Are you shopping for a holiday or birthday gift for someone who is a huge dog fan? Or perhaps you’re looking to get your pet sitter or vet a little something for the holidays but don’t know where to start.
These gifts for dog lovers are sure to please both dogs and their parents alike. Coming up with gift ideas for dog owners can be challenging, especially if you don’t own a pet. But these ideas are great for any occasion, including dog Christmas gifts! Read on to see our top 12 dog gift recommendations for the dog lovers on your list.
Dog Necklace
Canine Journal’s Dog Nose Necklace is the perfect gift for the dog lover who cherishes every moment with their furry friend. This heart-shaped pendant, crafted from polished stainless steel, beautifully captures the essence of a dog’s love.
Not only does this necklace serve as a touching reminder of your pet’s affectionate wet nose, but it also supports a great cause. With every purchase, Canine Journal donates a portion of the proceeds to rescue centers, helping save and care for needy dogs.
The necklace features an adjustable 18-inch cable chain with a 4-inch extension and a secure lobster clasp, making it a versatile and thoughtful gift for any dog lover.
Dog DNA & Health Test
View Embark on Amazon | View on Embark
What could be better than discovering the breeds that make up your dog? A Dog DNA and health test can help with this and can also help detect potential risks for diseases passed down through the puppy’s parents.
Once the recipient receives the DNA kit, they’ll swab the inside of the dog’s mouth and then mail it back in a prepaid envelope. Then, in less than a month, they’ll get a detailed report, including a copy that can be shared with the vet. While there are many DNA kits on the market, our pick for the best Dog DNA Kit is Embark.
Our Personal Experience With Embark
I tested my rescue dog, Sally, with an Embark dog 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 Sally’s breed makeup.
– Kimberly Alt, Parent Of A Coonhound Mix & Writer For Canine Journal
Price
$159.00Petsies Pillows
Petsies pillows are an adorable way to personalize home decor and give pups a plush place to snuggle. You can upload your own design or pick from one of their templates and add a pet photo. They have a quick turnaround time (seven days) and are made and printed in the USA. Petsies also make custom stuffed animals of your pet, pet-shaped pillows, and other gifts, including socks, keychains, and more. If you’re looking for a custom-printed gift at an affordable price point, Petsies is a perfect option.
Our Personal Experience With Petsies
“We ordered a custom throw pillow from Petsies with our two adorable dogs’ on it. We also added a cute little saying about the unconditional love they bring into our lives. The pillow arrived quickly and is even cuter than we imagined! It makes a wonderful addition to my office, where I can always see their cute little faces, even when they are not actually there. This would also make a great gift for your pet-loving friends. Such a sweet and personal touch.”
– Michelle S., Canine Journal
Price
Square & small pet-shaped pillows start at: $49
Pet Fleece Blanket
What better way to commemorate your canine’s cuteness than on a cuddly blanket to curl up together on the couch? Pet Canvas Art takes a photo of your pet (or pets) and turns it into art you can print on various high-quality products, including fleece blankets. You can pick the background and design, then upload a high-quality, well-lit photo. Once you submit your order, the product prints and ships out.
Our Personal Experience With Pet Fleece Blanket
We got the opportunity to try out a pet canvas blanket and were super impressed with the process from start to finish. We printed a photo of our dog, Georgie, with his brother on a fleece blanket. I picked a more neutral background, however, they have many options. The blanket arrived quickly. It’s super soft, and the size is substantial.
Price
Starts at $94
Pet Vacuum
Do you need a quick and easy way to vacuum all the hair off your furniture or car seats? The Black+Decker HLVA325JP07 Lithium Pet Hand Vac is a fantastic solution. Unlike other hand vacs, this model packs a surprisingly strong suction.
It has a pull-out crevice tool for difficult areas and a push-in brush for dusting and cleaning upholstery. It also includes a wall-mount charger for space-saving storage.
