After We Say Good-Bye

By Jon Bastian
Cesar's Way

It’s a sad but unfortunate fact that dogs do not live as long as humans, so it’s also inevitable that every dog lover must say good-bye to their beloved pet at some point. However, gone does not mean forgotten. Recently, we asked Cesar’s fans how they have memorialized their pets.

The answers were numerous, but there were many similar themes. Here are some of the most common ways that you have kept your pets’ memories alive.

Ashes

It’s quite common for people to have their deceased pets cremated, but there are a large variety of ways that people handle the ashes afterwards. For some, scattering them in their dog’s favorite place, like a special spot in the yard or a hiking trail, is the method of choice.

One family’s experience is typical and moving. They explained how they “hiked up to Vivian Creek with Vinnie's ashes. We placed him on this rock outcropping facing the valley below, next to a waterfall.” After setting some flowers on the ashes, they “watched as the wind start(ed) to slowly carry him away. Now he is part of this place he loved. A beautiful final resting place for the best dog ever.”

Special urns and memory boxes are very common, with some unusual variations. Cesar fan Julie McMaster reports that, after their dog Heidi passed, they “had a small portion of her ashes sewn inside a custom teddy bear, for the sake of our two young children. It is embroidered with her details and a lovely quote, and whenever they miss her they can cuddle the teddy and feel close to her.” The rest of her ashes are in an urn that looks like a rock, in the back garden under her favorite tree.

Trees

Others prefer to create living memorials with the ashes. Linc Turner explained his ritual for his dogs. “They each get their own dogwood tree planted, with some of their ashes placed in the hole, white flowers for the boys, and pink flowers for the ladies.”

Planting trees is a rather common form of memorial, as well. Rafael Uribe reported to us, in Spanish, that he saves the hairs from the tip of the dog’s tail, and plants a sapling for each of them. Misty Selling Dueck planted a tree in honor of her dog Scout. She told us, “The kids sit by the pretty tree when they want to remember him.”

Giving

A number of people have used their pet’s passing as incentive to help others, through businesses, foundations and charities. Brian Arnold started the Cyrus Foundation, named after his Doberman. Their mission is to help people with final expenses, from vet bills to memorials.

Working mostly from veterinarian referrals, in addition to helping with those expenses, Brian explains, “I drop off teddy bear urns and small pendants the day of so that they don't have to go home empty handed. My memorial to Cyrus is to continue to spread the "dog love" that he so selflessly and patiently taught me about.”

Read more: http://www.cesarsway.com/dog-care/senior-dog/After-We-Say-Good-Bye#ixzz2eWUhkrJH