Which paw print keepsake suits your pet and your urn?
In one large US study, 83.0%[1] of dog deaths were by euthanasia, which means most families have a window to take a paw print first. This chooser helps you use it well.
- Clay, ink, plaster or a 3D cast
- Tips for fluffy, tiny or giant paws
- Ideas for displaying a print with the urn
Paw print keepsake chooser
Answer three quick questions and we'll suggest the print method most likely to work for your pet.
Best fit
Clay impression
A soft clay disc you press the paw into, then air-dry or bake. Captures pads and texture in 3D. Clay is simple, forgiving and gives a lovely 3D keepsake for display.
How to get a good print
- Warm and knead the clay first so it's soft.
- Press the paw straight down with gentle, even pressure on each toe, then lift straight up.
- Take a couple of practice presses; clay can be re-rolled.
Also works: Full 3D cast (moulding gel). An alginate-style gel captures the whole paw, including toes and fur outline, for a sculpture-like keepsake.
If you'd rather not do this yourself, your vet or crematorium can usually take a print for you before cremation.
Why it matters
Why a paw print belongs beside the urn
An urn holds your pet, but it doesn't look like them. A paw print does. Many families place a clay print next to the urn, frame an ink print beside it, or have the print laser-engraved onto the urn's front so the two become one memorial. It's often the piece people touch most. Our guide to displaying the primary vessel has ideas for arranging the two together.
There's one catch: a print can only be taken before cremation. Once your pet has gone to the crematory, the chance has passed unless the provider offers it. That's why this chooser is worth a few minutes now, whether your pet is elderly, ill or still full of life.
Using the chooser
How to use the paw print keepsake chooser
- Choose your pet's size, from tiny to giant. Paw size affects which method gives a clean impression.
- Choose fur length. Long fur between the toes blurs ink prints and pushes into clay.
- Choose what you want to make: something to display, a print to turn into jewelry or engraving, or a piece of art.
- Read the recommendation and the how-to tips for that method.
It works instantly and stores nothing. You can try different combinations to compare, for example a clay tile to display and an ink print to send to an engraver.
The methods
Clay, ink, plaster and 3D casts compared
| Method | Suits | Result | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air-dry or bake clay | Cats, small and medium dogs | A raised, touchable tile | Easiest at home; fur can smudge detail |
| Ink or inkless pad | Any size; inkless for fluffy paws | A flat print on paper or card | Ideal for framing or engraving onto an urn |
| Plaster or casting kit | Medium to giant dogs | A deep, durable impression | Heavier; needs mixing and drying time |
| 3D cast or scan | Any size | A full sculpted paw | Usually professional; longest wait and higher cost |
Ink is the most versatile for urn buyers. A clean ink print can be scanned and laser-engraved onto a wooden or brass urn, or printed onto a photo urn panel. Clay suits a display shelf beside the urn. Our guide to engraving and photo urn lead times explains how to send an ink print to an urn maker.
Worked example
A worked example: a long-haired cat and a walnut urn
Say you have a 10 lb Maine Coon-type cat with tufts between the toes, and you'd like the print engraved onto a small walnut urn. Choose small, long or fluffy, and the jewelry option (it covers engraving), and the chooser puts an inkless wipe kit first, with an ink print on card as the backup. Clay would blur here, so trim the tufts gently first. Inkless pads work well for cats, leave no mess on the fur, and give a crisp outline an engraver can use.
Take two or three prints, since the first is rarely perfect. Choose the clearest, photograph it flat in daylight, and send it to the urn maker with the name and dates. Proofs for engraving usually come back within days, but check the timing if there's a date that matters.
Timing
When to take the print, and how to make it gentle
If your pet is still with you, choose a calm moment, perhaps after a nap, and have someone help hold the paw. Press evenly and lift straight up. If your pet has already died, you can still take a print at home or at the clinic, but the window can be short. In one US survey of owners, the most common preference (26.1% want <24h[2]) was for their pet to leave the hospital within a day of death.
Many people feel grief before a loss as well as after it. In the RSPCA's survey, 75.4%[3] of bereaved owners experienced anticipatory grief. Taking a paw print while your pet is alive can be a quiet, loving task during that time, rather than something to rush through later.
The full RSPCA pet bereavement survey is worth reading if you're in that in-between stage, and Cornell's pet loss resources include free support lines. On cost, by our estimate paw-print add-ons at US crematories have a median price of ~$32[4], from $10 to $76, so asking the crematory to take one is usually a small line on the bill. Our engraving wording article explains how to send a print to an engraver.
