25 Cute and Sweet Paw Print Tattoo Ideas That Celebrate Fur Babies

Paw print tattoos are a popular choice for animal lovers who want to pay homage to their furry friends. These tattoos can be a symbol of love, friendship, and loyalty. With so many different designs and styles to choose from, it can be difficult to decide on the perfect paw print tattoo.

We’ve compiled a list of 25 cute and sweet paw print tattoo ideas for you to browse through and draw inspiration from. From tiny paw prints to intricate designs, there’s something for everyone in this collection. Now, lets celebrate that fur baby!

Watercolor Print

Watercolor tattoos are some of the most popular today so it came as no surprise that they are well represented among paw print tattoos. We love the purple and blue of this one with the pup’s name in a cute font.

Face in a Print

The watercolor effect is the most popular, by far, among paw print tattoos but puppy and kitty faces framed in the paw’s shape are also fairly common.

Tiny Prints Paired with a Flower

Paw print tattoos come in all shapes and sizes and they look rather precious when they are tiny like this. Pair your paws with your favorite flower and you’ve got a dazzling tattoo on your hands.

For Cats Named Misty, Merlin, and Pickle

You can have so much fun with the “fill” of your paw print tattoo. This person chose to highlight her cat’s names with the imagery inside. Meet Pickle, Merlin, and Misty. So cute!

In a Heart

Another popular pairing among paw print tattoos is to have the paws in a heart or forming a heart shape. We love our pets like the rest of the family so this sentiment is a common one.

With an Initial Inside

A paw print tattoo can become more personalized with addition of an initial or the name of your pet next to or in the print. We like the way the S looks here but you can work with your artist for other creative ways to do it.

Outlined

If you’re not terribly fond of the idea of pain associated with tattooing, one way to feel less of it is to do an outline of the paw print instead of a bunch of intricate work. It will take a lot less time and won’t cost as much either.

With Fur

Furry paws and paw portraits are common among paw print tattoos. We love the life-like appeal these types of design showcase.

Adorable and Tiny

Dainty tattoos for the win! Here’s a lovely little paw print tattoo that’s a size such that it could be placed anywhere. Proclaim your love for animals with something similar.

Flora Fill

There are so many beautiful ways to fill your paw print tattoo. Florals are a popular option and it’s easy to see why. Isn’t this gorgeous?

Fond Memory Fill

A landscape or scene of you and your dog could be a great addition to your paw print tattoo. Think of the places you two loved to spend time together and let that be your guide.

Semicolon Paw

Semicolon tattoos are extremely popular today. The punctuation is used as a symbol of solidarity for mental health awareness. This is one of the most creative ones we have ever seen.

Floral Frame

For a paw print tattoo that reads as delicate and light, try something similar. Frame your paw print in a unique way like encircled in botanical elements like this. Avoid black ink and it will look light and airy.

Little Snout

Have fun with those paw print tattoos! A popular way is to include your fur baby’s “boop place,” also know as, its snout.

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Infinity Paws

Infinity symbols are some of the most requested at tattoo shops today. They totally work for paw print tattoos as well and you can imagine any number of ways of connecting the two.

Rainbow Paw

Rainbow elements are a great way to liven up any design. We think this rainbow paw print tattoo is so energetic, playful, and fun.

As Part of a Portrait

If you’re toying with the idea of a pet portrait, we think it’s always a good idea. Show off your baby’s paw as part of it and you’ve got a fantastic combination.

With Angel Wings

Especially for memorial paw print tattoos, angel wings are common. We like these understated ones and we imagine those looking for something on the small side will as well. But, you can really go all out if you want to.

Angel Wings Round II

There is a way to take a maximalist approach with your paw print tattoo and this person totally nailed it. There is so much stunning color and movement inside.

Pawlaroid

Here’s an paw print tattoo idea we only saw once. That means it could be a unique way for you to frame the paw print and add your fur baby’s name.

