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Every year, Americans send out roughly 2 billion Christmas cards, brightening the holiday season with messages of love and hope.
This year, make your pet the star of your holiday update using these Christmas card ideas with dogs as the central theme. We promise you’ll have as much fun making these cards as your friends and family will have receiving them.
Christmas Photo Ideas with Your Dog
Coming up with memorable Christmas photo ideas with dogs in the mix can be a bit daunting. It’s hard enough creating seasonal splendor from scratch when you’ve only got human subjects to contend with. Add furry friends into the equation and there are even more things to consider, but there’s also greater potential for impromptu kisses, ear scratches and belly rubs, and some pretty spectacular photos.
1. Santa Hats for Everybody!
Get everybody their own Santa hat. That’s right — Mom, Dad, kids, and all of your dog buddies, too. It’s a simple, dog-friendly christmas photoshoot idea that’s budget friendly and festive.
2. The Ugly Sweater Setup
Ugly sweaters aren’t just for people anymore. Grab a dog-ready holiday sweater from your local pet store or online, and jazz it up with green and red pompoms, glitter glue, smaller ornaments, and iron-on appliques. You can even get yourself a coordinating sweater from the thrift store and decorate it to match your furry friend’s outfit for a truly cohesive holiday photo.
3. Go Play in the Snow
If your pet is one of those puppies that loves to play in the snow, go for a playful Christmas photoshoot that takes advantage of all Mother Nature has to offer. Head outdoors, throw some snowballs, and make some winter wonderland magic for your Christmas cards.
4. Naughty vs. Nice
Use a Christmas card template with two photo frames to create a naughty vs. nice theme starring your dog. One photo is your pup acting angelic, cuddling up on the couch or waiting patiently for a treat.
The naughty photo can be as silly and staged as you like. Pose your pup by an overturned trash can, a chewed-up shoe, or de-stuffed couch cushion and try to snap a card-worthy photo before you give into the giggles.
5. Who Wants to Go for a Car Ride?
Is your dog one of those pets that gets unbelievably excited as soon as you utter the word “car”? Turn your doggy Christmas card into a tribute to road trips — but with a twist. Instead of staging the shoot in your car or truck, get one of those orange-and-yellow kid-sized push cars and put your dog in the front seat. Beep beep! Cute canine, coming through!
6. Best Present Ever
Wrap an oversized box in festive paper and top off your creation with a big glittery bow. Then put your pet inside, with their head and paws peeking over the top of the box. If you have a very patient pet, you can skip the box and wrap your four-legged buddy in wrapping paper (leaving their head free, of course).
This is an especially good Christmas photo idea if you’re introducing friends and family to a new pet who might’ve arrived as an early Christmas present.
7. Rustic Charm
For pet owners interested in an outdoorsy theme for their Christmas card photoshoot, the answer could be just a few feet away — in your garage. Spruce up the bed of your truck with some plaid Christmas blankets, matching pillows, a mini Christmas tree or two, and whatever other seasonal decorations you have on hand.
Outfit your dog in a scarf or Santa hat (or both), encourage them to hop up into the truck bed, and you’re ready for the cutest photos of 2022.
8. DIY Dog “Barkery”
Baking-themed Christmas photoshoots are classics for a reason. Now all you have to do is make it work for your dog. Piece of cake!
Give your pup a chef’s hat and pose Doggo behind a table or kitchen island covered in flour, cookie cutters, a few sheet pans, and partially filled icing bags. As for the cookies themselves, be sure to use a dog-friendly recipe or buy ready-made cookies from your favorite pet store. The best part of this Christmas picture idea is letting your pet snack on the props, so it’s important that those tasty treats are puppy safe.
9. Reindogs, Reporting for Duty!
For families with multiple pets, a reindeer theme seems like a no-brainer. Every dog gets a pair of antlers (they make them with headband-like straps attached for a comfy and secure fit), then you arrange them in a line in front of a “sleigh.”
Don’t have a spare sleigh lying around? No worries. Plunk a stuffed Santa bag down in a red wagon or even a wheelbarrow, add reins, and let everyone’s imagination do the rest.
How to Get the Perfect Christmas Photo with Your Dog
Christmas card ideas with dog models can be incredibly cute, but getting the “pawfect” shot takes a little planning.
Here are some expert tips to help wrangle your subjects and bring your vision to life.
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Have a major play session or big walk beforehand. It’ll be easier for your dog to settle down and participate in the photoshoot if they get the zoomies out before it’s picture time. Take them for a long walk or play a few dozen rounds of fetch. Try to stop short of exhaustion, though, unless your goal photo includes your dog snoozing in front of the fireplace.
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Get everything ready before you call your pooch to the set. Get familiar with your camera. Have all your props within arm’s reach. Stock up on snacks and dog-friendly toys. You may have limited time to actually work with your pet and being prepared lets you maximize that time and take the perfect Christmas photo.
