How to draw a dog
Draw along here, then watch it take a bow. Free, with no ads, no sign-up and nothing uploaded.
- Draw a big round head
- Two floppy ears
- A nose and a tongue
- A body underneath
- Legs, paws and a tail
- A red collar
- Color your dog
How to draw a dog in 8 steps
To draw a dog, start with a round head and two long floppy ears, add a smaller oval for the muzzle with a black nose and a pink tongue, then draw a sitting body with two front legs, paws and a wagging tail. A red collar and yellow fur finish it. It takes eight steps and about ten minutes, and the ears are what make it look like a dog.
You need brown, black, red and yellow crayons, and paper if you are away from the screen.
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Step 1Draw a round head
Draw a big circle in the top half of the page. Puppies have big heads, so go bigger than feels right.
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Step 2Add two floppy ears
Draw a long drooping shape on each side of the head, starting near the top and hanging down past the cheeks.
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Step 3Draw the muzzle, nose and tongue
Draw a small oval low on the face and press a fat black nose at the top of it. Draw a short line down from the nose, a curved mouth and a little red tongue poking out.
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Step 4Draw the body
Draw a curved line down from under each side of the head, spreading out as it goes, and join them along the bottom.
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Step 5Add legs, paws and a tail
Draw two straight lines down the front of the body for the front legs, with an oval paw at the bottom of each. Add a tail curving up on one side.
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Step 6Add a collar
Draw a thick red band under the chin and press a round yellow tag in the middle of it.
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Step 7Color your dog
Scribble yellow over the head and body, and brown over the ears. Leave the muzzle pale. Every color is allowed: this could just as well be a black dog with a white chest.
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Step 8Give it eyes
Draw two big black dots above the muzzle with a small white gap in each. Large, wide-set eyes are what make a drawing look like a puppy. On the screen, press Bring it to life, then tap twice and two googly eyes stick on.
Easier or harder, for any age
Most children can copy a circle at about three and a triangle at about five, so the shapes set the level. The sources are in our guide to what a child can draw at each age.
- Ages 3 and 4
- Draw only the head: a circle, two floppy ears, a big black dot for the nose and a line for the mouth. A three-year-old can do most of that and it is already plainly a dog.
- Ages 5 and 6
- Follow the steps as they are. Ears decide what kind of dog it is, so let them choose: long and floppy, or short and pointed. A dog they know is a better model than the one in the picture.
- Ages 7 and 8
- Choose a real breed and draw what makes it different: pointed ears and a thick neck for a husky, a long low body for a dachshund, spots for a dalmatian. A side-on dog walking is a good challenge at seven or eight.
Make your dog your own
- Draw your own dog, with its real markings
- Give it a bone or a ball
- Add a smaller puppy beside it
- Put it in a superhero cape
Then your dog takes the stage
Press Bring it to life and scissors go around the drawing. It lifts off the page as a paper puppet, gets two googly eyes and hops onto a little lit stage at the North Pole. From there every key or tap makes it jump, spin or sneeze while a sleigh crosses the moon, snow blows in and a present drops from above. The show is saved as a short video on your device.
A drawing page safe for small hands
This page is for children, so it is kept apart from the rest of the shop. Children’s privacy notice
- Cost
- Free, with nothing to buy to play.
- Ads
- None, and no advertising pixels, session recording or advertising cookies on this page.
- Sign-up
- None. No account, no names, no email, nothing to fill in.
- Drawings
- Made and kept on this device. Nothing is uploaded.
- Works on
- A phone, tablet or computer, in the browser, with no app to install.
What to draw next
Keep a drawing forever
A drawing that has just taken a bow can be stitched in real thread or kept on a necklace. From the grown-up gate it goes straight into the studio, and you see how it comes out before you order.
Questions about drawing a dog
Anything else, write to hello@thecuriousthing.com.
What is the easiest way for a child to draw a dog?
Start with the head from the front: one circle, two long ears, a big black nose and a smile. Children recognise a dog from the floppy ears and the nose, so a head alone counts. The body and legs can come once that feels easy, usually from about age five.
How do you draw your own dog so it looks like them?
Keep the simple shapes and change three things: the ears (floppy, pointed or folded), the color and where the patches are, and the length of the body. Those are what people recognise. Have the real dog or a photo nearby, and pick the one thing about them you would always mention.
Is this drawing website free, with no ads and no sign-up?
Yes. There is nothing to pay, no ads, no account and no email to give. It runs in the browser on a phone, tablet or computer. Nothing a child draws is uploaded: the drawing, the puppet and the show stay on your device. Read the children’s privacy notice.
Can we do it on real paper instead?
Yes. Every step is written out on this page with a picture. If you draw it on paper, tap the cross on the page, choose Upload a drawing and take a photo. The paper is removed on your device, and the dog still goes on the stage.