Holiday Pet Portrait Gifts

The holiday gift nobody expects

Everyone on your list who has a pet has already been given the calendar, the socks and the ornament. A portrait of their actual pet, made from a photo, framed and ready to hang, is the gift that gets opened last and talked about first. It is also the one gift you get to see before they do, because every order includes a free digital proof and nothing prints until you approve it.

Why to order early

Every portrait is made to order. After you upload the photo we create the artwork and send you a proof, usually within a day. You look at it, ask for any changes, and approve it. Only then is it printed museum-grade on archival paper, framed in real wood, and shipped. That sequence is what makes the gift right, and it is also why the earlier you order, the calmer the whole thing is: there is time for a second photo if the first one is not sharp enough, time for a revision, and time for the parcel. Our shipping policy has the current delivery estimates for your region.

Timing

Order-by dates for holiday delivery appear here as soon as our print partners publish them. Until then the rule is simple: order as early as you can, and if a date is close, a gift card arrives by email instantly and lets them choose the photo and the style themselves.

The styles that suit the season

The row above shows the deeper backdrops, navy, charcoal and terracotta, which sit well against winter light and under a tree. The Modern Pet Portrait on navy is the classic. The Painted Pet Portrait on charcoal reads as a gallery piece. The Line Art Pet Portrait on terracotta is warm and quiet. The Carved Wood Pet Portrait is made for a cabin or a fireplace wall. The 3D Cartoon Pet Portrait is the one for the children in the house, and The Day Jobs, with your pet as an aviator or a detective, is the one that gets laughed at across the room. Every style comes in six backdrops, so the portrait can match their home rather than the season if you prefer.

What the finished piece is like

The portrait is printed museum-grade on archival paper, so the colours are meant to stay true for decades rather than a season. Framed pieces come in real wood, in black, white, wood or dark wood, in 8x10, 12x16 and 18x24 inches, and arrive ready to hang. An unframed print suits someone with a frame already waiting, and a digital file, delivered by email, suits the person who lives far away or prints their own. Whichever you choose, the proof you approved is exactly what is made.

For dogs, cats and the rest

Every style works for dogs and cats, and most pets with a face. Our dog portraits and cat portraits pages show our own animals in all seven styles. Each portrait features one pet; for two together, get in touch before you order.

Getting the photo

One sharp, front-facing photo in good light, close enough to fill the frame with the head and chest. If the pet is not yours, take the photo yourself the next time you visit, or ask a family member for an original rather than a screenshot. Our photo guidelines show what works, and a real person checks every photo before artwork is made, so if a better one is needed you hear early.

Other ways to give it

A hoodie with their pet on the chest or a crewneck sweatshirt, printed or embroidered from the same photo, is the gift they will wear all winter; the same artwork goes on a t-shirt for the rest of the year, and around a mug for the mornings in between, which also comes as a Dog Mom or Dog Dad mug that needs no photo, only the name. The gift card, from $25 to $200, arrives by email and never expires. Everything the store makes sits together in gifts. And if you are buying for a dog mom or a dog dad, our guide to gifts for dog moms and dads covers the choices.

Common questions

Can I order now and have it arrive closer to the holidays?

You can take your time approving the proof, since nothing prints until you do. Once approved, the portrait goes into production and ships on its normal schedule.

Will the recipient see anything before the gift?

No. The proof goes to you, the person who ordered. The recipient sees the finished portrait only.

Does it come gift-ready?

Framed portraits arrive ready to hang and are easy to wrap. If you would rather send it straight to them, enter their address at checkout and yours for billing.

What if I miss the window?

The gift card is instant, by email, and they still get the free proof when they order.