Whenever winter rolls in and I make my first mug of hot cocoa, I always feel an extra spark of creativity. And honestly, my sketchbook practically begs me to open it.
So today I want to take you with me into one of my favorite seasonal projects: how to draw a Christmas puppy.
If you’re anything like me, you probably love those warm, festive doodles that instantly make a December day feel brighter. I still remember the first time I drew this little Christmas puppy — I was curled up under a blanket, Netflix in the background, and the smell of gingerbread candles filling the room. It ended up becoming one of my most joyful drawings that year.
And since many of you have asked for more holiday-themed tutorials (and because I can never resist drawing cute animals in Christmas outfits), I’m excited to show you exactly how I draw this cozy little pup — step by step.
Before we dive in, if you enjoy this kind of festive art, you might also love my other tutorials:
And if you want to see even more creative ideas, check out my Pinterest page (I post new pins daily!):
👉 https://www.pinterest.com/digitaldrawingideas/
Plus, don’t forget my YouTube channel, where I upload drawing videos you can follow along with:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@DigitalDrawingIdeas
Step 1: Draw the fluffy Hat Brim
Let’s start building our adorable Christmas puppy by drawing the fluffy brim of the Santa hat!
Using the red lines as your guide, sketch a long, curved shape near the top of your page.
Keep the corners softly rounded so it looks cozy and plush. Don’t worry about perfection here — this is just the first simple shape of our festive puppy. In the next step, we’ll begin adding the hat itself!
Step 2: Add the Fluffy Pom-Pom
Next, draw a small circle on the right side of the brim to start forming the pom-pom of the Santa hat. Keep the circle soft and rounded — this will help the hat look cozy and playful.
We’re just building the basic shape here, and we’ll connect everything together as we continue shaping the hat in the next steps!
Step 3: Shape the Top of the Santa Hat
Now let’s connect the brim and the pom-pom by drawing the curved top of the Santa hat.
Sketch a smooth arch that rises above the brim and gently slopes down to meet the pom-pom.
Keep the curve soft and round — this gives the hat that cozy, floppy Christmas look. Once this shape is in place, the hat will really start to take form!
Step 4: Add a Fold to the Hat
Let’s make the Santa hat look even cozier by adding a little fold detail. Draw a short curved line on the right side of the hat, just above the brim and near the pom-pom.
This tiny curve gives the hat a soft, fabric-like feel and adds a bit of charm. With this detail in place, the hat is almost complete and ready to sit on our puppy’s head!
Step 5: Finish the Hat Detail
To complete the Santa hat, add one more small curved line connecting the hat to the pom-pom.
This tiny line helps define the fold and makes the hat look soft and slightly bent at the tip.
With this detail in place, the Christmas hat is now fully drawn and ready for our cute puppy’s head underneath!
Step 6: Draw the Puppy’s Head Shape
Now let’s start forming the puppy’s cute face. Begin by drawing a wide, rounded shape underneath the hat brim.
Let the sides curve gently outward before narrowing slightly toward the bottom — this gives the head a soft, chubby look. Keep the overall outline smooth and simple so the face looks friendly and cuddly.
With this shape in place, we’re ready to add the puppy’s face and ears next!
Step 7: Add the Puppy’s Face Features
Let’s bring your Christmas puppy to life by adding the facial details! Draw two small oval eyes spaced evenly near the upper part of the face.
Then sketch a rounded nose in the center, just slightly below the eyes. Add a cute little mouth curving upward into a gentle smile.
Keep the shapes soft and simple — this gives the puppy that sweet, friendly look. Next, we’ll add the ears to complete the head!
Step 8: Draw the Puppy’s Ears
Add two long, rounded ears on each side of the head. Let them gently curve downward to create a soft, floppy look that matches the puppy’s cute expression.
Make sure the ears connect neatly to the sides of the head, keeping the lines smooth and relaxed.
This simple shape adds a lot of charm to your Christmas puppy!
Step 9: Draw the Fluffy Collar Base
Under the puppy’s head, sketch a long, rounded shape to form the fluffy bottom edge of the Christmas cape.
Keep the curve smooth and slightly stretched out, giving it that soft, cozy look. This shape will help frame the puppy’s body and add to the festive feel of the drawing.
Step 10: Connect the Collar to the Head
Add two short diagonal lines connecting the bottom of the puppy’s head to the fluffy collar.
These lines form the upper part of the Christmas cape and help define the puppy’s neck area.
Keep the lines simple and slightly angled to create a natural, relaxed look.
Step 11: Draw the First Front Leg
Sketch the puppy’s first front leg by drawing a long, rounded shape that curves slightly outward at the bottom.
Let the top of the leg connect neatly to the edge of the cape so it looks like the puppy is sitting comfortably. Keep the lines soft and smooth to match the cute, gentle style of the drawing.
Step 12: Add the Second Front Leg
Draw the puppy’s other front leg next to the first one. Create another rounded shape that curves gently at the bottom, keeping it similar in size and style to the first leg.
Make sure it sits neatly beneath the cape to keep the pose balanced and cute.
Step 13: Draw the Puppy’s Back Leg
Add the back leg on the right side by sketching a rounded line that curves outward before turning up toward the cape.
Keep the shape soft and slightly thicker than the front legs to show that it’s behind the puppy.
This curved outline helps complete the sitting pose and makes the body look balanced and cozy.
Step 14: Add the Belly Line
Draw a short curved line connecting the two front legs at the bottom. This small detail helps define the puppy’s belly and completes the sitting pose.
Keep the curve gentle so it matches the soft, rounded style of the rest of the drawing.
Step 15: Draw the Puppy’s Tail
Add a small curved tail on the right side of the body. Let it curve upward in a gentle “hook” shape to match the soft, playful style of the puppy.
Keep the lines smooth and rounded so the tail looks cute and lively.
Step 16: Add the Little Paw Details
Draw small curved lines at the bottom of each leg to create the tiny paw toes. Keep these lines short and slightly rounded so they look soft and cute.
These simple marks add just the right amount of detail to make the puppy’s paws look extra adorable.
Step 17: Add Cute Holiday Decorations
Finish the drawing with a few festive details around the puppy. Add tiny circles, a sparkling star shape, a small heart, and a sprig of holly with berries and leaves.
Keep each shape simple and rounded so they match the cozy, cute style of the puppy.
These little decorations give the whole drawing a cheerful Christmas feel.
Step 18: Color Your Christmas Puppy
Now it’s time to bring your adorable Christmas puppy to life with color! Fill in the hat with bright red and add a clean white trim for the fluffy parts.
Use warm brown tones for the puppy’s fur, adding a slightly darker patch around one eye for extra cuteness.
Color the holly leaves green and the berries red, then finish with cheerful touches on the little decorations around the puppy.
Enjoy your festive, fully colored Christmas puppy!
Watch the cute Christmas Dog Drawing Tutorial on Youtube
Final Thoughts: You Did It — Your Christmas Puppy Is Complete!
I hope you had as much fun drawing this little festive pup as I did creating the tutorial. One of my favorite things about seasonal doodles is how they instantly put me in a cheerful mood — even on those grey winter days when the sun disappears at 4 PM.
There’s something magical about taking a blank page and turning it into a warm, cozy christmas puppy drawing that feels full of personality.
And remember:
Drawing doesn’t have to be perfect to be enjoyable.
It just needs you — your mood, your energy, your style.
If this tutorial inspired you, here are a few other posts you may enjoy next:
And now comes my favorite part — I want to see your artwork!
Seriously, it makes my day when someone shares their version of a tutorial I created.
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What other Christmas characters would you love to draw next?
Let me know — I might turn your idea into the next tutorial!
