Dog Crossword Puzzle Printable

Print an easy criss-cross dog crossword of short words such as Wag and Paw, or press New puzzle.

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Dog Crossword

Read each clue and write the answer in the squares that start at its number, one letter in each square.

This grid is wider than a phone screen, so it scrolls sideways. It prints whole.

Tap a square, and its clue shows here.

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Word bank

  • Akita
  • Fetch
  • Hock
  • Paw
  • Tag
  • Treat
  • Walk
  • Yelp

Type in a square and the next one takes over. Tap the same square again, or press Space, to switch between Across and Down. Arrow keys move around the grid, Enter goes to the next clue, and a clue takes you to its squares.

Print gives 2 pages on Letter or A4: the puzzle with its clues, then the answer key. The squares print 10 mm wide. For a PDF, choose Save as PDF in the print window.

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Answer key: Dog Crossword

1T2AKI3TAGR4YELPA5FETC6HO7PC8WALKW

Across 2 AKITA · 4 YELP · 5 FETCH · 8 WALK

Down 1 TAG · 3 TREAT · 6 HOCK · 7 PAW

Next step Find dog breeds in a word searchPrint more dog word puzzles

All 155 clues

Show all clues and answers

Dog Breeds 32

  • Akita Large, curly-tailed breed of northern Japan's mountains
  • Basset ___ hound: low-slung, long-eared French tracker
  • Beagle Merry little hound that sings out a loud bay on a rabbit trail
  • Bloodhound Wrinkled, droopy-eared tracker famous for its nose
  • Boxer Square-jawed German breed that shares its name with a fighter in a ring
  • Bulldog Stocky English breed with a flat face and loose, wrinkled skin
  • Chihuahua Smallest recognized breed in the world, first from Mexico
  • Collie Long-nosed Scottish herder with a flowing mane of hair
  • Corgi Short-legged Welsh herder with tall upright ears
  • Dachshund Low, sausage-shaped digger from Germany, nicknamed the wiener dog
  • Dalmatian Spotted breed whose newborns are plain white
  • Great Dane Giant German breed, among the tallest of all
  • Greyhound Slim, deep-chested racer, among the fastest of all breeds
  • Husky Thick-coated sled puller first bred in Siberia
  • Labrador Friendly breed in black, yellow or chocolate, often trained to lead the blind
  • Malamute Powerful Alaskan freight hauler, bigger than its Siberian cousin
  • Mastiff Huge, heavy English breed with a broad head and a dark mask
  • Mutt Dog of mixed or unknown ancestry
  • Newfoundland Giant, web-footed swimmer named for a Canadian island
  • Pointer Bird dog that freezes and aims its nose toward hidden game
  • Pomeranian Fluffy toy breed named for a region on the Baltic Sea
  • Poodle Curly-haired breed that comes in standard, miniature and toy sizes
  • Pug Small breed with a wrinkly, flat face and a tightly curled tail
  • Retriever Type of gundog bred to bring back birds; the golden is one
  • Rottweiler Sturdy black-and-tan breed named for a German town
  • Saint Bernard Massive breed of the Alps, kept by monks at a mountain pass
  • Samoyed Fluffy white Siberian breed with an upturned, smiling mouth
  • Setter Long-haired bird dog; the Irish kind is deep red
  • Shepherd German ___: large, clever breed first used to herd sheep
  • Spaniel Silky, long-eared type such as the cocker or the springer
  • Terrier Small, feisty type first bred to go after animals in their burrows
  • Whippet Slim English sprinter, smaller than its famous racing cousin

