A dog memorial gift: their portrait and their name

An engraved pet portrait print of a labrador on parchment, with the name Biscuit beneath

When a dog dies, most people want something that looks like them rather than something that talks about grief. Our pet portrait print is deliberately plain: their head and shoulders engraved in fine lines, large on the sheet, their name beneath, and, if you choose, one small line such as their years. Nothing on the print says more than you write.

From your own photo

Upload a clear photo of their face and we engrave it in the same hand as the rest of the range, so it shows their markings, not just the breed. We keep only the finished engraving, never your photo; Photos and your privacy explains how it is handled.

The photo that works best is well lit, facing the camera, with nothing in front of the face. If the only photos you have are old or blurry, pick the one where the eyes and nose are sharpest, even if it is not the favourite. If no photo is right, choose the nearest of forty-two engraved breeds and pets instead.

Finding the right photo

  • If the best picture is a printed one, lay it flat by a window in daylight and photograph it straight on with your phone, so the ceiling light doesn't leave a glare across the face.
  • Photos passed round on WhatsApp or saved from social media are often shrunk on the way. Ask whoever took it for the original from their phone.
  • A still from a video can work if they were facing the camera: pause where the face is sharpest and take a screenshot.
  • Choose the face over the setting. A close photo of the head on the sofa makes a better portrait than a lovely shot of them far away on a beach.

What to write

  • Their years, for example "2012 – 2024".
  • The name everyone actually called them, if it differs from the official one.
  • A few words of your own, or nothing at all.

You choose the colours, lettering and setting, and you see the exact print before you order.

If you are giving it to someone else

A family member or close friend can usually send you a good photo without it seeming odd. Buying it as a gift is common; the parcel goes out without a receipt or invoice inside, so you can send it straight to them.

Other ways to remember them

  • The same portrait is also available on a mug, a tote bag and a T-shirt, from the same design page.
  • The pet records print is a lighter tribute for a dog who was a character: a certificate of adoption for the day they came home, or their "official record" with what they loved and their known offences. It uses one of our engraved breeds rather than your photo.

The same print works for a cat, a rabbit or a horse; the breed list covers more than dogs.

Start their portrait.