Happy Wednesday, everyone. Today, we’re talking about the worst part of pet ownership: Dealing With The Death Of A Pet.  There are two days of owning a pet that you can’t forget: The first day you bring them home, which is so exciting and the last day of their life when you have to let them go, which is the saddest.  We can only hope to get many happy years together before it happens.

There’s no point in sugarcoating the fact that the death of a family pet will be tough.  I can speak from experience that there will be tears and heartache.  However, taking the right steps while caring for your emotional health is important. The following tips should provide some comfort at this difficult time.

Give Your Dog The Perfect Send-Off

Losing any family member is immensely sad. Your last duty of care to them is to hold a celebration of life, regardless of what you think happens to them after death.  It is ideal to get together as a family to celebrate your pup’s life in the backyard or at their favorite walking spot.

If your dog is cremated, you can store their ashes in a dog urn to keep your pup close to your heart.  A wide range of designs can be found at Memorials.com.  Finding an urn that matches your pup’s look and personality should be easy.

Poems or letters to share memories of your pup may also be read for the perfect send-off.  After our Bear, Bella, and Lady passed, I purchased their urns and put a picture of each one as a puppy next to their urn.  I chose a picture frame that matched their personalities and a photo of each pup I loved most.

Cherish The Memories

Celebrating your pup’s life is a great way to show appreciation for how they touched your life.  However, you won’t just suddenly forget your pup once this event has passed.  The memories will live forever; going the extra mile to cherish them is vital.

You probably have many photos of time spent with your pup.  Services like CanvasChamp.com can turn those into canvas art.  Another effective solution is to create video montages from the clips and photos you took over the years. They will raise a smile in dark times.

It is best to talk as a family when you lose a pet.  Your pet is a family member. Celebrate those times and allow yourselves to grieve.  When my parents’ cat passed away, we decided as a family she would be cremated.  Her name was Boo Boo Kitty, and that name was engraved on her urn.

Investigate The Death

There is a possibility that your pet pooch died of old age.  If this is the case, you should take comfort in knowing your dog had the best life possible.  However, if your dog’s death came earlier than expected, you might consider investigating the reason for their early death.

As you may already know, Maggie has adrenal disease.  Sadly, your pup may have had an illness or condition that contributed to their death.  If this is the case, you may want to have the other pets in your family tested, especially if they are from the same litter.    Letting the other littermates owners know can be a key responsibility in saving their pet’s life.