It began with Puffin.
Puffin Story Co. was born from the loss of my dog, Puffin: my fox-red Labrador, my best friend, and a huge part of our family.
Puffin Story Co. was born from the loss of my dog, Puffin.
She was my fox-red Labrador, my best friend and a huge part of our family. Long before her name was on a book, she was there in the middle of everything: the travelling, the adventures, marrying my wife, welcoming our daughter Zara and all the normal everyday moments that became just as important.
Puffin had a way of making herself part of people's lives. She came close. She stayed near. She chose where she belonged. And she chose us.
The dog who chose us
Puffin's proper name was Dryleaze Red Devil. She was born at Dryleaze Farm near Cirencester, one little fox-red pup in a litter of Labradors, and her mother was Brie.
From the beginning, she had something about her. She was bold, full of mischief and always ready to be part of whatever was happening.
Over the years she gathered more names than any dog probably needs. Puffindor. Huffle Puffle. Sniff Snuff. Doreen. Diplodorus. Frog. Each name came from a moment, a joke, a habit or a piece of her personality. Together, they became part of the language of our family.
A book for Zara
When Puffin was diagnosed with cancer, and we later lost her, I wanted to make something that would help Zara remember her.
Zara was still very young. I did not want Puffin to become just a name in old photos or a story we occasionally told. I wanted Zara to have something she could hold, read and return to. Something that showed Puffin as she really was to us.
So I made a book. I filled it with the story of Puffin's life: where she came from, the names we gave her, the way she chose people, the country dog she became, and the love she brought into our family.
It was created for Puffin, but it was also created for Zara. A way to say, "this was your friend, and she mattered."
“A pet is not just remembered by how they looked. They are remembered through the names, habits, places and moments that made them part of the family.”
Why Puffin Story Co. exists
After making Puffin's book, I realised other families might want the same thing.
Not every memory fits neatly into a photo album. Some pets are too full of character for that. They have names, habits, looks, places, adventures and little family stories that deserve to be captured properly.
Some books will be made after loss. Some will be made while a pet is still here. Some will be gifts. Some will be for children. All of them are about keeping hold of the animals who shaped our lives.
Puffin Story Co. exists to help people turn those memories into personalised illustrated storybooks.
Because some friends choose us. The least we can do is remember them well.
What we believe.
Built from real memories
Your pet's real names, habits, places and moments, not a generic template.
Made around their character
Every book is shaped around the details that made your pet unmistakably yours.
A keepsake to return to
A beautifully printed book your family can hold, read and come back to for years.
We'd love to hear about them.
Questions about a book, a gift, or a memorial? Our small team reads every message and will reply personally.