Which personal touch matters most to you on an urn?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Limits
What the chooser can't do for you
It can't promise a clean print. Restless pets, very small paws and long fur all make it harder, and home kits vary in quality. It also can't tell you whether a particular urn maker can engrave from your print; ask for their file requirements first.
It's built around paw prints: nose prints get only a passing mention, and fur keepsakes aren't covered, though both follow the same rule: gather them before cremation. For the wider picture of keepsakes that sit with an urn, see primary urn or keepsake share.
Next steps
Pairing the print with the right urn
Once you know which print you'll have, choose an urn that shows it off: a wooden urn for engraving, a photo urn with a printed panel, or a simple urn beside a framed tile. One industry report says personalized urns range from about USD 50–1,000+[5], and interest in personal memorials is widespread (see the figures below).
51% / 70%[6]
Free tool
Urn size calculator
Find the urn volume you need from your pet's weight, plus keepsake and sharing options.
Budget for the print and the urn together with the memorial budget planner, browse urn types with engraving options, or tell us your plan and we'll email urns that suit it.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
Vote anonymously and see how other readers answered. The results are live counts from people who visit this site, so they show real opinions, not a scientific sample.
Which personal touch matters most to you on an urn?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Which memorial feels most like your pet?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
What personal touch matters most on a memorial?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Free tools to help you plan
Paw print keepsake chooser
Match a print method to your pet's size, fur and the keepsake you want to keep.
Urn size calculator
Find the urn volume you need from your pet's weight, plus keepsake and sharing options.
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
Questions people ask
Can a paw print be engraved onto an urn?
Yes. Many urn makers can laser-engrave a real paw print onto wood, brass or a stone plaque. They'll need a clean ink print, usually scanned or photographed flat in good light. Ask for their file requirements and a proof before production, since engraving can't be changed afterwards.
Can I still get a paw print after my pet has gone to the crematory?
Only if the crematory offers it and hasn't yet cremated your pet. Many do take clay or ink prints on request, sometimes for a fee. Call as soon as you can and ask. Once cremation has happened, a print is no longer possible, so ask early.
Which paw print method is easiest at home?
An inkless pad or an air-dry clay kit. Inkless pads leave no ink on the paw and give a crisp flat print; clay gives a raised tile you can hold. Both work for most cats and dogs. Plaster casting takes more setup and suits large dogs whose paws are deep enough for a good impression.
Where should I display a clay paw print with the urn?
Beside or in front of the urn on the same shelf is common, so they read as one memorial. Keep clay out of damp rooms and direct sun, and seal air-dry clay with a clear varnish so it lasts. Some urns have a shelf or recess designed to hold a small tile.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] In the Dog Aging Project, 83.0% of 646 US dog deaths (Dec 2019-Mar 2021) were by euthanasia. Dog Aging Project End of Life Survey - Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (2026), via PubMed Central, 2026.
- [2] The most common owner preference (26.1%) was for a deceased pet to stay at the vet hospital less than 24 hours before transport to the crematory or cemetery; a further 18.1% said no more than 1-2 days. Cooney, Kogan, Brooks, Ellis - Pet Owners' Expectations for Pet End-of-Life Support and After-Death Body Care, Topics in Companion Animal Medicine (2020), 2020.
- [3] 75.4% of RSPCA pet-loss survey respondents experienced anticipatory grief before their pet died. RSPCA — Pet Loss Survey Results, 2026.
- [4] Paw-print add-ons at US crematories have a median price of about $32, from $10 to $76. Our estimate: median of [$10 clay (AGP), $15 laser engraving (AGP), $49 ink (Final Gift), $76 clay (Final Gift)]. How we calculate.
- [5] Personalized pet urns range from about USD 50 to more than USD 1,000. Astute Analytica via GlobeNewswire — Global Pet Preservation Services Market to Hit USD 112.7 Million by 2032 (Apr 2, 2024), 2024.
- [6] Astute Analytica reports 51% of pet owners are interested in personalized memorials and 70% consider memorialization significant. Astute Analytica via GlobeNewswire — Global Pet Preservation Services Market to Hit USD 112.7 Million by 2032 (Apr 2, 2024), 2024.
Find an urn that pairs with a paw print
Tell us what you need and where you are. We'll reply by email with clear options and prices so you can decide in your own time.