Parts of a Dog 23

  • Belly Underside that many dogs love to have rubbed
  • Canine Pointed tooth; also any member of the dog family
  • Dewclaw Extra toe high on the inside of a leg that does not touch the ground
  • Elbow Joint of the front leg, close to the chest
  • Fang A wolf's long, sharp front tooth
  • Flank Side of the body just ahead of a back leg
  • Fur A coat of it keeps a dog warm; it sheds onto the sofa in spring
  • Hackles Hairs along the back that stand up when a dog is alarmed
  • Haunches Hips and upper back legs, where a sitting dog rests
  • Hock Backward-pointing joint halfway down a hind leg
  • Jowls Loose, droopy cheeks
  • Molar Flat-topped tooth far back in the jaw, used for crushing
  • Muzzle Jaws and nose together; also a strap-on cover for them
  • Nostril One of two openings for breathing and smelling
  • Pads Rough, cushiony soles under the toes
  • Paw Foot with tough cushions underneath
  • Ribs Curved bars of the skeleton around the heart and lungs
  • Snout Long front of the face: nose and jaws together
  • Spine Backbone
  • Tongue It hangs out during panting
  • Undercoat Soft, dense inner layer of hair that keeps a northern breed warm
  • Whiskers Stiff feeler hairs beside the mouth
  • Withers Top of the shoulders, where a dog's height is measured

What Dogs Do 28

  • Bark A dog's loud, sharp call
  • Beg Plead with big eyes for a bite of dinner
  • Bury Hide something under dirt for later
  • Chase Run after a squirrel
  • Chew Gnaw on a slipper
  • Dig Scoop out a hole in the flower bed
  • Drool Drip slobber at the sight of dinner
  • Fetch Game of racing after a tossed stick and trotting it back
  • Growl Low rumbling warning from the throat
  • Heel Command to keep close at a person's side on a stroll
  • Howl Long, wailing cry that wolves also make
  • Lick Greet a face with a slobbery swipe
  • Nap Afternoon snooze in a patch of sun
  • Nuzzle Push a wet nose softly into a friend's hand
  • Obey Do what a command says
  • Pant Breathe fast with the mouth open to cool off
  • Roll ___ over: trick done on the back
  • Romp Play in a lively, bouncy way
  • Scratch Rub an itch with a back foot
  • Shake Offer a front foot to a person's hand; also fling off bathwater
  • Sit First command that many young dogs learn
  • Sniff Take quick little breaths through the nose to smell something
  • Stay Command to remain in place
  • Tug ___-of-war: game with a knotted rope, one end in a dog's teeth
  • Wag What a tail does when its dog is delighted
  • Whine Thin, pleading cry of a dog left behind a shut door
  • Yelp Short, sharp cry of surprise
  • Zoomies Sudden wild dash in circles around the yard, in slang

Jobs Dogs Do 22

  • Avalanche Snow slide after which a trained dog may search for buried skiers
  • Detection Job of smelling out hidden things in airport luggage
  • Flock Many sheep moving together across a hillside
  • Guard Protect a home or a herd of goats
  • Guide dog It leads a person who cannot see across a busy street
  • Handler Person who works a dog and gives it commands
  • Harness Set of straps a working dog wears around its chest
  • Herding Job of moving cattle where the farmer wants them
  • Hunting Job of finding and bringing back game birds
  • Mascot Costumed or live animal that cheers on the sidelines for a school
  • Musher Driver standing on the runners behind a dog team
  • Patrol Go a regular round to keep watch
  • Police dog Partner of an officer, often called a K-9
  • Rescue Search and ___: the job of finding lost hikers
  • Scent Smell left behind that a hound follows
  • Service dog Trained helper that may open doors or pick up dropped keys for its partner
  • Sheepdog Farm worker that keeps the woolly ones together
  • Sled dog One of a harnessed team pulling a driver across snow
  • Tracking Following a trail by smell
  • Vest Short jacket that marks a working dog on duty
  • Watchdog It sounds the alarm when a stranger comes to the door
  • Whistle A farmer's signal to a far-off working dog

