How to build a memory frame around your pet's paw print
A memory frame is a deep shadow box holding the paw print as its centerpiece, with two or three personal objects around it, usually the collar or tag, a photo and a little fur. You can build one in an afternoon with a box frame, a fabric backing board and a few pins; a crematory's framed clay print with fur costs $133 at one US network[1], and a homemade one can cost less.
By the Paw Print Keepsakes & Memorial Impressions editorial team · Updated September 24, 2026 · 4 min read · Sources
- A materials list and a two-hour build
- Mounting clay, collars and fur without glue damage
- Layouts that look calm rather than crowded
The short answer
What goes in a paw print memory frame?
The print goes in the center, and two or three objects go around it: typically the collar or ID tag, one photo, and a small lock of fur. That's usually enough. More than five items starts to look busy, and the print, which is the reason for the frame, gets lost among everything else.
You need a frame deep enough for the thickest item (usually the clay disc or a rolled collar), a fabric-covered backing board, and a way of fixing each object that won't damage it. The rest of this article walks through each step. Curious where other readers keep their prints? The poll results keep a live tally.
Where would your pet's print live?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
What you need
What materials do you need for a shadow box?
- A deep box frame. At least 1.5 inches (about 4 cm) of internal depth for a clay print; 2 inches if you're adding a collar with a buckle.
- A backing board that fits the frame, covered in linen, felt or cotton. Neutral colors let the objects stand out.
- Dressmaker's pins and a needle with strong thread for stitching the collar in place.
- Clear mounting dots or removable museum putty for clay and tags. Avoid hot glue and superglue on the print itself.
- A small glass vial or clear envelope for fur.
- A printed photo on photo paper, ideally smaller than the print so it doesn't compete.
If you still need the print itself, our paw print kit chooser helps you pick a method that suits your pet, and our comparison of ink, clay and 3D casts explains what each is like to take.
Free tool
Paw print keepsake chooser
Match a print method to your pet's size, fur and the keepsake you want to keep.
Planning the layout
How do you arrange everything so it looks right?
Lay the backing board flat on a table and try arrangements before you fix anything. Start with the print slightly above center, where the eye lands first. Curve the collar beneath it like a smile, or along one side. Put the photo in an upper or lower corner, and the fur somewhere small and quiet.
Take a phone photo of each arrangement you like. Looking at them side by side on a screen shows you which feels calm and which feels crowded. Leave a finger's width of space around each object; gaps are what make a shadow box look considered rather than cluttered.
Fixing it in place
How do you attach a clay print and collar safely?
- Clay print: press two or three removable putty or clear mounting dots on the back, then press gently onto the board. If the disc has a ribbon hole, stitch a loop of clear thread through it and around the backing for extra hold.
- Collar: stitch it to the board at two or three points with strong thread passed through the backing and tied behind. Buckles are heavy, so anchor that end first.
- Tag: hang it from a pin pushed at an angle into the board, or stitch it through its ring.
- Fur: tie a few strands with thread, place them in a small vial or clear pouch, and pin the pouch.
- Photo: mounting dots on the back, never glue on the front.
Everything should be removable later without damage. That matters if you move house, want to re-frame, or decide one day to give the collar to someone else.
Cost
How much does a paw print memory frame cost?
A homemade frame costs whatever the box frame costs, plus pins, putty and a little fabric. A crematory-framed clay print is a middle option: one US cremation network charges $111 for a framed clay print and $133 with a fur clipping[1]. A photo-frame urn, which holds ashes with a photo on the front, costs about $65–$350[3] in one price survey, and photo pet urns at one large retailer run $40–$150[4]. If the crematory takes the print for the middle of the frame, our estimate of the median US add-on is ~$32[5].
| Option | Rough cost | Who makes it |
|---|---|---|
| Homemade shadow box | The frame, plus a few craft supplies | You |
| Crematory-framed clay print | $111, or $133 with fur | Crematory or cremation network |
| Photo-frame urn | $65 to $350 | Urn retailer |
| Custom framer's shadow box | Quote-based | Local framer |
If you're combining a frame with other keepsakes, the memorial budget planner keeps the whole total in one place.
Free tool
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
Hanging and care
Where should you hang the finished frame?
