About this stencil
We drew a labrador because it is the face people mean when they say dog: broad kind head, soft dropped ears, that patient hopeful look. A head portrait reads instantly at any size, which matters more in a stencil than breed accuracy, though lab owners will find it pleasingly faithful.
The collar is the detail that makes it feel like somebody's dog rather than a generic animal. It paints as an unpainted band with a little tag, and if your own dog goes bare necked, a strip of tape over that part of the stencil removes it in two seconds.
This design has quietly become the workhorse of pet crafts: treat jars, lead hooks boards, no muddy paws signs, and, gently, memorial pieces. It is an easy cut with no fragile parts, so it suits a first project as well as a production run for a market stall.
Best surfaces & materials
Where this design earns its keep, and what to put on it.
| Surface | Recommended paint | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Treat jars | Enamel or glass paint | Dog at 40% plus a name from our letter stencils |
| Lead hook board | Chalk paint on wood | Dog at 70% above a row of hooks |
| Pet bandanas | Fabric paint | Small dog on the corner fold, heat set |
| Household signs | Acrylic on wood | Pairs well with wipe your paws lettering |
| Memorial stones | Exterior acrylic | Sealed against weather; see the note in the FAQs |
How to use this stencil — step by step
- Print at 100% for boards and signs, 40 to 50% for jars and bandanas.
- Cut the eyes, nose, muzzle and collar first, then the outline. All the interior cuts are chunky, so this is a relaxed cut even for a first timer.
- To lose the collar, lay a strip of tape over it on the stencil before painting.
- Fix flat and dab from the ears inward; the ear tips are the only places that lift.
- For a facing pair either side of a doorway or name, flip the stencil for the second portrait and wipe it first.
- Peel while tacky. The eyes and nose stay crisp if you wipe the stencil between every use.
Name it: the single upgrade that transforms any dog project is the dog's actual name underneath, and our letter stencils are drawn in the same visual weight as this design, so the pairing looks deliberate rather than assembled.
Project ideas for this design
Treat jar
Dog at 40% on a glass storage jar with the dog's name beneath in letter stencils. Cure the enamel and it survives the dishwasher.
Lead and coat board
A painted board, the dog at 70%, a row of hooks below. The most useful thing by any back door with a dog behind it.
Doorway pair
Two dogs facing each other above a food station or bed corner. Flip the stencil for the second so they meet in the middle.
Bandana
One small dog on the corner in fabric paint. Faster than embroidery and washes fine once heat set.
Memorial keepsake
On a smooth garden stone in exterior acrylic, sealed. A quiet, well made thing; take your time with it.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I remove the collar?
Yes. Put a strip of masking tape over the collar area of the stencil before painting and the dog prints bare necked. No recutting needed.
Is this only a labrador?
The portrait is drawn as a lab, but at stencil scale it reads simply as dog for most floppy-eared breeds. For very distinctive heads like collies or greyhounds it will read as a lab, honestly.
What paint for a garden memorial stone?
Exterior acrylic on a clean dry stone, then two coats of clear outdoor varnish once fully dry. Repaint or re varnish every couple of years and it keeps its edge.
How do I add my dog's name?
Use our free letter stencils at around a third of the dog's height, spaced by eye below the design. Lay the letters out on paper first; names always take more width than you expect.