of the hardest parts of being a pet owner is knowing you can’t be together forever. All you can do is enjoy the time you have — and remember them when they’re gone.
You might think it’s simple to get a perfect replica of a pawprint, but in truth, it’s incredibly difficult. The artist has to pay close attention to shading, especially if they’re working with only black ink.
People all over the world love their dogs and this tattoo is proof of that. The German client wanted not only the pawprints but also the words “into eternity.” How sweet.
48. There’s no love like that of a Labrador
This dog owner decided to get a tattoo of her Lab’s pawprint on her thigh. It’s probably the place where he leans on her when begging for treats.
This Lab owner was thrilled at the way their first tattoo turned out. After all, they say you should get something meaningful to you, especially when first getting inked.
50. The “mud” streaks are so realistic
This tattoo’s amazing because it almost looks real. By looking at it, you could believe this person’s dog left a muddy print on their leg — as they probably have, many times.
51. It’s all in the details
This tattoo’s almost photorealistic in its level of detail. The artist reproduced every strand of hair, even depicting the light playing off the fur. It’s truly a work of art.
52. The combination of black and gray
Who knew you could get such a beautiful result from black and gray? It’s a wonderfully artistic depiction of a muddy paw — the very paws we see in the picture.
53. Something to remember them by
Losing your furry friend is so incredibly hard. People have all sorts of ways to remember their pets. Getting a beautiful tattoo like this one is a great way to do just that.
54. So simple and colorful
Not every pawprint tattoo is a photorealistic replica. Some are just symbols to remind us of the pets we love or once loved. This one isn’t an exact copy, but it’s still beautiful.
These pawprints are probably not modeled after a real dog’s paws — unless this lady owned a teacup chihuahua. But it’s still an adorable tattoo to remind her of her best animal friend.
This sweet tribute takes the idea of a pawprint tattoo one step farther by combining it with a sunflower. At first glance, you might not even notice the pawprint at all.
57. A trail of paws and hearts
There’s no question this person loves their dog — or dogs. That trail of pawprints could very well belong to a whole troupe of pups.
This woman opted for a smaller pawprint tattoo right behind her ear. It’s almost as though her dog’s never far from her thoughts.
This bold tattoo is a cross between realistic and artistic, which is a testament to the artist’s talent. The paw looks incredibly real, but they’ve added a heart in the middle.
60. I love that splash of blue
This gorgeous tattoo uses a watercolor technique to add a vibrant splash of color. The result is an eye-catching work of art that’s still super meaningful. It’s an excellent conversation starter.
Anyone who’s owned a dog knows they tend to get underfoot at times. And when that happens, they also manage to step on your feet. How…it’s a mystery.
Not every tattoo has to have text to convey its message. But with this line, you know how important this person’s dog is to them. The love of animals is wonderful.
63. For the pup where the sun rises and sets
You can see this is a pawprint at first glance. But it’s not immediately obvious that it’s also a beautiful beach scene. Maybe it was made in memory of happy times spent at the beach with a favorite dog.
In case you didn’t know just how much this person loves their dog, they’ve had their pawprint framed in a heart. It’s amazing how much animals, who can’t even speak, can impact our lives.
65. Remembering walks in the woods
Every dog owner has special memories of their pooch. Maybe it’s visiting the dog park, wrestling together at home, or taking walks in the woods.
They say a picture’s worth a thousand words. In this case, that’s 100 percent true. We don’t know anything more about this dog and its owner, but what we do know is they loved one another very much.
Alfie was so important to his owner that she wanted to remember him forever. And she made sure she would by having his name tattooed on her shoulder.
68. In memory of all the steps we’ve taken together
Some of the most wonderful memories with a pet are those times spent exploring the outdoors together. It was a private adventure, just enjoying each other’s company.
This vibrant watercolor tattoo combines bold outlines with soft colors. We don’t know about the dog it honors, but I imagine it’s a good indicator of their personality.
70. Love and flowers for Holly
Not every dog gets such an elaborate tattoo tribute. For Holly, it was a pawprint, heart, and a flower bouquet. She must’ve been very loved.
It’s not certain if these tattoos were made in honor of two dogs (perhaps a male and female) or if the client simply chose colors she liked. Either way, they’re certainly eye-catching.
72. For the big dog family
When you have four dogs, all of them close to your heart, you want to make sure you remember each one. That means you’re not getting one tattoo, but four.
This striking tattoo isn’t just a pawprint, but also a portrait. In the print, we can see the dog memorialized all in black except for his vibrant blue eyes.
If you didn’t get choked up at the sight of this tattoo, you might have a heart of stone. It’s a beautiful memorial to the many walks an owner enjoyed with their pup.
75. That pretty much says it all
This tattoo says what all of them are, in effect, trying to say. It’s just a simple pawprint encircled by the word “love” — a very complex love between humans and animals.