Personal Experience With Black+Decker Hand Vacuum
I’ve used the Black + Decker Pet Hand Vacuum for years, and it’s super powerful to suck up hair off places you can’t use with the vacuum, like the sofa and the car. It’s extremely loud for being powerless, has a long battery life, and is very powerful. The debris is easy to empty, and the main suction brush pops off, so you can use the nozzle to get into hard-to-reach places. I noticed it stopped working as well over time, but I ordered new filters, and it was working like new again.
Price
$57.70Pet Cam
View Furbo on Amazon | View on Furbo
Pet Cams are the purrr-fect gift for someone who loves their pet because they allow them to take their pup with them wherever they go! Just plug in the camera and connect it to WiFi. Depending on the camera, the app may allow them to have two-way communication with their dog (which is especially ideal for dogs with separation anxiety who can be troublemakers while away). Check out our full Pet Cams review to learn more about the other camera options.
Price
Check Amazon for availabilityOur Personal Experience With Furbo 360
Overall, I was very satisfied with this product and would absolutely recommend it. It is far more effective and enjoyable to use than the device I was using previously. Overall, it was straightforward to set up, and we have had no malfunctions or issues. We have had no major malfunction with it, and it has provided both myself and my dogs with comfort and hours of fun.
– Danielle DeGroot, Rescue dog and cat mom
Dog Fitness Tracker
View FitBark on Amazon | View on FitBark
Fitness trackers are all the rage these days, but did you know they make them for dogs, too? You can even sync them up with human activity trackers to have everyone’s data in one place. The small tracker clips onto the collar (or comes as part of a collar). Then, it syncs with your smartphone’s app to transmit data, including the dog’s activity level and sleep patterns. Other tracked health information may include heart rate and more.
Not only is it fun to compete and ensure they reach their activity levels, but it can also help dog owners detect potential illnesses when behavior changes occur. Our top pick is the FitBark, which comes in a cute little bone shape in a variety of colors. This is an excellent idea for the active dog lover in your life.
Price
$69.95Our Experience With FitBark
We have two dogs but Lily is the one always running around the yard and getting into trouble with the wildlife. So we thought it would be interesting to see how her activity tracks throughout any given day using the FitBark. We have only had it for about a week, but Lily has exceeded her activity goals every day so far, and the well-designed smartphone app keeps us current on her activity and rest for every hour of the day. It is really neat to see how often she plays vs. is mildly active and it even surprised us to see that one night she did not sleep so well. An added bonus, that we had not anticipated, is that when Lily’s activity was pacing below her goal for the day, the app sent a notification to let us know. That motivated us to take both dogs on a walk right away. So, the activity monitor is encouraging its owners as much as its wearer (maybe more so, ha!) to be more active.
– Michelle Schenker, rescue dog parent and Canine Journal Co-Founder and COO
Automatic Dog Feeder
View on Amazon | View on Chewy
An automatic food feeder might sound like a modern luxury, but it’s a fantastic solution for busy pup parents (or those who don’t like getting out of bed to feed their pet, ha). Another benefit is the slow-release feature, which helps dogs who tend to gobble down their food too fast (an unhealthy and potentially dangerous habit). And if you’re feeling extra generous, you can even throw in a dog food auto-ship service!
Price
$39.68Pooper Scooper
Sh*t happens, and when it does, your dog-loving friend will be thankful they won’t have to bend over backward to pick it up, thanks to one of our top picks in our Best Pooper Scooper. It’s lightweight, picks up from all surfaces, and has non-stick plastic, so your friend won’t be stuck in a stinky situation. It’s an affordable and memorable gift idea!
Price
Starting at $16.99
Our Personal Experience With Dogit Jawz Waste Scoop
“I purchased the Dogit Jawz a couple of years ago. It has several features I like. It is very good for larger dogs. The large capacity scoop and teeth are very useful for grabbing the poo from the grass, especially where it is longer or has some weeds growing in. The handle is easy to maneuver and fits in my hand well. I also like that I do not have to bend over a great deal to reach the ground, due to an old back injury this can be painful, so a long handle and bigger scoop are ideal for my needs. The scoop unfortunately broke when it was used on frozen ground, so if used in wintry weather aim for warmer hours of the day, or right after your pup takes a potty break. The pooper scooper lasted us about 2 years, with three dogs, two of them Labrado Pitbull mixes over 75 pounds, so it can stand up to heavy duty use.”
