Dog Urns by Breed: Sizes and Photo Tips
Updated November 2026.
A breed urn from White Doe is a portrait of your own dog, shaped from your photographs, so a Westie, Greyhound or Dachshund urn shows their coat, ears and build rather than a stock breed figure. Below: the size to start with for each breed, from a cited adult weight, and the photos that capture each breed best.
Our dog urns for any breed
| Design | What it offers | Size guide |
|---|---|---|
| Seated dog portrait urn | Chalk off-white cast stone; black plug underneath | Up to 15, 30 or 40 kg |
| Portrait head urn | The head rather than a seated body; black plug closure | Up to 15, 30 or 40 kg |
| Collar urn | Their own collar with the portrait; lift-off lid | Up to 15, 30 or 40 kg |
What size urn for my dog's breed?
| Breed | Adult weight reference | Our starting size |
|---|---|---|
| Westie (West Highland White Terrier) | 6.8–9.1 kg (American Kennel Club breed weight chart (15–20 lb)) | Small–Medium, up to 15 kg |
| Yorkshire Terrier | 2–3.2 kg (breed weight reference) | Small–Medium, up to 15 kg |
| Chihuahua | 1.8–2.7 kg (PDSA breed guide) | Small–Medium, up to 15 kg |
| Dachshund | standard 9–12 kg; miniature 4.5–5 kg (PDSA breed guide) | Small–Medium, up to 15 kg |
| English Bulldog | 23–25 kg (PDSA breed guide) | Medium–Large, up to 30 kg |
| Boxer | 25–27 kg females; 30–32 kg males (PDSA breed guide) | Medium–Large up to 30 kg; Extra Large above 30 kg to 40 kg |
| Greyhound | 25–35 kg (PDSA breed guide) | Medium–Large up to 30 kg; Extra Large above 30 kg to 40 kg |
| Weimaraner | 25–40 kg (PDSA breed guide) | Medium–Large up to 30 kg; Extra Large above 30 kg to 40 kg |
| German Shepherd | 35–43 kg (PDSA breed guide) | Extra Large up to 40 kg; confirm suitability before ordering above 40 kg |
Our size bands describe your dog's weight, not the volume inside the urn. Use your own dog's usual weight rather than the breed average, and ask your crematorium for the actual volume if you want to be sure. Keeping only part of the ashes? Say so when you order. Looking for a French Bulldog? See our French Bulldog urn guide.
Westie (West Highland White Terrier) urn
Adult weight reference: 6.8–9.1 kg (American Kennel Club breed weight chart (15–20 lb)). Our starting size: Small–Medium, up to 15 kg.
A Westie face without losing the eyes in the coat
Choose a photograph with the eyes visible beneath the brow and enough space around the head to show both ear tips. Strong white light can flatten the detail of a white coat, so a softly lit picture is often more useful than a bright flash photograph. Add a side angle showing the beard and the bridge of the nose. If you have photographs from several grooming stages, choose the look you want remembered.
Which haircut should the portrait follow?
A recently trimmed Westie can look quite different from the same dog with a fuller beard and cheeks. Pick one main reference for the outline and explain whether the shorter or fuller coat feels most familiar. Other photographs can show the eyes and ear shape without becoming competing instructions. The chalk-white urn should be chosen for its sculpted features, not as a colour-matched recreation of every shade in the coat.
Yorkshire Terrier urn
Adult weight reference: 2–3.2 kg (breed weight reference). Our starting size: Small–Medium, up to 15 kg.
Long coat, puppy cut or the familiar topknot
For a Yorkie, decide which coat length belongs in the portrait before choosing the reference pictures. A long centre-parted coat, a short pet trim and a tied-up fringe can make the same face look surprisingly different. Send a front view with both eyes visible and a side view that shows where the muzzle ends beneath the hair. If a bow hides the ears, include another picture without it so their shape is clear.
A tiny dog does not mean a tiny exterior urn
The Small–Medium band covers pets up to 15 kg; it is not a promise that the finished urn will be pocket-sized or life-sized for a Yorkie. Choose capacity first, then check the product details for display space. Do not infer the internal space from the size of the portrait. If you only want a reminder without keeping ashes, distinguish a portrait sculpture from an urn before choosing; the two serve different purposes.
