Dogs are Family: Tattoo Tributes to our Best Friends

Many people get tattoos based on things that are near and dear to their hearts, so for people who love both dogs and living art, having a tattoo inspired by their best four-legged friends just makes sense. The following is a collection of body art from our members who know dogs are family and carry their tributes to their dogs with them wherever they go.

“My family.. all 5 of them tattooed in my forearm.”
~ Submitted by Alejandro Muyshondt

In January 2011 I was in the hospital giving birth to my first child. My husband, Brian, and I asked 2 of our friends to come over and let out our dogs, Piper and Zoe. Somehow, Piper escaped from the back yard; we still don’t know how, because there are no gaps in the fence and there were no holes dug underneath. Brian and his friends searched for her until it got too dark to see. We assumed she had burrowed down somewhere for the night, and Brian came back to the hospital to spend the night with me and our daughter, planning to get up early the next morning and continue searching.

While driving home the next day, Brian found her. She had been hit by a car. We couldn’t believe it; the day after we welcomed a new baby into our family, one of our other babies had been taken from us. How do you mourn the loss of a dog simultaneously with the joy and challenge of bringing home a newborn? It was easily the most difficult thing I’ve ever experienced, and for months after, every time the baby went down for a nap, I would close myself in another room and cry for my sweet puppy.

We had Piper cremated, and the funeral home took a clay imprint of one of her paws for us to have as a keepsake. That very paw print is now on my arm and also on my husband’s leg. Nearly 2 years after losing her, we still miss her every day, and when the time comes for Zoe to go meet her old friend at the Rainbow Bridge (which hopefully will be far in the future) her print will go on my arm right next to Piper’s.
~ Submitted by Tiffany Barker

“I have two tattoo tributes to my pets. My first Briard, Paris….I have her paw print and when she passed, her portrait above it. Her paw was a cover up for a past tat. She was an amazing dog and I miss her dearly. The portrait looks JUST like her.”
~ Submitted by Ang Bixler

“My sweet little prince Koko passed suddenly two days after taking his paw print. Over a month later and I still can’t stop crying. I sure miss this little guy. I had the tat placed close to my heart, forever. Prince Koko, gone too soon and sorely missed. His tat on my heart will live as long as I do. Mama loves you.”
~ Submitted by Diane R Taylor

“This is a tattoo I got for my dog Bradie who passed away this year on Valentine’s Day.(it’s on my left wrist) He helped me through my depression and I thought a tattoo in his honor would be the perfect tribute.”
~ Submitted by Amanda Bonilla

“I love my 5 year old boxer zoey due to cancer last year, my tattoo artist asked if his dog could be in the room, while finishing her name in his dog held down the foot peddle the whole time….”
~ Submitted by Brandon

“I got this for Bernie six months after we said good bye. I got it done on his birthday. Miss you everyday Bernie!”
~ Submitted by Joy Grassley

“I just got my JackDog’s pawprint on my side. He touched my heart in so many ways that I want his imprint on me for life 🙂 I adopted him in 2002 from the local shelter. Sadly, he passed away on 10/10/11 from cancer. My JackDog’s huge foot print that he left on my heart is now on my side forever :)”
~ Submitted by Amanda Colanino

“My Sabrina was my Dalmatian, she was my heart for 16 years! She was my constant companion and my dearest friend!”
~ Submitted by Sharon Buckley

“Stormy B. Naughty & Sadie Boo – My tattoo of the two dogs that I loved. Our was a strong and special bond. They will forever live on in my heart and I can always have them with me.”
~ Submitted by Nancy

“Tattoo of my girls’ names & 3 plumerias on Mommy’s Left forearm, done on 8/21/12 @ West Side Midway Tattoo in San Diego by Kris Kezar”
~ Submitted by Shannon

“This tattoo is in memory of my golden Baxter who was taken from us suddenly with cancer . RIP Baxtet t.”
~ Submitted by Jenny

“On a vacation to Vegas back in February of this year, I decided I wanted to cover up an old tattoo that I hated for years with something that meant more to me than words could ever express.  My dog, Ace of Spaids (yes I know its misspelled – that’s how I had to spell it to get it on his papers with AKC), has been with me through some of the worst times in my life.  Without him, I doubt that I’d have survived.  He’s been my rock and, at times, my reason for getting out of bed every day.  So in honor of him, I got a red nylon collar with a spade tag on it (see picture).  This was taken about 5 minutes after the artist finished, but it looks even better now.  Ace will be 10 years old on Valentine’s Day, and I hope he’ll be around for many more years, but I’ll have this tattoo to remind me of his devoted love for the rest of my life.”
~ Submitted by Farah Payton-Snider

