Looking for Dog Loss Sympathy Gifts? Do You Know What to Get Someone Whose Dog Died?
Dogs are not merely pets. They might mean so much more to you if you have cared for and treated them with utmost love and care. When someone becomes a dog owner, their dog starts living with them, in their homes just like any other family member. On the unfortunate day when the dog departs from this world, the family that owned him grieves deeply.
If you have ever been in this sorrowful situation, you know how overwhelming and hard it is to forget about your canine friend and move on.
The sadness is the same whether you have owned your dog since his birth or senior years. The amount of time that you have spent with your dog doesn’t matter when it comes to forgetting him.
Sometimes people lose their fur buddies in tragic accidents, and in these cases, it is hardest for them to come to terms with the fact that their dog remains no more.
If someone you know is going through the trauma of losing a pet dog, you might want to gift them a thoughtful present to cheer them up! After all, that is what someone should do when their friend is going through lows.
Simple gestures also go a long way when consoling someone after their dog’s demise. You can check up on them via WhatsApp or call them to let them know they are not alone in it or even send them a condolence card/e-card. Don’t worry if you are unsure about the perfect gift for an ex-dog mom/dad who lost their dog lately. We have crafted this article to suggest you the most thoughtful gift for someone dealing with the loss of a dog.
What You Need to Consider
Before gifting, you should consider 3 things.
1. Be Thoughtful, Not A Big Spender
Firstly, know that it is the thought that counts. Fancy and expensive gifts sure sound great but understand that your friend needs thoughtful presents and consolations, not luxury items when coping with pet loss. Don’t underestimate small sympathy gifts like memorial ornaments or a hand-painted memorial quote by thinking that they’re too trivial and cheap to be gifted. You might not know what your gift might mean to your friend.
2. Custom and Personalized Gifts Are Simply the Best
DIY gifts like photo albums and memorial photo frames are the most meaningful. These personalized gifts are made from hands and heart; hence their value increases exponentially in the eyes of the recipient. Personalization adds that special spark and meaning to the gift. Gifts that have the pet’s name engraved or photographs printed are deeply treasured by people dealing with post pet loss sorrow.
3. Don’t Forget the Note!
After you’re done making/buying the gift, pack it nicely, and don’t forget to add a sticky note on top of it! The sticky note does not need to have paragraphs of text on it, but it should have two to three lines of condolences that should alleviate the ex-dog parent’s pain. The note can contain how sorry you are about their pet’s demise, and they are not alone in this suffering, and that you will be there for them!
There is no one way to write the note. You might think that your 2 to 3 lines of condolences might not make a difference in your grieving friend’s life who is going through extreme sorrow. That is true, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t offer empathy and love. You can even use a sympathy card to give to the grieved one.
How To Write the Sympathy Card?
You know that your words won’t cause your friend’s lament to curb. You must figure out how to write something that is not very cliché, generic, or thoughtless. You can read hundreds of card and post-loss texts online, but your sympathy card won’t have that value until you write it completely out of love and care.
Here are some tips that you can take hold of while crafting the best sympathy card! Happy writing.
1. Write down your feelings
You need to acknowledge the loss of someone who lost their pet dog, and a sympathy card might be perfect for this purpose! A sympathy card is a great start since you tell your friend that you know how much their dog mattered to them, and it is fine to be sad for a while.
2. Include a handwritten note in the sympathy card too
Apart from the sentiment on the card, it would be best if you wrote another note for your grieving friend. Writing a note is like going that extra mile that will guarantee to put a smile on your friend’s face. A handwritten note can contain just a line or two that expresses love and sympathy for the recipient. It is just to make your loved ones realize that you are present with them in their lows.
3. Say The Decedents Name
People are commonly hesitant to speak out the deceased one’s name so that the grieving one doesn’t get reminded of their beloved who has left the world. Saying the name of the deceased might remind the griever of their good memories, which in turn will cause intense emotions to build up in their hearts.
But sometimes, after hearing their beloved’s name, the sorrowful person starts feeling better. A more thoughtful approach would be to add the name of the decedent dog to the sympathy card or note, where you can mention their dog’s name along with your sympathies.
4. To add more meaning to it, add a photograph!
Adding a photograph is even better than writing the decedent’s name. A single photo has so many memories attached and helps to jog memories when the moment becomes forgotten or fuzzy.
The photograph will be like getting one extra moment of the deceased’s life. Similarly, attaching a photograph with a short description might make the receiver cherish the present forever.
The receiver will not only value the present, but they will also know how much you truly care for them. So, if you’re giving someone a sympathy card after the unfortunate incident of their canine friend’s demise, make sure you print out a brightly colored, cheerful photograph of the dog and paste it on the card with a thoughtful note.
5. Lastly, don’t forget to add that last spark of personalization
If you have spent plenty of time around the deceased one, writing down a small memory with him might be easy for you. In those testing times, a funny and cheerful story in the sympathy card would definitely be a mood uplifter for your grieving friend.
The story could also be about some kind, creative, strange, or passionate act by your dog. Try not to add any negative stuff, e.g., the deceased dog’s pain or disease that he ever went through in his life, these stingy memories will only hurt your friend, and you wouldn’t want that ever!
You can include this story on a separate page if it takes up more space than just 2-3 lines. Usually, people collect handwritten notes and stories, so there is a high chance your friend will keep the story with themselves and will also peruse it once in 3-4 months.
All in all, remember the NAIL acronym to craft the sympathy card. Name the deceased. Acknowledge your friend’s loss. Identify their suffering and let them know you are there for them, and finally let them know about your love and care towards them. Happy nailing.
Some More Gift Ideas for You
You may not know where to begin the search for the perfect gift for the loss of a pet dog, but we got you covered. You can take inspiration for some gift ideas that are mentioned below.
Gifts that have the dog’s memories preserved!
Gifts with images, words, or artwork might be the best way to preserve your dog’s special memories. It could also be a beautiful gift that the receiver can hang in their homes and honor their pet dog at the same time!
You can get a painting of your friend’s favorite image of their pet, or you can get the photograph framed. You could also get a quote printed on a sheet, get the deceased dog’s paw painted on it, and get the sheet framed. If the dog’s paw prints are preserved in clay, you can get a memorial stone with the dog’s name and birthdate.
If you’re creative, you could DIY stuff like a scrapbook or photo album with the dog’s photos and short handwritten text. You can also get a customized cushion or a blanket with several photos of their dog over it. A creative shadow box frame could also be an option! This frame will have a photo of the dog and some of his favorite things like toys.
You could also go for a coffee mug that has their dog’s name printed over it. Add some coffee mixes and coffee mate. A keepsake box also sounds great! Include some important items like photographs, collars, and their favorite toys that your friend would keep to preserve their dog’s memories with them.
Looking For Sentimental Pet Loss Gift?
Give your friend a keychain. It could be of the shape of a paw or might be printed with the dog’s photograph, or might be a wooden keychain that has the dog’s name engraved on it!
You can find a cute stuffed toy dog that resembles your friend’s dog. Your friend can hug and cuddle with the stuffed dog when he misses the deceased dog.
You can also go for dog sympathy gifts like charm bracelets with paw prints, dog bones, or even dog food bowls. Engrave the pet’s names on a necklace or a bracelet; it would be the perfect gift to lighten your gloomy friend’s mood!
Give a dog tag if your friend is male. Apart from being used as jewelry, dog tags can be used as keychains and can also be hung from the rearview mirror of your friend’s car.
Sending pet loss gifts to your friend who lost their furry friend speaks about your love, support, and care for them. After reaching the end of this article, we hope you have made up your mind about the perfect gift for your friend who lost his dog.
