Grieving as an experience?

How are you helping families to create an experience of grieving and honoring their deceased pet?

Honoring My Precious Mike The Dog

It's been a rough week with the loss of my beautiful Golden Retriever, Mike The Dog.  As a pet care professional, I've companioned literally thousands of families through this very event.  However, now, it was me that needed the companioning as I actively mourned my loss of a very special love.
Human nature many times puts us in a situation where we assume that "if we know it - then everyone else knows it."  Or possibly even as we know everything within our industry so well that we fail to see its importance to those that don't know as much as we know.
Therefore, I actively watched as the pet funeral home we dealt with for Mikey's final arrangements carefully guided my step-daughter through her choices of memorialization items to remember her dog.  Choices that in many funeral homes I see them saying "People don't want those things" or "I don't want to offend a family by educating them on their options."  I was so thankful that the pet funeral home said none of these things and walked her through her choices diligently.  
And, even though I, as her step-Mom, am in the business, there were still many items that she said "Wow - I didn't know that I could do that - I really like that and want it to remember Mikey."
Don't assume you know your families - and don't assume your families know all of the information that you know.  Guide them. Educate them on their choices.  In the end, the family will thank you that you assisted in creating this absolutely beautiful time for them with memorialization items to truly honor and pay tribute to the life that was shared together,...
Rest in peace, Mike The Dog.

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