How to turn your pet's paw print into jewelry or a tattoo
To turn a paw print into jewelry or a tattoo, start with a clear, flat ink or inkless print, scan it at high resolution, and send the file to a jeweler, engraver or tattoo artist; your original never has to leave home. Engraved paw and nose print pendants start from $99.95[1] at one large retailer, and custom cast silver charms cost more.
By the Paw Print Keepsakes & Memorial Impressions editorial team · Updated September 24, 2026 · 4 min read · Sources
- Preparing a print file that makers can use
- Engraved, cast and ash-holding jewelry, with real prices
- What to tell a tattoo artist before you book
The short answer
How do you turn a paw print into jewelry or a tattoo?
You need one good flat print and a digital copy of it. Take an ink or inkless print (or find a clear one you already have), scan or photograph it straight on, and send that file to the maker. Jewelers engrave or cast the design; tattoo artists turn it into a stencil. Clay prints can also be used, but photographed carefully, because makers need a clean outline.
Everything below is about getting that file right and choosing what to make. If you haven't taken the print yet, the paw print kit chooser helps you pick a method, and our print window timing guide explains when it's possible. Whether other readers went for a paw or a nose is on the poll results page.
Paw print or nose print?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
The file
How do you prepare a paw print for a jeweler or tattoo artist?
- Scan it on a flatbed scanner at 600 dpi or higher, or photograph it flat in soft daylight with the phone held directly above.
- Don't edit the original. Send the untouched file; makers clean up the lines themselves and will ask if something is unclear.
- Include a ruler in one photo so the maker knows the real size.
- For clay prints, light from one side shows the pads. Take several photos at different angles.
- Choose front or back paw and say which. Front paws are wider, back paws narrower.
- Send a photo of your pet too. It helps the maker understand the shape.
Keep the original somewhere dark and dry. Our guide to preserving ink and clay prints covers storage and backups. The Library of Congress gives the same advice for any treasured paper: cool, fairly dry and away from bright light.
Free tool
Paw print keepsake chooser
Match a print method to your pet's size, fur and the keepsake you want to keep.
Jewelry
What kinds of paw print jewelry are there, and what do they cost?
There are three main ways a print becomes jewelry.
Engraved. The print is laser-engraved onto a flat pendant, tag or ring. It's the most affordable route: paw and nose print pendants at one large retailer start from $99.95[1].
Cast. The jeweler builds a raised, 3D charm shaped from your pet's print. One US maker charges $143[2] for a custom sterling silver actual-paw-print charm before the chain, and one cremation network charges $290 to $420[3] for custom sterling silver print charms. A paw-print bangle bracelet costs $385 at the same network[4].
Ash-holding. A pendant with a tiny sealed chamber behind or inside the print. One retailer's guide puts cremation jewelry that holds ashes at $30–$300+[5], and a pendant holds only a pinch[6].
Metal choice
Which metal should you choose?
The metal decides most of the price and how the piece wears. Sterling silver pet-ash necklaces at one retailer cost $88–$298[7], while solid 14k gold pendants cost $1,298–$4,750[8]. By our estimate, entry-level solid gold costs ~15×[9] the price of entry-level sterling silver at the same retailer, and entry-level silver costs ~4.4×[10] the price of stainless steel.
| Metal | How it wears | Price guide | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stainless steel | Tough, doesn't tarnish | From about $20 | Everyday wear, teens, budget |
| Sterling silver | Tarnishes a little; polishes back | About $88 to $300 for ash necklaces | Most people |
| Gold-plated | Plating can wear through | About $88 to $170 | Occasional wear |
| Solid gold | Barely changes | About $1,300 to $4,750 | Heirloom pieces |
If you're adding ashes to more than one piece, the jewelry ash capacity guide shows how many pendants one pet's ashes can fill. The memorial budget planner helps if you're pricing several pieces for a family.
Free tool
Jewelry ash capacity guide
How much ash fits in pendants, rings and glass, and how many pieces one pet can fill.
Tattoos
How do you get a paw print tattoo from your pet's actual print?
A tattoo artist can turn your scan into a stencil at the exact size of the real paw, or scaled down. Most paw print tattoos are simple black outlines or solid pads, which suit the small, clean shapes of a print. Nose prints work too, though the fine ridges need a skilled fine-line artist and enough size to stay readable as the ink settles over the years.
Before you book, send the artist the scan and a photo with a ruler. Ask whether they've tattooed from a real print before, and ask to see the stencil at the size they recommend. Common placements are the inner wrist, the ankle, over the heart and behind the ear. Some people add the pet's name in their own handwriting, or a date. Hygiene is worth a question too: the FDA's tattoo and permanent makeup fact sheet explains why sterile equipment and the artist's choice of ink matter.
