This standing 2-part puppy with a tiny tail takes no time to whip up and yields adorable results. Its final expression is up to you to create. It’s good fun to make a litter of them to amuse kids or have kids make them themselves.

If you’ve seen many of my crafting posts, you’ll know that I like to make a batch of whatever I’m making with one defining element…variation. There are five parts to this post where you will see 2 variations for both the pup’s head and body. Part 1 – pup’s body, parts 2 to 3 – heads with ears upright and down, and part 4 is reserved for a long body for a dachshund. As for the finale I’m introducing a kennel as well, folded simply with a single piece of paper.

SUPPLIES

• Square and rectangular sheets of Kraft paper or other papers, especially textured ones, in shades of beige, black, grey or white.
• Glue
• Black/brown marker or ballpoint pen
• Optional: coloured pencils, Glossy Accents, double-sided tape

HOW-TO STEPS

① Puppy’s body

1. On a piece of square, half diagonally.
2. Fold in the right end to make crease A.
3. Fold out a little flap.
4. This flap is to form crease B.
5. Unfold to reveal A and B.
6. Spread open a little along A, then push crease along B inwards. This completes the tail.
7. On the left side, make a fold as shown.
8. Spread it open.
9. Fold down the top section.

② Puppy’s head with upright ears

1. Get a piece of square.
2. Fold half diagonally.
3. Fold up a flap on the right, as shown.
4. Spread open the flap.
5. Fold down the peak.
6. Repeat on opposite side.
7. Make a crease to look like a nose bridge.
8. Or make a small fold up.

③ Puppy’s head with drop ears

1. Get a piece of square.
2. Fold in half diagonally.
3. Fold down a ear flap as shown.
4. Repeat on other side.
5. Fold a little of the bottom peak up.
6. Unfold, then backfold the flap.
7. Repeat on other ear.
8. Bend a little portion of the top behind.
9. Make a small fold up as shown. That’s for the nose.

Next comes my design for a dachshund’s body which allows it to pair with the head with drop ears. The dimension for the body is about the same width as the head, while the length is about 2.5cm to 3cm longer than the width. Eg. if head = 5cm x 5cm, body = 7.5cm to 8cm x 4.5cm to 5cm.

④ Dachshund body

1. Prepare a rectangular piece of paper.
2. Fold in half lengthwise.
3. Fold back a triangle flap on the right. Crease well.
4. Fold in a triangle. Crease well.
5. Fold out a smaller triangle. Crease well.
6. Unfold the last 2 steps to reveal crease lines A and B.
7. Spread open along crease A.
8. Then push the crease along B inwards. This complete the tail.
9. At the front of the body, make a small fold inwards, as shown.
10. Fold down the top section to flatten.

Next is the kennel (or a barn if you like) which has an opening on one side and is closed up on the other. The steps may seem lengthy (and lengthy it was when it came to editing and arranging them in Photoshop!) but I’ve tried to make them less complicating. Though the folds could get confusing, use coloured pens to mark the different creases and points to make it easier on the eyes.

HOW-TO STEPS

⑤ Kennel

FRONT

1. Get a piece of square.
2. Fold in vertical half.
3. Unfold.
4. Fold in a quarter. Crease well.
5. Fold in another quarter. Crease well.
6. Unfold.
7. Fold in horizontal half by pinching only the corners, don’t crease.
8. Unfold.
9. Fold in the opposite side to meet middle crease.
10. Fold in other side to meet middle crease.
11. Unfold. Identify the quarter creases.
12. Fold in a bottom triangle to meet quarter crease.
13. Repeat on the right side.
14. Unfold.
15. Fold to meet quarter crease. Identify A, AL on the left and AR on the right.
16. Fold up point A to the left to meet quarter crease. Crease well.
17. Likewise point AL to quarter crease. Crease well.
18. Unfold.
19. Repeat steps 18-21 on the right side with AR.
20. Turn over.
21. Identify areas B, C, and creases DL, DR, EL and ER.
22. Lead DL crease onto EL edge.
23. Lead DR onto ER edge.
24. Apply glue on B. I’m using a tape runner.
25. Paste C on B.
26. Make creases more profound to help the structure take shape.

BACK

1. Fold in a bottom triangle to meet quarter crease.
2. Unfold. Repeat on right side.
3. Unfold. Identify points F to K.
4. Bring F to J. Unfold.
5. Bring G to I. Unfold.
6. Bring H to J. Unfold.
7. Bring G to K. Unfold.
8. Turn it over.
9. Lead crease along M to M1.
10. Lead crease along N to N1.
11. Unfold.
12. Lead crease 0 to P.
13. Unfold.
14. Bring point Q to R.
15. Bend in M2 and N2 .
16. Apply glue to secure flaps.

MORE FUN PLAY IDEAS

Here are some ways to incorporate a little more fun into the pups, I’m recommending 3.

1. Prepare the heads and bodies leaving out the drawing of their faces, then paste double-sided tape inside the head (or behind the pup’s body). Hand them out to have the kids fill in the faces and let them position the heads. A tilted head looks cuter.
2. Like I mentioned earlier, make a litter of these pups just because they look better, then store/hide them within the kennel. You can also hold all of them together using a loom band which is small and fits my pups, with the largest measuring close to 3cm tall in its body height and 5.5cm (square size for the head).
3. Give some subtle dimension to the pups by going over their drawn eyes and noses with a dimensional glue like Glossy Accents.

To see more ideas on using Glossy Accents, check out this 2 posts where I used it as an adhesive with good results.