Dog Coloring Pages

• Labrador retriever: comes in three coat colors: black, yellow and chocolate
• Golden retriever: a long, wavy coat in shades from pale cream to deep gold
• German shepherd: usually tan with a black saddle across the back and a black muzzle
• Dachshund: a long body on short legs, first bred in Germany to follow badgers into their burrows
• Poodle: a tight, curly coat that keeps growing and needs regular trims
• Siberian husky: a thick double coat and eyes that can be blue, brown or one of each
• Dalmatian: puppies are born white, and their spots show up in the first few weeks
• Corgi: a herding dog with big upright ears and a fox-like face

A dog's nose is its best tool. Dogs have up to 300 million scent receptors, while people have about 6 million. The pattern of ridges on a dog's nose is also unique, a bit like a fingerprint. Dogs don't sweat through their skin the way we do. They cool off by panting and through the pads of their paws. Dogs also hear higher-pitched sounds than people can, which is how a dog whistle works.

For realistic fur, color in short strokes that follow the direction the hair grows: down the legs, back along the body and outward around the face. Start with a light layer of tan or gray, then add darker strokes on top. Leave a tiny white dot in each eye and on the nose so the dog looks alive. Colored pencils give you the most control. Crayons are fine for the big, simple shapes on the Easy pages. For a white dog, leave the paper bare and shade under the chin and belly with pale gray.