# Alternatives to ink for getting a paw print?



## upendi'smommy

I'm in a card exchange and I thought it'd be fun to have the girls 'sign' the cards as well. Now, I'm trying to stay away from using ink for getting their paw prints (if I do end up going with an ink pad it will be water based and non-toxic).

I tried using juice a bit ago....it didn't work. It came out as a big juice blob.  So any creative alternatives to using ink?


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## Xeph

Smashed berries?


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## Nargle

Instead of dipping the paws in juice, maybe use a brush and put a thin layer on her paw? You could try something like mustard that isn't super "splashy" (Though you'll want to clean up before she runs off, lol!) Then stamp it onto a piece of paper, and then trace it or cut it out as a stencil for the cards. That way you'll have ink "signatures" on the cards, and the ink will never have to come in contact with their paws


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## pittsabowawa

what about food coloring? Its non-toxic and if you did it outside and washed off their paws before going back in I don't imagine it would be that messy... I don't know how well it would transfer to paper though....


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## Dakota Spirit

You could also try using Koolaid or Jello-O powder with a bit of water mixed in. Not enough to make it completely liquid, just so it's got a watery consistency that allows you to paint it on their paw pads.


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## Binkalette

Why not just some acrylic paint? A thin layer of that should do the trick and it washes off with water.


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## Dog_Shrink

What about henna or india ink? your dog's paws will be discolored for a while but non-toxic or grade school paint (the stuff we painted on our cut potatoes to make stampers. remember that stuff?) Or how about inking each one once then using a photo copy transferred to the x-mas cards? or if you go to vista print and upload a pic of each paw print they'll make you stampers of each for 4.99 plus shipping and have them to you in 3 days. OR (again) if you have a scanner howz about scanning a copy of each paw print and then cut them out and attach them to the cards with glitter glue and ribbon piping?


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## Independent George

My dog has a real talent for making pawprints with mud or dog poop - especially right after I vacuum.


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## ErisAlpine

Binkalette said:


> Why not just some acrylic paint? A thin layer of that should do the trick and it washes off with water.


I was about to suggest this, Last year I was doing some painting, I work with acrylics, One of my ferrets happened to step upon my pallet which i carelessly left on the floor, I never even noticed until I seen the foot prints, I followed them to the kitchen mat and they foot prints were perfect, I never even bothered washing it until the prints were stained in because it was cute, to this day those prints are still on that mat. I may try this with my Lars since he is still a puppy and it will be nice to have a little memento of how tiny his paws once were when he was a pup. Most acrylics are non toxic, but I would still read the label before anyone tried this.


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## nekomi

Most acrylic paints would work beautifully for this application! Thin with just a smidge of water, or you might want to use a product that slows the drying time to give you a little more wiggle room (it's called drying retarder). 

Just steer clear of any colors that have warnings on the labels. Cadmium Red springs to mind. I know there are a few others, but I can't remember them off the top of my head... just make sure you check the back of the paint tubes/bottles for any toxicity warnings. Most acrylics are completely harmless.


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## Katzyn

Oh, awesome...I was actually wondering about this myself, since I want to get a little cockatiel footprint as a tatoo, and needed a footprint to show the tatoo artist. =P


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## upendi'smommy

Thanks for the ideas guys! 

Great minds think alike Dakota! My 'juice' was actually kool-aid mix with just a smidge of water added, it was still too runny.

I'm thinking of either trying water colors or acrylic paint. I wasn't sure about the safety of the acrylics. I knew about the cadmium colors, yellow is another of those. I didn't know about the others though.


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## Dakota Spirit

upendi'smommy said:


> Great minds think alike Dakota! My 'juice' was actually kool-aid mix with just a smidge of water added, it was still too runny.


Aw that's too bad - hopefully the other ideas work out though 

As far as water colors go, aren't those Crayola ones that kids use non-toxic? I'm not sure about the more professional products.


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## ioreks_mom

When I first got my kitty, Blue, I did that exact same thing with kiddie water colour paint  It worked great and everyone thought it was cute. Good luck


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## Nargle

upendi'smommy said:


> Thanks for the ideas guys!
> 
> Great minds think alike Dakota! My 'juice' was actually kool-aid mix with just a smidge of water added, it was still too runny.
> 
> I'm thinking of either trying water colors or acrylic paint. I wasn't sure about the safety of the acrylics. I knew about the cadmium colors, yellow is another of those. I didn't know about the others though.


Generally water colors and acrylics are safe. Just make sure they're water based and non-toxic, maybe buy ones specifically for kids. There are kids finger painting kits that might work. Also, both watercolors and acrylic paint rinses off super easily with just water, so you can clean up easily and there's no risk of your dogs eating paint off their paws later


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## upendi'smommy

Dakota Spirit said:


> Aw that's too bad - hopefully the other ideas work out though
> 
> As far as water colors go, aren't those Crayola ones that kids use non-toxic? I'm not sure about the more professional products.


That's what I'm planning on...the cheap ones for kids!  I'm not looking for professional it's just so they can sign christmas cards too. lol


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