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Best Ways to Hold a Dog Funeral

The loss of a beloved dog is a very emotional time, and it is important to say goodbye.  Some people find it helps the mourning process if they hold a dog funeral.  We suggest ways of holding your own service below. 

Dogs Leave Pawprints on Our Hearts - Greeting CardBuy as a Card Here

While it may seem strange to those without pets, a funeral for a treasured dog is a natural thing to do, especially if you have children.  It can help them come to terms with their loss, and have a special place to go to remember their pet. Pet memorials have been carried out since ancient times.  Mummified remains of pets have been found in Egyptian tombs and in many other countries.  

A dog funeral is an ideal opportunity to explain to children what life and death is all about. That it is natural to feel sad and to cry. That what they are feeling is grief for the loss of their beloved friend.

What Are the Main Elements of a Dog Funeral?

1. Choose whether your pet is to be buried or cremated.  

There are many pet cremation services online, or your vet will arrange this for you.  We have some more advice about this here:

5 Helpful Tips on Pet Cremation  

If you decide to bury your dog, you should check with your local authorities whether this is permitted on your property.  Burial on your own property should be considered carefully and you should take care to avoid any electricity cables, gas pipes or water ways.  

2.  Choose a special place to hold the ceremony

This depends on where you are planning to bury the beloved pet, or scatter the ashes. 

You might have an area of the garden where you can have a small ceremony and bury the pet and have a small stone with the beloved dogs name on it.  You can get all kinds of lovely plaques and stones these days.  

Pet Memorial Stone - If loved could have saved you, you would have lived forever!Click to Find Out More

Some grand houses have even got small cemeteries with headstones for the animals they have loved over the years. There is no shame in admitting that you loved an animal. I have seen many adults sob for the loss of their pet. It is therapeutic and helps the grieving process.

I have a friend who dedicated a garden bench in the pet's name so that she could remember her dog with fondness when she sat there, alone now.

Others have planted a favourite rose or tree over their pets in the garden so that something beautiful reminds them of their wonderful companion. 

3.  Read a memorable poem 

We have a selection of beautiful dog quotes and also some lovely poems that you can read.  

Beautiful Loss of a Pet Quotes

You might like to say a short prayer, or a member of the family might speak about the beloved dog and their happy memories.  

Remember Your Pet with Memorials and Keepsakes

Photographs around the house are a good reminder of the happy days on the beach or in your local park.  There are some lovely photo frames which you can personalise with your dog's name.  

There are gemstones and memorial jewellery into which you can put a pinch of the ashes. You might want to save a lock of hair too. 

Plaques and memorial stones are very popular too.  

Here are some ways to memorialize your pet from our Zazzle store. 

Grieving After Your Dog's Funeral 

We have talked about the grief that loss of a pet can cause, they may have been a part of your life for many years and you have had a loving companion by your side on a daily basis. The house suddenly seems a much lonelier place.

Give yourself time to grieve.  It is a natural process and don't listen to those who think you should be over it in a couple of days.  

Read our page on grief for pets to help you cope.  

Recommended Read: 

The Pet Loss CompanionClick to Read Reviews and Order

Related Pages: 

Pet Memorial Jewelry

Dog Cremation Urns

Personalised Pet Memorial Frames

Where to get help: 

Have You Considered One-on-One Online Grief Counseling? 

Get Expert and Effective Help in the Comfort of Your Own Home

The following information about online counseling is sponsored by 'Betterhelp' but all the opinions are our own. To be upfront, we do receive a commission when you sign up with 'Betterhelp', but we have total faith in their expertise and would never recommend something we didn't completely approve.  

Do you feel alone and sad with no support and no idea how to move forward?  It can be tough when you are stuck in grief to find the motivation to get the most out of your precious life. 

Online counseling can help by giving you that support so you don't feel so alone. You can have someone to talk to anytime you like, a kind and understanding person who will help you to find meaning in life again, to treasure the memories of your loved one without being overwhelmed and to enjoy your activities, family and friends again.

  • Simply fill out the online questionnaire and you will be assigned the expert grief counselor most suitable for you.  It only takes a few minutes and you don't even have to use your name.  
  • Pay an affordable FLAT FEE FOR UNLIMITED SESSIONS.  
  • Contact your counselor whenever you like by chat, messaging, video or phone. 
  • You can change counselor at any time if you wish.
  • Click here to find out more and get started immediately.
  • Or read more about how online counseling works here.  
Woman Crying. Get Started with Online Counselling

Sales from our pages result in a small commission to us which helps us to continue our work supporting the grieving.  

Hypnosis for Grief - 10 Ways It Can Help You

Try a gentle hypnotherapy track to relax the mind. Learn how self-hypnosis can help you cope with grief at any time of the day or night.  

Read more about it here. 

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Grief and Sympathy


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