In this guide
What are the best gifts for dog lovers?
The best gifts for dog lovers are about their own dog. A hand-painted oil portrait from a favourite photo sits at the top of the list: it takes 21 to 28 days to paint, comes in sizes from 40 x 50 cm to 100 x 150 cm, and can show up to four dogs or people. Dog paintings, canvas prints and gift cards fill the gaps.
Most dog owners already have the lead, the bowl, the jumper and the mug with a paw print on it. What they rarely have is something that treats their dog as family: a proper painting of the dog that hangs where people will see it, and that still looks good in ten years.
That is the gap this guide fills. Below we cover four kinds of gift, in the order most people should consider them: a custom portrait of their dog, a ready-made dog painting, a canvas print, and a gift card when time or photos run short. Each comes with the real sizes, the make time and what to do if you are buying for Christmas.
A quick word on what you are buying. Every painting we sell is 100% hand-painted in oils on canvas by professional, university-trained artists. Nothing printed is sold as a painting. Our prints are printed, stretched and framed in Melbourne, and are labelled as prints.
How does a custom dog portrait from a photo work?
You upload a photo of the dog, choose a style and a size, and pay a 20% deposit to start. An artist paints the portrait by hand in oils, and before anything is sent you receive a photo of the finished painting to approve. Changes before approval are unlimited and free, and the balance is only charged once you are happy.
There are three styles on the Oil Painting Portrait from Photo: Realism for a lifelike result, Impressionist for looser, visible brushwork, and Pop Art for bold colour that suits a modern room. Realism is the safe choice for an older owner or a dog that has passed. Pop Art suits a younger household or a cheeky breed.
The details that make it personal are also the ones people do not know they can ask for:
- Up to four subjects on one canvas, so two dogs, or a dog with its owners, works well.
- Photos can be combined, so a dog and a person photographed on different days can share one painting.
- Backgrounds can be changed, for example the backyard, the beach the dog loved, or a plain colour.
- Leads, collars and harnesses can be left out.
If you are unsure whether your photo is good enough, our guide to which photos work best for an oil painting covers light, angle and resolution. The custom pet portraits page shows finished pet portraits in each style.
Which dog paintings and prints make good gifts for dog owners?
When the gift needs to be a surprise and you cannot get a photo without giving the game away, a ready-made dog painting is the next best thing. Choose by breed first, then by mood. A dog owner who has a golden retriever will smile at a golden retriever on the wall, even if it is not their dog.
Three that work for different people:
- Rainbow Retriever Smile is a pop art golden retriever, hand-painted in oils, square format, offered from 60 x 60 cm to 175 x 175 cm. It suits a family living room or a kids' playroom.
- Resting Spaniel is a quieter, earthy springer spaniel portrait in landscape format, from 60 x 50 cm up to 200 x 135 cm. It reads well in a study, a hallway or a country-style home.
- Laughing Labrador is a colourful canvas print rather than a painting, in square sizes of 60 x 60, 75 x 75, 90 x 90 and 110 x 110 cm. Prints are made in 10 to 14 days, so it is a good choice when time is short.
The full dog wall art collection holds more than 200 paintings and prints, from pugs and dachshunds to huskies and dalmatians. If the person loves animals generally, the wider animal art collection adds horses, birds and native wildlife.
Already have a great photo of the dog but no time for a painting? Print Your Own Image on Canvas turns it into a stretched canvas print in 10 to 14 days.
What size dog portrait or painting should you choose?
Size depends on where it will hang and how many subjects are in it. A single dog's head and shoulders looks right at a modest size, while two dogs with their owners need room so that no face ends up smaller than a fist. Use this as a starting point.
| Where it will hang | Custom portrait size | Ready-made painting size |
|---|---|---|
| Desk, shelf or narrow wall | 40 x 50 cm or 50 x 60 cm | 60 x 50 cm or 60 x 60 cm |
| Hallway or above a side table | 60 x 90 cm | 90 x 60 cm or 75 x 75 cm |
| Above a bed or sofa | 75 x 100 cm or 90 x 120 cm | 120 x 90 cm or 110 x 110 cm |
| Feature wall, or two to four subjects | 90 x 120 cm or 100 x 150 cm | 150 x 100 cm or 150 x 150 cm |
For one dog, 50 x 60 cm or 60 x 90 cm suits most homes. For three or four subjects, start at 90 x 120 cm. Our size guide explains canvas shapes, and the free See it in your room tool places a painting on a photo of the actual wall, to scale, before you order.
Frames add to the outside size. A floating frame adds about 2 to 3 cm per side. Every ready-made painting and print in this guide comes "Stretched Ready to Hang (FREE)", with Gold, Black, Silver, Natural and White Floating Frame as options.
When should you order dog lover gifts for Christmas?
Hand-painted work takes 21 to 28 days to make, and the weeks before Christmas are our busiest, so make times can run longer. Approving the portrait photo quickly also helps. Delivery is free Australia-wide with no minimum order.
Here is the order-by guidance we give every Christmas shopper (every date is on our Christmas order-by dates page). These are our recommendations, not delivery promises.
- Custom dog portraits: order by Tuesday 10 November.
- Ready-made dog paintings: order by Tuesday 10 November.
- Canvas prints, including your own photo on canvas: order by Tuesday 24 November.
- Gift cards: any time.
If you are reading this after the portrait cut-off, the Direct Art Gift Card is the honest answer. Cards range from $50 to $2,000, and the recipient can choose their own portrait in January with a better photo and no rush. Our Christmas art gift guide has more on timing.
What if the dog has passed, or you cannot get a good photo?
A portrait of a dog that has died is one of the most meaningful gifts we paint. Older photos and phone snaps can often be worked from, and the artist can combine several pictures to get the eyes and coat colour right. Our guide to pet memorial gift ideas covers how to approach it gently.
If you cannot get a photo without spoiling the surprise, give a gift card with a note that says what it is for. The owner then chooses the photo, the style and the size themselves. Our gift certificates page explains how cards are sent.
Whatever you choose, it is covered by our 30-day money-back guarantee, custom portraits included. The details are on the guarantee page, and you can cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.
Questions people ask
What do you buy a dog lover who has everything?
Buy a hand-painted portrait of their own dog. Owners who have every accessory rarely have a real painting of their pet, and it is the one gift that cannot be duplicated. If you cannot get a photo, a gift card lets them order one themselves.
Is a dog painting a good gift for someone who has lost their dog?
Yes, if it is their own dog. A Realism-style portrait from a favourite photo is the usual choice. Ask a family member for photos quietly, and choose a modest size such as 50 x 60 cm so it can sit on a shelf or hang in a private room.
Can you put two dogs and their owner in one portrait?
Yes. The portrait takes up to four subjects, pets or people, and photos taken at different times can be combined into one scene. For three or four subjects choose 90 x 120 cm or larger so each face has room.
What can I give a dog owner if it is too late to order a portrait?
A canvas print, made in 10 to 14 days, or a gift card, available any time. A card from $50 to $2,000 lets them commission their own portrait after the holidays.
Related guides
- Pet Memorial Gift Ideas: 7 Ways to Remember a Dog or Cat
- Oil Painting from a Photo: Which Photos Work Best
- Christmas Art Gift Guide: What to Order, and When to Order It
Next step: upload a photo of their dog and start a hand-painted dog portrait with a 20% deposit. You approve the finished painting before you pay the balance.
