The holidays are quickly approaching and pet owners often ask me for unique gift ideas for their companions. Friends and relatives of pet parents also turn to veterinary staff for unique and useful ideas to express, “I understand and support how much your pet means to you.”
With that in mind, my staff and I have put together some of our favorite gift ideas for pets and their people. Our top 10 favorite and most appreciated items:
- Interactive pet toys. For cats, it’s the Da’Bird toy that tops our list, and for dogs, Kong toys, Chuck-it, Fitness toys, including fitness balls, targets for target training and inflatable peanuts.
- "Brain Games", "Play Like a Cat", T-touch and other instructional books/videos for pets improve health, longevity and bonding.
- Pet Spa Day complete with massage (even cats and rabbits can enjoy an essential oil massage) help pets feel and smell great for the holidays.
- Fitness/Swim Therapy sessions are popular with my clients during the winter months when it’s more difficult for pets to get regular outdoor exercise.
- Veterinary Gift Certificates enable owners on a budget, like millennials and retired individuals to afford some pricier services like dental care.
- Pet insurance, especially plans that cover emergency care and injuries, is appreciated by pet owners who would not be able to afford care, if a sudden illness occurred.
- Breed and DNA testing with genetic tests for hereditary health conditions are becoming popular with owners. These tests are especially appreciated by owners of mixed breed pets or rescues and very useful for pet lovers to help create preventive care plans with their veterinarians.
- Agility, Scent work, Search and Rescue, and Fly-ball classes help keep everyone active during the winter months. You can find local facilities through contacting a kennel club or searching the internet.
- Pet identification, tracking devices and Microchipping with registry in Home Again. Help your favorite person’s favorite pet get their annual registration up to date with current photos uploaded to their profile.
- Pet portraits, pet paw impression kits or custom jewelry made with a likeness of the pet create lasting keepsakes.
If you’re not sure where to find the services listed above, call your local veterinary office. Many staff members can help you find resources in the local area.
With so many possibilities for gifting the pet owner and their pets, it becomes challenging to choose just one ideal present. Other popular ideas include pet beds, pet carriers, harnesses, life jackets, safety harnesses for car travel, water fountains, self-cleaning cat litter boxes and cat trees.
For a pet, there is no gift greater than quality time with the people they love. And when those people can’t be there, the next best person to cuddle up to is the one who cares about the pet parent. So ,,,if your budget is small, and you want to show how much you care, give the pet lover on your list a voucher for dog walking to be used when they have to work late, or offer your own pet-sitting care when they go on their next trip.
For cats, some mid-day enrichment time with interactive playtime and a freshly cleaned litter box is always appreciated.
With all the great ideas for gifting, what are the less than ideal pet gifts?
Rubber, plastic toys and brightly dyed toys from 3rd world countries often contain high levels of toxins. Opt for BPA-free toys, domestically made, when purchasing items that pets put in their mouths. Avoid purchasing food treats and rawhides, unless you know the pet’s specific dietary restrictions and needs. Many pets are on special diets, prescription foods, hypoallergenic diets and raw diets. If you aren’t sure about food sensitivities, just don’t buy food items.
Many clients end up in my office after the holidays with pets suffering from digestive upsets or pancreatitis, after well-meaning relatives gave their pets forbidden foods/snacks as a “special treat.”
Often owners will show up at the office asking where they can donate bags of treats they can’t give their pets. Some people just throw these items directly in the trash.
Avoid cooked and smoked bones, as they can become lodged in the intestines or on the jaw. Shy away from purchasing toys with rope knots. Dogs sometimes tear them apart, and they become lodged in their intestines.
Now that you have some ideas of the do’s and don’ts of pet holiday gifting, don’t delay in finishing your shopping for the cutest recipients on your list.