Gifts after the Death of a Dog

Demonstrate your sympathy following a beloved canine companion's death with a gift that honors the lost pet's place in your friend's heart. Commercially available pet condolence gifts range in price to suit small or large budgets. You may also choose to use your skill with words, paints or crafting to create a unique present for your grieving friend or family member.

  1. Photographic Gifts

    • A special photo can form the centerpiece for a gift that memorializes the personality of the deceased dog, or conveys the deep bond between the pet and the grieving person. If you have some crafting skills, use a photo to decoupage a memory box in which the owner can place mementos of his lost friend. If you have $100 or more to spend, find an artist who will create a painting based on a favorite photo. If you have a smaller budget, look for vendors who transfer photographic images to candleholders.

    Physical and Virtual Memorials

    • Many of the ways of memorializing humans who have passed on can also be adapted for dogs. Special headstones for pets who have been buried, or urns for cremated remains, can pay a lasting tribute to a departed canine best friend. If you have a way with words and limited funds, create an online memorial to the lost pet. One website offering the opportunity to post a memorial for a departed dog is In Memory of Pets.

    Natural Tributes

    • You may want to give a bereaved pet owner a piece of nature dedicated to his beloved canine. Choose a tree that can be planted in honor of the dog. If your friend or family member loves to garden, offer flowers that will bloom annually in remembrance of the lost pet.

    Jewelry

    • Your friend can wear a memorial to her dog close to her heart with a custom-created necklace. One way is to give her a pendant featuring a photo of the dog. Another, more literal, way to keep memories close is to give her a gift of a pendant that encloses a small portion of the pet's cremated remains.