Gifts for Dog Lovers: Personalised Ideas for Every Breed and Owner

Quick answer: The best gifts for dog lovers are about their own dog, not dogs in general. A personalised word art print shaped like their breed and filled with the dog’s name, nicknames, favourite walks and daft habits is something nobody else will own. The Personalised Dog Paw Word Art and more than 130 breed prints start at £9.99 as an instant digital download, with framed A4 prints from £22.99 and framed A3 prints from £30.99.

Updated October 2026

Dog owners are surprisingly hard to buy for. They already have the leads, the poo bags, the mug with a paw on it and a drawer of novelty socks. What they rarely have is something that captures their dog: the name it answers to, the five other names it actually gets called, the beach it loses its mind on and the sofa cushion it has claimed. This guide covers personalised dog gifts for every kind of owner, breed by breed, with ideas for Christmas, birthdays and memorials, plus example word lists you can copy. You can browse every design in our dog breed prints collection.

In this guide

• What do you buy a dog lover who has everything?
• Personalised gifts by breed: Labradors, spaniels, collies, terriers and more
• Gifts for sausage dog, Frenchie and small-breed lovers
• Christmas, birthday and new puppy gifts for dog lovers
• Dog memorial gifts
• Comparison table of dog prints
• What words to put on a dog print
• How it works
• FAQs

What do you buy a dog lover who has everything?

Dog lovers who have everything still lack one thing: a picture of their dog’s personality. Photos show what the dog looks like. A word art print shows who the dog is, using the words the family already says every day. The shape does the recognising, and the words do the remembering.

There are two ways to approach it. If you know the breed, choose that breed’s silhouette so the owner recognises their dog at a glance. If the dog is a cross, a rescue of uncertain parentage, or you are not sure of the breed, go for the paw.

1. The Personalised Dog Paw Word Art: for any dog, any owner

The paw print is the all-rounder. It works for crossbreeds, rescues and multi-dog households, and it suits people who prefer something simpler on the wall than a full dog outline. It is also a good choice when the gift is from a group, such as a dog walking club, a training class or colleagues, because there is room for lots of names.

Words to put on it: the dog’s name and nicknames, the year they came home, favourite walks, favourite toy, the treat that gets instant obedience, the names of the humans, and a few phrases the household says to the dog every day, such as “who’s a good boy”, “drop it” or “not on the sofa”.

2. A breed print: for the owner who loves the breed as much as the dog

Many owners stick to one breed for life. A breed silhouette tells them you noticed. The dog breed prints collection covers more than 130 breeds, and the following sections pick out some of the best-known breeds, with ideas on what to write for each.

If you are buying for a household with a cat as well, the matching Cat Paw Word Art sits nicely alongside the dog paw. And if you want to see more of our older dog gift ideas, including clothing and accessories, read our post on personalised dog gifts.

What are the best gifts for Labrador and retriever lovers?

Labrador owners tend to describe their dog in terms of food, water and mud, and a word art print is the place to do that properly. There are two Labrador designs to choose from.

• Personalised Labrador Retriever Word Art Print: a full-body Labrador silhouette. Best for a whole-life tribute or a family gift where you want lots of words.
• Personalised Labrador Head Print: a head-and-shoulders design that feels more like a portrait. Good for a smaller wall, a home office or a gift for a Lab owner who has just got their first puppy.

Words to put on a Labrador print: the dog’s name, colour (black, yellow, chocolate or fox red), “will do anything for a sausage”, favourite lake or beach, “always wet”, “tail like a whip”, the family’s names, and any working or gundog history if the dog has one.

For golden retriever owners, the Golden Retriever print works the same way: think sunny temperament, fluffy ears, a toy always in the mouth when someone comes to the door. Our earlier article on gifts every Labrador lover needs has more ideas beyond prints.

What do you buy a spaniel owner?

Spaniel owners know their dogs are part athlete, part comedian. Spaniel breeds are well covered:

• Personalised English Cocker Spaniel Word Art Print: the obvious choice for cocker owners, whether their dog is a show-type or a busy working cocker.
• English Springer Spaniel print: for springer owners with a dog that never seems to run out of energy.
• Cavalier King Charles Spaniel print: for owners of a gentle lap dog who would rather be on a cushion than in a hedge.

Words to put on a spaniel print: “ears in the water bowl”, the woods they flush through every morning, the ball they will not give back, the dog’s name in big letters, their working or show name if they have one, and the nicknames that come out when they come home covered in mud.

Which gifts suit collie, shepherd and working dog owners?

Owners of working breeds often have stories about what their dog does: herding, agility, scent work, search and rescue training, or simply running rings around the family. Their print can say so.

