Have someone that's impossible to buy for? Here's a trick. Buy their dog a gift instead.
Dear family. This year I'm buying your dogs presents instead of you. It's not that I don't like you - it's just that I like your dog more.
Also, I think buying your dog a gift will be easier than buying you a gift because you have a reputation for being difficult to please.
Your dog on the other hand pees with glee every single time it realizes I exist.
CHARLIE! MAJOR & ZUZU! BOOBOO! AYLAH!
Also, I'm on a bit of a dog kick. It's because I am a dog owner now. Although I only have 2 months experience at this particular job I can tell you the pay is terrible.
I have received precisely 3 dog kisses in exchange for $5,475,322 worth of purchased dog stuff.
When I was a kid dogs were dogs. They wore a collar made out of a piece of oily rope you found under the lawnmower in the garage. If we went somewhere with our dog, we threw him into the back of the station wagon where he rattled back and forth until we got to where we were going.
Which was always the beer store.
Or as I thought of it, the booster seat store. Home we'd go, me sitting on a case of 24 and the dog hanging ⅞ths of her body out the back window.
My dog? My dog wears a leather and rhinestone collar and travels wearing a crash tested seatbelt harness in the car.
It isn't about spoiling a dog with random crap - it's about enriching their lives so that they're happier. This in turn makes you happier because your dog is easier to live with.
These are just SOME of the other things I've bought for my dog Philip's safety, health and happiness based on the principles of canine enrichment.
Canine enrichment revolves around the scientifically proven fact that dogs are happier, less destructive, and easier to train if their lives are enriched in a variety of ways. You can read about the 5 forms of canine enrichment in this Purdue University study.
All of these gift ideas are recommended based on my actual experience with them.
Gift Ideas For Dogs 2021
We started walking on a leash when he was 8 weeks old using just a his collar and a leash. As he got older and more - independant minded - I moved to a gentle leader. Gentle leaders are a great option but this Easy Walk Harness is even better.
It gently guides them into place, dogs magically just don't pull when they're in it and it doesn't put any pressure on their necks or throat at all.
So if you have someone you know who has a dog that pulls on the leash this harness is a GREAT gift idea for their dog. It goes over their shoulders, around their belly and in front of their chest.
I had dreams of owning a dog that curled up in front of the fire looking picture perfect. Philip hates the fire. He searches out the coolest area on any floor and plops down there. Once that area warms up, he moves again.
While I was searching online poodle forums I came across the cooling mat. It's just a gel filled mat. The gel absorbs heat from the dog and continues to do so for 3 hours. 15 minutes without anything on it and it automatically "recharges" itself and is cool again.
If I took a Dremel to Philip's feet he'd spin out. So I choose to use classic nail trimmers on him. These ones have a little piece of metal at the back that stops the nail from being trimmed too much.
Philip LOVES this. There are many, MANY different treat puzzles you can get for dogs ranging from easy to expert.
This one is a middle of the road treat puzzle. You fill it with treats, put it in front of the dog and spend the next 10 minutes watching them flip, slide and tear apart the pieces to get to the treats.
Treat puzzles force a dog to forage for their food. Which they love because it comes naturally to them. A dog likes to search and hunt for his food. Feeding them with things like treat puzzles and snuffle blankets will enrich the dog's life and make them happier and less prone to destructive behaviour.
Every time I take Lip to the vet for his shots, she remarks on what a good "grower" he is. Then she stares at me as if to see if I understand.
You mean he's going to be big?
Yes. She says.
I know. He's a standard poodle I say.
Yes. She says. He's going to be - abnormally large.
That means needing abnormally large crates. I am crate training Philip until he can be left in the house without destroying anything. I hope after a year I won't need the crates. But until then I need 2 crates. 1 for upstairs and 1 for downstairs.
I also wanted to be able to bring his crate to the garden which would be a huge hassle with a wire crate.
These soft crates weigh absolutely nothing and they work kind of like pop up tents. When you want to take it with you, you just push it down, it folds into itself and then fits into a small carrying sleeve.
THEY'RE GENIUS.
Perfect for anyone that takes their dog anywhere or wants to be able to more a crate around easily.
Pet Hemostat (ear hair puller thingees)
Some (not all) dogs need the hair in their ears pulled. Like an old man.