Hang it on an inside wall, away from direct sun, radiators and bathrooms. Heat and damp are what crack clay and fade photos and ink. Use two hooks for a heavy box so it hangs level. Our guide to displaying prints and pairing tags covers glass choice and placement in more detail, and caring for ink and clay prints explains sealing before framing. For the backing board and any card, acid-free materials are worth the small extra cost; the Library of Congress's guide to caring for paper explains why acid- and lignin-free mats protect what they touch. For the photo, the National Archives' advice on preserving family papers and photos suggests keeping originals out of direct light, so frame a reprint and keep the original safe in a box.
Personal touches are what make these frames matter: 51% of pet owners in one market report said they were interested in personalized memorials[6]. The frame doesn't need to be perfect. The tag with the chewed corner and the collar that's faded on one side are exactly the details that make it yours.
The worn bits are the point. A shadow box isn't a showroom; it's the last place the collar gets to live.
If you'd like a framer or print maker near you to do it instead, tell us what you have and we'll reply by email. You can also see all the routes on our services page. Our local pages list framers and makers by city.
What personal touch matters most on a memorial?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
Vote anonymously and see how other readers answered. The results are live counts from people who visit this site, so they show real opinions, not a scientific sample.
Where would your pet's print live?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
What personal touch matters most on a memorial?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Do you keep more than one memorial for the same pet?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Questions people ask
How deep does a shadow box need to be for a clay paw print?
Allow at least 1.5 inches (about 4 cm) of internal depth for a typical clay disc, and around 2 inches if you're adding a collar with a buckle or a rolled lead. Measure your thickest item before buying, and leave a small gap between the front of the clay and the glass so they never touch.
What's the safest way to attach a clay paw print inside a frame?
Use removable putty or clear mounting dots on the back, plus a loop of thread through the ribbon hole if the disc has one. Avoid hot glue and superglue, which can stain or crack clay and make it impossible to remove later. Seal the clay before framing so it's less affected by humidity.
Can I put my pet's fur in a shadow box?
Yes. Tie a small lock with thread and place it in a tiny glass vial or a clear pouch, then pin or stitch that to the backing. Loose fur tends to drift and gather in corners over time, so keeping it contained looks tidier and protects it.
Should the shadow box include my pet's ashes?
It can, but most families keep ashes separately in an urn and let the frame hold the print and personal objects. If you'd like both together, a photo-frame urn combines a picture with an ash compartment. Very small amounts of ashes can also go into a sealed vial pinned inside the frame.
Can a framer make the memory frame for me?
Yes. Many local framers make shadow boxes and are used to mounting delicate objects. Bring everything you want included, say which items must be removable later, and ask for UV-filtering glass and an acid-free backing. Get a quote first, as custom shadow boxes vary widely in price.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] Final Gift charges $49 for ink paw prints, $76 for a clay or silver-clay paw print, $111 framed, and $133 framed with a fur clipping; a fur clipping alone costs $23. Final Gift Pet Memorial Center – Memorial Products, 2026.
- [2] Simple name-only engraving on a pet urn typically adds $15–$25; name plus dates adds $25–$40. Memorials.com – Pet Urn Cost Guide, 2025.
- [3] Photo-frame urns cost about $65–$350, per U.S. Funerals Online figures cited by Funeral.com. Funeral.com – How Much Do Cremation Urns Cost in 2025, 2025.
- [4] Memorials.com puts photo pet urns at $40–$150 and glass pet urns at $50–$250. Memorials.com – Pet Urn Cost Guide, 2025.
- [5] Paw-print add-ons at US crematories have a median price of about $32, from $10 to $76. Our estimate: median of [$10 clay (AGP), $15 laser engraving (AGP), $49 ink (Final Gift), $76 clay (Final Gift)]. How we calculate.
- [6] Astute Analytica reports 51% of pet owners are interested in personalized memorials and 70% consider memorialization significant. Astute Analytica via GlobeNewswire — Global Pet Preservation Services Market to Hit USD 112.7 Million by 2032 (Apr 2, 2024), 2024.
Get framing and print options near you
Tell us what you need and where you are. We'll reply by email with clear options and prices so you can decide in your own time.