16 Pet Holiday Cards for Every Dog-Loving Mailbox

Assorted Christmas cards featuring illustrated dogs and other pets arranged beside festive greenery and a lantern.

Updated 28 October 2026

Most dogs fill half the camera roll by December, so leaving them off the Christmas card feels wrong. Picking the card is the harder part. Pet holiday cards run from a portrait painted off your phone photo to a 50-pack that covers every house on the street, and the good ones look as if someone drew your dog on purpose.

The 16 below are grouped by type. Custom photo and portrait cards come first because they take the longest to make. After those come illustrated breed cards, funny ones signed by the dog, and boxed packs for long lists. Paper lovers who want something for the rest of the year will find more in this roundup of dog stationery for dog lovers.

Custom Pet Christmas Cards From Your Own Photos

A card with your own dog's face on it gets kept. All four of these start from a photo you send, so choose one where the eyes are sharp and the light is good. Planning a proper shoot first? These tips on how to prepare for a pet photo session help, especially with a wriggly young dog.

MatterofArtDesigns Custom Family Christmas Card With Pet From Photo

Send in a family photo and the whole lot comes back illustrated, dog included. Handy if every real photo has someone blinking and the dog staring at the door.

CostanzaToniniDesign Personalized Pet Portrait for Christmas Card

This one is just the pet. One portrait, made for the card, so your dog isn't squeezed into the corner of a group shot. Couples and solo dog parents tend to like it, and the art is nice enough to frame once January comes.

ThePressedCard Personalized Cat Christmas Cards

Yes, it is a cat card. Some houses are run by the cat, with the dog going along with whatever has been decided, and this personalized card gives the cat its turn. Send it next to a dog card so nobody sulks.

Mixbook Jingle Paws Dog Holiday Card

You fill this template with your own photos, which makes it the simplest custom option here when there are dozens of envelopes to stuff. It's priced per card, so a big list doesn't sting much.

Illustrated Dog Christmas Cards by Breed

Not everyone wants to stage a photo with a dog who won't hold a sit. Illustrated cards skip that step. One rule with breed cards, though: check the drawing against your actual dog before ordering. A Golden owner will spot a Lab straight away.

pinkpinetrees Golden Retriever Christmas Cards

Golden people, this one's yours. A soft illustrated Golden Retriever sits in the middle of the card, and it's a lovely one for friends bringing a golden puppy home over the holidays. If that puppy still doesn't have a name, these Golden Retriever dog names might settle it.

FableSage Doodle Dog Christmas Card

Doodle owners know every curl on their dog's head, and this card is drawn for them, Goldendoodle and Labradoodle alike. Send one to the doodle parent you chat with at the park.

Minted Dachshund Through the Snow Christmas Cards

A little sausage dog running through the snow, from Minted, a brand known for careful design and good printing. It's the pricier card in this group. Dachshund fans who leave their cards up until late January won't mind.

Archivist Festive Dog Christmas Cards Set of 5

Five festive dog cards with a gallery-shop look. Five isn't many, so save them for the short list, maybe your parents and the dog sitter. A spare makes a pretty tag on any of these Christmas gifts for dog lovers.

Lang Unleash Joy Boxed Christmas Cards by Danielle Murray

Danielle Murray's dog paintings, boxed up for the evening you finally sit down with a pen and the address book. A good pick for anyone who still sends proper holiday mail and likes every card to match.

Funny Christmas Cards From the Dog

Some dogs are not calm, and their cards can admit it. Tucked in with a small bag of homemade Christmas dog treats, any of these four makes a sweet drop-off for a dog down the street. They also suit friends, coworkers and anyone who knows your dog chews the tree skirt and barks at the delivery driver.

SisterPaperCoShop Santa Paws Dogs Christmas Card

Santa Paws with a pack of pups, for the friend who can't resist a pun. Cheap enough to send to the groomer and the vet team as well. They put up with your dog all year.

American Greetings Merry Christmas Card From the Dog

It reads as if the dog wrote it, which is exactly what grandparents want. A classic card for when the message really should come from the one with paws.

gerdiny Funny Dog Christmas Card

For people who laugh at their own dog more than anyone else's. Send it to a sibling, or the friend who watched your dog grab a sock and do a victory lap.

1Up Greetings Dog Christmas Card

One card, one smile, no fuss. Buy a couple for the drawer, because someone always turns up on the list around December 18.

Boxed Christmas Cards for Pets and Pet Lovers

When the list runs past forty names, single cards add up fast. These packs cover the office and the dog park regulars, plus the cousins you only see once a year. Matching Happy Howlidays gift tags carry the same look onto the presents.

Orelaventino 50 Pack Dog Christmas Cards With Envelopes and Stickers

Fifty cards, with envelopes and stickers to seal them, all in one order. It's the best value here by a long way, and the one to grab if you send a card to every house on the block.

Motiskyy 36 Pack Happy Holiday Cards With Envelopes

This pack says "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas," which helps with coworkers, clients and friends who celebrate something else. Thirty-six cards and envelopes go a long way.

Louise Mulgrew Designs Dogs and Cats Christmas Cards, Pack of 10

Dogs and cats share the design, so it suits friends who have one of each. Ten cards is a nice size for a shorter list.

Dog Christmas Card Ideas for a Photo Card

Setting Up a Dog-Safe Christmas Photo

Set up near a window during the day, since natural light is softer than a flash. Keep it to a few minutes, with treats ready for every half-decent pose. The old setups still work: the tree, a stocking with a nose poking out, a dog asleep on a plaid blanket. Skip the costume if your dog keeps shaking it off. A bandana or a loose bow is plenty.

Check the room first. Cords, batteries and glass or plastic ornaments should be out of reach and the tree water covered. Leave the tinsel in the box, because dogs do swallow it.

Card Wording Ideas From the Pup

Let the dog sign. A paw print next to the family names works, and so does a pun like "Happy Howlidays" or a couple of lines in your dog's voice about their year. For a quieter portrait card, these dog love quotes and captions sit nicely inside a holiday card.

How to Choose Christmas Cards for Pets and Kids

Christmas Card Designs for Families With Pets and Kids

The best Christmas card designs for families with pets and kids leave room for everyone. Multi-photo layouts give the dog a frame of its own, and an illustrated family portrait solves the shot where nobody looked at the camera. Pick one main photo, put the funny outtakes in small frames, and keep the greeting short so the collage still reads clearly.

When to Order Custom Photo Cards

Hand-drawn portrait and illustrated cards take time, so order those in early November and leave room for shipping. Printed photo cards and boxed sets can wait until early December. Anything heading overseas should be in the mail by the first week of the month.

Sending Christmas Cards With Your Dog

Want to send a little something with the card? These DIY Christmas gifts for dogs and dog lovers are easy to make in an afternoon, and most fit in a padded envelope.

Before the photo shoot, have a look at the ASPCA's holiday safety tips. They cover the decorations, plants and holiday foods to keep away from your dog.

About the author

Serena Faber-Nelson

Founder of Pretty Fluffy

Pet lifestyle expert Serena Faber-Nelson is the founder of Pretty Fluffy. A contributor to Everyday with Rachael Ray, Modern Dog Magazine, Cesars Way and more; her modern, stylized take on DIY dog treats has seen her recipes viewed millions of times over. Serena is the author of the go-to dog mom bible, Dog Mama, and the popular dog treat recipe book, Healthy Homemade Dog Treats.

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