With Tags

Collars are surprisingly popular additions to paw print tattoos. This one comes complete with tags containing their pet’s names.

Space Pup

Okay! Here’s a half-sleeve tattoo that’s rather cosmic. We love the tennis ball in place of a planet here. You can go as big or small with your paw print tattoo as you want.

Patch Paw

Patch tattoos have become a pretty big trend and we did not expect to find one among paw print tattoos but we did see a few others in addition to this one. Isn’t it fun?

Little Masterpieces

Your paw print tattoos can act as little frames for whatever your heart desires. We’re treated to some lush landscapes in this example. Breathtaking!

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Mandala-Like Paw Print

Mandala tattoos are in the top five of most requested designs. This paw print tattoo looks like it took elements from the style and refigured them in a lovely way. It’s ornamental as well as very sweet and sentimental.

Paw print tattoos are a beautiful way to show your love and affection for your furry friend. Whether you’re looking for a small and subtle design or a bold and colorful one, there’s a paw print tattoo out there that will be perfect for you.

We hope this list of 25 cute and sweet paw print tattoo ideas has inspired you and helped you in your search for the perfect tattoo. Remember, the most important thing is to choose a design that speaks to you and makes you happy. So go ahead and get inked!

For even more animal tattoo inspiration, keep reading. We have dozens more to share with you.

Check Out These Small Animal Tattoos for Ink Inspiration!

Micro Pup

Pup portraits are in high demand these days and we saw many of them among the small animal tattoos people are getting today. If you’ve got a furry friend, celebrate him/her forever with your very own pet portrait!

Beautiful Butterflies

Butterflies were another huge trend among small animal tattoos. Here, we find delicate and small ones done in crisp, black ink.

Fur Babies

Cat portraits and “cattoos” are another huge hit among small animal tattoos. We found a ton of little kitties decorating people’s bodies. Here are two small tattoos of cats with a lovely blue background for each.

Itty Bitty Bears

We find a koala and panda bear on these ankles! Who doesn’t love these super cute bears? To get the kawaii look think cartoon over photorealism.

Pretty Penguin

Just a black line and some delicate shading result in one of the most understated small animal tattoos on this list. Artists sometimes refer to designs like this as “single line” and you can discuss it with your tattoo artist in those terms and they will likely know exactly what you mean.

Mini Stork

If we had to place a bet, we would wager that this micro tattoo of a crane was applied using the stick and poke method to be able to pull off this much minute detail. Bravo!

Roar!

Here’s an Asian-inspired tiger design that finds one fierce little face in a small package. Convey big emotions in your small animal tattoos and you won’t regret it!

Two Fish

For a Pisces, we find two little fish done in black, grey, and white ink. Small animal tattoos can be for a love of nature but also they can symbolize other ideas and meanings.

Lovely Ladybug

For instance, ladybugs are a sign of good luck. Here’s an impressionistic one that is so stylish and unique. Get creative with your tattoo artist and your small animal tattoos will stand out for all the right reasons.

One Sophisticated Snake

You can add detail to your small animal tattoos by incorporating a pattern or floral scene like the one above that’s housed in the body of a snake. It results in an incredibly detailed and sophisticated look.

Zesty Zebra

Here’s one of the most original small animal tattoos on this list. We find a beautifully tattooed zebra but there are strange squares that seem to magnify the design beneath in some and others filled with black. How fun!

Dreamy Turtles

These turtle tattoos look like they’re floating on air. Equally dreamy and ghostly, these small animal tattoos really dazzle in soft grey that’s been expertly shaded.

Octo-Love

Does this creep you out? We are torn on how we feel about it so, naturally, we’ll let you be the judge. Two octopus tentacles forming a heart symbol is rather unnerving but it does look great!

More Turtle

Of all of the small animal tattoos we surveyed for this list, we saw more butterflies and turtles than any others. These shelled creatures are capturing a lot of hearts and imaginations. A rainbow-colored shell really puts this tattoo over the top!

