Dog Coloring Pages

Use the French Bulldog coloring page with its large upright ears, big round eyes, flat nose, and wide smiling mouth. Color the page, glue it to a paper plate, cut around the ears so they stand tall, then punch holes at the sides and thread elastic to wear. A dog coloring activity that turns into a Frenchie face for dress-up.

There's something about the Labrador Retriever coloring page that already feels mid-motion, the lifted paw, the wagging tail, the stick angled in the mouth. Color the page in chocolate, yellow, or black, glue it to thick card stock, and cut along the outline. Fold a small tab at the base so it stands on a shelf or desk. Tuck a real twig under the paw and the Lab coloring fun jumps off the flat page.

The Golden Retriever coloring page calls for actual texture. Glue strands of soft yellow yarn over the chest and tail in waves. We had no idea if the yarn would lie flat, and it mostly did.

Take the German Shepherd Dog coloring page, with its tall pointed ears, alert expression, long muzzle, and sloped back. Color it in tan, black, and rich brown, then fold thick paper in half. Cut around the ears so they spring forward when the card opens. A card that any dog lover would actually keep.

Wrap the Dachshund coloring page around a clean food can or short cardboard tube to make a pencil holder. Color the long body in chocolate, red, or dapple shades, then cut around the outline so the head and tail extend beyond the can on either side. Use double-sided tape inside the can, lay the page flat, and roll the can across it so the body wraps around the middle. The first time we tried this, the head flopped forward, so we glued a small folded paper triangle behind the neck to keep it propped up. This coloring adventure ends on a desk.

Cut the Poodle coloring page into separate pieces: the head, the body, the legs, and the curled tail. Color each piece in classic white, apricot, or silver before cutting. Stick adhesive magnetic sheet to the back of each, then mix and match on the fridge. The pompon haircut shows up best with the lightest shades. A fridge door that becomes a rearrangeable poodle by the end of the coloring activity.

The Beagle coloring page is built for a bookmark, the long ears falling over the top of any book. Color it, cut along the body, and slide it in. A coloring adventure that marks someone's place.

The Rottweiler coloring page has natural color zones with the black body and the tan markings above the eyes, on the chest, and on the lower legs. Mark a B in each black section and a T in each tan section, photocopy a few times, and turn the original into a code chart. A craft that doubles as a small learning activity.

Use the German Shorthaired Pointer coloring page for the easiest stamping project of the bunch. Color the body in soft brown, set the page on a tray, and dip a cotton swab tip into thicker brown paint. Press dots evenly across the back and legs to build the breed's classic liver-spotted coat. Smaller dots near the muzzle, larger and more spaced across the back. The dog coloring activity is messier than expected and worth a tray underneath.

Color the Bulldog coloring page with its wide head, short legs, broad chest, and curled tail. Cut around just the face and front of the body, then tape a small loop of paper to the back so the puppet wraps around a finger. The bulldog wobbles when the finger moves and the dog coloring craft becomes a hand-held puppet.

There's something about the Cane Corso coloring page that suits a guard post, the square head, the alert ears, the upright stance. Color it in black, gray, or fawn, mount it on a long rectangle of card stock, and punch a hole at the top. Thread ribbon through, write a name or "do not enter" underneath, and hang it on a bedroom door.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have those long silky ears that hang past the chin. Color several Cavalier coloring pages in Blenheim, tricolor, or ruby shades. Cut around each dog so the ears stay attached at the head, then clip the cut-outs across a length of twine with mini clothespins. We had no idea if the heads would weigh the garland down, but a few extra clothespins kept the row of Cavaliers steady across the doorway.

Color the Yorkshire Terrier coloring page in tan and steel blue. Punch a small hole at the top of the head, thread a thin ribbon through, and tie a tiny bow. A page with one real accessory.

The Australian Shepherd coloring page is the one to test a marbled wash on. Soak the colored page lightly with water, drop diluted watercolor in blue, gray, and brown, and tilt to swirl. The first time we tried this, the page warped and dried in a crinkle. We laid it under a stack of books overnight and the merle pattern came out as expected.

The Doberman Pinscher coloring page suits a shadow puppet because of the sleek silhouette, pointed ears, slim legs, and arched neck. Color it black, glue the page to thick card, cut around the outline, and tape a craft stick to the back. Hold it against a wall with a flashlight behind and the dog coloring page projects across the room.