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The holidays are a time for togetherness, so if you consider your pet(s) part of your family, make sure Santa leaves something paws-itvely perfect for them under the tree. Our in-house team of pet parents have rounded up the best Christmas gift ideas that will help you pamper your pet this holiday season. Whether you’re looking for something fun, practical, whimsical or extravagant, this pet gift guide is full of awesome gift ideas your pets will love.
We’ve rounded up a variety of gifts that can help keep your pet healthy and safe throughout the year. Ever heard of the Halo 3 collar? It’s got GPS tracking for those pets who like to wander where they shouldn’t. If your furball loves destroying toys, BarkBox has you covered with a monthly subscription. And for the stylish pet parents, there’s the fancy Prada brushed leather pet collar — a real fashion statement for your four-legged friend.
Whatever your budget or objectives, this list offers a carefully curated selection of pet-friendly products and services.
For pet parents who crate, there’s no reason why the crate can’t provide a truly luxurious place for your pet to hang out and feel safe, while giving the decor in your home a boost.
We love Fable’s pet crates because they’re contemporary looking, spacious and easy to keep clean. The premium bent wood construction, combined with a sliding metal door gives your pet a nice and well ventilated place to stay -– and it can serve as an end table too. It’s available in two sizes, with the larger one designed for pets up to 50 pounds.
What we love about the Fable Pet Crate: This is a piece of decorative furniture that will look great in any room, while serving as a functional pet crate.
Every month, the folks at BarkBox create a themed gift box for your dog that includes at least two toys, two treats and other goodies your canine will enjoy.
When you sign up for a 12-month subscription, each box is priced at $20 plus shipping, but you can choose a month-to-month plan for $35 plus shipping per box. If your dog is a heavy chewer, a separate subscription box option is available. Boxes can even be customized according to your dog’s food allergies and play style.
What we love about the Barkbox: Every month, the BarkBoxes adopt a different theme, like Barkbuster Movie Night, Fall Hike, Ski Lodge, or Deep Space. There are even themes based around “Harry Potter,” the NBA, “Star Wars” and “Stranger Things.”
Most dogs love to lounge on a plush dog bed. We discovered that Molly Mutt offers a line of durable and extremely comfortable beds that are filled with sustainable, temperature-regulating wood. They can be used on their own or as a crate pad.
The dog beds come in six sizes and numerous colors and patterns. They’re easy to clean, anti-microbial and odor-resistant. They’re also made from materials sourced in the United States. Each Molly Mutt bed has a removable and washable cover.
What we love about the Molly Mutt Dog Bed: These dog beds are well made and easy to clean.
When choosing a pet carrier for your small dog (or cat), you want one that’s appropriately sized, well ventilated, comfortable, easy to carry and convenient to clean. And if you bring your dog on airplanes, it needs to be the right size to meet the airline and FAA’s regulations.
The SleepyPod Air in-cabin pet carrier checks all of the necessary boxes. It measures 22 x 10.5 x 10 inches, with an outer shell that’s primarily made from durable nylon. This pet carrier can be securely attached to a car seat or your carry-on luggage.
What we love about the SleepyPod Air in-cabin pet carrier: This pet carrier is attractive, offers a nice design and has an easy to hold handle.
The Halo 3 collar serves two main purposes: It acts as a wireless (virtual) fence and uses integrated GPS capabilities to accurately track your dog’s location in real-time via your smartphone.
This is the latest edition of the Halo collar. The virtual fence capabilities allow the parent to create up to 20 separate boundary areas designed to keep your dog where they’re supposed to be. It immediately notifies you if they wander off or escape. It’s important to understand that unlike other wireless fence collars that will shock a dog to keep them where they’re supposed to be, the Halo 3 uses safe and non-invasive sound, vibration and/or static feedback (which can be selected by the pet parent based on how their dog responds to each).
The Halo 3 is designed to work in conjunction with training, not replace the need for it. One excellent feature that sets this GPS collar apart is that it can be used anywhere. It automatically connects (at no extra charge) to the strongest cellular signal in the area to provide accurate location data and real-time tracking information. A monthly subscription plan between $6 and $30 per month is required.
What we love about the Halo 3 collar: The waterproof collar uses GPS technology that’s less expensive than building a physical fence or dog pen in your yard. It can also be used to track your dog on walks.
Your fashionable pet deserves Prada. The upscale fashion house offers an ultra-luxurious crystal-studded satin pet collar that showcases the famous Prada logo. This is not some designer knock-off, so if you want to pamper your pet with this collar, it’ll put a $595 dollar dent in your wallet.
This is just one of several stunning pet accessories available from Prada. Other items include dog harnesses, nylon pet leashes, a raincoat, puffer jacket and other collar designs. And if you want to transport your small dog in style, check out the stunning Re-nylon and Saffiano leather pet bag from Prada. It’s priced at $3,350.
What we love about the Prada’s brushed leather collar: Your beloved pet will turn heads with this sparkling collar.
You probably know Yeti as the company that sells high-end coolers, durable drinkware, cargo containers and outdoor living accessories. But did you know they make pet products too? Check out Yeti’s Boomer dog bowl. This bowl can even be personalized with your pet’s name.
