Losing a dog is one of the most heartbreaking moments any dog parent could ever experience in his life. When our pooches leave us, they leave the same effect as if we lost a family member or a close friend. While we cannot stop our dogs from traversing the Rainbow Bridge, we can still commemorate them in our own little way.
In this article, we have compiled touching dog remembrance gift ideas in 2021 to help honor your dog’s memory forever. As a dog owner, you can pay homage to your loyal friend and help with your grieving process through these simple, but thoughtful ideas.
Get a Tattoo
One heartwarming gift that you can give to yourself is a tattoo of your pooch. Whether it be a depiction of your dog’s face, name, or even its paw on your body, it will surely be a comforting memorial for your furry friend. You have the freedom to channel your creative space here—you can choose to have a minimalist design or have a 3D tattoo of your dog.
Get a Personalized Dog Portrait
While there are many different ways that you can cherish your dog’s memory after they’ve died, one of the most impactful gift ideas is none other than a dog portrait. If you’re the artistic type, you can paint your dog yourself and hang the portrait on your wall. If not, you can always hire a painter to do the job for you.
For instance, Paint Your Life provides a custom-made portrait of your dog to help you celebrate its life on Earth. A hand-made sketch of your dog smiling…Isn’t that a good way to remember your beloved doggy?
Host an Online Dog Funeral
Even during these troubling times, we can still find ways to remember our dog’s impact on our lives. Their love lasts a lifetime–every time we break down or find ourselves in a difficult situation and we need a hand, our dogs give us their paws. As a gesture of love and appreciation, why not host an online dog funeral where you and a small group of friends can speak a few good words about your departed loved one?
Dog owners can simply organize a group video call and start sharing amazing stories about the family dog. This simple act of gratitude goes a long way if we want to cope with the loss of our furry friends.
Volunteer at an Animal Shelter
If there is a special way to memorialize your dog and ease the pain of their passing, you can also opt to do volunteer work at a local animal shelter. Donate supplies to other animals in need of special treatment or offer any sort of help to an animal rescue center. Or through our dog foundation.
The experience may sound overwhelming (especially if you’re still in the grieving process), so we advise that you take your time to mourn your dog’s loss. However, once you feel a little better, you will realize that volunteering at an animal shelter can be a rewarding experience!
Plant a Tree
One of the best ways to memorialize your pooch’s passing, while being conscious of the environment at the same time, is by dedicating a pet loss memorial tree! These honorary dog trees are planted in a joint effort to restore forests and revive lush green spaces within communities. Imagine a proud tree named after your dog — isn’t that awesome?
For example, a plethora of non-profits in the US are offering plant-a-tree memorials for pets to help rehabilitate national forests that have been damaged by insects, wildfires, and other natural disasters. It’s the perfect way to immortalize your pooch as a superhero!
Create a DIY Scrapbook
If you’re on a budget and you still want to create some special memorabilia for your pet doggy, don’t fret. A DIY scrapbook is one of the best and most heartwarming gifts you can give to yourself. In a world where most dog photos are stored on our phones, a simple scrapbook or photo album becomes that much more special! You can buy a plain photo album and some DIY materials from an arts and crafts store, then proceed to create your very own scrapbook.
Remember, photo albums require a little creativity, so don’t be afraid to buy stickers, cut-outs and other materials to make it as personal as possible! Every time you feel lonely and miss your pooch, you can always look at your DIY scrapbook to make your heart flutter again.
Share Your Dog’s Favorite Hobby
They say dogs can cure any type of sadness with a single hug. And while the universe dictates when it’s time for them to cross over to the next life, one of the best ways to honor your pooch is to share its favorite hobbies with other dogs. Your doggy might have liked playing fetch with a frisbee, or was obsessed with chewing on a bone toy — why not spread your dog’s happiness with other pooches? After all, there is no greater feeling than seeing your pet’s smile in other dogs again.
No dog owner will ever be prepared for their pets’ departure, and most of us don’t even want to think of what we will do once our doggies leave us for the Rainbow Bridge. By giving ourselves these dog remembrance gifts in 2021, we can provide a little relief in a time of despair.