Caring for a Dog 28

  • Adopt Take a homeless pet into your family
  • Bath Soapy scrub in the tub after a muddy day
  • Bone Classic thing to gnaw
  • Bowl Round dish on the kitchen floor, filled at mealtime
  • Brush Bristled grooming tool for a shedding coat
  • Checkup Routine visit to the animal doctor
  • Collar Ring of leather or nylon worn at the throat, with a buckle
  • Crate Wire or plastic den for a dog indoors or in a car
  • Flea Tiny jumping insect that makes a pet itch
  • Groom Clip, comb and tidy a coat
  • Kennel Place that boards dogs while a family travels
  • Kibble Dry pellets poured from a bag at mealtime
  • Leash Long strap that keeps a dog close on the sidewalk
  • Microchip Rice-sized ID placed under the skin and read with a scanner
  • Owner The human a pet goes home with
  • Pack Group of wolves or wild dogs
  • Pedigree Written family tree of a purebred
  • Pooch Slang word for a dog
  • Puppy Dog less than a year old
  • Shampoo Sudsy liquid rubbed into a wet coat
  • Shelter Where homeless dogs and cats wait to be adopted
  • Tag Small metal disc engraved with a name and phone number
  • Tick Eight-legged pest that latches on in tall grass
  • Train Teach commands step by step
  • Treat Biscuit handed over for a trick done right
  • Vaccine Shot that helps a body fight off a disease
  • Vet Three-letter name for someone with a stethoscope and a waiting room full of pets
  • Walk Daily outing on foot

Cats, Too 22

  • Calico Cat with patches of white, black and orange, almost always female
  • Catnip Minty herb that sends many cats into a happy frenzy
  • Claws Sharp nails that a cat can pull back in
  • Feline From the Latin for cat: a word for lions, tigers and house pets alike
  • Hiss Angry warning sound, like air leaving a tire
  • Kitten Cat less than a year old
  • Knead Push with the front feet in turn, as if making bread
  • Lap Favorite warm seat on a sitting person
  • Maine Coon Very large, shaggy breed named for a New England state
  • Meow What a cat says
  • Mouser Cat that is good at catching small rodents
  • Nine Number of lives in the old saying about cats
  • Persian Fluffy, flat-faced breed named for an old empire in Asia
  • Pounce Leap suddenly onto a toy mouse
  • Prowl Move quietly, looking for something to catch
  • Purr Rumbling hum of a happy cat
  • Siamese Pale breed with dark face, ears, feet and tail, first from Thailand
  • Sphynx Breed known for having almost no hair
  • Stray Pet with no home, wandering the streets
  • Tabby Cat with a striped or swirled coat and an M on its forehead
  • Tomcat A male of the purring kind
  • Yarn Ball of wool that a cartoon cat bats around

How this list was compiled: Clues written for this site for elementary classes and dog lovers: dog breeds, parts of a dog, what dogs do, jobs dogs do, caring for a dog, and a set of cat words. Every answer is an entry in Wiktionary (en.wiktionary.org), and each fact about a breed or a body part was checked against English Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org, CC BY-SA 4.0) in October 2026. Clues describe; none gives pet-care advice. Licence: own work

How it works

This dog crossword puzzle is a printable vocabulary crossword for dog lovers of any age: breeds, parts of a dog, what dogs do, the jobs dogs do, and caring for a dog. A sixth set has cat words.

Read the full guide

Six sets and a short one

Short Dog Words keeps answers to 5 letters or fewer: Pug, Wag, Paw, Vet. Dog Breeds has Dachshund, Samoyed and Great Dane. Parts of a Dog has Withers, Dewclaw and Hackles. What Dogs Do has Fetch, Nuzzle and Zoomies. Jobs Dogs Do has Guide dog, Musher and Avalanche. Caring for a Dog has Kibble, Microchip and Pedigree. Cats, Too has Tabby, Calico and Catnip.

A look and a homeland

Breed clues give both: the short-legged Welsh herder, the sausage-shaped digger from Germany, the curly-tailed breed from northern Japan.

  • For a dog and cat crossword puzzle, printable as one grid, choose All under Clue set.

Questions and answers

Is this an easy dog crossword puzzle?

The opening set is. Short Dog Words holds answers of 5 letters or fewer with a word bank under the clues, which suits about grades 2 and 3. Dog Breeds is harder. These bands are our judgment, not a published standard.

Which dog breeds are in the crossword?

Breeds and types from Pug, Corgi and Beagle to Rottweiler, Pomeranian and Saint Bernard. The full list opens under Show all clues and answers.

Does the dog crossword print with an answer key?

Yes. The key prints as the last sheet, after the puzzle, and the line beside Print gives the page count.

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