The Boomer dog bowl comes in two sizes and seven color options. It’s made from stainless steel, is dishwasher safe and features an anti-slip ring on the bottom. Thanks to its high-quality craftsmanship, this will be the last dog food or water bowl you ever need to buy again.
What we love about the Yeti Boomer custom imprinted dog bowl: It’s a durable and stainless-steel dog food or water bowl that can be personalized with your pet’s name.
Like any type of insurance, Trupanion pet insurance offers pet parents peace of mind, knowing that if their pet requires emergency medical attention, most of the expenses will be covered and paid for directly to the vet or animal hospital by the insurance company. This insurance plan for dogs and cats covers hereditary conditions, unidentified issues, unexpected injuries, diagnostic tests, advanced dentistry, allergies, hospital stays, medications, and more.
Your pet’s medical bills can cost thousands of dollars, especially if a surgery or overnight stay in a pet hospital is necessary. Trupanion will help cover these costs (minus the co-pay). Once you sign your pet(s) up for Trupanion pet insurance, you’ll be responsible for a monthly premium. It’s not cheap, but if the unexpected happens, you’ll know your pet can receive the very best care possible without you having to worry about the medical bills.
What we love about the Trupanion Pet Insurance: Trupanion has been around for 25+ years, has no payment caps and is used by more than 1 million pet parents. It’s one of the few pet insurance companies that pays vets directly and immediately, so there’s no need to pay vet bills and then submit receipts for reimbursement later.
Whether you have a new puppy or an older dog that needs to brush up on basic skills, one of the easiest and most affordable ways for you and your pet to get personalized and professional training is to sign up for GoodPup’s 1-to-1 private virtual dog training classes via your smartphone or tablet.
Choose a day and time each week for a private video call with an experienced dog trainer. Access a dog behavioral expert 24/7 via live chat between lessons. You’ll receive a personalized curriculum with eight key skills in GoodPup 101 classes. There’s a recommended commitment of at least eight weeks, with the option to continue as long as you like.
What we love about the GoodPup 1-to-1 private virtual dog training classes: In our firsthand experience using GoodPup, the trainers are friendly and extremely knowledgeable. The curriculum is easy to follow, so you can expect the desired results and get the support you need to achieve success.
Every pet that goes outside, travels with its pet parent, or could possibly escape the confines of their home should have an easy-to-read, personalized pet tag on their collar that displays their name and your phone number.
We love the Taglec pet tags for dogs and cats because they’re made from durable and scratch-resistant stainless steel, come in a variety of sizes and designs, are easy to read. They look more like jewelry than a generic pet tag. They’re also largely affordable. Most designs are priced below $30 and include several lines of engraving.
What sets the Taglec pet tags apart, aside from their quality, is their unique and attractive hollow-carved design. Even on the smaller size tags, your pet’s name, as well as your phone number (and/or your address if you include it) can clearly be seen from several feet away. The tags are also lightweight, so they won’t bother the pet that’s wearing it.
What we love about the Taglec dog and cat custom hollow carved tags: These pet tags are durable, offer a unique and beautiful design, are easy to read from a distance and they’re affordable.
A custom pet portrait makes a great gift for any pet lover — and we’re sure that your pet will love having their portrait prominently displayed in your home, too. West & Willow creates personalized pet portraits hand-crafted by skilled digital artists. Simply select your portrait style, desired size and frame color, then submit a photo for the artists to use as inspiration to illustrate your pet. You can even add their name to the portrait.
Portraits start at $68 and can include multiple pets. It is a customized gift, so be sure to order soon to give the artists time to work their magic before Christmas rolls around.
What we love about West & Willow portraits: You can get a custom pet portrait that captures your adorable furry friend’s personality and cuteness. It makes a fun gift to display in your home or on your desk while you’re at work missing your pets.
One of the biggest problems with metal dog tags is that when attached to a pet’s collar, they tend to clank or jungle whenever your dog moves around. The folks at PetAntastic have come up with a solution to these annoying tag noises.
The company manufactures customized hexagonal pet tags made from soft, quiet and durable silicone. They come in a variety of colors and are priced under $14 each, with up to five lines of engraving included.
What we love about the PetAntastic silicon silent dog tags: These pet tags showcase your pet’s name and contact information without making that annoying jingling sound whenever your pet moves around.
If you have questions about your dog’s breed or background, get answers with the Embark breed and health testing kit. Simply send your dog’s saliva to the Embark labs and learn more about your dog’s breed and genetic makeup. Knowing your dog’s breed or mix of breeds can provide important insights into behaviors, care needs and possible health concerns.
The test results includes more than 210 reports on health risks, genetic conditions, and actionable insights on how to care for your dog based on your results.
What we love about the Embark breed and health testing kit: It tests over 230,000 genetic markers to give you an accurate breed identification. You will get your results in two to four weeks after sending in the test.
Have a pet that misses you while you’re at work or know a pet owner that can’t stand to be away from their dog? Then give them the gift of a Furbo.
