Hello, and Happy Holidays to you and your furry (and not-so-furry) family! I’d like to ask you a question: Do you think you conclude your preсious pooch (or pooches) in your festive celebrations enough? Do you wish you could include them more, or spoil them more?
Well, you’re in luck! I’ve got all the need-to-know info when it comes to making sure your pupper has a very jolly holiday indeed.
Are you ready to take a peek…?
Content:
- Doggy Christmas Safety Announcement
- Holiday Activities Your Dog Won’t Hate (Probably)
- Gifts For Your Beloved Doggo
- Conclusion
Doggy Christmas Safety Announcement
Before I proceed with the super fun stuff, I think it’s only smart that we get the advisories and safety precautions out of the way.
For example, do you know that a real Christmas tree will secret oils that are potentially toxic to cats, dogs, and other pets? If you have a real Christmas tree, you should keep them well away from it.
Snow globes are bad for pets, too. The chemicals inside that cause the snow to flurry around are, once again, toxic.
Broken Christmas decorations are a risk for injuries to paws, and your poor pup might eat the little pieces, which can cause internal damage, blockages, and more.
Then there are the Christmas tree lights, which will need to be unplugged when you’re not around, just in case your pets chew through the wires.
Moreover, there is also a heightened risk of your doggo accidentally overeating chocolate during holidays (when you are busy and don't see them doing it). According to research, chocolate remains a common cause of intoxication in dogs accounting for 25 percent of acute presentations for intoxication.
The good news is if you’re faced with a pet emergency, Petcube’s Emergency Fund will cover you for up to $3,000 worth of vet care in a year, for up to 6 pets. The plan pays faster than traditional pet insurance companies, and with a lot less hassle, too.
For just $29 per month, it’s definitely something worth thinking about, if you want to get your pet (and you) a gift that will make life a lot easier.
Read more: Pica in Dogs: What is It and How to Treat it?
Holiday Activities Your Dog Won’t Hate (Probably)
If you’re looking for pet-friendly things to do and ways to celebrate this year, why not consider some of these ideas:
1: Doggy-Themed Holiday Cards
This is the perfect excuse to get dressed up in your most festive attire, dress your poor pet up to match, and then pose for photographs. Use the cutest shot as your Happy-Holidays greetings cards, and let the whole family treasure your precious pup.
2: Christmas Dog Collar
If you’ve got more chance of dressing an alligator up than getting a sweater on your grumpy, stubborn, and unwilling dog, you could always try the super simple route and just get a festive dog collar instead.
Switch the regular, non-festive collar out for a festive one, and they’ll never know the difference. Probably.
Hey, you’ve got to get your festive jollies in while you can, right?
3: Doggy Christmas Dinner
It’s up to you whether you give your pup an actual seat at the dinner table, but why not treat your dog to a dinner that they wouldn’t normally have? If you’re celebrating with good food, surely it’s only fair that they get to, too.
4: Festive Movie Doggy Date
Your dog won’t care whether you watch a Christmas movie, but they will enjoy the two hours you sit there and curl up with them, petting them.
In reality, dogs don’t need a lot to be happy. They just want you to love them. Like us, they just want to be loved.
5: Take Them with You
If you don’t often take your pet out and about with you, why not give it a go over the festive period, if you’re not at work?
Your dog will love all the extra love and attention, and the time together will feel like a big adventure. Tis’ the season to be jolly – and sociable!
While you’re there, you could take your pup to see their favorite people. Maybe it’s about time you popped ‘round to say hi to Grandma?
6: A Few of Their Favorite Things
While we’re on the subject of favorites, why not treat your pup to a day of all their favorite things? If it’s not too cold to do so, obviously.
Whether it’s walkies, zooming along the beach, playing with ten tennis balls at once, lounging on the couch with you, or having fun with the hosepipe in the back garden, let them have it. It’s Christmas, after all.
Your pup(s) won’t remember the silly things you bought them, but they will remember the love they felt with and from you.
Gifts For Your Beloved Doggo
Do you buy gifts for your furry family as well as your human family? You’ll want to after you’ve seen this collection of utterly brilliant doggy gift ideas!
1: Dog Christmas Sweater(s)
As songwriter Frank Loesser once said, “Baby, it’s cold outside,” so bring your pet in, bundle them up warm, and wrap them up in the most festive of ugly Christmas sweaters for dogs. Then, put on a matching one yourself.
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a completely bonkers festive sweater, after all!
2: Favorite Things Dog Christmas Stocking
Do you want to pamper and treat your pet like never before? Why not buy or make your precious pooch a stocking, then fill it with their favorite things? Treats, balls, squeaky toys, bones, and weird outfits – what would your doggo want in theirs?
3: Dog Christmas Pajamas
If there’s one night of the year that everyone should have nice, fresh, new pajamas, it’s Christmas Eve. Why not dress your pup up in a matching pajamas set and let them cuddle up in bed? It’ll make for super cute Insta-selfies!
4: Doggy Christmas Treats
How are your skills in the kitchen? If you’re a dab hand at whipping up a treat, why not dedicate an afternoon (or an hour) to whipping up some lovingly handmade treats for your pooch?
You can control what goes in there, you can make sure it’s jam-packed with all of their favorite flavors, and you can enjoy them wolfing it all down in less than sixty seconds when it took you an entire afternoon to create!
But that’s what we do for the love of our pets, right?
5: Interactive Pet Camera
Interactive pet cameras are different from regular home-camera systems in that they allow you to communicate with your pet in real-time. This means that your pet won’t ever need to be lonely for long, can get reassurance through your once (and/or face) when they need it the most, and generally feel more connected to you, their loving owner.
Technically, you’re giving them the gift of ongoing love!
And, you know, you can check in with your pet at any time you like. It’s more of a gift for you than it is for them, really.
Conclusion
You know your pet better than me, your vet, or anyone else. Use that knowledge to work out what kind of gift would really blow their mind. In a good way, obviously.
Whether it’s a playpen full of balls, a tray full of delicious (but healthy) snacks, or a long day at the beach, every doggo deserves to be treated from time to time. When was the last time you really treated yours?
About the author: Kim is a writer with more than a decade of experience, and an animal enthusiast. When she's not spending her time writing about her favorite animals, you'll find her hanging out with her cat.