The giving season is coming up fast! If you are anything like me, gift-giving can be tough!! I really struggle to come up with the perfect things for the people I love. It's just not my love language. If someone has a dog, this is a great theme for a gift- however, as someone who is very "serious" about dogs and dog gear, take it from me- this can also go awry!
When you are gifting dog stuff, be aware of how well you know this person. You may want to avoid buying anything where their personal sense of style may become an issue, such as leashes or collars, beds, etc they have to look at every day. Fashion may be more important to some people over others, so if your friend has a carefully crafted look, it might be best to let them pick out those items personally!
Another dangerous territory is anything edible. Recently someone gave me a huge amount of treats that I would never use for long term personal use. It was very kind of them to think of me, but I am pretty particular about what my pets eat and one of them has sensitive skin and a sensitive stomach. Unless you have seen the owner feed that particular item or you have heard them talk about wanting it, leave any and all dietary choices up to the owner. You never know if someone has preferences about things like rawhide, ingredients, sourcing, etc. It can be tempting to gift someone something "nicer," but you avoid offending them by making them feel like you are trying to force them to make food upgrades they cannot afford in the long term.
Gifting an item or service that requires the owner to pay for a subscription for the gift to work (such as tracking collars or vehicle temperature monitors) is another surefire way to create an awkward situation! The dog owner may not have money to pay for that kind of subscription- even if it is a very good deal! If you still want to go this route, you can always consider making the subscription a part of your gift to them if you are not sure they are able and willing to take up that responsibility.
Training equipment can also be a bit of an awkward gift to receive. Everyone thinks they know how to train dogs- but only a dog trainer should be helping owners select equipment such as head halters, harnesses, prong collars, e-collars, martingale collars, etc. If you really want to contribute to someone's training gear, consider a high quality, fashion neutral bait pouch. Leave any "controversial stuff" up to the owner and their trainer unless you are sure that the item is wanted, useful, and of the highest quality. The holidays are not a great time to start pushing your training and training tool opinions on friends and family. NEVER select and gift a training program for another dog owner even if a trainer is offering a great deal or gift certificates. Just like a fitness program, people need to be truly ready and willing on their own to embark on training and should have full control on if, when, and with whom they will train their dog. If you really want to gift training and your know your loved one is willing and ready, consider giving them money to put toward a training program of their choice.
Basically, just stick to the practical! Here are some dog gift ideas you can't go wrong with!
First Aid Kits Almost no one has one of these bad boys in their car, but everyone who has a dog should. You just never know when your dog is going to cut open a paw pad, get a face full of cactus, bust a nail, or get into a scrap with stray dog. I keep a highly personalized kit in my vehicle designed to address any emergency I encounter while I am on my dog training service route, but you can buy pre-packaged kits (or even make them) that will do just fine! There are many options online but one I like a lot, but the one that we decided to carry on our routes with us a few years ago is made by *Adventure Medical Kits. I also recommend picking up a pocket sized printed first aid guide for any dog owner, especially if they like to adventure out of cell service.
Travel Kit Like the first aid kit, every dog owner should keep a small travel kit in their vehicle. Think of it like a diaper bag. You never know when you need to load up and go, or get caught away from home longer than expected. This inexpensive choice could include a fresh roll of poop pickup bags, a small bottle of water with a collapsible bowl, and an *emergency slip leash (like the kind you see in grooming salons and vet offices). I also like to throw in a few individually wrapped hand wipes in the case of a crappy situation! You might also include an empty trash bag and a few paper towel for any unexpected bouts of motion sickness. A tiny flashlight is always handy as well. Keep it reasonable- most people don't want to haul around a huge bag they will only use in emergencies, so make this something that could easily be stashed under a seat or in a corner of a trunk. In my experience it's better to piece together a small DIY kit than purchase a big pre-assembled kit online- those things are pretty over the top. You can include a small card or piece of paper with checklist for other things the owner may want to add, such as ID, shot records, food, toys, treats, etc.
Kongs and Toppls This is a great option because every dog can use these, and it's rare that someone cannot use another one if they have one already!! As long as you buy the right size, most dogs are happy to interact with basic food puzzle toys such as the *Kong or *Toppl. There different durability options within each brand as well, so make sure you are paying attention to that if you know you have a monster chewer. The dog owner can decide what kind of food it gets stuffed with, so no need to worry about allergies or dietary preferences! It's always fun to include a small list of things that can be packed into a Kong or Topple, such as a canned and dry food mixture, peanut butter and yogurt, pumpkin and leftover plain chicken- you name it! For inspiration, check out the on the Kong and West Paw websites.
Gift Cards or Money These can be to specific dog stores, websites, or entities. You may consider websites such as Amazon.com and Chewy.com, or head to your nearest local pet supply store (support small businesses whenever possible). You can also just give a regular Visa gift card and express your intention to have them pick out an item for their dog. This option is one of the best options because people have full control on picking out gear they want or need for their dog. They can also be the one to deal with exchanges or returns if necessary, especially if they want something that needs to be sized. Giving money is a great option if the dog owner has obscure wants or needs, such as a nice new custom GRC weight pulling harness or bike-joring harness!
Custom Dog Portraits or Artwork This is a lovely more personal option and can also be a great way to support a local artist. If you can download a great photo of someone's current or past dog or cat, you can send it to an artist and have their best friend immortalized as a painting, put on a coffee cup, engraved on a keychain or christmas decoration, etc. Just make sure it is something they will actually use. If someone recently lost a beloved pet, this could be a wonderful choice!
Light-up Collars If your friend is the outdoorsy type that might be spending overnight in the woods, night gear such as the *Nite Ize Light Up Necklace, is a great and inexpensive option. The one I have linked is rechargeable but I tend to prefer the version that takes a watch battery. I'm actually a bit shocked at how few active dog owners have some light up or reflective gear for their dog. If your friend is a jogger, hiker, camper, or just loves to walk in the mornings or evenings this is a great safety essential. One thing I like about this option is that it can also be stashed away as part of any dog owner's emergency kit (the kind that takes the watch battery is better for this in my opinion).
DNA Kits For a friend that just got a new mixed breed dog or is curious about their existing mixed breed dog, a DNA test kit such as the *Embark or *Wisdom Panel can be a super fun gift. You can also purchases kits that provide you with genetic health information for your dog. This is something I never really had enough spare cash to justify buying myself, so I was delighted to receive one for Christmas one year. DNA kits can help people understand what breed genetics contribute to who their dog is and what their needs are. Just make sure you leave the actual testing part up to the owner- half the fun is swabbing your dog and sending off the results yourself!
Happy gift giving! We at Mindful Canine wish you a happy and safe holiday season. Got more gift ideas? We'd love to hear 'em! Drop your best gift ideas in the comments below!
*As an Amazon Associate, I receive a commision for purchases made through any Amazon links in this blog post.
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