Similar to This
View all stencils →About this 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. This design is rated Beginner-friendly and takes most carvers around 30 minutes from trace to glow. Great for kids and first-timers. Big shapes, short cuts.
Pumpkin size guide
- 🎃 Small (5–7") — print at 80%
- 🎃 Medium (7–10") — print at 100% (recommended)
- 🎃 Large (11–13") — 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 at 100% for a 7–10 inch pumpkin, 130% for 11–13 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 5–10 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 double the lifespan.
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 dark numbered regions on the printable pattern are the pieces you remove, and everything white stays attached. The numbers give you the safest carving order, and the steps below walk through them one by one. Plan on about 45-70 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
- Open the four lower ovals. Cut all four regions marked 1 beneath the dog. Preserve their unequal sizes, outward tilts and slightly staggered heights. Keep every oval separate from the feet.
- Cut the bone above the back. Cut region 2 around its four rounded lobes and straight middle. Preserve both end notches and the wide white band above the dog.
- Follow the long dog outline. Cut region 3 around the low muzzle, hanging ear, long back, three visible short foot ends and raised tapered tail. Preserve the open spaces under the belly and between the rear feet. Support the broad plug before release.
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 region is open, 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 — 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 ↗
Community Pumpkin Carving Ideas
Carving ideas that use stencils like this one.
Related stencils
Carvers who liked this one also downloaded these.
Beginner-friendlySeated Dog with Bone and Dots
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-friendlyFour-Toed Paw Above Broad Bone
A four-toed paw print floats above a big classic dog bone, a simple two-part salute to the family pup. Both shapes cut fully through: the four toe pads and rounded palm glow as separate openings, and the chunky bone shines below them. It is a forgiving beginner carve because every shape is wide and rounded; just space the toe pads carefully when transferring the pattern so the skinny walls between them stay intact.
Beginner-friendlyWide Paw with Four Oval Toes
A big friendly paw print with a broad rounded pad below four plump oval toes arranged in a gentle arc. All five shapes are cut fully through, turning the pumpkin into a glowing tribute to your favorite four-legged friend. This is one of the easiest patterns to carve well; cut each oval toe first while the wall is strongest, then remove the large pad in two halves for clean edges.
IntermediateBone Below Two Paw Prints
A large dog bone glows across the lower face of the pumpkin with two paw prints stamped above it, each paw built from a rounded pad and four little toes. All pieces are cut fully through, so the bone and paws shine like a porch sign for the neighborhood's favorite dog. A gentle medium carve; punch out the sixteen small toe and pad holes first, then saw the bone in halves, meeting in the middle.
IntermediateUpright-Eared Bulldog Face
An adorable French bulldog face with the breed's signature upright bat ears glowing at the top, round eyes, a button nose, and a tidy mustache-like muzzle with a small mouth below. The ears, eyes, nose, and muzzle are pierced openings while the skin between them shapes the flat Frenchie face. At medium difficulty the big ear panels are easy, but take care around the narrow gap between the nose and mouth so the bridge stays intact.
IntermediateFloppy-Eared Labrador Muzzle
A lovable Labrador face with two glowing floppy ears, round eyes, a rounded triangle nose, and an open smiling muzzle beneath. The big ear panels and the mouth cut fully through, while narrow skin bridges separate the nose from the jowl lines. A medium carve thanks to those bridges; cut the small eye and nose openings before the large ears so the face area keeps its strength while you work.