It’s an unfortunate part of being a pet parent that you will most likely have to say goodbye to your furry little friend earlier than you would like.
Even with incredibly good care, our dogs simply don’t live as long as we do. Eventually, within 10 to 15 years, a dog will come to the end of its natural life.
Deciding what to do with your beloved friend when that day comes isn’t easy. You may want to stay connected to your dog by keeping an urn of ashes, or burying them at a nearby grave site.
For some people, knowing that their dog is buried in a place close to them, that they can go visit, is a comforting thought.
Others prefer to cremate their animal and let the ashes go in some special place. Both approaches can be valid solutions, depending on your own personal preferences.
If you’re wondering which option is the best for your own situation, here are a few considerations to help you decide if you’d prefer to bury or cremate your dog:
Preparation
It’s never easy preparing to part ways with a dog that has given you so much unconditional love and been such an important part of your life. Unfortunately, that day is bound to come.
For some people, it comes as a surprise, while for others it becomes apparent when their pet is sick and there is no chance of recovery.
Whatever the situation may be, the best way to get through that sad goodbye is to know beforehand what you want to do, so that you’re ready when the day does come.
The last thing you want is to have to make a quick decision about whether to bury or cremate your dog when you’re also trying to process the grief of losing them.
Making arrangements in advance will leave you able to mourn without additional stress, letting you say goodbye to the animal that touched your life and put your focus on remembering them.
Cremating Your Dog
When cremating your dog, you have a couple of options.
The first is to get a dedicated cremation service in which it is just your dog that is cremated in isolation, and the ashes you get are 100% your pet. This form of cremation tends to be a bit more expensive, and it might not be available in your area.
The other solution is to get group cremation for your dog, in which a large batch of pets are cremated all at once and you get ash from the entire group with some belonging to your dog. This option is cheaper and more commonly available.
When you have the ashes, the next step is to decide what to do with them. Some people use the ash to make jewelry, some prefer to spread the ashes in a place their dog enjoyed, and some prefer to keep the ashes in a meaningful urn.
An urn with elephant symbols can be a sweet choice, as elephants represent wisdom, peace, joy, and a connection to the universe.
You can also customize an urn in remembrance of your dog by including the dog’s name, date of birth and/or death, or a meaningful quote.
Burying Your Dog
If you want to bury your dog, there are again a couple of ways this can be done. If you have space in your backyard, or anywhere else on your property, you can bury your pet right at home.
If you live in an apartment or just don’t want to bury your dog at home, you can also have them buried at a local pet cemetery. A lot of people prefer to bury at home because it is quicker, easier, and more affordable.
A home burial is a great option for those that don’t plan to move houses in the future. But keep in mind that if you sell your house, the new tenants will most likely remove the grave and you won’t have much left of your dog.
In this case, consider another way of memorializing your furry friend, like having a custom pet portrait painted from a past photo.
One of the toughest things for families that lose a dog is getting through the situation mentally.
A lot of people that go through the death of a pet can handle the physical side of things, but, even for years after the event, they are unable to get over the emotional and mental loss.
That’s why finding a way of saying goodbye that lets you remember your dog in later years can be so helpful, whether you do decide to bury or cremate your dog.
However, if you feel like your loss has left you struggling with your mental health, be sure to reach out to a professional to get some assistance with your grief.