Ask kids to color a dog and you might get a purple one. Ask them to color their own dog and they’ll study every spot. Coloring your own pet is a fun way to practice observation and celebrate a family member.
How to do it
- Pick a cat or dog page that looks a bit like your pet. Trace Then Color: Cartoon Cats and Dogs has lots of breeds and personalities.
- Look closely at your pet, or a photo. What colors are the fur, eyes and nose?
- Find the markings: spots, stripes, patches, socks.
- Color, then add a collar, name tag and favorite toy.
Coloring fur
- Use a light base color
- Add short flicks in a darker shade for fur
- For tabby stripes, color the base, then add stripes
- For calico, color patches of orange, black and white
See coloring fur, scales and metal.
Other pets
Rabbits, hamsters, fish and birds count too. Trace Then Color: Cute Cartoon Animals has a range of animals to adapt.
Make it a keepsake
- Write your pet’s name and age
- Frame it or hang it by the pet bed
- Hang it with other favorites. See display ideas for kids’ coloring.
Remembering a pet
Coloring a pet who has died can help children remember them and talk about feelings. Let them include favorite memories and toys.
If you don’t have a pet, kids can color a dream pet and explain how they’d take care of it.
Questions parents ask
What if my pet doesn’t match any page?
Pick the closest page and change the colors and markings.
Can this help kids who want a pet?
It’s a fun way to talk about pet care and responsibility.
What age suits this?
Ages 4 and up enjoy matching colors; younger kids enjoy just coloring a pet.
About Kevin Coulston
Kevin Coulston is a cartoonist and member of the National Cartoonists Society who has written and illustrated more than 100 drawing, tracing and coloring books for kids, including the Trace Then Color series. Meet Kevin or browse all his books on FirstArtBooks.com.
