It is a sad fact of life that your family pet cannot live forever. Immortalize your doggy's paw print in cement or plaster to preserve its memory. Creating a plaster plaque or a stepping stone for the garden can commemorate the time and life of a beloved dog. Make a Christmas ornament or a framed paw print to keep your dog in your family's life forever.
Stepping Stone
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Video of the Day
Make a stepping stone for your garden or yard with your doggy's paw prints by casting a concrete stone in a disposable, aluminum pie tin. Place the aluminum pie tin on the work surface. Coat the bottom and sides of the pie tin with petroleum jelly. Mix the concrete mix in the bucket according to the directions on the packaging. Pour the concrete into the pie tin, stopping 1/4 inch from the top. Let the concrete dry for 25 minutes. Coat the dog's paw with petroleum jelly. Press the dog's paw into the cement. Immediately wipe the paw with a paper towel. Wash your dog's paw with water and dog wash. Write the date and dog's name in the cement with a chopstick. Let the cement dry for 24 to 48 hours. Pull the sides of the aluminum pin tin away from the concrete to remove the stone.
Plaster Plaque
Purchase a craft handprint kit and create a cast of your doggy's paw. Coat its paw in petroleum jelly and press it into the plaster that comes with the kit. Paint the date and dog's name on the plaque after it has dried. You also can press your dog's paw into clay. Let the clay harden. Mix up a batch of plaster and pour it into the clay mold. Let it dry according to the plaster's directions. Break the clay away from the plaster. Paint the dog's name and the date onto the back of the paw.
Glass Ball Christmas Ornament
Commemorate your dog with a yearly Christmas ornament. For every year that your dog is with you, create a handmade ornament with its paw print. Dip your dog's paw into vegetable-based ink and press onto acid-free paper. Write the dog's name, a holiday greeting and the year on the paper under the print. Cut the paw print out and place it inside an empty glass ball ornament. Tie a ribbon to the top of the ball and hang it on the tree. Each year, change the style of the print, the ink color or the message.
You can also make cute paw print Christmas ornaments using salt dough. Check out our short video tutorial to see how.
Framed Print
Take a photograph of your dog the first day you bring it home. The photo can be of the dog by itself or the dog and the family. This works for puppies as well as rescue dogs. Select a frame with a wide mat. Coat the dog's paw with a vegetable-based ink and press the paw onto the mat in a couple of spots. Write the name of the dog and the date you got it on the mat. Insert the photo into the mat and frame the photo. The happy memories of bringing your dog home and his paw will be part of your décor.
By Caroline Baldwin
About the Author
Caroline Baldwin, a corporate communications director located in South Carolina, began writing in 1998. Her work has been published in publications across the United States and Canada including Rolling Stone, Boating Life, Waterski and Wakeboarding magazines. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in communication studies from The College of Charleston.