This camera can help you stay connected with your pets while you’re away from home. It features two-way audio and wide-angle video. The best part? You can use the Furbo app to toss your pet treats. You can even create a custom voice recording to play when the Furbo dispenses treats for your pet.
The app sends you alerts when your furry friend is running, barking, moving around or appears to be throwing up. You even get a cute video diary of your pet’s alone time at the end of the day.
What we love about the Furbo dog camera: It provides mobile alerts if your pet is barking, vomiting or moving around so you can check in on your furry friend from anywhere. Your dog will love receiving treats throughout the day with the remote treat tossing option (plus you can record a special message in your voice to play when you toss treats to comfort stressed or lonely pets).
It’s a pet bed, but for people (and pets, of course). Like a sofa bed, you can lounge in it with your dog. It’s the perfect gift for the dog that always wants to snuggle with their owner. Sure, you can invite them on your pet, but there’s something special about joining your furry friend on their level in a special pet-like bed.
The Plufl is designed to cradle away anxiety and calm your nervous system for both pets and owners. It’s made with orthopedic gel-infused memory foam and features 360 degrees of supportive plush pillow bolsters. The vegan fur exterior is machine washable, and the bed is completely free of mercury, lead, formaldehyde and phthalates.
What we love about the Plufl: The bed is ultra soft and cozy. with faux fur. It can be stored away when not in use. It’s machine washable. Pets will love the extra room to snuggle with their favorite humans.
We know that dog treats are at the top of every pup’s Christmas wishlist, so this Dash pet treat maker is the perfect gift to place under the tree this year.
This dog treat maker resembles a mini waffle maker and lets pet owners create eight dog bone-shaped treats at a time. It even includes a recipe guide to help you whip up delicious, pet-safe treats for your furry friend.
What we love about the Dash dog treat maker: It features an easy-to-clean nonstick coating. This treat maker is a great gift for all dogs, especially picky eaters or those with sensitive stomachs who may benefit from specially made snacks.
Y2K-inspired designs have been on trend all year, and now your pet can get in on the fun. This waterproof pet blanket comes in three cute 90s-inspired patterns. It features a plush jacquard shag on one side and sherpa on the reverse for ultimate comfort.
A waterproof pet blanket is a winter essential. It keeps your pets warm and cozy while keeping your carseats and furniture clean should your dog decide to jump in a snow or mud.
Available in five sizes to fit your pet. Prices vary by size.
What we love about the Lesure waterproof pet blanket: It’s machine washable and easy to clean, offering convenience. Plus, it’s incredibly comfy and soft, ensuring your pet stays cozy this holiday season.
The top-rated Litter Robot 4 is one of the most fully featured automatic litter boxes on the market. Users can control the WiFi-enabled automatic litter box from the Whisker mobile app to adjust cleaning schedules, view waste levels or initiate a cleaning cycle.
It’s a gift that both cats and their owners will cherish for years. Designed to accommodate households with up to four cats and combat odors, it provides your feline friends with a consistently clean place to do their business, while saving you from the hassle of daily scooping.
What we love about the Litter Robot 4: It tracks litter levels as well as your cat’s weight with the compatible smartphone app. It helps busy pet owners keep their cat’s litter clean and freshly scooped.
If you’re bringing home a new puppy this holiday season, consider gifting them this stuffed toy. The adorable plush toy has a comforting heartbeat and a warming pack that helps calm anxious new puppies by mimicking the feeling of sleeping with their mom and siblings.
Pet owners on TikTok love this stuffed toy. Social media users have taken to TikTok to show how their puppies have become inseparable from this adorable toy and how it helps puppies sleep calmly in their new homes.
What we love about the SnugglePuppy heartbeat toy: Social media users and reviewers report that it helps their puppies sleep. It’s a great gift to ease the transition home for a new puppy.
Beauty gifts aren’t just for your mom, wife or teens this year. With these Paw Beauty kits your pets can also upgrade their beauty routine over Christmas. Each pampering beauty kit comes with a shampoo, conditioner, pet balm and cleaning wipes.
There are four beauty kits available to meet your pet’s individual needs; deep clean, advanced moisturizing, anti-itch and tear-free.
The kits are on sale now for $68 (regularly $109).
What we love about the Paw Beauty Pamper Your Pet kits: The products are made with natural ingredients and are specifically formulated for cats and dogs.
When choosing any items that will be directly used by your pet, focus on its quality. Make sure it does not pose a choking hazard or utilize any materials that can be dangerous or poisonous to your pet.
Also, if it’s a gift your pet will be wearing, make sure you choose the right size and that the weight of the item will not be uncomfortable for your pet. It’s easy to pamper our canine or feline family members, but not all pet products are actually conducive to your pet’s safety and comfort, so use common sense when shopping for anything you plan for them to wear or interact with.
Jason R. Rich (www.JasonRich.com) is an internationally recognized consumer technology expert with more than 30 years’ writing experience. He’s also an accomplished author and photographer. One of his most recently published books, The Remote Worker’s Handbook: How to Effectively Work From Anywhere ($24.99, Entrepreneur Books) is now available from Amazon and wherever books are sold.
First published on October 17, 2023 / 9:00 AM EDT
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