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How to draw a dog

This sitting puppy is built from an oval head, two floppy ears and a round muzzle. Six steps, each new line in pink, then draw along free in your browser.

◆ Easy◆ 6 steps◆ About 10 min
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The difference between a cat and a dog drawing is almost entirely in the head: dogs have floppy or pointed ears that hang from the sides, and a muzzle that sticks out from the face.

This puppy faces you, which keeps both sides symmetrical and makes the muzzle a simple oval. Get the head right and the rest of the dog is easy.

Finished, coloured drawing of a dog from the Draw Anything tutorial

What you need

  • Pencil tool for guides
  • Brush for outlines
  • Tan, brown, cream and red

Opens the free canvas with each step shown faintly underneath, so you can trace your way through.

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Step-by-step: how to draw a dog

  1. Step 1 of 6: Sketch two guide circles — how to draw a dog

    1Sketch two guide circles

    Draw a circle for the head and a larger oval below it for the body. The head should be roughly two-thirds the width of the body — puppies have big heads.

  2. Step 2 of 6: Outline the head — how to draw a dog

    2Outline the head

    Draw a rounded, slightly taller-than-wide head shape over the top circle. Keep the outline smooth; the ears will cover the sides.

  3. Step 3 of 6: Add floppy ears — how to draw a dog

    3Add floppy ears

    Hang a long, rounded ear from each side of the head, starting near the top and ending below the cheek. Let the ear tip curl back towards the face.

  4. Step 4 of 6: Draw the face — how to draw a dog

    4Draw the face

    Two round eyes on the middle line, then an oval muzzle in the lower half of the head. Put a wide oval nose at the top of the muzzle and a short line down to a smiling mouth.

  5. Step 5 of 6: Body, legs, collar and tail — how to draw a dog

    5Body, legs, collar and tail

    Draw the body down from the head to a flat base, two front legs in the middle, a collar curve under the chin and a short tail curving up on the right. Erase the guides.

  6. Step 6 of 6: Colour your dog — how to draw a dog

    6Colour your dog

    Fill the body and head with a warm tan, the ears with a darker brown, the muzzle with cream and the collar in red. Spots or a patch over one eye make it yours.

Tips for a better dog

  • Big head, small body. Exaggerating the head makes any dog read as a cute puppy.
  • Change the ears, change the breed. Long floppy ears suggest a beagle; short pointed ones turn the same drawing into a husky or a corgi.
  • Shine in the eyes. A tiny white dot in each eye instantly makes the face look alive.
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Draw a dog right now Open the free canvas with this tutorial as a guide — no download, no account. Or get the full app free on iPhone, iPad and Android.
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Try a variation

For a dog standing side-on, use the horse tutorial’s two-circle body, then shorten the legs and give it this dog’s head and ears.

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