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Personalised Gifts for Dogs
There’s personalised items for everyone and everything these days and, frankly, a lot of it is just tat with your name written on it. The same goes for personalised items for our four-legged friends, but happily there is still plenty of well-made, functional and useful stuff out there.
A great place to start is with your dog’s special items, the things that were purchased for them and their use alone. Dog beds come in as many shapes and sizes as dogs and they can all be personalised, be they a donut or a cradle. And while you think of it, a personalised blanket is an ideal companion.
Personalised dog bowls are, of course, a classic staple. However, at the more luxury end you can now buy these with a picture of your dog, rather than just their name. You can now also buy personalised dog feeding stations. These are particularly useful for larger dogs, or older dogs who have started to find it harder to bend down to eat from a bowl on the floor.
But personalisation needn’t just be for the everyday. How about a personalised gift hamper for your dog, containing a mixture of treats and hard-wearing toys? Sites like yappy.com can also produce specially-branded food, drink and treats for your pampered pooches. If nothing else, it could help stop other members of the family from accidentally eating the dog’s breakfast.
Treat Gifts for Dogs
Supermarket shelves and pet stores are filled with all kinds of bags and boxes of dog treats, for a huge variety of prices. Let’s be honest, we’ve all grabbed a big old cheap sack of these from time to time: they’re great for everyday use, training and rewards. But they can be filled with all sorts of things that don’t do our four-legged friends a lot of good, so when it is time to get our dogs treats as a gift it is always nice to spend a little bit extra to get something which is all-natural and much better for them.
Meaty treats are always a favourite, such as these Four Paws smoked chicken sausages, beef paddy wack treats and roasted lamb strips available from The Range. However, the chances are that your furry friend’s tastes probably lie in the cuts of meat that their owners would rather not consider. If that sounds like your dog, how about this Chomp & Chew Power Chomper variety dog treats box, packed with ears, hooves, tracheas and pizzles? Floppy Ear Natural Dog Treats produce a variety of similar selections.
Last, but by no means least, how about this Dog Treat Barkuterie Board by DOGraze? A fun selection of biscuits, popcorn, dried fruit and meaty treats that may even tempt humans to give it a try. Even better news: www.dfordog.co.uk have a wide variety of personalised treat jars to keep your hairy pal’s bounty fresh and safe.
Clothing & Accessories Gifts for Dogs
We at the UK Pet Guide are generally not in favour of dressing animals up. However, we do make an exception for dogs, as in many cases they seem to love it as much as their owners do. Still, if you are going to insist on your four-legged friend wearing clothes, it’s a good idea to make sure they are both functional and stylish. Here are some of our picks.
First of all, what is the strongest statement anyone can make with clothing? Well, it’s obviously the Hawaiian shirt and the great news is that your canine companion doesn’t need to miss out any more, thanks to FuzzYard. They have several designs to choose from but our favourite is Blue Oasis. Dogs looking to keep looking stylish but keep warm throughout the winter months should also consider this bright striped organic cotton jumper from Not On The High Street.
With regards to accessories, how about this knitted beanie hat from Spark Paws? Each one is specially designed to allow your furry friend’s ears to flop around freely, which will please them enormously. As, no doubt, would a personalised hand-knitted scarf from Broughton and Co. And come bedtime at the end of another busy day, don’t forget some cosy dog pyjamas by FuzzYard.
Birthday Gifts for Dogs
I’m still extremely sceptical that dogs know whether or not it is their birthday, unless they are carefully watching the calendar without us ever even realising it. However, that’s no reason to not make a little bit of extra effort to celebrate the hairiest member of the family’s special day.
Why not start with that great old staple, a birthday cake? You can either bake it yourself with this PawBakes Dog Cupcake Baking Kit, or you can help make that birthday cake last a little bit longer by instead giving your dog a Toy Birthday Cake by Party Time Plush. In fact, you could even turn it into a party by pairing it with a squeaking bottle of champagne.
As for a birthday present, you need look no further than the Bella’s Box Toy Box gift set, which includes a selection of toys, tugs and treats. But if you want to splash out a little more for your special friend, how about getting them this wooden frame couch from The Range or a new extra warm and comfortable snuggle bed by Charley Chau?
Christmas Gifts for Dogs
As improbable as it is that a dog knows when it is their birthday, there’s no escaping Christmas. Your furry friend knows something is afoot as soon as the decorations go up and, if this isn’t their first holiday season, may even start to dream about what Father Christmas might be bringing them this year.
A great way to get your hound into the Christmas spirit is with an advent calendar. There are a bewildering array to choose from but as ever, it’s good to choose a brand that uses the best ingredients to help keep your pet in top condition. We recommend any of these from zooplus.co.uk. Your dog can also get in on the action as you decorate your tree, with these personalised treat-filled baubles from dfordog.co.uk.
On the big day itself, a dog is a great way to help keep your household active and prevent everyone eating and drinking themselves into unconsciousness. Instead of just eating turkey, brussels sprouts and christmas pudding, you can now be playing with it instead. There are also an impressive array of alcoholic drink-themed squeaky toys made by Silly Squeakers.
However, it is worth remembering that – in the Northern Hemisphere at least – Christmas can be a rather cold, dark and unsettling time for some dogs. You can help keep your pet warm this festive season with a new coat from Great & Small, and pets who find the festive season a bit anxiety-inducing may like this calming lavender-stuffed walrus toy to help soothe them and keep them company.