Chihuahua urn
Adult weight reference: 1.8–2.7 kg (PDSA breed guide). Our starting size: Small–Medium, up to 15 kg.
Short-haired and long-haired Chihuahua portraits
The coat around the cheeks and ears changes the outline of a Chihuahua face. Choose a front view showing the ear edges, not just the eyes, and a side view with the forehead and nose in focus. For a long-haired dog, include the feathering around the ears and neck. For a smooth-coated dog, clear lighting on the cheek and jaw is especially useful. A dark blanket behind the head can hide the ear outline.
Describe the head you knew, not a breed label
People use apple-head and deer-head when searching for Chihuahua memorials, but the actual photographs are more useful than either label. Show the length of the nose, slope of the forehead and the way the ears rested. If the dog had one ear tilted or a tooth that mattered to their expression, mention it when discussing the reference. Do not assume a feature is clear in a distant whole-body photograph.
Dachshund urn
Adult weight reference: standard 9–12 kg; miniature 4.5–5 kg (PDSA breed guide). Our starting size: Small–Medium, up to 15 kg.
Long back, short legs and the right coat
If the body outline is important, include a level side-on whole-body photograph rather than only pictures looking down at the face. A seated view helps explain how your Dachshund held their front paws and chest. For a wire-haired dog, add a sharp view of the brows and beard; for a long-haired dog, show the ears without them disappearing into bedding. Identify one main reference so different coat lengths do not give conflicting directions.
Miniature versus standard: capacity and proportions
Both PDSA weight ranges sit within the up-to-15-kg band, but miniature and standard are not internal volume measurements. Use your own dog’s weight and ask for confirmation against the volume of ashes. The portrait follows reference proportions; the urn is not sold as a life-sized Dachshund. If the long body silhouette matters more than the face alone, compare the seated portrait with the head urn before settling on the design.
English Bulldog urn
Adult weight reference: 23–25 kg (PDSA breed guide). Our starting size: Medium–Large, up to 30 kg.
Rose ears, a broad face and the lower jaw
An English Bulldog is not a French Bulldog with smaller ears. Choose pictures that show your dog’s folded ear shape, broad cheeks and the line of the lower jaw. A face-on view can hide the short profile, so include a level side photograph too. If the shoulders and stance are part of what you remember, add a whole-body reference. Avoid using a Frenchie gallery example as the only instruction for an English Bulldog portrait.
Choosing a quiet expression rather than a generic Bulldog face
The familiar expression might be a closed mouth with heavy jowls rather than a playful pant. Pick a main photograph and explain what makes it feel like your dog. The canopic jar has a portrait lid and a name panel, but its description rules out open-mouth expressions. The seated and head portrait options have a chalk off-white finish, so a brindle or white coat photograph supplies reference detail without promising those colours on the finished urn.
Boxer urn
Adult weight reference: 25–27 kg females; 30–32 kg males (PDSA breed guide). Our starting size: Medium–Large up to 30 kg; Extra Large above 30 kg to 40 kg.
Jowls, forehead and the expression behind the photograph
Choose a front photograph in which the lower jaw and lips are visible, then add a side view showing the forehead and nose together. A playful open-mouth photograph can feel very familiar, but it does not show the same contours as a relaxed closed mouth. Send both if you have them and explain which expression matters. Avoid letting a toy cover the muzzle in the only sharp picture you provide.
When the dog sits across the 30 kg size boundary
PDSA lists different typical weight ranges for female and male Boxers, crossing our 30 kg boundary. Do not order simply by sex: a dog weighing 30 kg and one weighing 32 kg lead to different starting bands. Share the actual ashes volume for confirmation. For the canopic jar alternative, the product description says open-mouth expressions do not suit the design, so a favourite panting photograph is not a reason to assume that expression can be used there.
Greyhound urn
Adult weight reference: 25–35 kg (PDSA breed guide). Our starting size: Medium–Large up to 30 kg; Extra Large above 30 kg to 40 kg.
A narrow head and ears that changed with attention
A Greyhound’s ears may look quite different at rest and when something catches their attention. Choose the ear position you want remembered and show it clearly in the main photograph. Add a level side view of the long muzzle and a front view that is not taken with the nose pressed towards the camera. If you are choosing a seated portrait, include a body photograph that makes the chest and leg proportions visible.