Cute Little Pig

Well, this is just tender. We find a very minimal pig tattooed in peach-colored ink with little black arches for eyes. It’s one of the small tattoos on this list that feels nostalgic and childlike.

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Watercolor Wow!

Watercolor small animal tattoos are big business! We saw a number of them as we researched animal tattoos for this list. Here’s an excellent example that’s a little bigger than the rest but you could pick and choose elements you like from it to make it smaller and all your own!

Yeehaw!

We did not know we needed to see a horse in cowboy boots. But, it’s one of our favorite small animal tattoos on this list. Whimsical, playful, and full of offbeat energy, this tattoo is certainly a winner!

Precious Bun

Wow! This portrait of a bunny rabbit is one of the most stunning on this list of small animal tattoos for the level of detail that’s been included. The fur is so textural that it looks like you could “pet” it.

Cartoon Tiger

On the other end of the spectrum, you can go with a more cartoonish look and have some real fun with color. How cute is this little tiger playing in some flowers? For your small animal tattoos, keep things simple to expedite the tattooing process.

Pretty in Pink

Here’s a handsome flamingo that has a really subtle ombre effect that gives a great overall effect. Birds are so aesthetically pleasing that you can almost never go wrong with them for tattoos!

A Cheese-Loving Rascal

Here’s a raccoon with some cheese, because, why not! Take a look at how clean and crisp the lines on this tattoo are. The whiskers are so small that it’s a wonder to marvel at.

Micro Giraffe

There are small animal tattoos and then there are micro ones. Micro tattoos really are hot today with many people choosing to go photorealistic with their tiny designs for even more novelty.

Curious Rabbit

Eeeep! How cute! This little rabbit tattoo looks like it was pulled from a children’s book illustration. Emotive and expressive, this is definitely a standout among the other small animal tattoos on this list.

Cute Chick

We expected to see more chickens than we did but we did stumble across this beautiful bird that’s tattooed in a neo-traditional style. There are no bells or whistles, just a straightforward design that really pops.

The Hopper

Here’s a neon-colored grasshopper for all of the weirdos out there! While we are not huge fans of bugs, this one caught our eye with all of its glorious detail and color. Go off the beaten path in your creative process to come up with original designs with your tattoo artist!

Take a Sip

Here’s a beautiful little hummingbird tattoo. The wings have been so delicately applied that they give the illusion of movement. It’s one of the small animal tattoos on this list that we can see a great many people opting for.

A Pet Portrait

Here’s another cat portrait for you to feast your eyes on. It’s been expertly tattooed here and definitely lands in the photorealistic bucket for us. Find yourself an artist with a robust portfolio and you could walk away with something as truly breathtaking as this ink.

Tiny Snail

Here’s a cute little snail on a branch. For your small animal tattoos, you can stick to the basics and still end up with a fantastic design that you will cherish for a lifetime.

A Horse, Of Course

Here’s a pretty portrait of a horse. Yes, even large beasts can be taken down in size for small animal tattoos. This evocative design really pops out at you thanks to the diamond-shaped frame.

The Other Tiger King

Here’s a stylish design that you could pare down to a size that suits your tastes. We love all of the ornamental elements of this tattoo including the unique crosses and the detailed crown. Roar!

Pair of Poodles

Here are more of those “single line” tattoos that we discussed before. These poodles are very simple but they look smart and clean.

Back to Black

We love the original style of this small snake tattoo that packs a bold punch with solid shapes that have been uniformly filled with color as opposed to a distinct shading technique. We think it truly pays off and looks unlike any of the small animal tattoos on this list.

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Fancy a Cup?

What’s a bird without wings? In this surrealist design, we find a bird that has human arms and hands instead of them. It’s imaginative, mysterious, and dreamy. We said it before but we will say it once more: get weird! It’s fun.

There you go! Aren’t these small animal tattoos just terrific!? We hope you feel inspired by these designs and have a better idea about how you want to go for your next tattoo.