A Vital Part Of My Life

Oh, how many times have I written about dogs by now? I can't count the times anymore, and I'm sure you can't either. Dogs are a vital part of my life. There are probably people who can remember the blogs of all the dogs I've had to say goodbye to. First Lexxieboy, then Rowan, and at the beginning of this year we had to let go of Lana, and barely a month later our little Myla Muis. After having four dogs for years, that dropped to three, then two, with the arrival of Skipper it became three dogs again for a few years. And after the passing of Lana and Myla this year, we have one dog left. Our dear Skipper is the only dog in the house now. You can imagine that despite having Skipper around, our house still feels empty. What we do have, however, is a heart full of memories, and a cupboard full of standard ash containers where our faithful friends now have their final resting place. Just the standard ash containers that you get from the crematorium. These containers serve their purpose, yes. But it is certainly not the right place to honor our faithful dogs. They are cold ash containers, without the feeling of warmth and love that our dogs always gave us.

Like so many others, we also started looking online for urns. But what we found was often either too standard or far too expensive. In any case, it was never what we were looking for, never something that made us feel good. Of course, you want something beautiful for the animal you loved so much. You want to give that animal a final resting place that does justice to the love and bond that you shared. Of course, I am realistic enough to know that the animal won't notice anything anymore. But for us, it is important to be able to give our loss a place. At the same time, we don't want to burden ourselves with extra financial worries. After all, saying goodbye to our pet was already expensive enough, from the vet to the cremation itself.

We could not find what we were looking for, and if we can't find something, we have to think further. What we wanted was something that was not only functional but also personal and meaningful. A place where we can reflect on the lives of our pets. Something that symbolizes the memories and makes us feel the love that never fades. How do you shape something like that? How do you create a memorial that embodies all of that? After much thought, we knew one thing for sure: it had to be something made of wood.

Why wood?

Wood is a natural material that exudes warmth and durability. It almost feels alive, with its unique patterns and textures that never change. Symbolically, wood often represents growth, strength, and connection to nature. It grows from the earth, remains strong despite the elements, and offers shade and shelter. For us, wood felt like the perfect material to remember our dogs. It gave a sense of harmony and tranquility, something that fits perfectly with remembering a loved one.

In addition, wood is a beautiful material to work with. It offers countless possibilities, from simple, sleek designs to intricate engravings and details. Each type of wood has its character: oak is sturdy and classic, walnut has a deep, rich color, and cherry wood exudes a subtle warmth. Whatever you choose, wood always has that warm, personal look that you can't get with plastic or ceramic.

Woodworking as a passion

Now I also have to say that my partner has a passion for woodworking, and that made it a logical choice for us to create something ourselves. With his craftsmanship and our shared love for our dogs, we wanted to make urns that were both practical and non-standard. We wanted to design something that would not only be a memorial, but also a piece of art. Something that you can proudly place in your home.

Because he unfortunately has much less time to do this, I started making the first urn for one of the dogs myself.

A Warm House

Because I strongly believe that every dog ​​has the right to a roof over its head, a warm house where it can feel loved and at home, I came up with the idea of ​​making a kind of house. But because I have always found the symbolism of temples very beautiful, I eventually came up with an intermediate form for the urn. To me, the urn radiates warmth and security, as if it were a little house, a place where Myla was always safe, loved, and protected. It symbolizes the essence of home, a space filled with love and memories, a refuge that continues to embrace her soul.

At the same time, the urn can be seen as a little temple, a sacred place that honors her precious presence in our lives. The candle on top reinforces this idea, as an eternal flame that continues to radiate her light and reminds us of the love and joy e that she always brought us. The urn has become a kind of spiritual place where our love and respect for Myla come together, it is a symbolic house that we gave Myla when she was still physically present, but now her memories are stuck like a house in our hearts.

A place full of memories

Making wooden urns and other memorial objects is not only about the product itself but also about the emotion behind it. It is a way to create a tangible memory of an animal that meant so much to you. A place where you can stand still for a moment, light a candle, or just sit and think about the beautiful moments you shared. And that bit of emotion, and a bit of symbolism, I miss so often when I search for things online