Do not size a Greyhound urn by height
A tall, slender dog can prompt an unnecessarily large choice if you judge by shoulder height alone. Our capacity bands use weight, not leg length. PDSA’s 25–35 kg range crosses the 30 kg band, so check your dog’s own usual weight rather than treating all Greyhounds alike. Photographs help with the portrait; the measured ashes volume helps with capacity. Those are separate questions, and neither can be answered reliably by looking at the other.
Weimaraner urn
Adult weight reference: 25–40 kg (PDSA breed guide). Our starting size: Medium–Large up to 30 kg; Extra Large above 30 kg to 40 kg.
The long muzzle and soft ear outline
A Weimaraner portrait depends on the profile as well as the front view. Send a side photograph that shows the full length of the muzzle and the ear lying beside the cheek. A close phone photograph taken nose-first can exaggerate the nose, so include a more level view from a little farther away. If a grey muzzle belongs to the dog you remember, choose a later photograph for expression and a sharper older one for detail.
A grey dog in a chalk off-white finish
The portrait urn is chalk off-white, not silver-grey or a painted copy of a Weimaraner coat. Recognition comes through the head shape, ears and expression. If coat colour is central to the memorial you have in mind, pause over the finish before deciding. A head portrait may suit someone focused on the familiar face; a seated portrait includes more of the body outline. Neither choice removes the need to confirm the ashes volume.
German Shepherd urn
Adult weight reference: 35–43 kg (PDSA breed guide). Our starting size: Extra Large up to 40 kg; confirm suitability before ordering above 40 kg.
Upright ears and the outline beneath the coat
Leave space above both ears in the main photograph. Cropping at the ear tips makes an important part of a German Shepherd portrait harder to judge. Add a side view showing the muzzle, forehead and neck, plus a body view if choosing the seated design. Long fur can hide where the neck ends and the chest begins, so a clear standing photograph can help explain the outline even when it is not the main expression reference.
The important limit for a larger German Shepherd
PDSA’s typical range extends beyond our largest published weight band. Extra Large is described for pets up to 40 kg, not for every German Shepherd. For a dog above that weight, confirm suitability before ordering and provide the actual ashes volume if available. Do not assume that a large-looking head portrait has more internal room than another style. A memorable silhouette and sufficient capacity must both be checked; a breed name cannot establish either on its own.
Keeping a collar or adding a name
The collar urn displays their own collar with the portrait; measure the fastened collar rather than guessing from the breed. For a name, compare the canopic jar urn.
Read the full dog urn guide and how to choose a pet urn, try the urn size calculator, or browse custom pet urns.
Frequently asked questions
Do you make urns that look like a specific dog breed?
Yes. Each portrait urn is shaped from your own photographs, so it follows your dog rather than a fixed breed figure. You see a digital proof before making.
What size urn for a Westie?
Start with Small–Medium, up to 15 kg, based on an adult weight reference of 6.8–9.1 kg. Use your own dog's usual weight; your crematorium can confirm the actual volume.
What size urn for a Yorkshire Terrier?
Start with Small–Medium, up to 15 kg, based on an adult weight reference of 2–3.2 kg. Use your own dog's usual weight; your crematorium can confirm the actual volume.
What size urn for a Chihuahua?
Start with Small–Medium, up to 15 kg, based on an adult weight reference of 1.8–2.7 kg. Use your own dog's usual weight; your crematorium can confirm the actual volume.
What size urn for a Dachshund?
Start with Small–Medium, up to 15 kg, based on an adult weight reference of standard 9–12 kg; miniature 4.5–5 kg. Use your own dog's usual weight; your crematorium can confirm the actual volume.
What size urn for a English Bulldog?
Start with Medium–Large, up to 30 kg, based on an adult weight reference of 23–25 kg. Use your own dog's usual weight; your crematorium can confirm the actual volume.
What size urn for a Boxer?
Start with Medium–Large up to 30 kg; Extra Large above 30 kg to 40 kg, based on an adult weight reference of 25–27 kg females; 30–32 kg males. Use your own dog's usual weight; your crematorium can confirm the actual volume.
What size urn for a Greyhound?
Start with Medium–Large up to 30 kg; Extra Large above 30 kg to 40 kg, based on an adult weight reference of 25–35 kg. Use your own dog's usual weight; your crematorium can confirm the actual volume.