A dog tends to be a daily fixture in a man's life: the walk before work, the head on his knee in the evening, the muddy paws he pretends to mind. Putting that face on a pair of cufflinks is a small, affectionate way of taking him along to the places dogs can't go, from the office to a wedding reception. The same goes for the cat who owns the house and the horse he's ridden for a decade.
Dogs First: Labradors, Spaniels, Terriers and Rescues
Dog cufflinks are where most people start, and almost any breed works. A few things are worth knowing about particular types:
- Labradors and retrievers have broad, friendly faces that fill a square neatly. A head-on shot with the ears in frame is ideal.
- Spaniels look best with the ears included, since the ears are half the character. Pull the zoom back slightly in the preview so they aren't cropped off.
- Terriers and wiry coats photograph well in soft daylight, which picks out the texture of the fur.
- Long-nosed breeds such as whippets, greyhounds and collies suit a three-quarter angle, so the length of the face shows without the nose running off the edge.
- Rescue dogs of uncertain parentage are often the most photogenic of all, and the story behind them makes the gift.
If he has lost a dog, a pair can also be a quiet keepsake. We have a separate page for pet memorial designs, but the photo advice here applies equally.
Getting a Good Photo of a Dog That Won't Sit Still
Most dogs treat a camera as an invitation to walk towards it. A few tricks help:
- Hold a treat or a squeaky toy just above the lens, so he looks straight at it.
- Get down to his eye level rather than shooting from standing height.
- Use burst mode on your phone and pick the sharpest frame afterwards.
- Photograph him when he's tired, after a long walk, rather than when he's bouncing.
Look through what you already have, too. The perfect picture is often sitting in last summer's holiday album. Upload the original file straight from the phone rather than a copy that has been sent through a messaging app, because we print from the full-resolution image.
Dark Coats, Pale Coats and Tricky Markings
Very dark and very light animals are the two that need a little care. A black Labrador or a black cat can lose its outline against a dark background, so photograph him on a pale rug, on a lawn or near a bright window, where the edges of the face and the shine in the eyes stand out. For a white West Highland terrier or a grey horse, the opposite applies: a darker background gives the coat something to stand against.
Distinctive markings are worth keeping in frame. A white blaze, one brown ear, a patch over one eye: these are what make the animal instantly recognisable at cufflink size, so zoom in the preview until they're clear.
Cats, Horses and Every Other Member of the Family
Pet photo cufflinks are not only for dog owners. Cats tend to give you one good photograph for every forty attempts, but that one is usually superb: try catching her in a patch of sunlight on the windowsill. For horses, crop tightly to the head and ears rather than trying to fit the whole animal into a square, which would leave the face tiny. A pony looking over a stable door is a classic for good reason.
Rabbits, guinea pigs, parrots, ferrets and even a much-loved chicken have all made fine subjects. The rule is the same for all of them: a clear face, good light and a plain background.
Paw Prints, Names and Two-Pet Households
A portrait isn't the only option. A paw print, pressed onto paper with a little pet-safe paint and then photographed flat, makes a striking graphic design. A dog's name in bold lettering beneath a simple silhouette works well too.
Each pair carries one image, printed on both cufflinks. If the household has two dogs, or a dog and a cat, you can combine them in a single photo of the pair together, or arrange two pictures side by side in a photo app and upload that as one image. Alternatively, order a separate pair for each pet.
Working Dogs, Clubs and Ordering Several Pairs
Gundog handlers, agility enthusiasts and show exhibitors often want dog cufflinks for a whole group, perhaps as prizes or as a memento of a season. A single pair is £40 with shipping included, and two to four pairs are £40 each. Once the basket reaches five or more pairs, every pair is £15, plus one £5 shipping charge for the order, so five pairs cost £80 and ten cost £155. The pairs can all carry the same image or a different dog on each, whatever suits.
If a club wants its badge or emblem on the cufflinks, the person ordering must own the artwork or have permission to use it, and we may decline artwork we can't print lawfully.
Every pair is made in our Cornwall workshop and sent out in a gift box, ready for his birthday, Christmas or a Father's Day card signed with a paw print.