Can I just be totally honest? I still really miss my dog, Baby, who passed about a year ago.
I never made anything to commemorate her sweet life yet as I could not decide, but I’m going to choose a very special gift this year to remember her always.
Mother’s Day can be complicated on lots of different levels, and I don’t want to discount us missing our furry family members as pets are family too.
You loved them the way mothers love. You worried about them, you rearranged your schedule for them, you know their favorite spot to be scratched and the exact sound of their breathing when they finally fell asleep. And now that quiet is different.
So in the spirit of honoring the love and offering a few pet loss gift few ideas, here’s my personal Mother’s Day wish list. These are the things I genuinely want to help me remember my Baby gal that I’m carrying in my heart. Perhaps it will help you too.
1. A Dogkind Pet Memorial Candle with My Baby’s Name
There’s something about a candle that makes grief soften, an outlet, at least for me. The Dogkind pet memorial candles are lovingly poured and custom-made with your pet’s name. Lighting a candle creates a small ritual of remembrance as I mentioned in my former blog post sharing about losing some of our other pets. I know I’ll order one of these, a personalized pet memorial candle, because she had a name, and I want to say it and remember it always.
In fact, Dogkind Candles are part of the pet loss care packages we offer here at the Greyboy Pet Portraits Shop. People really seem to love giving these as gifts.
2. A Necklace with Her Ashes
I’ve always been drawn to the idea of carrying her with me, literally, as she was always RIGHT by my side. There are beautiful, subtle jewelry options now, small pendants and lockets that hold a tiny amount of cremains. I like this pet cremation ashes necklace on Etsy. You’d never know what it was unless you told someone. I’d know. And that’s enough.
3. A Keepsake Memorial Collage — One I’d Make for Myself
This one is close to my heart because it’s what I do, but normally for others’ pets who have passed and want a special pet portrait memorial keepsake collage. I’d take her fur, her ashes, her nose print, all the little mementos I’ve been saving, and create one of my own hand-etched memorial collages. Having those physical pieces of her worked into one beautiful artwork collage for my home, there aren’t words for that kind of comfort.
If you’d like one made for you or for someone you love, you can find a picture of that and more info at the Pet Memorial Keepsake Collage here.
4. Something for the Garden
I like the idea of a small memorial marker: something that could nestle in a plant pot or sit on a garden side table. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. A small stone with a name, a garden stake with a name or paw print, something that says: she used to lay by here, and she is still loved. Baby LOVED the sun and really enjoyed our balcony so I’ll be purchasing a little something for our balcony.
For the Pet Mom in Your Life
If you’re looking for a Mother’s Day gift for someone who is going through pet loss right now, any of these would be deeply meaningful. The goal isn’t to take away the sadness, it’s to acknowledge the love that’s still there. UPDATE: Here is the gift my son chose for me – couldn’t love it more! Best thing – having him WITH me to light it! Still savoring this.
And if you’d like to create a memorial portrait as a gift, I’m here. Just reach out and we’ll make something beautiful together.