Groomers will do this, but if groomers are closed (like they were during the pandemic) you need to do it for your dog to help prevent ear infections and so they can hear better.
If you're going to give ear hair pullers you also need to give ear powder. You just shake it into the ear and it makes the hairs a bit sticky so the hemostat can easily grab them without the hair sliding out.
There's a dog on Instagram called Bunny. She has a vocabulary of around 80 words that she can communicate by hitting recorded word buttons.
The pioneer of this was Christina Hunger and her dog Stella. One of the first things I bought for my dog was her book "How Stella Learned to Talk."
Anddddd if you're going to give the book you should also give a few buttons. I bought the official "Stella" buttons off of Amazon but I hate to say the quality of the audio is terrible. So I've linked to OTHER buttons I found on Amazon that have reviews reporting great audio quality.
How they work is you record your voice saying a word with the button. Then when your dog touches the button with their paw or nose the word plays back.
I'm only working with 2 buttons right now. One at the door that says "Outside! Outside!" when Lip pushes it. And one beside his food dish that says "Eat!" when he pushes it.
If I haven't fed him enough Philip will push the Eat button to let me know he's still hungry. Since Poodles aren't hugely motivated and won't gorge themselves on food, if he pushes the Eat button, I know he's actually hungry.
My first treat pouch was from the dollar store. A silicone bag that hangs off of your waistband or belt. I've since upgraded to a larger treat pouch. This is an even BIGGER upgrade that I'll be getting once the treat pouch I'm using wears out.
What makes this one attractive is the fact that your hand can slip in and out easily for treats (mine snaps closed.)
Plus this one can go around your waist, over your shoulder or on your belt. It also has pockets, a poop bag dispenser and a little travel dish for water.
Honestly. If you know someone who is training their puppy they CANNOT have enough training treats. And training treats are a bit different than regular "cookie" treats because training treats are soft.
These are one of several type of soft treats I use. I break them in half for training. Crunchy treats take longer for a dog to eat so it slows down their training. Soft treats are better.
Snuffle mats are used in canine enrichment for feeding dogs. Like the puzzle, this gives them a way to forage for their food but you can feed their ENTIRE meal in the snuffle mat. It slows down their eating for any dogs that gorge themselves, plus it makes eating way more fun for them.
This is just one example of a snuffle mat that I picked because I like the look of it based on the fact that it has neither a big stupid bone or dog's head on it, and it isn't out of primary colours. Dog toys are about as ugly as kids toys for the most part.
You distribute your dogs food over the mat, and it gets hidden in the folds. Your dog then sniffs and snuffles the food out.
I happened upon this brand when I was stalking poodles on Instagram last year. A dog in Australia was wearing a Hartman & Rose collar. I looked into the company and discovered they were from Canada! I looked into them further and discovered they were located a mere 15 minutes from my house.
So when my sister helped me for a week straight installing floors and painting walls in my new rental house I bought her Cocker Spaniel, Charlie, the collar and leash I thought suited them both the most. It is gold leather covered in Art Deco rhinestones.
Personally I'd love the horse's bit collar in either turquoise or black once Philip is full sized.
Even though I'm sure I have a perfectly good piece of oily rope somewhere on the floor of my shed.
Lister Sabin
Hi Karen, love the article except for the treats bit. I have never used treats when training my dogs for a number of reasons, mainly, what do you do when the dog does the right thing and you have run out of treats? One of my dogs would know exavtly when that moment occured. The good news is, you can never run out of cuddles and all of my dogs have reacted much better to cuddles than they ever did to reats. And I enjoyed the cuddles too.
Julie Shipman
Hi Karen! I love Lip! And you gift list is great. As a veterinary technician, I have some thoughts to share.
1. I am a HUGE Gentle Leader fan and I can't wait to check out the Easy Walk Harness!
2. I hate, HATE the guides on dog nail trimmers. They get in the way so you cannot see where the actual quick on the toe nail is. That means you trim too short, the dogs hate the pressure on their nails and you have to keep trimming. My opinion only.