“My RosieRoo who died this year due to westie lung. …i had this put on my foot so she’s forever on walkies with me….wont ever stop missing her still call her name now when getting the dogs in, she died 6 months ago”
~ Submitted by Valerie Costin

“My penny girl. Always with me”
~ Submitted by Thomas P Vasquez

“My partner’s tatt and mine for our dog Jake he’s a rottie and our best friend x”
~ Submitted by Claire Bellingham

“I had Shiloh for 11 years. He was my baby before I had babies. I had to have him put down because he was in pain. When he stopped breathing…I hit the floor!! It was the saddest day of my life! In his memory, I has a paw print tattooed on my foot where he always stayed by me. I love and miss him so!!”
~ Submitted by Sandi Taylor-Pennell

“I have worked with various Dachshund rescues for yrs and decided to carry my work with me! DREAM is an Atlanta based rescue Dachshund Rescue Education And Mentoring. Have the same logo on the back of my truck!”
~ Submitted by Sandi Szot Voyles

“This is my chest tattoo of my fawn brindle English Bulldog who is now 5 yrs old and has been the inspiration for me to achieve my dreams of working with dogs for a living.”
~ Submitted by Seth Venhaus

“this is my girl justice’s paw print, we inked her paw and stamped it on my arm back when she was a year old….then tattooed it so id have her forever”
~ Sumitted by Chandra Libbus Chris Brewer

“newest add.. this is my tribute to every dog we owned..in order we had them in our lives… each paw print has the first letter of each dogs name in it.. from the bottom sarge my first male english mastiff, diva my english bulldog, justice my english mastiff female, jury my 2nd english mastiff female, goliath my second english mastiff male , judge my first neapolitan mastiff male and ember my baby girl english mastiff the newest addition to our pack.. 🙂 ill carry all of them with me always”
~ Submitted by Chandra Libbus Chris Brewer

“Dogs are family tattoo–forever in our hearts (or our wrists)”
~ Submitted by Vawn Abelle

“The tiger lily flower is for my pug dog, Lily. She is brindle in color and looks like the flower. Her name is on the side of the flower and a paw print in the middle. The forget me not flower is for my other pug, Sami. She was a rescue pug from a puppy mill. I thought the forget me not flower was appropriate for her, as we will never forget her or where she came from. Her name is also along side the flower with a paw print in the middle”
~ Submitted by Crystal Yelich-Haustein

“This was done for my mastiff moose who I use to sing u are my sunshine all the time. Moose passed away in march after only 5 yrs old life. He was my protector against my abusive ex, my best friend my rock an my sunshine. I miss him everyday but my tattoo helps remind me of what I great companion I had.”
~ Submitted by Emily Johnson

“I have gotten tats for all the dogs in my life. Lost many to soon”
~ Submitted by Terry hart

“My beloved Labs…Shadow (black) and Teeka (yellow). They both have passed on. Shadow died June 2007 and Teeka died August 2008. They were my girls…had a very deep bond with them…not that I didn’t love or bond with any of my other pets, but my girls were my life. They were there for me threw a lot of difficult times in my life. Thinking of getting another tat of my Red Heeler RJ…who passed unexpectedly in March 2012 to hemangiosarcoma. I miss him so much and it is so hard for me to accept that he is gone. I think a tat of him would give me closure. I understand that I can’t get a tattoo for every animal that I have had…have now…or will have in the future…cuz there simply would not be enough room for them all. But I just felt a need to have a tat of my girls…to be able to see them whenever where ever I am… and I’m getting that same feeling with RJ.”
~ Submitted by Dawn Henrichs

“I am a Border Collie Rescuer in Australia & this is my tattoo 😉”
~ Submitted by Kylie Richards

If you have a tattoo inspired by your dog, send us a photo and the story behind your tattoo! You can email your photos directly to us under the Subject “Dogs are family tattoo tributes to our best friends” to team (at) dogheirs (dot) com