Top 10 Holiday Gifts for Your Dog

Top 10 Howl-i-day Gifts for Your Best Friends!

The holidays are all but upon us. That means more time spent at home with our best friends and enjoying their company. If you’re a dog lover like me, that means some room in the budget to shower those Best Friends with some fun, and possibly useful gifts!

These are our favorite holiday gifts for your dog! All the way from NO-budget-zero-dollars up to “I’m paying THAT much for something for my dog???”

Our Favorite Holiday Gifts for Your Dog

1. An honest-to-goodness raw, meaty bone. I’m talking about the kind you get from the butcher that’s smothered in stinky, greasy bits of raw meat. The kind of bone that you definitely DON’T want your dog working on anywhere near carpet or furniture. Here is a list of safe and unsafe meaty bones. Additionally, check out last week’s blog on doggie dental care for benefits of gnawing meaty bones. Make sure not to gift your dog a weight-bearing meaty bone, like leg or femur bones, as these can fracture teeth.

2. Hurrta Extreme Warmer Dog Jacket. This was a definite splurge. Wally, my Whippador, is a Texas rescue. Living in Michigan, he’s always cold or seeking out cozy places in the house. The dog wears a sweater in the house all winter! The Hurrta is an insulated and sturdy water-resistant material, features a reflective lining to direct body heat back to the dog, a cozy neck gaitor, reflective details, and a flap that belts around your dog’s stomach to cover those sensitive parts (but leaves room for leg-lifting). I purchased Wally’s jacket on Chewy.com and originally bought the wrong size. If you’ve ever ordered anything wrong from Chewy, you know how great the company’s customer service is. They sent the correct size, free of additional charges and I was able to donate the too-big jacket to a local organization that rescues senior dogs.

3. Mushers Secret Paw Balm: This is a must-have if you live in a cold climate. Both of my dogs suffer from paw-related issues when the weather gets cold. Wally can’t handle having his paws on the cold, wet concrete for long (I once had to carry him-all 50#-partway home on a walk because those paws were sooooo cold) and Oliver has furry paws that immediately fill with painful snowballs. Mushers Secret is made by a Canadian company, contains all natural products and protects our Best Friends’ delicate paws from salt, snow-melt products, and cold, wet conditions. You can even use it on your dry winter hands!

4. Bake your dog some cookies! You know you’ll probably break out the mixer to make your holiday cookies. Cookies are one of the best holiday gifts for your dog! Why not treat your Best Friend too! By making your own treats, you save money and you know the exact ingredients that go into them. So many mass-produced dog treats are completely full of garbage. With just a little effort and time, you can bake your dog some 5-star treats and shower her with endless love! Here are some recipes!

5. Take a Winter Walk or Hike! This is a Christmas tradition for our family. Every year on Christmas day we walk or run the beach at Lake Michigan. This wonderful opportunity affords you and your Best Friend bonding time, exercise, and a peaceful place to escape the hustle of our day-to-day. If you trust your dog and are able, take him someplace where he can romp off-leash. This is also the perfect time to practice or reward solid recall skills! If not, take advantage of local hiking trails or even neighborhood “sniffari” walks.

6. Chuk-It: These are a must-have for any active dog breeds. The Chuk it is, in my humble opinion, one of thee best inventions to ever grace a dog owner’s hands. You no longer have to touch the icky, slimy, drooly ball AND the long-arm of the launcher makes throwing some distance doable for even the tiredest arms. Now, you just need to get your dog to bring the ball back and drop it consistently.

7. Jolly Ball: These are in the same vein as the Chuk it. Fun, active toys that bring out the goofy side of your dog, promote exercise, and give you an opportunity to bond. The Jolly Ball is especially entertaining if your dog is a swimmer. Throw that thing in the water and watch your dog go nuts. Franklin would develop “crazyitis” when the Jolly Ball appeared; giant dialated pupils, and desperate barks to go-go-go! In fact, some of his last healthy days were spent chasing that Jolly Ball up and down the beach. Lots of good memories! Jolly Balls come in a variety of sizes and colors and are one of our favorite holiday gifts for your dog.

8. Puzzle Toy or a Mind-Exercising Toy: Your Best Friend benefits from stimulation of her brain too. Most of the day, our dogs are home alone and just like us, they can get bored. A bored dog is often a destructive dog, and a destructive dog is not considered a “good dog” (even though we know it’s not the dog’s fault!). Puzzle toys stimulate your dog’s brain and keep them busy while you’re gone. Although nothing can replace the quality person-to-dog interactions that you give her, puzzle toys can help. Some of these toys are even a good distraction for dogs who may suffer from separation anxiety when you leave. Both of our dogs receive a frozen Kong filled with a little peanut butter and a little dog food. Both dogs wait by the freezer for us to leave!

9. “Barkweiser”: Ok, this one may be more for you or more for the novelty. Anheuser-Busch has teamed up with BARK to produce a 7-pack of Bud Light to share with your Best Friend. You get the 6 Bud Lights (ahem-Bark Lights), your Best Friend gets the 7th beer-a crinkly, plush beer-bottle toy. A cheeky, fun holiday gift for your dog!

10. Time with You: Your Best Friend wants nothing more. In fact, holiday gifts for your dog don’t have to cost a cent, because our dogs genuinely just want our attention! Of all the holiday gifts for your dog, this ranks first on their list. You’re home, the family is home. Make sure to lavish your Best Friend with pats, kind words, some playtime, some exercise, something tasty but bland to eat, and lots of love. They’ll return the favor in spades.