Canine Love: 8 Amazing Tattoo Ideas for Dog Lovers
Amazing Dog Tattoo Ideas
Immortalize your love and the ups and downs you had together with your canine best friend with these amazing dog tattoo ideas.
Americans love their dogs: over 63 million U.S. households are home to at least one canine.
Most dog lovers show off their love for man’s best friend by wearing dog t-shirts or hats or putting a sticker on their car. We here at Skin Factory Tattoo, however, think there’s no better way to proclaim your puppy love to the world than by getting a dog tattoo.
The possibilities are endless for dog lovers. Here’s a look at eight inspired dog tattoo ideas. One of these may just be your next tat.
1. Your Dog
The most obvious tattoo design for any dog owner is to get a rendition of their beloved fur baby. The only drawback is that as tattoos are permanent you have to be OK with seeing a reminder of a deceased pet on your body every day. Although, this can also be a wonderful way to memorialize a beloved part of your family.
For this type of tattoo, it’s best to take photos of your dog and narrow them down to two to three possible shots to show to your tattoo artist. You may want them to capture an exceptionally cute or funny expression that shows off your dog’s personality.
2. Go Abstract
Your tattoo artwork doesn’t have to be highly detailed and show every hair on your dog to be beautiful. Many tattoo artists can take an image and interpret it in an abstract, modern way. We’re not talking about drawing an unrecognizable Picasso-esque version of your dog, but maybe incorporating bright colors, hard-edged shapes, and patterns into the image for a design that really pops.
3. Go Minimal
Maybe you don’t want a big, colorful, splashy tattoo of your dog covering a lot of skin. The good news is dog tattoos can be minimal, too! The perfect dog tattoo for you may consist of a few black lines that form your dog’s face and expression, or your favorite breed.
Or you may want something as simple as the outline of a heart tattooed along with a short sentimental quote about what pet ownership means to you. How about the dog constellation Canis Major with an outline of a dog superimposed over it? Going minimal is a great option for the person who wants a more subdued tattoo design.
4. Paw Print
If you don’t want an image of a dog on your skin but still want to convey your love for all things canine, a paw print tattoo may be the perfect compromise.
And we’re not just talking about cute little cartoon-like paw prints (unless you’d like a trail of those along a body area) but a large, realistic-looking paw impression. Many owners with big dogs even opt for a life-sized rendition of their pooch’s paw print on an arm or leg.
Tattoo artists can get very detailed with this idea by inking in the texture of your dog’s toe pads or making it look like they stepped in mud before they stepped on you. Or they can incorporate your dog’s face into the paw print.
Artists can get surprisingly creative with this tattoo design, so this is definitely one idea you may want to explore.
5. Multiple Dogs
What’s better than one dog tattoo? Several, of course! A really cute idea is to have three or four dog heads tattooed on your lower back, inner arm, or calf area.
If you own more than one pet, this is a great way to include them all in your tattoo design.
6. Your Dog’s Name
Another classic tattoo design is to simply have your dog’s name tattooed. You can choose to have their profile illustrated along with the name, or opt to just have the named inked. You can choose a simple, black and white font, or go for a more decorative and colorful one. The possibilities are endless, and the choice is up to you.
Your artist can also incorporate dog imagery with the lettering—such as a paw print or dog bone—so people will know the name is referring to a loved pet. Some people get a tattoo design depicting a heart-shaped dog tag that has their dog’s name.
7. Flowers and Other Decorative Touches
The beauty of tattoos is what they allow you to get as creative as you like, and that means you can include decorative elements in your dog tattoo such as flowers, stars, or other embellishments.
You could also get a tattoo that pays homage to your dog’s roots, such as showing pine trees behind an Alaskan husky, or a Bavarian mountain behind a German shepherd.
8. Your Dog’s Alter Ego
Do you think your dog sees himself as a superhero, keeping your yard safe from squirrels and alerting you to strangers? Or maybe he has an inner rock star, as evident by his howling each time you play music.
You can get playful with your tattoo design by incorporating a bit of your best friend’s personality into the artwork. Your tattoo artist can render your dog wearing sunglasses or include superhero tattoo elements such as a cape and mask.
Explore These Dog Tattoo Ideas
Dog Tattoo Ideas
As you can see, dog tattoo ideas are really only limited by your imagination. Your tattoo artist should also have plenty of other ideas to help you find the perfect way to show off your love of your dog, or dogs in general, to everyone.
Thinking of getting a dog tattoo, or a tat to symbolize another pet or animal? Contact us to schedule an appointment to discuss your tattoo ideas with us. Our artists will make your vision a reality.
To learn more, contact us here.