Dog Ashes Tattoo in Exeter
A dog ashes tattoo keeps your dog with you permanently, by setting a small amount of their ashes into the tattoo itself. For people in Exeter and across Devon who have lost a dog, that is something a photograph or an urn on the mantelpiece never quite delivers. It is not a reminder of your dog, it is a part of your dog, carried in your skin for the rest of your life. And because it is permanent and cannot be done twice, the single most important choice is who you trust to do it.
Being Honest About the Trip From Exeter
There is no dressing this up: Exeter is a fair way from the studio. It is around 211 miles up the M5 to Sandbach in Cheshire, roughly three and a half hours by car. That is a proper journey from the far South West, and we would rather tell you straight than pretend otherwise.
People from Devon make it anyway, and they make it for a simple reason. A dog ashes tattoo can only be done once, so the question stops being who is closest and becomes who will get it right. Bubblegum Ink ® is a private, appointment only studio that has spent around 30 years on this one kind of work. Most people drive and make a day of it, though there is also a train from Exeter St Davids up to Crewe, and Exeter Airport even runs flights to Manchester if that suits you better.
Your Dog’s Ashes Stay in Sight the Whole Time
Here is the reassurance people most want, said plainly: your dog’s ashes never leave your sight. Nothing is carried off to a back room and nothing happens out of view. You watch a small amount being prepared and you watch it go into the tattoo. That is the entire point of a dog ashes tattoo, that your dog is present, and it holds true from the first moment.
If handling the ashes yourself feels like too much, you do not have to. Bring the container as it is and the careful part is done for you, gently and with respect, while you watch or look away as you need to.
Why a General Studio Is Not the Same Thing
The gap between a specialist and an ordinary tattooist is all in what happens to the ashes before they reach your skin. Cremation ashes are not clean, not sterile and not a uniform size, and a studio that mixes them in raw is gambling with how your tattoo heals. A specialist deals with every bit of that first.
| Bubblegum Ink ® | A general tattoo studio | |
|---|---|---|
| Experience with ashes | Around 30 years, ashes work the main focus | Occasional, as a sideline |
| Ashes preparation | Matched, cleaned, sterilised, contaminants removed | Often used raw |
| Your dog’s ashes in view | Yes, the whole time | Varies |
| Travelling from Exeter | A specialist worth the journey | Whoever happens to be nearest |
At Bubblegum Ink your dog’s ashes are matched to the right particle size, cleaned, sterilised to clinical standards and cleared of heavy metals and other contaminants before they meet the needle. The reasoning is set out fully on the are ashes tattoos safe page, and the ink is explained on the adding ashes into tattoo ink page.
A Reputation That Travels Further Than You Will
You will be coming a long way, but the studio’s name has travelled further still. Its work has been featured by the BBC and by national and international press, and the memorial tattoo for Treo, one of the most decorated military dogs of his generation, became one of the most widely shared pieces of its kind anywhere. That story is on the tattooing ashes into clients page. Paul Cutler, who runs the studio, is a multiple award winning artist, and most clients still arrive the same way they always have, through someone who was looked after here and told them about it.
Shaping Your Dog Ashes Tattoo
There is no single way to do this. Some people want a portrait, some a paw print, some only a name in a quiet spot that means something to them alone. However you picture your dog ashes tattoo, it is given the same care as any memorial piece. If you are still thinking it through, the paw print ashes tattoo and memorial tattoo design ideas pages are a good place to start, and the main dog ashes tattoo page shows the breadth of the work.
What Exeter Clients Tend to Ask
You do not need to prepare anything before you set off. Bring the whole container and a small amount is taken carefully at the studio, leaving you the rest. Only a little is needed, and the how much ashes for a tattoo page explains exactly how much.
If it is your first tattoo, you are far from alone, as plenty of people coming for a memorial piece have never been tattooed before. Nothing about the day is rushed, and the do ashes tattoos hurt and ashes tattoo aftercare pages cover what to expect. And if you simply want to talk about your dog before anything else, that is always welcome, with the coping with grief page there for that reason.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make a tattoo with my dog’s ashes if I’m in Exeter?
Yes. Bubblegum Ink has specialised in ashes tattoos for around 30 years, including dog and pet memorials made with cremation ashes. People travel from Exeter and across Devon to have their dog carried with them permanently, with the ashes kept in view and prepared on the day.
Exeter is a long way from Cheshire. Is it worth it?
The studio is in Sandbach, Cheshire, around 211 miles from Exeter and roughly three and a half hours up the M5. People make the journey because a dog ashes tattoo can only be done once, and they want the specialist who has spent decades doing this rather than a local artist trying it for the first time. There is also a train from Exeter St Davids to Crewe, and flights from Exeter Airport to Manchester.
Do I have to handle my dog’s ashes myself?
No. If that feels like too much, simply bring the whole container and the careful part is taken care of for you at the studio, gently and respectfully. You can watch or look away, and your dog’s ashes stay in view throughout.
How much of my dog’s ashes do you need?
Very little. Bring the whole container and only a small portion is used, so you keep the rest. There is nothing to prepare or measure out in advance.
I have never had a tattoo before. Is that a problem?
Not at all. Many dog ashes tattoo clients have never been tattooed before. The appointment is relaxed, with plenty of time to talk through the design and what to expect before anything begins.
Get in Touch From Exeter
A first enquiry does not commit you to anything. Whether you want to ask about the journey, the day itself, or just whether this feels right for you, you are welcome to get in touch and talk it over.
Call 01270 385001, email info@bubblegumink.com, or use the contact page. Bubblegum Ink ® is a private, appointment only studio in Sandbach, Cheshire, with around 30 years behind it. For anyone in Exeter who wants their dog ashes tattoo done by the person who worked out how to do it properly, the distance is a small price for getting it right the first time.
About the author: Paul Cutler is the founder of Bubblegum Ink ®, a multiple award winning tattoo artist with around 30 years’ experience and one of the UK’s most established cremation ashes tattoo specialists. His work has been featured by the BBC and national and international press. Read more about Paul.