Choosing
Should you choose jewelry, a tattoo, or both?
They serve different needs. Jewelry can be taken off, passed on and shared, and one print can make several pieces for a family. A tattoo is permanent and personal; it can't be lost or left in a drawer. Many people start with a pendant in the early months and decide on a tattoo later, once they know what they want to carry. There's no deadline, as long as you have the scan.
For other ideas made from the same file, see our list of paw print keepsake ideas, our article on nose print keepsakes, and our comparison of clay, ink, metal and glass.
The print only needs to be taken once. What it becomes can change as your grief does.
If you'd like us to find jewelers or engravers near you who work from prints, tell us what you have in mind and we'll reply by email. Our services page also covers who makes each type of piece. Our local pages list makers by city.
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.
Paw print or nose print?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
How much would you spend on a memorial item, beyond the cremation itself?
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.
Free tools to help you plan
Jewelry ash capacity guide
How much ash fits in pendants, rings and glass, and how many pieces one pet can fill.
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
Paw print keepsake chooser
Match a print method to your pet's size, fur and the keepsake you want to keep.
Questions people ask
Can a jeweler use a clay paw print instead of an ink one?
Often, yes. For engraving, the jeweler needs a clean photograph of the clay taken straight on with light from one side, so the pads show clearly. For a cast charm, some jewelers can take a mold from the clay itself. Ask which they prefer, and send a photo first rather than posting your only original.
How much does paw print jewelry cost?
Engraved paw and nose print pendants start at about $100 at one large US retailer, custom cast silver charms cost around $143 to $420, and bangles and cuffs more. Solid gold pieces can reach several thousand dollars. Stainless steel ash necklaces start at about $20 if budget matters most.
Can I get a tattoo of my pet's paw print after they've died?
Yes, as long as you have a clear print or a close, straight-on photo of the paw. The artist turns that image into a stencil, so your pet doesn't need to be present. Many people wait months before getting the tattoo, and the scan keeps the option open indefinitely.
What resolution should I scan a paw print at?
Scan at 600 dpi or higher on a flatbed scanner if you can. If you're using a phone, photograph the print flat in soft daylight, directly from above, without flash, and send the original file rather than a screenshot. Include one photo with a ruler so the maker knows the true size.
Can paw print jewelry hold my pet's ashes too?
Yes. Many print pendants have a small sealed chamber behind the engraving or inside the charm. They hold only a pinch, so one pet's ashes can fill several pieces for different family members. Ask how the chamber is sealed and whether the maker fills it or sends you a fill kit.
Will a paw print tattoo blur over time?
Fine lines spread slightly as a tattoo ages, which is why very small, detailed designs can blur. Choosing a slightly larger size, bolder outlines or solid pads helps a paw print stay clear. Ask your artist to show you the stencil at their recommended size before you commit.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] Paw print and nose print pendants at Memorials.com start at $99.95. Memorials.com – Pet print jewelry, 2026.
- [2] A custom sterling silver actual-paw-print charm costs $143 before the chain (about $59–$79 for silver) and takes about 2 weeks to make. String of Jewels – Actual paw print necklace, 2026.
- [3] Final Gift's pet memorial jewelry runs from a $60 urn pendant to $290–$420 for custom sterling silver print charms, with glass ash beads at $245. Final Gift Pet Memorial Center – Memorial Products, 2026.
- [4] A paw-print bangle bracelet costs $385 and a cremation cuff bracelet $125 at Final Gift. Final Gift Pet Memorial Center – Memorial Products, 2026.
- [5] Cremation jewelry that holds pet ashes typically costs $30–$300+. Memorials.com – Pet Cremation Cost Guide 2026, 2026.
- [6] An ashes pendant holds only a pinch of cremated remains (the retailer says at most about a teaspoon; most pendants hold far less), and most come with a small funnel fill kit. Memorials.com – Pet ashes necklaces, 2026.
- [7] Sterling silver pet-ash necklaces at Memorials.com cost $87.95–$297.95. Memorials.com – Pet ashes necklaces, 2026.
- [8] Solid 14k gold pet-ash pendants at Memorials.com cost $1,297.95–$4,749.95; gold-plated ones $87.95–$169.95. Memorials.com – Pet ashes necklaces, 2026.
- [9] Entry-level solid 14k gold pet-ash pendants cost about 15 times entry-level sterling silver ones at the same retailer. Our estimate: $1,297.95 / $87.95 (Memorials.com starting prices). How we calculate.
- [10] Entry-level sterling silver pet-ash necklaces cost about 4.4 times entry-level stainless steel ones. Our estimate: $87.95 / $19.95 (Memorials.com starting prices). How we calculate.
Get print jewelry 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.