Spread a 6 inch cake layer with buttercream, and stack half ball cake on top of it. This is the body of the dog. (Trim it down a bit if needed) so that it isn't so tall. This is the back half of the dog.

Arrange the template for the head on top of the remaining 6 inch cake layer. Then stack it in a way that the head is resting on what's left of the 6 inch cake layer it was carved from. This makes up the dog's head and front legs. Trim and shape the arms as needed.

Carve a little notch out of the top front of the head to form the nose. Trim and shape as needed. Trim away back/sides of the dog as needed now that the cake is taking shape so that the proportions look right.

Crumb coat the dog cake with a thin layer of buttercream. If the cake is completely thawed, you may find it easier to pipe the buttercream onto the carved areas and then spread with a spatula.

Trim down the cake board that the cake is resting on to fit the size of the cake, using an xacto knife. Transfer the crumb-coated dog cake to the cake base (two stacked cardboard sheet cake boards wrapped with a plastic tablecloth and secured with staples on the other side.)

Pipe buttercream fur using a grass piping tip. Use small black balls of fondant, flattened, for eyes. For the nose, we used black fondant with a slight heart/triangular shape. Continue to pipe buttercream fur around these features. (The fur was piped a bit shorter around eyes)

Small scraps of cake were used for back feet. Cover with piping.

I made fondant triangle ears. We dusted with pink petal dust in the center. Press into buttercream-frosted head.

Dog's tail is fondant wrapped around a lollipop stick and stick is inserted directly into the cake. Pipe short buttercream fur on tail.

The ball is a rice cereal treat (pre-made), rolled into a round shape, covered with a thin coat of vegetable shortening and wrapped with blue fondant. Trim away the excess and place in front of dog.