• Personalised Border Collie Word Art Print: for collie owners, farmers, agility handlers and anyone whose dog has more brain than the rest of the household put together.
• Personalised German Shepherd Print: for German Shepherd owners who want something that reflects a loyal, watchful dog.
• Bernese Mountain Dog print: for owners of a big, soft giant who thinks they are a lap dog.

Words to put on it: commands the dog knows, agility or obedience classes, rosettes won, the fields or fells they walk, “come by” and “away” for a working collie, and the name of whoever trained them.

What are good gifts for sausage dog lovers?

Dachshund owners are some of the most devoted dog people you will meet, and their dogs have big personalities in small bodies. The Personalised Miniature Dachshund Word Art Print is shaped as the classic long, low silhouette, so it is instantly recognisable as a sausage dog.

Words to put on it: the dog’s name, “sausage”, “noodle”, “long boi”, their coat type (smooth, wire or long-haired), the jumper collection, the blanket they burrow under, “refuses to walk in the rain”, and the names of any other dachshunds in the family. For more ideas, see our post on gifts for dachshund lovers.

What should you buy Frenchie, pug and small-breed owners?

Owners of flat-faced and small breeds often have a sense of humour about their dog’s snoring, sulking and stubbornness, and the print can lean into that.

• Personalised French Bulldog Print: for Frenchie owners; fill it with bat ears, snores, zoomies and the coat colour.
• Pug print: for pug lovers; think “professional napper”, “curly tail” and “snorts like a pig”.
• Bulldog print: for owners of a stocky, stubborn, very lovable British Bulldog.
• Shiba Inu print: for Shiba owners who know their dog runs the house.

Which terrier gifts are there?

Terrier owners are usually fiercely proud of their particular terrier, so the exact breed matters. A few popular choices:

• Jack Russell Terrier print: for owners of a small dog with a very big opinion of itself.
• Border Terrier print: for Border Terrier owners who love that scruffy, otter-shaped head.
• Scottish Terrier print: a good choice for Scottish family members, especially at Christmas or Burns Night.

Words to put on a terrier print: “digs everything”, “squirrel patrol”, the dog’s name, the garden it has rearranged, the toys it has destroyed and the postman it has a feud with.

What about greyhound, whippet and sighthound lovers?

Sighthound owners, especially those who have adopted a retired racing greyhound, often feel strongly about their dog’s story. The Personalised Greyhound Word Art Print and the Whippet Word Art Print capture that sleek, long-legged shape.

Words to put on it: the dog’s racing name and their home name, the date they were adopted, the rescue that brought them home, “roaching”, “zoomies”, “couch potato”, and the coat or jumper they wear in winter. Our guide to gifts for greyhound dog lovers has more ideas.

What are the best Christmas gifts for dog lovers?

Searches for gifts for dog lovers jump sharply in November and December, and the dog section of every gift shop fills up with the same novelty items. A personalised print stands out under the tree because it is clearly about their dog. A few practical points:

• Order framed prints early. Framed prints ship within 3–5 working days in the UK and 7–15 days internationally, so leave extra time in December.
• Short on time? A digital download is instant. Print it at home or at a local print shop, or tuck the file into a Christmas card.
• Secret Santa? A digital download or unframed print from £9.99 fits most budgets and still feels personal.
• Add the year. “Christmas” and the year alongside the dog’s name turns it into a record of that year, which is lovely for a puppy’s first Christmas.

What makes a good birthday or new puppy gift for a dog lover?

For a birthday, choose the breed of the dog they have now and fill it with the dog’s personality. If the birthday is a milestone, add the age and the names of every dog they have owned over the years; a lifelong dog person will treasure that list.

For a new puppy, the print becomes a record of the first few weeks: the date they came home, the breeder or rescue, the first walk, the first chewed slipper and the name the family nearly chose instead. It makes a thoughtful housewarming-style gift for friends who have just welcomed a puppy, and it suits Mother’s Day and Father’s Day for anyone who considers themselves the dog’s parent.

Can a dog print work as a memorial gift?

Yes, and it can be one of the most meaningful gifts you give. When someone loses a dog, a print in the shape of their breed or a simple paw, filled with the dog’s name, the years they shared and the small things the family misses, gives them something gentle to keep. It does not need to be sad; the funny habits and favourite places that made the dog who they were belong on it too.

If you are buying for someone who is grieving, take your time, ask quietly for a few details, and let the family contribute words if they want to. The paw design suits memorials for any dog, and the breed prints work well when the owner feels a strong connection to the breed.

Which personalised dog print should you choose?

Here is a side-by-side look at popular designs to help you pick.

Every design is available as a digital download (from £9.99), an unframed print (from £9.99), a framed A4 print (from £22.99) or a framed A3 print (from £30.99).

