This fits in rather well with the discussion of how we honor and love our pets. Vet Wisdom Cafe has donated a Clay Paws Holiday Gift Kit for one lucky winner. To win, simply comment below and tell me about your heart pet.
All About ClayPaws® Prints
You’ve probably seen paw prints of animals made in clay. Did you ever wonder how to make one for yourself? Well, that’s what ClayPaws® kits are for!
Each kit includes just enough specially formulated clay to make a print of almost any pet. Many times, people use these kits if their pet is very ill or dying, or if they have to euthanize an animal. A paw print in clay is a lasting memory of a beloved animal. ClayPaws® prints are also great to make a memory of a puppy or a kitten.
To make a print, all it takes is a little time, patience, and creativity.
Step 1: Prepare your print. Wash your hands and then remove the clay from the plastic outer-wrapper. Knead the clay. No, really! Kneading is an all-important part of making a ClayPaws® print. Kneading the clay actually distributes the oils in the clay, and it will make the clay easier to work with.
Roll the kneaded clay into a ball. Using a hard surface (such as a clipboard) press the clay into a nice, flat, round patty, about ¼” thick.
Step 2: Make your print. It is important to keep in mind that the animal might not be as excited as you are to help make the print. Recruit help! (It is also common to make a print after an animal has died. Either way, the process is the same.)
Use the actual center of the pet’s paw as a marker for centering the print on the clay. After placing the paw on the clay, push firmly, but gently in the center of your pet’s paw, directly above the pad. Without moving the paw, press each toe pad individually.
If you aren’t happy with the results from your first attempt, simply start over with step 1.
Step 3: Decorate your ClayPaws® print. Choose to place the name of a pet in the clay using a stylus or stamp kit. Add any charms or beads (that will withstand oven temperatures during baking!) and place them into the clay.
Step 4: Bake your print. Baking your print is necessary because it will permanently harden the clay. They are baked in a regular oven or a toaster oven. (Do not use a microwave!) Heat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the print into a glass baking dish, or a ceramic tile. Place into the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes per ¼” thickness. (Most require 15-20 minutes.) When it is fully baked, let the print cool in the dish or tile before removing it. You will likely need a spatula to remove the print. It may feel “stuck” and this is normal! Be gentle, and it will “pop” loose.
Step 5: Finish the print. You can glaze or paint your print. (Don’t use aerosol paint. It won’t dry.) Use high quality, water based acrylic paints. You can also glue on embellishments at this point.
–Tammy Durham, www.vetwisdomcafe.com
Tammy Durham is the webmaster for World by the Tail, Inc. For further ideas, visit World by the Tail, Inc.’s website at www.veterinarywisdom.com. There are also instructive videos (ClayPaws® 101) online at www.veterinarywisdomforpetparents.com/videos.htm. They include all of this basic information plus more ideas and tips.
Email Tammy at webmaster@wbtt.com with any questions!
*Congratulations to Tabitha!* I will get you connected after the blogathon.
The vet gave us a ClayPaw after Chase had passed. He put his paw in the clay right there in the room with us, right after Chase took his last breath. I love it and it sits right next to his box of ashes. (you can see it decorated here… http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/GoldEyes/DSC03436.jpg)
I always thought Chase was my heart dog… and he was, because he was my first dog that I owned in my adult life. Then Akira came in to my life and her and I have this bond, that is just indescribable. I will be a HORRIBLE mess when it is her time… which is hopefully a LONG time from now, as she is only 2. She lays next to me on the couch. (as she is this very minute.) She sleeps at the bottom of our bed, with her head on my feet, every night. She follows me around everywhere I go. She woo woos at me, even if it’s just to say I love you. (she’s a Husky) I wouldn’t know what to do without her.
Since we were taking Chase to a specialist when he passed, I am worried that our regular vet won’t do the ClayPaw when it is Beethoven or Akira’s time to go, so it would be nice to have, to do it on our own.
Ah!! The parenthesis added on to the link above, you’ll have to remove it to see the picture. Sorry, I’ll list the link again! http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/GoldEyes/DSC03436.jpg
My heart dog Amelia was lost last month during an unexpected dog attack, and I dearly wish that we’d had the time to do this with her. We’ll be getting another dog at the beginning of December (the one bright spot in all of the tragedy) and I really want to do a puppy print! We can do another one when he’s full grown – should make for an amusing comparison! 🙂
I had these and made Lambchop’s paw prints. They’re really nice to have. : )
my heart pet was my Mindy, my rat. I loved her so much. She was my buddy as I finished my university degree. She stayed up for all the late night papers. I miss her.
Right now I have Magoo my cat, my baby boy. He loved Mindy just as much and once she passed he sat by her empty cage and cried for days. I still find him sometimes sitting in the basement by her cage evey once in a while. I would put Magoo’s paw print on the clay and decorate it with the little wooden heart from Mindy’s urn because they were friends and both have my heart. I wouldn’t have gotten through Mindy’s death without Magoo.
I think Xander is my heart dog. I keep telling him that he will break my heart one day.
I made the decision to move 900 miles away to go to vet school, and my husand is very understanding and we’re making it work, but I have yet to find a way to explain it to my heart dog, Scooby. When I graduate in 2013, Scooby will be 13 years old and I hope that we will have some good years together once we’re reunited, but I know there are no guarantees and so in 7 days, I will be home with my Boo Boo and there will be cuddles and treats and walks and all the love I can squeeze into every moment because with him every moment counts.
Oh! I love seeing the photo of your print – it’s wonderful! And I am loving your stories. Awesome! I can’t wait to hear who wins the print!!
My heart dog is Abby, my Bernese mountain dog. She’s the best dog I’ve ever known… and was diagnosed with lymphoma when she was only 3 years old. But she just celebrated her 7th birthday and is loving her life! A perfect patient who jumps up on the table and present her paw for chemo.
Unfortunately she’s 7 hrs away from me while I’m at vet school… but I think of her constantly and miss her everyday. I can’t wait to see her over the holidays!
What a beautiful way to remember a special pet that gave so much to your life.