The Ultimate Dog Gift Guide For 2024: 9 Must-Haves To Put On Your List

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While it’s fun to treat your furry best friend year-round, the holidays are a perfect time to shower your pooch with presents. In fact, a 2021 study by OneVet found that 32% of pet parents will pick at least two gifts for their fur babies, with an average spend of around $50. There are thousands of dog products on the market, but we’ve rounded up and reviewed our all-time (and some new for 2022) favorites that will be sure to spoil the special dogs in your life.

Canine Journal’s Guide To The Best Dog Gifts For 2022

These gifts are hand-picked and used by our team’s pups and dog experts. So you can be tail-waggingly confident that they’ll bring holiday joy to homes (and dog houses) across the country.

Note: A few of these companies provided free samples for our team in exchange for an unbiased review. We’ve noted where we have firsthand experience with any of our recommendations.

Halo Smart Collar: Training & Invisible Fencing In One

Halo collar

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If you’re in the market for a new fence for your dog, you may want to consider the innovative Halo 2+ Collar smart fencing system backed by the popular dog expert Cesar Millan. This wireless system uses GPS to keep your dog in check and has some additional cool features you won’t find in other wireless fencing products. It has a built-in activity tracker that keeps track of the number of walks your dog takes, time spent active vs at rest, etc. Every new Halo collar also includes Cesar Millan’s 21-day training program to teach your dog how to adapt to the system (and many other indoor and outdoor training tips). It’s a bit pricy but brings a lifetime of happiness for you and your pup!

Read Our Full Halo Review

Pricing: $699

Embark Dog DNA Breed Identification & Canine Genetic Health Screening Kit

Embark Dog DNA

View on Amazon or Embark’s Website

Are you wondering what breed (or breeds) make up your pup? Want to help predict what may be in your dog’s health future? Are you trying to determine the age of your rescue pup? Dog DNA and health tests are a fun and informative way to get to know your dog on a whole new level. New for 2022 Embark now offers an age test to measure a dog’s chronological (calendar) age using DNA methylation (with 98% accuracy to estimate within 5 months). Now, what dog wouldn’t want that on their Christmas list!?

Canine Journal team members have used Embark and other dog DNA tests to better understand their rescue pups and are big fans. We think it’s the wave of the future and encourage you to give the gift of knowledge and health to your favorite furry friend this season.

I tested my rescue dog, Sally, with an Embark DNA test. Her results said she was 47.5% Coonhound, 24.5% Mastiff, 14.2% Labrador Retriever, and 13.8% German Shepherd. I loved being able to read more about her breed makeup, including breed descriptions and behaviors. Embark goes above and beyond with the detail it provides in its reports, giving information about related breeds to the breeds that make up Sally.

– Kimberly A., Canine Journal

Read Our Full Embark Review and Best Dog DNA Kit Review

Pricing: $139.00

BarkBox Subscription Box

Bark Box Gift with Dog In Santa Outfit

BarkBox’s Website | Super Chewer Website

BarkBox is the gift that keeps on giving. With a BarkBox subscription, your pup will get a box full of goodies delivered straight to your door each month. This seasonally-themed monthly subscription box includes a curated selection of exclusive toys and all-natural treats made in the USA with the option to add other dog-related products.

You can pick from a 1, 6, or 12-month subscription and get free shipping. Each box comes with more than $40 worth of products that will be equally as exciting for you and your dog to open each month. BarkBox even guarantees 100% happiness with every box. Bark! also offers a Super Chewer box for puppies and dogs who need tougher toys.

Sally’s favorite toy they sent is the Snuggle Buck toy, which features a spiky squeaker ball disguised as a reindeer. She can whip it around, chew on it, fetch it, or play tug of war with it. It’s a great toy for her playstyle. She also received Best Fiends Fetch, two squeaky tennis balls disguised as The Grinch and Max, and Sam The Snowman, designed for super chewers and is a squeak and fetch toy. So far, they’ve all withstood her playing.

– Kimberly A., Canine Journal

Read Our Full BarkBox Review and Dog Subscription Box Review

Pricing: Starting at $35 per month

King Kanine CBD Dog Treats

KING KALM Crunch

King Kanine’s Website

CBD oils and treats are quickly becoming the biggest trend for pups. Why? Their healing benefits naturally help with many physical and mental conditions, from arthritis to anxiety. There are a growing number of new products hitting the market, but our top pick is King Kanine’s Kalming Krunch. Their CBD-infused cookies come in three flavors, including Apple Cinnamon, Blueberry, and Honey Oats. All products are made in the USA, thoroughly tested in a certified lab, and derived from non-GMO, organic hemp.

My dog Bella has arthritis, and we have noticed more mobility and energy since adding King Kanine’s CBD oil and treats to her regimen. She also seems to have fewer yelps from pain when our other dog jumps on her hip by accident during play.

