Caroline
There are so many wonderful animals that you can choose as a pet, and each one has its own benefits.
Of all these pets, it would be hard to find one as loyal and loving as a faithful dog companion.
Even if you choose a dog, you then have many different breeds to pick from, and every dog lover has their favorite!
This guide on how to draw a cartoon dog will show you how you can create your very own canine pal.
By the end of these 6 steps, you will see that drawing this really fun dog design can be easier and more fun than you can imagine!
So get ready for some creative fun as we begin this step-by-step guide on how to draw a cartoon dog in just 6 fun and easy steps!
How to Draw A Cartoon Dog – Let’s Get Started!
Step 1
As you can see in the final pictures of this guide on how to draw a cartoon dog, we will be drawing a cute and fun dog design that is mid-run!
Drawing anything in any kind of motion can be rather tough, but that is why we will break it down into smaller steps for you.
First, let’s begin with the face. This can be started with a rounded horizontal shape for the big nose of the dog.
Then, we will use some curved lines for the muzzle of the face that extends into a smiling mouth.
Above this, we will add some big round eyes with circular pupils within.
Then finish off the top of the head with some more curved lines, and then add some big floppy ears extending backwards. Once it looks as it does in our example, we can move on!
Step 2 – Now, draw the back and tail of the dog
Continuing with this cartoon dog drawing, we will now add the back of the dog along with the tail. For the back, we will be using a rounded line that curved inwards and then around.
There is a specific shape we are going for here, so try your best to replicate the line as it appears in our example image!
Then, the tail will extend upwards in a curved shape. It will also have several smaller curved line segments on the outer edge, as shown in the reference image.
That’s all there is to it for now, and then we can proceed!
Step 3 – Next, start drawing the legs
This part of the drawing will see you adding the start of the dog’s legs, and this is where things can get a bit tricky! You will definitely want to follow the reference image closely for this one.
First, the back leg will be rather rounded, and because of the angle we will see some details underneath the foot.
The front legs will be extending down and between the raised back legs, and we will see the tops of these paws at this angle.
Step 4 – Now, draw the other back leg
You’re doing a great job on this tricky aspect of our guide on how to draw a cartoon dog! For this part, we will add the paw of the second back leg.
Because of the angle this one is at, we won’t see the leg itself, but otherwise the foot will look very similar to the other back paw.
That means having some curved toes with some small circular shapes for the padding of the feet.
Once this foot has been added, you have conquered the trickiest part and we can relax with some smaller details in the next step!
Step 5 – Add the final details in the next part
The previous few steps of this cartoon dog drawing were definitely a bit tricky, but this step will be easier as we add some smaller touches.
Primarily, we will add some fur texture to the dog by adding lots of small lines.
These will go throughout the body of the dog, and even though they are simple they will help to create some great texture!
You can also add some extra details of your own when you have added these final little details.
Some ideas would include adding a background, and if you were to do this then you would have so many options for various settings!
You could also add some toys and other objects for this adorable dog to play with.
What kinds of extra touches will you add before the final step?
Step 6 – Finish off your drawing with color
You have done an amazing job reaching the final step of this guide! In this last part, you can have some fun relaxing with some colors.
In the reference image we provided, we showed you just one way that you can color this cute dog.
We used some lighter shades of browns for the dog’s fur, but there are so many other ways you could color him in.
Dogs fur can come in many different shades, so there are many possibilities for coloring the fur. When you have chosen your colors, you can also have some fun choosing the art tools you will use.
For softer colors like the ones in our reference image, you could use some watercolor paints or maybe some colored pencils.
Alternatively, colored pens, markers or acrylic paints would be great for more vibrant colors! Let your creativity flow and you may be amazed with the results.
4 More Ways To Make Your Cartoon Dog Drawing Unique
Here are 4 ways to make your cartoon dog sketch even more amazing!
Any dog lover will tell you that playful dogs love to play with other dogs. For that reason, it would be fun to add some more dog friends to your cartoon dog drawing!
Doing this would be a great way to show off what your favorite dog breeds are. They could look similar to the one we drew in this guide, or they could be completely different!
What are some dog breeds you could add to befriend the one we created together?
Another thing that dogs love is playing with toys, and that’s why we think you should add some for this one!
These toys could be as simple as a tennis ball for it to fetch, or they could be more complex.
You don’t even need to stick to one, and you could add as many toys as you like to the image! Can you think of some fun toys that you would like to give this cartoon dog?
Next, it’s no secret that dogs love to eat. Another way you could make this cartoon dog drawing even better would be by adding some tasty treats to the scene.
For one simple idea, you could add a big bowl of tasty dog food. Or, you could include all kinds of tasty meat treats for the dog to be running towards.
These are just a few ideas, but now it’s up to you to show what you would like to treat this dog with!
Lastly, it would be great to add a human best friend to your cartoon dog sketch! If you were to do this, you may want to draw the human character in a similar style to the dog.
Or, you could draw them in any other style you find comfortable! You can also have fun choosing who you would like to model the character on.
It could be based on yourself or maybe a friend or family member!
Your Cartoon Dog Drawing is Complete!
That brings you to the end of this guide on how to draw a cartoon dog, and what a creative journey this has been!
We hope that working on this guide helped to show you that even when a drawing gets tricky, you can make it so much easier when you have some steps to follow.
Now that you have finished this guide, remember that you can also keep it going by adding some of your own fun details!
We mentioned a few ideas on how to do this, but how will you add your own creative flair to the drawing?
Then, you can check out our website when you are ready to take on a new drawing challenge.
We can’t wait for you to see what we have in store for you there, and many more are coming soon as well!
Lastly, we would absolutely love to see your finished cartoon dog drawing, so please share your creation on our Facebook and Pinterest pages when it’s done!