3. The Blue Buffalo people are going to hate me. I am not paid for my opinion. Blue Buffalo makes for fat dogs with diarrhea. I am just stating what I see in practice. My training treats are cherry tomatoes quartered, carrots and green beans. Cherry tomatoes in the winter?! My dog does not have the refined palate that I do. She willingly does tasks for winter, store bought cherry tomatoes. Poor thing... Doesn't know what she's missing
Carrie
A nice gift you could add to your list for mystery mutt rescue owners like me would be an Embark Dog DNA test which they have on Amazon. I received one as a gift (they send a wrappable kit) and it was really exciting!! Still waiting on results but I’m 90% sure she’s 90% Cerberus, maybe with some alligator/crocodile. Just guessing.
Karen
Ha! Sounds about right to me for most dogs, lol. I didn't include the DNA tests because I haven't used one so I can't guarantee that they work. And when I researched them some got really bad reviews from dog owners. :/ I think with the case of dog DNA tests you really do have to buy the most expensive one to get any sort of accurate results. ~ karen!
Vikki
I was wondering when we would get to see the dog again. He's really grown! I've seen videos of dogs and cats using the talking buttons. Amazing!! More Philip photos please!!
S. Ross
There is a company in Alberta called Packlife Apparel which makes collars and leashes. They are a martingale style so they tighten and release. They come in many different colours and are washable which is so great. You have to watch that your harness doesn’t interfere with the shoulder joint which might become a problem.
Martina
Excellent list of great dog things! I’d also like to recommend my friend’s company BonBoy for gorgeous well made dog collars. The company is based in Australia but they ship worldwide. A dog can never have too many collars from various companies
Kat - the other 1
Do they make magic harnesses like that for walking children? ;)
Sandi Remedios
Why isn't there a like button so I can like this reply!!
Suzy Charto
My dog is a 13 year old golden retriever. she has stopped playing with toys but still likes to retrieve. We found this https://www.amazon.ca/Rogz-Lighthouse-Dog-Fetch-Large/dp/B00WG9YXKQ to be the a good water toy. It bobs up in the water so the dog can easily find it even in waves and is easy to grab. Glad to see you are enjoying your puppy
Jody
I love the suggestions especially the talking buttons. I wondered what the blue "dot" was next to Lip's bowl last night on Zoom.
Karen
Yes! He lets me know when he's hungry and if I haven't fed him enough. It's great! ~ karen
Jan in Waterdown
Hmmm… I can think of someone in my house who might like one of those…. 🙄😉
Martha
I love this post! Dogs are the best and bring so much love. I checked out the collars and they are beautiful. However, after reading this article, I would be wary of a collar that has that type of closure. https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/care/collars-harnesses-leashes-muzzles/dont-wait-prevent-collar-accidents/
Thanks Karen, and Philip is beautiful.
Sharon Whiteley
Seems to me you're beginning to discover that it's way more fun to buy your dog presents than it is for yourself. I don't buy puzzle toys for my precious anymore. Since educating her nose with scent detection classes they offer no challenge whatsoever. Unfortunately, since the Covid curse, I can't find any canine freestyle classes (that's dance routines with your dog). I don't do formal obedience. As long as my girl doesn't haul me around on a leash, comes when called, and stays put when asked we're fine. BTW I found the easiest way to stop pulling on a leash was to halt as soon as the leash is tightened. I just stop and wait until the leash loosens and only then continue along. The dog will wonder why you've stopped, probably mooch around on the end of the leash a while, but the second he/she pays attention to human, then you move on. Took a couple of days but now we have an understanding... pulling mum only leads to going nowhere. Oh, I'm sure all of us with dogs have funny/interesting/wonderful stories about our canine partners and I love to hear all of them .. they make our lives richer :)
Karen
Hi Sharon! I tried going backwards when he pulled but it didn't work out, lol. Maybe I'll use his collar today instead of the harness and try the stopping thing. He started out great on a leash and didn't pull at all! He was fantastic! But as he's getting older he's getting a bit more - independant on his walks, lol. ~ karen!
Sharon Whiteley
Hi Karen :) When you walk your precious and stop as he pulls do not start again until he looks at you. He may come back to see what's up, that's good but don't be too quick to start up again. You're trying to teach him it's your call.
Shannon
I'll second the Barkbox gift suggestion! We had one sent to my sister and her hubs new puppy and they thought it was adorable. The toys are great quality and the treats are amazing. Our dog knows the box and gets so excited for his new toys.
