What is K9Hearts?
K9Hearts is a grief-informed memorial and healing platform created to support dog lovers through one of life's most profound losses — saying goodbye to a beloved companion. Born from the real experience of losing Charlie Brown, a yellow Labrador who lived only three years but changed everything, K9Hearts exists because grief deserves to be witnessed, not rushed.
Founded by Paige Cummings — a psychology professional with nearly 30 years of experience supporting children and families through trauma, crisis, and loss — K9 Hearts bridges personal heartbreak with professional understanding. When Charlie died, Paige walked his last walk with him through Banner Forest Heritage Park in Port Orchard, Washington. That walk became a memoir. That memoir became a mission. And that mission became K9Hearts.
Every product, every portrait, and every word on this site was created with one belief: grief is not something to fix. It is something to be supported, witnessed, and honored.
Where is K9Hearts Located?
K9 Hearts is based in Port Orchard, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest. Because all services are delivered digitally, K9 Hearts supports grieving dog families anywhere in the United States and beyond. You never need to travel or leave home to receive your memorial portrait, healing journal, or memoir — everything is delivered to your inbox with care.
Who We Serve
K9 Hearts serves dog lovers navigating the loss of a beloved companion — whether that loss is recent, anticipated, or something carried quietly for years. We also serve those still holding on, walking alongside a dog in declining health, doing daily quality-of-life assessments, and dreading the goodbye that is coming.
There is no timeline on grief. There is no wrong time to seek a way to honor your dog's memory. If you have ever been told "it was just a dog" — you are exactly who K9Hearts was built for.
What We Offer
K9 Hearts offers grief-informed memorial products and emotionally supportive creative works, including:
End of Paw Prints™ (EOP) Legacy Memorial Portraits Our signature memorial portrait service. K9 Hearts transforms your existing photos into a professionally crafted legacy portrait that honors your dog's life, personality, and the love you shared. Available in three tiers to fit different needs and budgets, each portrait is created with careful attention to identity preservation and emotional integrity. The paw prints stop. The love never does.
Charlie's Last Walk — A Dog Loss Memoir The true story of Charlie's final walk and the 24 hours before his death. Written by Paige Cummings, this memoir bridges personal grief with professional psychological insight and offers validation, comfort, and companionship for anyone facing the impossible decision to euthanize a beloved dog.
Charlie's Guided Journal for Pet Loss An evidence-based grief journal with 49 therapeutic prompts woven through excerpts from Charlie's story. Unlike traditional grief workbooks, this K9 Hearts journal follows grief the way it actually moves — not in stages, but in spirals. Available in print, digital PDF, and GoodNotes formats.
Digital Remembrance Bundles Downloadable grief support resources designed to meet you wherever you are in your healing journey. K9Hearts digital bundles are delivered straight to your inbox.
All K9 Hearts services are designed to transform your existing photos and memories into lasting memorials that feel truthful, calming, and emotionally supportive.
What We Are Not
K9Hearts does not provide medical treatment, psychological diagnosis, or clinical grief counseling. Our work is not a substitute for therapy or professional mental health care. If you are in crisis, please reach out to a licensed mental health professional.
What K9 Hearts does provide is grief-informed memorial art and emotionally supportive creative work that complements your personal healing journey — and offers a meaningful, lasting way to honor the love, memory, and connection you shared with your dog.
How K9Hearts Supports Healing
K9 Hearts supports healing through art-based remembrance, visual identity preservation, and emotionally grounded storytelling. Our work is rooted in psychological principles that recognize memory, symbolism, and creative expression as powerful tools for emotional regulation and grief integration.
By creating memorials that feel safe, familiar, and truthful, K9Hearts helps you reconnect with love — not just loss.
Nova, Paige's silver Labrador and Charlie's successor, walks beside this work every day. She is proof that love has the courage to begin again.
Frequently Asked Questions
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K9 Hearts provides grief-informed memorial products and emotionally supportive resources for dog owners navigating pet loss. Our offerings include End of Paw Prints™ legacy memorial portraits, Charlie's Last Walk memoir, and Charlie's Guided Journal for Pet Loss.
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No. K9Hearts is not a therapy or clinical counseling service. We provide grief-informed memorial art and emotionally supportive creative products that complement your personal healing journey. If you are in crisis, please reach out to a licensed mental health professional.
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K9 Hearts was founded by Paige Cummings, a psychology professional with nearly 30 years of experience supporting families through trauma, crisis, and loss. K9Hearts grew from the real loss of her heart dog Charlie Brown, a yellow Labrador who passed at just three years old.
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K9Hearts is based in Port Orchard, Washington. All services are delivered digitally, so K9 Hearts supports grieving dog families anywhere in the United States and beyond.
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Not at all. Every K9Hearts product and service is delivered digitally — straight to your inbox, wherever you are.
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End of Paw Prints™ (EOP) is K9Hearts' signature memorial portrait service. K9 Hearts transforms your existing photos into a professionally crafted legacy portrait honoring your dog's life and the love you shared. Visit our End of Paw Prints page to learn more.
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K9Hearts was built by someone who has lived this grief and spent nearly 30 years professionally supporting others through loss. Every K9 Hearts product is created with the understanding that grief is not something to fix — it is something to be witnessed and honored.