Gifts to Give to People Whose Dog Died

If possible, obtain pictures or favored items of your loved one's pet dog. Use the pictures to put together a scrapbook or combine remembrances of the dog and pictures in a homemade memory box. Place items such as the dog's favorite toys, his collar, pictures and a lock of the dog's hair in a decorative wooden or ceramic box. Personalize the box with a label featuring the dog's name or use a stencil to paint it on the surface of the box. Purchase a picture frame decorated with dogs of the same breed as your friend's and use it to frame a photograph of the dog or of the dog and her owner. These items can help your friend cope with the loss of the dog and help her feel closer to him when she sees them.

You can give pet memorial stones or statues to use as a grave marker for the dog or as part of a garden memorial to him. Some statues feature a representation of the breed of dog your friend lost, while others you can personalize with a ceramic likeness of the dog taken from a photo or digital image. Certain retailers of pet memorials will allow you to engrave a garden stone or statue with a custom poem or a few kind words to express your feelings about the beloved dog. A simple angel figure or a dog-shaped paper weight can express your support for your friend while giving her something to place in her garden, in a curio cabinet or on her desk to remember her dog.

Purchase a piece of simple jewelry, such as a locket, and place a miniature copy of a picture your friend's dog inside to make a personalized keepsake. You can also find jewelry featuring representations of specific dog breeds in the form of necklaces, rings and bracelets. As a less expensive option, a simple memorial candle with a holder that features a poem or likeness of the dog gives your friend both a keepsake and a way to remember her dog. Some stores offer customized candles with pictures of the dog etched into the outside surface of the candle itself. Another option is to give your friend a ceramic or wooden figurine that looks similar to the dog that she lost for her to place in a special spot indoors.

One way you can help your friend remember her dog is to give her a portrait to hang in her home. Online retailers offer custom paintings that are created from digital images, which you email to the company or to an individual artist. Depending on its size, its frame, the level of originality that goes into such a portrait and any other custom options, they can range in price from $100 to more than $1,000 at the time of publication. If you are artistic, use a photograph to sketch or paint a portrait featuring your friend's dog yourself; frame it and present it as a gift.

No matter what the size or expense of the gift you give to a friend to remember her dog that has passed, it shows that you care. A simple card expressing your condolences or a book about dealing with the grief of pet loss can be enough to help her cope. A donation to a local dog rescue organization in her name expresses your support and helps other dogs in need. Let her know you sympathize with her loss, and spend time with her; being available for her to talk to about her feelings may be the best gift of all.