– Danielle DeGroot, rescue dog parent
Donate To An Animal Shelter
Donating on behalf of your friend in her dog’s honor is an excellent alternative to standard gift-giving. Consider local shelters or the ASPCA (read our interview with ASPCA’s CEO to learn about some of their great work to help shelter animals nationwide).
Most animal rescue organizations have online donation forms that allow you to pick the amount. As an added bonus, the ASPCA even lets you pick out a card design to be emailed or mailed to the recipient!
Price
Varies (you select the amount you wish to donate)
Custom Embroidered Pet Onesie
Your pet will feel extra special with their name embroidered on their very own adorable onesie t-shirt. It’s made from cotton and is machine washable. The shirt comes in five colors and six stitch colors.
Our Personal Experience With Swaggles
We got the chance to try a Swaggles shirt for our dog, Georgie, and it was well made and came with a few goodies like stickers, too. We ordered a super small and snug medium, so definitely order a size larger than you think you need.
Price
Dog Gift Basket
BarkBox has fun-themed boxes in three sizes for small, medium, and large dogs. Previous themes include Sit. Stay. Spa Day!, Space Jam, Highway To Howl, Barkfest In Bed, and more. Each box contains two innovative toys, two all-natural bags of treats, and a chew centered around a theme. And if your pup doesn’t love an item, they’ll send a free replacement.
Our Personal Experience With BarkBox
BarkBox sent me some toys for my dog, Sally, to try out in exchange for an unbiased review. A little background on Sally, she isn’t the most aggressive chewer. Her favorite type of playstyle is tug of war and playing fetch with squeak toys. Her favorite toy they sent is the Snuggle Buck toy, which features a spiky squeaker ball and is 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, which is two squeaky tennis balls disguised as The Grinch and Max, and Sam The Snowman, which is designed for super chewers and is a squeak and fetch toy. So far, they’ve all withstood her playing.
– Kimberly Alt, rescue dog pet parent
Price
BarkBox & Super Chewer have ongoing sales for freebies and extra treats. Check their website for the latest offer. No promo code is needed. Click here to take advantage of this offer for Barkbox and here for Super Chewer.
Dog Canvas Print
Visit Canvas On Demand Website
Did your dog-loving friend recently buy a new house? Dog-inspired art is a thoughtful idea to spruce up their doghouse. The designs come in all sizes and designs, from modern prints (like the one pictured, pun intended) to more traditional Art Deco pieces.
Canvas on Demand sells high-quality prints, and you can browse by breed or search the collections database of hundreds of artists. Don’t know what your friend’s taste is? You can give them a gift card and let them decide.
Price
Varies by design and size
Dog Mobile Phone Case
Have a friend who loves to talk while walking their pup? A personalized phone case puts their pup where all eyes can see when they are out and about. Using Shutterfly, just upload a photo (tip: you might find a good one on social media) and then select a design and phone type to get it underway.
The phone cases are made with scratch-resistant plastic if your friend drops it at the dog park. And don’t worry, they have cut out holes for the camera so they can continue to snap away (while the dog smiles back at itself on the back of the phone).
Price
Prices vary
Pet Sitting Service
Last (but certainly not least) is one of our favorite ideas: giving your pet-loving friend pup-sitting services via Rover.com. Depending on the amount you select, your friend can redeem for a variety of services, including dog walking, grooming, and overnight stays. Users can search for qualified dog sitters who can watch after their pup at a moment’s notice. They even have the option to have sitters drop off, pick up, or stay in their home. This is a gift that both your friend and her dog will no doubt appreciate!
Price
$25, $50 or $100 increments
Why Trust Canine Journal?
Sadie Cornelius has more than two decades of dog care and ownership experience, specializing in the care and companionship of her beloved Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Over the years, she’s spent hours of extensive training, collaborating with multiple certified trainers across various settings, from in-home sessions to virtual private lessons to training academies and online courses. She uses positive reinforcement training to build a strong bond with her dogs, emphasizing encouragement and rewards for good behavior.
