When we experience the loss of a family pet, there may be an urge to preserve its memory. When you’ve been friends for a long time, knowing that you’ll have a keepsake to look back on makes the heartbreak of losing a friend much less painful.
Dog taxidermy is a way to do just that. Keep their likeness preserved for perpetuity, so to speak.
But how does the quality of taxidermic work make a difference? Below, we will provide information about how much it cost to taxidermy a dog and other relevant information to help you memorialize the loss of a family pet.
The Price of Dog Taxidermy
Canine companion to a dear memory. Even though the taxidermy price of a dog is a hard choice, it is often made by families who want to remember their beloved pets in a happy way. This is done by preserving their pet’s body, shoulder, head, paw, and tail and customizing the taxidermy to express the family’s unique story.
Depending on the size, custom requests, and quality of the work, the price for such services can vary from hundreds up to several thousand dollars. However, it’s important to consider the sentimental value the taxidermy possessed before deciding on the cost.
If a family just wants to remember their dog without paying for a full-body taxidermy, a memorial paw print or a clay cast of the dog’s nose may be enough. Regardless of which route they choose, preserving the memories of their pup is the ultimate goal.
Factors Affecting the Price of Dog Taxidermy
There are a variety of factors that can influence the cost of dog taxidermy. Keep reading to gain a better understanding of these factors.
Size and Complexity of the Dog
The size and complexity of the dog that dictates the price of canine companion taxidermy is a significant factor to consider. Smaller dogs, such as chihuahuas, tend to be less expensive to have taxidermied due to the size and lack of complexity in the fur and features.
Taxidermy costs more for larger dogs like German Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers due to their size and complexity. This is because each dog needs to be individually taken apart, cleaned, and preserved. This is to provide a true-to-life representation of the pet.
As the size and complexity increase, so does the price of such services. This often reaches up into the thousands of dollars to have a beloved canine companion immortalized forever. Such prices are worth it for those who truly wish to keep a dear memory alive through the art of taxidermy.
Position and Pose
For a little extra cost, pet owners can choose special positions and pose for their pet’s taxidermy. These choices range from a realistic pose that the pet might have done in life to something a bit more creative that reflects the pet’s personality.
No matter what they choose, pet owners who want to remember their pet for a long time can take a picture of it in a position and pose that they will remember. Sending a dead pet’s remains with thoughtful taxidermy may be a beautiful way to remember a loyal companion for years to come.
Condition of the Body
The body of the dog is one of the most important factors that affect the cost of dog taxidermy. A canine companion in good physical condition, when it passed, will be much easier to preserve in its best state. The materials used, the techniques and processes involved, and the labor make up the majority of the cost of taxidermy.
The condition of the body also factors into the amount of time required to prepare it for display, which could also increase the cost. Getting a high-quality piece to remember the dog friend will be more expensive, but it will also be the best way to remember the dog.
Customization and Detail
Dog taxidermy cost is affected by the levels of detail and customization desired. Simple pet preservation services follow a basic protocol for preserving and mounting the pet. While more extensive customization costs increase accordingly.
For example, a standard dog friend can be kept and mounted in its sleeping position for less than $100. This is a simple way to remember your furry friend. But, the addition of details can add to the cost. The parts of the pet preserved, often referred to as tinning and fleshing, can vary in complexity.
A pet with all its parts tinned and fleshed can cost several hundred dollars. Customization, such as hand-painted features, can add extra costs.
Choice of Materials
The choice of materials used in dog taxidermy is an important consideration when having a beloved pet preserved. Depending on the issue of expense and personal preference, the skin of the animal can be either tanned or frozen.
Tanning is the more expensive option and results in a very lifelike display with a long-lasting finish. But freezing is usually cheaper and a better way to preserve food because it doesn’t depend on weather or other changes in the environment.
Other things, like fiberglass, epoxies, and air-drying clay, can also be used to make the animal look as real as possible. Each option’s price depends on the detail and level of realism required.
Labor and Skill of the Taxidermist
The cost of dog taxidermy can vary considerably depending on the labor and skill of the taxidermist. A canine companion can be immortalized in a variety of poses and settings. This ranges from standing guard at the foot of the bed to a scenic portrait of the pet in his or her favorite locale.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that the higher the skill of the taxidermist, the more expensive the taxidermy will be. The taxidermist has to think about how much detail is needed to properly preserve the pet’s body and make the features look the same. A painstakingly detailed and lifelike taxidermy may cost thousands of dollars, while a basic rendering of the pet may cost far less.
Location of the Taxidermist
The price of taxidermy for dogs can vary greatly depending on where you have it done. Different regions will have different taxidermists. Each one sets its own prices depending on the cost of its materials, its expertise, and its overhead.
Generally, taxidermists in rural areas will often have lower prices than those in more urban settings due to lower overhead. The cost of the taxidermied remains of a dog will also depend largely on the species. The more exotic and rare the dog is, the higher the cost of taxidermy due to the work required to turn it into a memorial piece. On the other hand, a regular house pet breed may be far less costly to taxidermy.
Additional Services and Presentation
The additional services and presentation needed to make dog taxidermy truly meaningful can be costly. Any special requests, such as a standing pose, custom coat colors, or an elaborately crafted base, can lead to a considerable increase in cost.
Some requests can even be hard to meet because the same attention to detail must be paid to keep the dog’s structure and shape the same. With all these considerations, it’s easy to see why some of the most involved projects can quickly drive the price tag quite high.
Ethical Considerations and Animal Source
Dog taxidermy is morally important because it shows respect for the source of the animal and takes any laws and rules into account. The production of taxidermy mounts can have environmental impacts. This is due to the need for certain products (such as chemicals, glue, etc.) to create the mount properly. The practice itself has a relatively low environmental impact.
The animal source is a major factor that affects the cost of taxidermy. If the dog has been ethically sourced, collected in accordance with all local laws and regulations, and obtained from a reputable dealer, the cost of the taxidermy service will be slightly higher than if an animal with a less-regulated source is used.
Demand and Lead Time
Due to the increasing demand for dog taxidermy and long lead times for study mounting and preserving, the price of taxidermizing an animal, particularly dogs, has experienced an increase in cost.
The process of preserving a beloved pet from a living creature to a lifelike and unaltered reproduction of the animal is both labor and time-intensive. While tradition has led to a somewhat hefty fee, personalized attention to detail, which is a key factor when preserving memories, has become more expensive with the growing demand.
With taxidermists taking on a maximum of two or three projects a month, the time involved in completing projects increases the cost further. From canine companions to still-life friends, dog taxidermy price tags now reflect the dedication and labor of heart and hands involved.
A Guide on How Much Does It Cost to Taxidermy a Dog
Learning how much it cost to taxidermy a dog is a process that, for some, is peaceful but, for others, can be provocative. With respect for the animals, proper treatment of them should always be on the mind when considering taking part in the activity of pet taxidermy.
For those looking to memorialize their dearest companions, it could be the ideal way to celebrate a life well lived. Inquire carefully before considering taxidermy, and above all, be sure to adore the present time with your four-legged friend.
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