Keepsake Ornaments for Dog Lovers

Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.

Roger Caras

See this cute little fluff-ball? That's Apollo, and he is our first baby. Long before my boy goblins came along, we drove an hour away to bring this little guy home to join our family. Life with him was an adventure, said lovingly of course.

He journeyed with us cross-country for three moves in the span of three years (thank you, military life). He encountered snow for the first time with us, as well as the humid southern heat. He watched our family grow from three to five in the span of a few months when the new kitty we took home gave birth to a surprise kitten. He then watched us add two more little ones (humans, this time) to the mix. He was with me in my panic attacks and in all of my lows, as well as with us during some of our greatest moments. He truly was the best boy, and he brought us so much joy.

But like any good story, his also came to an end. But not without leaving some beautiful pawprints on our hearts.

We found out Apollo had Lymphoma in July of 2024, and we lost him a month later. We spent those final weeks spoiling him rotten, and he loved every minute of it. We know he had a beautiful life, but we will always miss him.

The Perfect Gift for the Perfect Pooch

I think a lot of people can relate to Apollo's story. There are millions of people across the globe who love their pets like a member of their own family. We certainly did, and still do. The holidays just aren't going to be the same without him. Apollo always loved Christmas because there was a magic sock hanging over the fireplace with a yummy can of food, some kind of exciting treat, and a new toy. Hanging those stockings this year will be a bit of a bittersweet moment for us.

If you are finding yourself in a similar situation this Christmas, an easy way to remember your pup is with an ornament. Our family makes a lot of memories while decorating the tree. Every year, we put on Christmas music, drink eggnog, and decorate together. It's a special time that is usually spent reminiscing over each ornament and the story behind it. Each one has a special memory (and yes, even that ornament of a "Mom" purse with the glamorous mouse sitting on top that I chose as a little girl for myself, for whatever reason, contains a special memory). Think of your Christmas tree as a time capsule: each ornament tells a part of your story.

What better way to celebrate the life of Man's Best Friend than adding another memory to your capsule?

This beautiful ornament is the new, perfect addition to our Christmas tree. I have a passion for line art, and I adore this sweet Golden Retriever; it looks just like our Apollo! And we chose to add a bone so we could put his name on it, which makes me love it even more.

I think even if Apollo was still with us in the physical sense, I would still want this ornament. Fur babies are family too, and I love celebrating them. I have ornaments with pictures of my children on our tree, so why not one for the dog?

The name plate is such a fun touch, too, because you can be as quirky and fun as you want, which I love. I chose to go neutral with just his name, but we could have written his nickname, Pooper (we can all thank my husband for that).

The best part is that we offer several variations of these ornaments, in multiple breeds and with an optional name plate for customization, making them an excellent gift. (I'm half tempted to get one of each breed and just fill the tree with dogs because I love them that much. It would be so stinking cute!)

Blessings, friends!