Custom Pet Ornament Guide: Dog & Cat Christmas Ornaments

What you're buying: our custom pet ornament at a glance

Our custom pet ornament is a round ornament about 3 inches across, cut from crystal-clear, shatter-resistant acrylic. Your pet's portrait and name are printed with a vivid UV print, a ribbon is included for hanging, and it arrives in gift-ready packaging. The price is $29.99, and extra pets in the same portrait are $15 each.

Why acrylic rather than glass? Homes with dogs and cats have trees that get bumped, batted and occasionally knocked over. A shatter-resistant ornament can survive a fall to a hard floor far better than glass, and it's light enough to hang on a thin branch without drooping.

How much does a custom pet ornament cost?

One ornament is $29.99, whichever style you choose. Here's how extra pets, a matching portrait and multi-item orders change it.

How a custom dog ornament is made

Every ornament is made to order from your own photo. Here's what happens between your upload and your tree:

Custom dog ornament tips: coats, breeds and faces

A custom dog ornament has one job: to be recognizably your dog from a few feet away. Coat color and face shape matter more than you'd think at this size. Dark dogs, like a black Lab or a chocolate Doodle, need a well-lit photo so the eyes and nose don't merge into one dark patch; stand them facing a window rather than with the light behind them.

White and cream dogs have the opposite problem. Bright sun can wash out the fur, so open shade or an overcast day gives softer detail. Long-nosed breeds such as a German Shepherd or a Dachshund look best photographed slightly from the side, while flat-faced dogs like a French Bulldog shine head-on. Whatever the breed, the classic dog Christmas ornament pose is simple: ears up, eyes on the camera, and a treat held just above the lens.

Cat ornaments: what's different

Cats are just as welcome on the tree, and a custom cat ornament follows the same rules with two extra tips. First, cats rarely hold a pose, so take a burst of photos while they're relaxed on a sunny windowsill and pick the sharpest. Second, many cats are identified by their markings (the tabby "M" on the forehead, a white bib, odd-colored eyes), so make sure those features are clearly visible in the photo you upload.

For black cats, use bright, indirect light so eyes and whiskers show. Our Christmas gifts for cat lovers guide has more ideas.

Which styles look best on a small ornament

A 3-inch ornament is roughly the size of a coaster, and people usually see it from a few feet away. Styles where the face is large and the outlines are clear read best. Here's how our styles compare at ornament size:

Name and year ideas for your ornament

On an ornament, every character counts. The name line holds up to 18 characters and the optional second line up to 28. Shorter text prints larger and is easier to read, so aim for a name plus one short detail.

• Name + year — "Biscuit" with "Christmas 2026": the easiest way to build a dated collection over the years.
• A milestone — "First Christmas", "Gotcha Day 2026", "New Home 2026".
• A nickname — "Sir Waggington", "Lil Meatball", "Princess Pepper".
• A role — "Head Elf", "Chief Present Guard", "Official Taste Tester".
• Two pets — keep both names short, like "Max & Ruby", and put the year below.
• Memorial dates — "Rosie" with "2011 – 2026" or "Forever loved".

First Christmas ornaments

A puppy's or kitten's first Christmas only happens once, and an ornament is the easiest way to mark it. Use a recent photo, even a slightly goofy one, and put "First Christmas" or the year on the second line.

The same idea works for adult rescues: "First Christmas Home" honors the first holiday a shelter dog or cat spends with your family. And if you're planning a yearly tradition, keep the style the same each year so the ornaments look like a set as your pet grows from baby to senior.

Pet memorial ornaments

For many families, the first Christmas after losing a pet is the hardest, because so many holiday rituals included them. A memorial ornament gives them a place on the tree again. The Forever in My Heart style, with soft angel wings and a golden halo, and the quieter Snowy Watercolor are the gentlest choices, paired with the pet's name and years on the second line.

A memorial ornament is also a kind sympathy gift: small, easy to mail and never in the way. If you're remembering your own dog, our guide to dog memorial gifts covers portraits, wording and timing, and our pet memorial gifts collection gathers other keepsakes.

Pair it with a portrait: the matching ornament (20% off)

Ordering a portrait, mug or blanket? You don't have to design the ornament separately. When an item with your pet's artwork is in your cart, it offers a matching ornament with the same artwork, name and second line, at 20% off: $23.99 instead of $29.99. One tap adds it, and checkout confirms it's paired with its portrait.

It's a lovely way to make a gift feel complete: a Christmas canvas for the living room and the same portrait on the tree. Two easy pairings: a Christmas Pet Portrait (from $29.99 as a digital file, $39.99 as a print or $89.99 on canvas) with a matching ornament for the giver to keep, or a memorial portrait on the Modern Custom Pet Portrait with a matching ornament for the holidays.

When to order a custom pet ornament for Christmas

Ornaments are made to order, and December is the busiest month of the year for printers and carriers. Production takes about 2–4 business days and US delivery about 3–5 business days, so allow up to two weeks door to door.

• Order by December 10 for delivery before Christmas in the continental US.
• After December 10? Choose a digital download, emailed within one business day.
• Design early, order later — previews are free, so you can create every ornament in November and check out when your list is final.
• Free shipping — US shipping is free on orders over $75, so combining ornaments with a bigger gift often pays off.
• Buying several? Bundle savings apply automatically: 15% off two items, 20% off three and 25% off five or more.

Photo checklist for small-format art

The photo matters more on an ornament than on a large canvas, because there's less room for the art to fill in details. Before you upload, check (and see our guide on how to take pet pictures for more):

• The face is sharp — tap to focus on the eyes; skip blurry action shots.
• Both ears are in the frame — cropped ears are the most common reason to redo a portrait.
• Daylight, no flash — flash causes glowing eyes and flattens fur color.
• Close, not far — a head-and-shoulders shot beats a full-body photo taken across the yard.
• No heavy filters — the painting is built from your pet's real colors and markings.

Custom ornament gift ideas by recipient

Grandparents love the grand-dog on their tree. Dog walkers, groomers and pet sitters love an ornament of the pet they care for. And for an office or family ornament exchange, a personalized pet ornament is a gift people actually keep, at a price that fits most exchange limits.

Packing slips never show prices, so any order can ship straight to the recipient. To finish the gift, add a custom pet greeting card with the same pet on the front and a blank inside for your note ($9.99, or $34.99 for a set of five as your family Christmas cards). For more holiday ideas, see our Christmas pet gifts and the Christmas gifts for dog lovers guide.

Frequently asked questions