You might see paw print tattoos as just a cute way for people to show off their love of animals, but there’s so much more to these designs than that. Many of them come with much deeper meanings than most people know about, and there are plenty of ways that you can get them designed. Below we will go over some of the most popular paw print tattoos and the meanings that people attach to them.

The image of paw prints is an instant homage to animalistic qualities and often serves as a tribute to a beloved pet. While many people do not have their pets’ exact paw prints, that’s actually not as important as getting the overall shape correct. Of course, if you do happen to have an image or maybe an inked paw print from your pet, then that would be what you’d want to use in your tattoo.

The type of paw print people get varies according to the animal desired to be portrayed. While this might seem obvious, it actually isn’t uncommon to see people will paw prints of a completely different breed of the animal they are trying to show memorialize. The most important thing to keep in mind when designing your paw print tattoo is that the pads and claws are accurate.

Many different animals can be used to convey a wildness that the individual identifies with, including dogs, cats and large felines like jaguars, wolves, bears or other large padded-foot creatures. If you do decide to get a paw print tattoo that is not one honoring a pet, be sure that you know all of the meanings that come with those designs.

A single paw print of a wild animal like a wolf or bear is usually a symbol of savage and primal instincts. The animal can be imaged into the form of the paw print, usually enlarged, portraying the spirit of the animal that exists within the individual. This is a great way to show off your “wild” side or to show that you will “attack” when provoked. Wolf and bear paw print tattoos are often a bit larger than most of the others we’ve mentioned, though that isn’t totally necessary. If you do plan on getting a realistic paw print of one of these animals, make sure you plan on using a larger area of your body, such as your chest or back.