Dog wall decor works best when it hangs above tail and paw reach, on a canvas that wipes clean. Keep the bottom edge of any frame at least 12 inches above your dog's wagging tail, choose canvas over glass in rooms where pets run, and note that we sell dog and cat artwork, not custom pet portraits.
- CanvasPiece sells a small range of dog and cat artwork and no custom pet portraits made from your photo.
- Measure your dog's tail tip while it wags, then hang the bottom edge of the art 12 inches above that height.
- Canvas prints have no glass front, so a swiping tail or a thrown toy has nothing to break.
- Keep 12 inches between any console and the bottom of a frame, so cats cannot knock a piece off while jumping up.
- A 30x20 inch canvas hung with its bottom edge at 36 inches clears most hallway traffic and still sits at a comfortable eye level.
Can You Get Custom Pet Portraits Here?
No. CanvasPiece does not make custom pet portraits from your photo, and the dog and cat artwork we carry is a small range of finished pieces by artists. People searching for pet portraits on canvas usually want a likeness of their own animal, and services such as Crown and Paw and Pop Your Pup are built for that job.
What we do offer is ready-made dog and cat art in several finishes, which suits a home where the pet is a theme rather than a subject. If you want your own dog on the wall, order a portrait from one of those services and use the advice below to hang it safely.
What Dog Wall Decor Does CanvasPiece Carry?
We carry a handful of dog and cat pieces, plus a wider range of animal art. Barking Dog Gestural Abstract is a square piece in loose, energetic brush marks. Dog Surfer Riding Waves is playful and fits a hallway or a boy's room. Woman and Dog Beneath Oversized Moon is a quieter scene for a bedroom, and Happy Boy and Cat Under Moonlight suits a reading corner.
For a wider choice, browse animal art, the larger animals collection and wildlife wall art. Wolves and foxes appeal to dog people, and a wolf on a tall portrait piece, such as a 12x24 or 20x40 inch canvas, fills a narrow wall beside a door.
How High Should You Hang Art in a Home With Dogs?
Hang it above the highest point your dog reaches, plus a margin. Measure your dog's tail tip while it wags and the height of its nose when it stands on its hind legs, then keep the bottom edge of the art at least 12 inches above the higher figure. In a room with a large dog that often means a bottom edge of 36 inches or more.
| Zone | Pet risk | Bottom edge of art | Good size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hallway or mudroom | Tail sweep, muddy paws | 36 in or higher | 30x20 landscape, 12x24 portrait |
| Above a dog bed | Jumping, shaking | Tail height plus 12 in | 24x16 or 36x24 landscape |
| Above a sofa | Pets climbing on the back | 8 to 12 in above the sofa back | 60x20 panoramic, 48x32 landscape |
| Above a console | Cats jumping up | 12 in above the console | 36x24 landscape, 24x24 square |
| Stair wall | Running down stairs | Above hand-rail height | 20x20 or 24x24 square |
Pro tip: Wag-test the spot. Have someone call your dog through the hallway and mark where its tail hits the wall with painter's tape, then hang the art above the highest mark.
A dog's tail tip reaches 24 inches when it wags in the hallway. Add the 12 inch margin and the bottom edge of the art goes at 36 inches. A 30x20 inch landscape then spans 36 to 56 inches, and its center sits at 46 inches. That is lower than the usual 57 to 60 inch rule, but still at a comfortable eye level in a hallway where people pass and do not linger.
Is Canvas or a Framed Print Better Around Pets?
Canvas is the safer choice in rooms where pets run, because it has no glass front to break. A Framed Print adds a front cover and a hard frame edge, so hang those above pet reach, such as over a sofa or on a high stair wall. Our Canvas Print and Framed Canvas finishes are the ones to choose for lower walls.
Poster Prints are the lowest-cost way to try a dog theme, and they work in a room where you plan to swap art often. Keep them out of a cat's reach, since claws mark paper more easily than stretched canvas.
- Choose canvas for hallways, mudrooms and any wall below 48 inches.
- Use framed prints on high walls above sofas and beds.
- Keep poster prints out of reach of cats that climb.
- Use two hooks on any piece wider than 24 inches so it cannot swing.
How Do You Protect Walls and Art From Claws, Drool and Hair?
Use a satin or semi-gloss paint on the lowest 3 feet of wall, since it wipes clean where matte paint stains. Wipe canvas with a dry microfiber cloth, never a wet one, and brush hair off the top edge of the frame once a week.
Watch out: Do not hang a piece directly above a food bowl or water dish. Splashes and drool mark the lower edge of the print, and the spot is within a dog's reach anyway.
Fabric matters too. Performance fabrics such as microfiber resist scratches and wipe clean, and darker colors or patterns hide hair and stains better than pale ones. Our guide to family room ideas covers that kind of durable layout for a busy living room.
Where Should Pet Art Go in the Home?
Entryway and Mudroom
Put a playful dog piece near the door, where visitors see it first. A square Barking Dog Gestural Abstract at 20x20 inches, hung at 36 inches, clears leashes and tails.
Living Room
Hang a larger piece above the sofa and let the pet theme be the subject, not the size. A 48x32 inch landscape suits a 72 inch sofa, with its bottom edge 8 to 12 inches above the sofa back.
Kids' Rooms and Reading Corners
A boy and a cat under the moon is a calm piece for a reading corner. For more ideas on rooms where children spend time, see our guide to playroom wall decor.
Every piece is printed to order and ships free across the US. Choose canvas for low walls and a framed finish for high ones.
Quick answers
Common Questions
What is the best wall art for dog lovers?
Choose art that shows dogs doing something, such as a surfer or a walker under the moon, rather than a generic portrait. Square pieces from 12x12 to 24x24 inches suit hallways, while a landscape of 36x24 inches or larger fits above a sofa. Pick canvas for low walls where tails reach.
Does CanvasPiece make custom pet portraits?
No. CanvasPiece sells finished artwork by artists, including a few dog and cat pieces, but does not paint or print a portrait from your pet's photo. For a likeness of your own pet, use a custom portrait service, then hang the result using the heights in this guide.
How do you keep dogs from damaging wall art?
Hang it above the highest tail and nose reach, with the bottom edge at least 12 inches above that point. Use canvas rather than glass on low walls, fix two hooks on wide pieces, and keep art away from food and water bowls, where splashes and drool reach it.
Are canvas prints safe around cats?
Canvas prints are safer than glass frames, but cats can scratch both. Hang canvas at least 12 inches above any console or shelf a cat jumps on, and keep poster prints out of claw reach. Use two hooks so the piece cannot swing when a cat brushes past it.
How do you decorate a pet-friendly home?
Use durable materials, dedicate a spot for the pet and hang art high. Pick microfiber or other performance fabrics in darker colors, tile or laminate floors, and a bed in a quiet corner. Then hang one dog or cat piece above pet reach to tie the room together.