Our only reason for canceling our Barkbox subscription is that our dog no longer destroys his toys so we have too many toys piling up!
Karen
I, too, have a 14 month old German Shepherd. I gave her the puzzles, she figured them out quickly. Gave one the next day. She looked at them, looked at me, flipped it t over and walked away.
I enjoy the cooling mat too. Gets hot in the summer where I live. She wasn’t too keen on it.
And get a black Kong frisbee. Indestructible unless you run the lawnmower over it. Haven’t done that but nothing else has killed it.
Erin
Thanks for the frisbee tip! We are blowing though regular dog frisbees like crazy with our GSD pup.
Terry
I tried the shuttle mat with my dog. He outsmarted me. Grabbed one end of it, gave it a shake and all the treats fell out. Then he ate them all at once. Now, when he's out back, I hide treats around the house and he has to search them. He loves that game and so far hasn't found a way to cheat.
Karen
Ha! Yes, I sometimes just scatter a handful of kibble into the living room and let him find them. ~ karen!
Nancy
I can vouch for the Easy Walk harness. Years ago I dog-sat often for an otherwise well mannered dog who knew I was not his boss and demonstrated it on walks. It really works and is effortless.
Karen
It's the weirdest thing! I don't understand how it works. Whether it's the pressure around their belly that makes them feel safe the same way a weighted blanket does or what. But it's like magic. It doesn't hurt the dog, doesn't restrict them at all - there's just no reason for it to work so well, lol. But it does. ~ karen!
Mary W
Another wonderful gift for your dog is a monthly subscription to The Bark Box. It comes delivered by Fed Ex or UPS but our dog knows when it has been delivered and knows the graphics on the box since he ADORES his box. It comes with treats, toys and stuff all following the theme for the month. Last week Rocky got his own advent calander, a stuffed turkey leg, a treat puzzle, and turkey treats. The dog is SPOILED! but since it is themed, my daughter thinks it''s the best thing since sliced bread. Karen and Dannon (had a hard time composting discard) are still alive and well. I just pulled a frozen Focaccia from the freezer and reheated it. My grand daughter was in complete shock that I cooked fancy restaurant/bakery bread. She kept saying this is delicious! I wish she could have tasted it fresh! Next I'm going to try crackers from discard. Can't thank you enough for this 'happy-mail' surprise. You really need to try making pineapple vinegar. Put the skin/core in a glass jar, add a quarter cup sugar, cover with filtered water and a coffee filter and stir everyday until it is vinegar. You have to let it breathe but it fills your kitchen with the most amazing smell, looks so cool, and tastes like heaven.
Karen
Pineapple vinegar?! That sounds fun! ~ karen
Susan
This blog made me laugh so hard! I'm the doting mom of a 14-month-old German Shephard named Jade and between crates, blankets, pet beds, toys, puzzles, treats, leashes, collars, etc. the amount of STUFF associated with pet ownership is overwhelming. I wanted a companion to stave off boredom and keep me active when I retired. I definitely got that! We are at the park for Frisbee, ball, leash work, and command work every day rain or shine. We have play dates with her best friend (a white standard poodle) at least three times a week. I do love my girl, and she enriches my life. The time and resource investment is worth it!
Karen
I'm starting to think I should have waited for retirement to get Lip because you're right, they could keep you busy all day every day! ~ karen!
Randy P
Great to hear how things are going in the land of dog over there in Canada. It does appear that you may as well start shopping Amazon now for an appropriate riding saddle for Phillip, cuz that dog iz gonna be a biggun. He is one lucky pooch for sure with you as his house-mate and Christmas IS coming.....
Karen
I already own a saddle that fit on an 18 hand horse, so I think I'll just use that one.😂 ~ karen!
Randy P
Sounds like a plan kiddo. Though to prove to you how dumb I am.... I always thought horses had hooves. lol
Barb
Love these ideas for the in-laws with everything! (& the dogs that rate higher than us). Where to find them?
Karen
Hi Barb, if you click on the name of whatever you're interested in it will take you to where you can buy them whether it's Amazon, or another company website. ~ karen!
Mark
Most dog owners will love you more for buying their dog a gift vs buying them a gift, because they love their dog more than themselves.
Karen
Probably true! ~ karen