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Test out equipment ahead of time. If you’re the photographer for the day, you’ll want to test out your tripod and timer ahead of time so everything’s streamlined and stress-free the day of the actual shoot.
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Try out different angles. If you shoot your pet while standing, all your photos will be from a hefty upward angle. Getting down on your dog’s level will completely alter the look and feel of the Christmas images, and you may discover you love the result.
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Consider your dog’s personality before you commit to a scene. Dogs that hate being dressed up won’t react well to being zippered into a Santa suit. Older dogs or those that are naturally quieter might not be interested in chasing snowballs, and there goes your prebooked outdoor photoshoot. Try to plan your pictures around what your dog likes, and your Christmas photos are more likely to be successful.
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Take plenty of breaks. Unless your dog likes to sit still for long periods of time, chances are they’d appreciate a few minutes here and there to talk a walk, drink some water, or chase the cat.
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Take lots of photos. Take as many photos as you can. When you think you have enough, take a few more. Use the burst feature on your camera or phone to capture a bunch of images in quick succession. You never know when you’ll accidentally get the perfect Christmas photo of your pup.
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Be open-minded and aim for authenticity, not perfection. Sometimes the best photos are the ones that veer away from your plan and come about naturally. So what if your dog lunged for a cookie rather than sat still right as the shutter snapped? A good image is a good image, even if it’s not quite what you had in mind.
Dog-Related Christmas Card Sayings
Your pet's photo will play a huge part in creating the perfect dog Christmas cards, but you’ll also need a great message or dog-related Christmas pun to accompany that award-winning imagery.
These dog Christmas card sayings range from silly to sentimental, ensuring there’s a little something for everyone.
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“We hope you have a PAWsitively wonderful holiday season.”
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“Love is all you need. And a dog, of course.”
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“This year, Rex has been a little naughty, a little nice, and 100% snuggly. Sounds pawfect to us.”
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“Merry Christmas from our reindog to all of you.”
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“We checked the weather, and the forecast says to expect FURRIES.”
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“Deck the halls with heaps of biscuits.”
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“It’s beginning to look at a lot like Kissmas! Baxter is handing out free smooches, and we hope you’ll come collect them some time in the New Year.”
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“Wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season filled with walks and treats and belly rubs and ear scratches and hours and hours of Animal Planet.”
Even cards sent out a little later than you planned can come across brilliantly if you include the right text. Try acknowledging the delay with something like, “Apologies for the belated card, but it’s been so busy here in the Smith household. Here’s hoping we won’t be in the doghouse for long!”
Christmas Cards with Your Dog from Truly Engaging
Put your pawfect photos and dog-inspired messages together using one of these pet Christmas Cards designed by the expert team at Truly Engaging.
1. Laurel Crown
Laurel Crown is an ideal choice for doggy photoshoots using natural elements. The border is made up of lush greenery, which will look pretty surrounding a pic of your pet lounging on a plaid blanket or wearing a scarf in the middle of a Christmas tree farm.
2. Honest Wishes
Minimalist and modern, Honest Wishes eschews glitz and glam in favor of clean lines, crisp block lettering, and two spots for you to showcase your super adorable doggy.
3. Modest Cheer
A little more behind on holiday cards this year than expected? Jump ahead to New Year’s greetings with Modest Cheer. Dress your doggo up in a party hat and a pair of 2023 glasses, add some raised foil to this design to make the lettering sparkle, and greet the next 365 days in style.
4. Joy Comes
Joy Comes combines the religious aspects of the holiday season with traditional Christmas coloring and an opportunity to share three of your favorite family photos. Or you can reserve all three spots for pictures of your dog, we won’t judge! Use this template as your inspiration for a funny dog Christmas card, with three poses that show your dog eating their way through a dog-friendly Christmas pie or tearing apart a pile of wrapping paper.
5. Sweet Snowfall
You probably can’t train your dog to catch a snowflake on its tongue, but you can capture some of the whimsy and nostalgia of a snowy holiday season with Sweet Snowfall. Photos of your family and dog playing in the snow would be the perfect complement to this design.
6. Joyous Grid
‘Tis the season for everything plaid, and Joyous Grid isn’t about to pass up an opportunity to incorporate such a pretty pattern. Customize the card by changing up the colors — perhaps a forest green to match your dog’s color or a beautiful navy for a rich, wintery vibe.
7. Hexagon Holiday
Who wouldn’t want to have a holly, jolly, Hexagon Holiday? This contemporary take on seasonal charm has two geometric picture frames to hold your doggy’s photos and simple text declaring the season “merry & bright,” while also sharing your family name and the date for posterity’s sake.
Browse Truly Engaging Christmas Cards and Order Your Free Samples Today!
Shop Truly Engaging’s wide-ranging catalog for your 2022 dog Christmas cards and Christmas card alternatives like magnets, postcards, and even custom ornaments. To experience our high-quality stationery firsthand before placing your order, request free samples courtesy of the Truly Engaging team.
