Abstract: The catechol groups on 3-methacrylamido dopamine (DMA) were observed to form reversible hydrogen bonds, and the target of self-healing for the material can be achieved through these hydrogen bonds. In the present study, a series of dopamine-containing polyacrylate emulsions were synthesized by the emulsion polymerization. It was found that the resulting film exhibited the self-healing ability when DMA was added, and the healing efficiency varied with the amount of DMA. The tensile test showed that 113% of elongation at break could be recovered when 0.60% of DMA was added, achieving the best repair efficiency. When 2.42% of DMA was added, the obtained film exhibited the best recovery ratio of tensile strength (up to 229.19%). However, when 0.60% of DMA was added, it was found that the polymer film could have best integrity upon repairment with the aid of optical microscopy and scanning electron microscope. In conclusion, the synthesized dopamine-containing polyacrylate emulsion has the potential to be applied to construct the self-healing coating of leather when 0.60% of DMA is added.