What words should you put on a dog print?

The words make the gift. A print full of generic dog words (“woof”, “bone”, “fetch”) looks like a shop poster. A print full of details from one particular dog’s life looks like that dog. Aim for 40 to 80 words or short phrases, and make two or three of them stand out, usually the dog’s name and the occasion. Here are three example word lists you can copy and adapt.

Example 1: a Christmas gift for a Labrador owner

• Big words: Bramble, Labrador, Christmas and the year
• Names: Bramble, Bram, Bramble-bear, Mud Monster
• Places: the local beach, the reservoir walk, the pub that gives her a sausage, the back seat of the car
• Habits: “steals socks”, “always hungry”, “tail clears the coffee table”, “swims in every puddle”, “sleeps on the landing”
• People: every family member’s name, the dog walker, the neighbour who sneaks her biscuits

Example 2: a new puppy gift for a sausage dog owner

• Big words: Biscuit, Welcome Home, the date they came home
• Puppy firsts: first walk, first bath, first chewed slipper, first night in the crate
• Personality: “noodle”, “tiny but fierce”, “burrows under every blanket”, “hates the rain”, “zoomies at 9pm”
• People and places: the breeder’s village, the puppy class, the family’s names, the park where he met his best dog friend

Example 3: a memorial print for a family dog

• Big words: Max, the years (for example 2012–2026), Forever Loved
• Who he was: “best boy”, “gentle giant”, “followed us everywhere”, “stole the sofa”, “waited by the door”
• Places: the woods behind the house, the holiday cottage, the beach he dug holes on
• People: every family member, including the children who grew up with him
• Phrases: “always by our side”, “walks in heaven”, “thank you for the years”, “run free”

Tips for choosing words: mix short words (sit, paws, ball) with longer phrases so the shape fills evenly; use the family’s real nicknames rather than generic terms; ask another family member for two or three in-jokes; and include the year so the print marks a moment in the dog’s life.

How does it work?

1. Choose a print. Pick the paw or one of more than 130 breed designs.
2. Design it with your own words. Type in the dog’s name, nicknames, places, habits and family names.
3. Preview it free. See the finished design before you pay, and change words until you are happy.
4. Choose your format. A digital download arrives instantly. Unframed prints start at £9.99, and framed prints come in A4 and A3. Framed prints ship within 3–5 working days in the UK and 7–15 days internationally.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good gift for a dog lover who has everything?

Something built around their own dog, because that is the one thing they cannot buy off a shelf. A personalised word art print in the shape of their breed, filled with the dog’s name, nicknames, favourite walks and habits, is a one-off. Digital downloads start at £9.99 and a framed A3 print is £30.99.

How many dog breeds can I get as a word art print?

There are more than 130 dog breeds in the dog breed collection, from Labradors, spaniels and collies to less common breeds such as the Clumber Spaniel and Dandie Dinmont Terrier. If you cannot find an exact match, or the dog is a cross, the Dog Paw design works for any dog.

How much does a personalised dog print cost?

A digital download starts at £9.99 and an unframed print also starts at £9.99. A framed A4 print starts at £22.99 and a framed A3 print at £30.99. You can preview your design free before you pay.

How quickly will a personalised dog gift arrive?

Digital downloads are instant, so you can print one at home or at a local print shop the same day. Framed prints ship within 3–5 working days in the UK and 7–15 days internationally, so order a little earlier in the run-up to Christmas.

Can I make a dog print in memory of a dog that has died?

Yes. A breed print or the Dog Paw design works well as a memorial, filled with the dog’s name, the years you shared, the places you walked and the small habits the family remembers. It is a gentle gift for someone who is grieving, and you can take your time over the words before you order.

What should I write on a dog word art print?

Start with the dog’s name and any nicknames, then add favourite walks, toys, treats, habits, the family’s names and a few phrases that sound like home. Aim for 40 to 80 words or short phrases so the shape fills well, and make the name the biggest word.

More dog gift guides

• All dog breed word art prints
• Personalised dog gifts
• Gifts every Labrador lover needs
• Gifts for dachshund lovers
• Gifts for greyhound dog lovers

Final thoughts

The best gifts for dog lovers show that you know their dog: the name, the nicknames, the walks, the habits and the people who love them. Choose a breed print if you know the breed, the Personalised Dog Paw Word Art if you do not, and fill it with the details only the family would recognise. Whichever you choose, you can preview it free and have a digital copy instantly.

About Word Art Prints

Word Art Prints is a UK shop that has been making personalised word art prints since 2017. There are more than 470 designs, from more than 130 dog breeds to over 50 sports, and every print is made to order with the customer’s own words.