– Michelle S., Canine Journal Co-Founder

Read Our Full King Kanine Review 

Pricing: Starting at $39.99 for oil (75mg) and $42.99 for 30 treats

Snoozer Dog Bed

Snoozer Pet Sofa

View on Amazon

Known for their Cozy Cave®, Snoozer makes a variety of dog beds for every pup. They offer orthopedic loungers, plush, luxury sleeper sofas, and everything in between. They even offer stairs to make human furniture more dog-accessible and lookout car seats to help your dog stay comfy in the car. All of their products are designed with comfort in mind. These products are definitely an investment, but the quality is superior to others we’ve tested.

Even the most skeptical dog, who was previously a non-dog-bed pup, fell hard for the Snoozer Forgiveness Pet Sofa. Lexie snoozes on it all day. We tried a couple of other beds with her in the past, but she wasn’t interested. With the Snoozer, she is continuously curled up in a deep sleep against the bolstered sides. Made with high-quality, soft fabric, it is sturdy and has a removable, machine-washable cover. Thanks Snoozer for converting our Cavalier!

– Sadie C., Canine Journal

Pricing: $97.95

GoBone Interactive Smart Toy

GoBone Interactive Smart Toy

View on Amazon

GoBone is the world’s first “Smart Bone.” It keeps your dog active for up to eight hours. Santiago Gutierrez created the GoBone to keep his pup Rufus playing while he was busy at work. Using your smartphone, you can control and record videos of your dog playing with the GoBone.

We love that it’s made in the United States (in Santiago’s home state of Texas), using FDA food-grade and eco-friendly materials. While it comes with a hefty price tag, it pays for itself in no time compared to the cost of a pet sitter or constantly replacing destroyed items from a bored dog. Best of all, you don’t have to worry about them breaking the outside because it’s completely replaceable.

Pricing Check Amazon for availability

This is definitely one of those toys you should see in action. Check out this video from Fox 4 News in Dallas where the founder demonstrates the GoBone with his dog on live TV.

PetPlate Human Quality Dog Food Delivery

PetPlate bowl with food

PetPlate’s Website

Have your pet’s favorite meal delivered right to your doorstep, and never worry about running out of dog food again. There are many products on the market that prepare and ship high-quality food regularly. One of our favorite subscriptions is PetPlate.

The company makes fresh meals with natural ingredients, including meat (turkey, chicken, lamb, or beef) cooked with loads of fresh veggies (e.g., carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, butternut squash).

At first, we tried it out to see how our dogs would react to such a treat. But, as it turned out, our dog Lily, who used to be a very finicky eater, immediately gobbled her PetPlate food up and ate the mixed-in kibble as well! She went from a dog who only ate one of two meals every day to a member of the clean plate club every time! This was enough to convince us to add PetPlate to our regular feeding routine.

– Michelle S., Canine Journal

Learn more about PetPlate and get to know its founder.

Pricing: Starts at $34.58/week (based on the portion for an adult dog weighing 21-30 pounds).

HandsOn All-In-One Grooming & Bathing Gloves

HandsOn All-in-One Grooming & Bathing Gloves

View on Amazon

Are you looking for something inexpensive that’s good for humans and dogs alike? These HandsOn Gloves are small enough to stuff in Fido’s stocking and allow pet owners and their animals to bond during bathing and grooming with a more gentle massage. The scrubbing nodules on the fingers and palms give a deep clean, and dog hair does not stick to them (unlike traditional grooming brushes). HandsOn Gloves’ patented and trademarked design works while wet or dry, keeping your pup happy.

They’re available in Black and Green and come in hand sizes S-XL. They even come in kid sizes so they can lend a helping hand with pets. I tried the medium, and it fits true to size, thanks to the adjustable Velcro around the wrists.

HandsOn sent us some gloves to try, and, we must say, they are life-changing! We love how the gentle rubber bumps relaxed our pup while scrubbing her during ordinarily stressful bath time. They also got off tons of hair, reducing shedding (during bathing but also on dry fur too). We’ve tried several other brushes (including rubber ones that conform to the coat), but none come close to the HandsOn Glove. Its triple-action magic (cleaning, massaging, and hair-removing) works great.

– Sadie C., Canine Journal

Pricing $24.99

Aromatherapy Deodorizing Soy Candles

Aromatherapy Pet Care Candle

View on Amazon

Gerrard Larriett’s collection of aromatherapy candles makes the perfect gift to reduce your pup’s anxiety (especially when traveling or having guests over).

Thunderstorms frighten Gerrard’s dog, Dada. After months of research, Gerard discovered that aromatherapy is an effective and natural way to help pets de-stress due to their acute sense of smell and herbs’ healing properties. In addition to stress reduction, the candles also combat unpleasant odors.

There are more than a dozen candle scents available. Each one burns up to 40 hours and is handmade in the USA with all-natural soy wax.

Pricing: $22.00

More Woof-tastic Gifts (For Pet Parents)

We hope you enjoyed these gift ideas and that your furry friends will get everything they deserve this holiday season. And be sure to check out our guide for the dog-obsessed humans on your list too.

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The information provided through this website should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease; it is not intended to offer any legal opinion or advice or a substitute for professional safety advice or professional care. Please consult your health care provider, attorney, or product manual for professional advice. Products and services reviewed are provided by third parties; we are not responsible in any way for them, nor do we guarantee their functionality, utility, safety, or reliability. Our content is for educational purposes only.

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