How To Draw a Dog Step By Step (Free PDF Instructions!)

It’s dog drawing time! Let’s learn how to draw a dog together with this easy-to-follow tutorial. This guide is designed to be simple and quick, making it a great project for anyone who wants to create an adorable cartoon-style puppy.

We know that drawing animals can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming, but the secret is to take it one shape at a time.

This sitting dog is a perfect starting point because it uses basic curves and lines that even younger artists can master. It’s a fun activity for a rainy afternoon or for adding a friendly face to a school project.

As with our other drawing guides, we have a directed drawing printable available at the end of this post so you can practice wherever you like. Grab your favorite drawing tools and let’s get started!

What You Need

• Paper
• A pencil or a black marker
• Coloring supplies (crayons, markers, or colored pencils)

Step-by-Step Dog Drawing Instructions

Step 1: The Head Shape

To start drawing your dog, we need to draw the head. Draw a large, rounded shape that is slightly narrower at the top and wider at the bottom.

Think of it like a very rounded trapezoid or a soft mushroom cap. This will be the base for our puppy’s face, so make sure to leave plenty of room below it for the body.

Step 2: Add the Ears

Next, let’s give our dog some ears. On the top corners of the head, draw two droopy, triangle-like shapes. These ears should hang down beside the face.

You can make them as long or as short as you like—longer ears often make a puppy look even cuter!

Step 3: Drawing the Face

Now it’s time to bring your dog to life with a face. Draw two small, solid circles for the eyes. In the middle, draw a small, rounded triangle for the nose.

Right under the nose, draw a shape that looks like a wide letter “W” to create the mouth. You can also add a tiny “U” shape at the bottom of the mouth for a little tongue peeking out.

Step 4: The Body and Hips

Now we will move on to the body. Start from the bottom of the head and draw two long, slightly curved lines going down for the front legs.

On the outside of those lines, draw two larger, curved “C” shapes to represent the back legs or the hips of the dog sitting down. It should look like the dog is resting comfortably on the ground.

Step 5: The Front Paws

Let’s finish the front legs. At the bottom of the two straight lines you drew in the previous step, draw two small, rounded “U” shapes.

These will be the front paws. Make sure they connect back to the body lines so your dog looks sturdy.

Step 6: Tail and Final Details

To finish your puppy, we need to add a tail! Draw a simple, curved shape waving out from behind one of the back legs.

Finally, add a small line to connect the two back legs across the bottom for the belly, and draw a few tiny lines on each paw to show the toes.

Congratulations! You have officially learned how to draw a dog.

Download Free PDF Drawing Instructions

Color Your Dog

Now that your drawing is done, you can grab your coloring supplies.

You could make a classic brown puppy, a spotted Dalmatian, or even a golden retriever. Don’t forget to color the little tongue pink!

Happy drawing!