Dog Memorial Keepsakes: Choosing One That Fits

Choose a dog memorial keepsake by looking first at the dog: the breed, the coat colour and the way they sat or stood. Then think about the person, whether they would like a name or date on the base and where the piece will sit in their home. A small hand-carved, hand-painted wooden dog is a quiet, lasting option, and it is a decorative keepsake rather than an urn.

How do you choose a dog memorial keepsake?

Start with the dog, not the shop. Most people who lose a dog can describe them in a sentence: a golden retriever who sat by the door, a pug with enormous eyes, a collie who watched the gate. That sentence is your brief. The nearest match in breed and colour will mean more than the most expensive or the most elaborate gift.

Then think about the person. Some owners want something they can see every day on a desk or a bookshelf, and some want something quieter for a bedroom or a corner of the lounge. Size matters for that reason. Our dogs range from palm-sized pieces to ones a little larger, and each product page lists the measurements.

Finally, decide whether you would like personalisation. A name or a date on the base turns a decorative figure into a memorial. If you are not certain that the owner would want that, a piece without engraving is the safer choice, because it can sit anywhere without comment.

Which wooden dogs are chosen as memorials?

The Textured Golden Retriever is a seated golden retriever with a carved fur texture, on a round pine base, and is often chosen as a pet memorial. The Textured Pug is a big-eyed pug with the same carved fur texture, seated on a round pine base. The Tiny Golden Retriever is a small faceted golden retriever and a gentle gift for dog owners and for remembering a much-loved pet.

The Border Collie on Paw Base is carved in a low-poly style on a paw-print base that can be engraved, and the Dog with Bandana is a chunky carved dog with a red polka-dot bandana, available in three coat colours, on an engravable base.

If the dog was one of a pair, the Dog Couple Gift Set is two dogs on a shared base that can be personalised, popular for weddings, anniversaries and Father's Day, and sometimes a good fit for people who have lost one of two.

• Textured Golden Retriever and Textured Pug: carved fur texture, round pine base
• Tiny Golden Retriever: small and faceted
• Border Collie on Paw Base and Dog with Bandana: engravable bases
• Dog Couple Gift Set: two dogs on one base

Which style suits which dog?

Our dogs are made in several styles, and the style is part of the choice. The faceted and low-poly dogs are carved in flat planes, which gives a modern, graphic look that suits a contemporary room. The textured dogs have carved fur, which gives a softer look that suits a dog with a thick coat. Our guide to wood carving styles explains the differences in more detail.

Coat colour is the second point. The Dog with Bandana is available in three coat colours, so it is worth checking the product page before you order. The Tiny Labrador is available in five coat colours and is a lovely small gift for a dog owner, although it is not tagged for memorial use.

If the dog was a mix of breeds, choose the piece that looks closest in colour and size. A perfect match is not necessary, and owners usually see their own dog in a figure that captures the right attitude.

Should the keepsake be engraved?

An engraved base can carry a name, a date or a short message. The Border Collie on Paw Base and the Dog with Bandana both have bases that can be laser-engraved, and so does the Dog Couple Gift Set. Engraving is permanent, so the wording needs to be right the first time.

Keep the wording short. A name is often enough, and a year can be added if the owner would like it. Write it in capital letters, check the spelling with a second person and confirm any apostrophes. If the dog had a long registered name and a short everyday name, use the one the family actually said.

To see which pieces can be personalised, read our personalised gifts page. If you prefer a figure without words, choose one of the pieces that are not sold as engravable.

What should you say when you give it?

Say the dog's name. It is the single most helpful thing you can do, because many people avoid it, and the owner is usually glad to hear it. A short sentence about a memory is better than a long speech, and you do not have to say anything profound.

Do not suggest the owner should get another dog, or that the dog is in a better place, unless you know that the owner would welcome it. Grief for a dog is real, and people around the owner sometimes treat it as less serious than other losses. A gift that takes it seriously matters.

Present the piece simply. A small box or paper and a handwritten card are enough. If you are posting it, put the card on top, so it is the first thing they see when they open the parcel.

Is a wooden dog an urn?

No. Our dogs are hand-carved, hand-painted decorative keepsake figures. They are not urns or caskets, and we do not describe them as holding ashes. They are meant to sit on a shelf, desk or windowsill as a reminder of the dog, and they are decorative items, not toys.

If you are choosing for a family, you may want to look at the cats too. Our cat memorial gift ideas are written in the same spirit, and the collection shows everything in the range.

Frequently asked questions