Most custom pet gifts from LovaPaws arrive within two to four weeks. Production takes 3–5 business days and delivery adds another 5–15 business days to most destinations.
That's the short answer. The rest of this page is the detail — which parts of the process take how long, what's different about hand-painted work, and how far ahead to order for a specific date.
The two clocks
Almost every question about custom gift timing comes down to confusing one thing for two. There are two separate clocks, and they run one after the other.
| Stage | How long | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Production | 3–5 business days | Your photo is reviewed, the design or painting is made, the piece is produced and quality-checked |
| Delivery | 5–15 business days | The parcel is in transit, with tracking emailed at dispatch |
| Total | 8–20 business days | Roughly two to four weeks once you allow for weekends |
Production is counted in business days, and orders are processed Monday to Friday. An order placed Friday evening starts its clock on Monday.
Delivery time by destination
Production is the same wherever you are. Delivery isn't.
| Destination | Estimated delivery |
|---|---|
| United States | 5–15 business days |
| United Kingdom | 5–10 business days |
| European Union | 5–15 business days |
| Canada | 10–18 business days |
| Australia / New Zealand | 5–15 business days |
| Other countries | 5–12 business days |
Canada is consistently the slowest, mostly at the customs stage. If you're ordering to Canada for a fixed date, treat it as five weeks rather than four. Full detail is in our shipping policy.
Printed and hand-painted are on different tracks
This is the one real difference in the process, and it changes what you'll see and when.
Printed and engraved items — portraits on wood, engraved jewelry, printed urns and mugs. You receive a free digital proof by email within 1–2 business days. Production begins only after you approve it. The proof is inside the 3–5 day window, not added on top of it.
Hand-painted items — watercolor portraits, multi-layer acrylic panels, 3D sculpted frames. There's no digital proof, because a painting can't be shown before it exists. The artist paints your piece first, then we email a photo of the finished work before it ships. If it isn't right, we repaint it.
| Printed | Hand-painted | |
|---|---|---|
| You see it | Before production, as a digital proof | After production, as a photo of the finished piece |
| Revisions | Free, before printing | We repaint if it isn't right |
| Production | 3–5 business days | 3–5 days; 4–5 for multi-layer acrylic |
More on the hand-painted process in our guide to hand painted dog portraits.
What actually makes an order slower
Production estimates assume a straightforward order. Four things stretch them, and three of them are avoidable.
A photo we can't work from. This is the most common delay by a wide margin. If your image is too dark, too small, or the face is cut off, we email you before starting — and the clock doesn't move until you reply. Sending a good photo the first time is the single biggest thing you control. See what makes a good pet photo.
Slow proof approval. On printed items nothing goes to production until you approve. A proof sitting unopened for four days adds four days.
Multiple pets in one piece. Combining pets from separate photos into one composition takes longer than a single subject. How multi-pet portraits work.
Peak season. Mid-November through late December is the busiest stretch of the year, and carrier networks slow down at the same time production queues lengthen. This one isn't avoidable — it's just a reason to order earlier.
How far ahead to order
Work backwards from the date, not forwards from today.
Order four weeks before the date you need it. Five weeks for Canada, or for anything in December.
| Occasion | Order by |
|---|---|
| Halloween (Oct 31) | First week of October |
| Christmas | Third week of November |
| Valentine's Day | Mid-January |
| Mother's Day | Mid-April |
| A birthday or anniversary | Four weeks ahead |
These are deliberately given as weeks rather than fixed dates, because production and carrier conditions shift year to year. If a date is tight, message us before you order and we'll tell you honestly whether it will land — that answer is free and it's better than a refund.
If someone's pet has just died
Memorial orders are the one case where timing carries real weight, and it's worth saying plainly: a cremation urn or memorial piece takes the same 3–5 business days to make and 5–15 to ship as anything else. There is no faster track.
If ashes are being returned from a crematorium, those usually arrive within one to three weeks, so ordering an urn as soon as you know is generally the right move — the two timelines run in parallel rather than back to back.
If you're sending something to someone who is grieving, a card that arrives now and a keepsake that arrives in three weeks is usually better received than one parcel that arrives late.
Tracking and what to do if it stalls
Tracking is emailed as soon as your parcel is dispatched. Two things are normal and don't mean anything has gone wrong:
- □ Tracking can take 24–72 hours to show its first scan after dispatch — the carrier has to receive and register the parcel first
- □ International parcels often sit at a customs facility for several days with no update
If tracking hasn't moved in more than five business days, email support and we'll chase it.
Start With One Photo
Every piece is made to order. Tracking on every parcel, worldwide delivery, and you see your piece before it arrives.
Portraits on Wood → Hand-Painted →Frequently asked questions
How long does a custom pet gift take to arrive?
How long does a custom pet portrait take?
Does the design preview add extra days?
Can I get a custom pet gift faster?
Why do custom pet gifts take longer than normal orders?
When should I order for Christmas?
Still have a question? Our FAQ page covers ordering, photos, customization and returns.
