Similar pumpkin stencils
View all stencils →About this stencil
The Dog Pooping pumpkin stencil is a free printable PDF template. Print it, tape the pattern on, and trace it onto your pumpkin. A squatting dog caught mid-business is the cheeky subject of this easy pumpkin stencil, showing a broad-shouldered dog in profile with its tail raised, haunches lowered, and a small pile on the ground in front. The main dog silhouette and the small pile are both pierced through as large open cut sections, while the connecting bridge between head and body forms the neck. Cut the small pile shape first to free that isolated section, then carve around the full dog body in one continuous pass for a clean silhouette. It makes a fun jack-o'-lantern design for Halloween night. It is rated Beginner-friendly. Estimated time: 60-90 minutes. Actual time varies with preparation, pumpkin size and experience. Larger shapes and shorter cuts. An adult should handle sharp carving tools.
Pumpkin size guide
- 🎃 Small (5 to 7"): print at 80%
- 🎃 Medium (7 to 10"): print at 100% (recommended)
- 🎃 Large (11 to 13"): print at 130%
- 🎃 Giant (14"+): print at 150% on tabloid paper
Frequently asked questions
Can I resize this stencil?▾
Yes. The PDF is vector so it scales cleanly. Print the pattern at 100% for a 7 to 10 inch pumpkin, 130% for 11 to 13 inch, or 150% for a giant. Use your printer's "Fit to page" or "Custom scale" setting.
What kind of paper works best?▾
Standard 20 lb letter or A4 printer paper is fine. Heavier paper is harder to bend around the pumpkin curve. If your printer supports it, set the quality to 'best' so the lines are crisp.
How long will the carved pumpkin last?▾
Usually 5 to 10 days. Coat all cut surfaces with petroleum jelly and store the pumpkin somewhere cool overnight. Avoid direct sun. Battery LED pumpkin lights produce no heat and help it last longer.
Can I sell pumpkins carved with this stencil?▾
Yes, the carved pumpkin you make is yours. The license covers personal and small-scale commercial carving (selling carved pumpkins, photographing them, posting on social). You may not resell the PDF file itself.
What if my printer doesn't print the whole stencil?▾
Set 'Page scaling' to 'Fit' in the print dialog and uncheck 'Auto-rotate'. If it still cuts off, the design includes 0.25" of safe-area margin so a small crop won't ruin it.
How to carve this stencil
This is a cut-through stencil: the gray areas on the printable pattern are the pieces you remove, and everything white stays attached. The steps below give you the safest carving order. Plan on about 60-90 minutes from print to candle.
Set up first. Print the PDF at 100% scale on letter or A4 paper. Cut the lid at an angle, scoop the pumpkin clean, and thin the carving wall to about 1 inch where the design will sit. Tape the pattern on (snip small darts in the paper so it hugs the curve) and transfer every outline by poking dots along the lines, about one every 1/8 inch. Peel the paper away and carve dot to dot with short, straight strokes.
Carving order
- Cut the small oval tag. Start with the little oval hanging below the collar gap. Poke a starter hole and saw to the line; it is the most fragile piece on the pattern.
- Carve the poop pile. Cut the small swirl pile beneath the dog's hindquarters next while the surrounding wall is still solid.
- Cut out the head. The head is a separate plug divided from the body by the white collar strip. Cut around the muzzle and ears and keep the white collar band intact; do not connect the head cut to the body cut.
- Release the body. The squatting body is one large plug with a thin white slit between the front leg and the belly; cut both sides of that slit gently so it stays standing. Work the arched back and tail last, leave a small tab at the rump attached until the end, then support the plug and cut it free.
Clear loose fibers out of each opening as you go, and never twist or pry the blade against the shell; back it out and recut instead. When every piece is out, wipe the cut edges dry and drop in a battery LED puck.
Tools you'll need
For a beginner-friendly carve like this you'll want a paring knife, spoon / scoop, marker, and led pumpkin light. Here's the kit we reach for, but start with whatever you already own.
Elmchee Pumpkin Carving Kit
13-piece kit with carrying case
Saws for the larger cutouts, plus a scoop for hollowing. Covers both jobs in one kit.
View on Amazon ↗
HOME MOST LED Pumpkin Lights
4-pack, battery operated, with remote + timer
Orange glow made for jack-o'-lanterns. The remote and timer light the pumpkin every evening without reaching inside.
View on Amazon ↗
Speedball 4131 Lino Cutter Set
Handle + 5 interchangeable cutters
Interchangeable cutters for peeling and shading the face. Useful for the finer details.
View on Amazon ↗
Reviews from carvers
Every rating comes from a written review by someone who downloaded this stencil.
Carved this one?
Reviews are open to carvers who downloaded the stencil. Grab the free PDF, then come back and tell everyone how it went.
Community Pumpkin Carving Ideas
Carving ideas that use stencils like this one.
Related stencils
More patterns with a related subject. Compare their skill levels before you choose.
Beginner-friendlyFrenchie Kisses Pumpkin Stencil
A French bulldog's unmistakable head, with its big upright bat ears and round cheeks, glows as one large cut-through opening, crowned by three small dots above and a little heart floating below the chin. The design is mostly one generous shape, so it carves quickly and forgives wobbly saw lines. Cut the heart and dots first as warmups, then saw the head outline slowly around those tall ear points.
Beginner-friendlyDachshund with Bone Pumpkin Stencil
A long-bodied dachshund trots across the pumpkin as one big glowing silhouette, with a dog bone floating above and a row of four oval accents below like little paw steps. The dog, bone, and ovals are all pierced through, so the whole scene lights up brightly with just a handful of cuts. Start with a hole in the dog's belly and saw outward, taking the thin legs and tail slowly so they stay crisp.
Beginner-friendlyDreaming of Bones Pumpkin Stencil
A patient pup sits in profile, ears perked and tail resting, while a bone floats nearby with a trail of small dream-bubble dots connecting them. The dog's body, the bone, and the dots are all cut fully through as bold, separate openings, so the scene reads instantly from the street. This easy design has no fragile interior bridges; just cut the large dog body in two or three sections and pop the bone and dots out last for a tidy finish.
Beginner-friendlyPuppy Love Pumpkin Stencil
A floppy-eared puppy sits in profile, tail up, while two hearts float above its nose like puppy love made visible. The dog silhouette and both hearts are cut fully through, so the whole scene glows in warm friendly light with the pumpkin rind forming the night around it. This easy pattern is great for kids with supervision; carve the two small hearts first for practice, then tackle the big puppy shape in comfortable sections.
Beginner-friendlyDashing Dachshund Pumpkin Stencil
A full-body dachshund silhouette trots across the pumpkin, long low back, floppy ear, upturned tail, and short legs all captured in one clean glowing shape. The entire dog is removed as a single cut-through, so light floods the whole outline. This easy design has just one tricky zone: the narrow gaps between the legs. Cut the big body outline first, then carve carefully around each leg so the slim wall strips between them survive.
Beginner-friendlyDog Paw Print
A single oversized paw print sits square on the pumpkin face: one big rounded pad below four oval toe pads. Nothing is pierced through; instead you shave away just the orange skin inside each pad so the flesh glows softly when lit. Because it is an easy shading design, use a loop tool or spoon edge and scrape shallow, even layers, keeping the outlines crisp for a clean silhouette.