With the holiday bustle filling the air, for many of us, stressing over our Dog Christmas Gifts is a definite no-no!
There’s so much energy this time of year – the lines, the traffic and all those shopping totes. Why complicate things? Maybe you’ve got thousands of things to do, or maybe not. Why add more? Save yourself and your wallet. Enjoy the holiday fun with your dog while keeping things simple for poochie this year.
Does your dog really need ANOTHER toy?
Here are some super-fun dog Christmas ideas that won’t cost you a penny and guarantee lots of happy kisses and wags:
1. How About an Extra Long Walk with Pupsy-Poo?
Dog walking might sound a bit “blah” as a Christmas dog gift but expect your dog’s tail to go 100 miles an hour! Imagine all the extra scents and smells your dog’s gonna relish. Pure bliss! Consider it as more exercise and bonding time for the both of you.
Play it up by dressing your doggy in with a Xmas Ribbon, special holiday collar or cheesy reindeer antlers with bells.
2. Ready for a Toy-Crazy Marathon? Of course you are…
Get ready to ROFL my friends. First, secretly gather all of your dog’s toys into a closet, without your dog knowing of course. Then, when you’re ready, take all the toys out at once and let the party begin LOL. It’s so much fun, it becomes addictive.
For a special moment, every toy becomes brand new again! Here’s a picture of Halle chilling during one of her toy marathons. We do this every now and then, especially during rainy days and stuff. Dog gifts for Christmas don’t get better than this. I highly suggest you video and YouTube the event for all the goofiness and laughter. Sync some holiday jingles with the video and you’ll have memories that will last for years – Enjoy!
Halle – “Caution: Might Cause Euphoric Dizzyness!”
3. Who Wants More Cuddles and Kisses?
I don’t know any dog that would refuse such an amazing offer – do you? No need to get into details with this one! Give it a try and see how cute and fun it can be.
4. A Nice Yummy New Snack for the Good Dog?
Don’t be tempted by poor quality snacks and treats disguised as Christmas dog gifts. They’re never ending. Save your money and give your dog something he’s never tasted before. A carrot, a parsley or mint sprig or even some zucchini. Boil your dog an egg and watch him have some fun. Bake up some homemade dog treats. Check out this list of amazing dog diet add-ons you can offer your pooch.
It’s easy to spoil your dog without all the shopping hoopla. Remember, a dog treat doesn’t have to come from a bag. I would definitely add this one to your list of dog Christmas gifts.
Word of advice - I highly recommend you do not purchase any rawhide Christmas dog treats. They are toxic and can be potentially lethal. Ignore them.
5. Are You Up for a New Secret Adventure?
This is one of our fave activities with the pups. We regularly take them for a ride and stop at a new place they’ve never been to hang and chill. Dogs love scoping out new environments. Their noses love it. So many tasty smells and very exciting!
6. Ready for some Precious 1-on-1 Chill Time?
Have you noticed how happy your dog gets as soon as you sit on the ground? For him it’s game on. Our dogs go absolutely crazy. Halle starts bouncing like a gazelle all over the room, looking for a ball and Charlie immediately thinks we’re wrestling LOL. Too cute! They LOVE to chill and hang with us on a blanket or carpet. It’s such a natural activity. You don’t even have to do anything. Just be. Your dog will come next to you and be happy.
So simple, so fun, you’ve got to try it out. It’s extra bonding time! You might even discover something new.
7. Go Run Wild and Be Free My Domestic Reindeer…
Nothing warms up my heart more than seeing my beasts run wild out on some open land. They both become soooooo happy and ecstatic it’s ridiculous. They just don’t know what to do with themselves sometimes! LOL! I love it and they love it. You MUST give it a try. Make sure it’s in a safe environment. We always clip a 25′ cotton dragline for those just-in-case moments. It’s absolutely wonderful to experience your dog running free to his heart’s content. There are no Christmas gifts for your dog that can beat this!
Bonus – you get a much more peaceful dog for the rest of the day so you can enjoy your own gifts – wink!
You see how simple you can keep things this year? Trust me on this one. Whether you toss a rolled up sock or a fancy bouncy new ball, your dog will have just as much fun. Be creative. Improvise.
Bottom line, have some fun with your furry baby this holiday season without over-fussing on store bought dog Christmas gifts. Your dog doesn’t care how much money you spend on him. He just wants to feel extra special with the most important people in his life.
We would love to hear your out-of-the-box dog Christmas gift ideas? What are your most fave things to do with your dog during the holidays?
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Awesome post! Love this kind of stuff. I try to get more people to give up the crazy holiday buying and start spending time that is so precious with our loved ones.
The best family member to teach that concept is the dog! :)
We are spending a couple hours of our Christmas morning at a beautiful little cove where the dogs can swim, we can set up chairs, umbrella, bring our snacks for ourselves and the homemade pumpkin treats we made for the dogs.
Aloha wags!
Aloha JT and pups,
Sounds like so much fun!! So jealous of the cove and the dolphins :P
Dog’s don’t need much really, some love, wholesome foods and some exercise.
Hope you guys had fun.
Great tips! Our guys definitely like special walks the most from all presents we might offer. They get them for holidays, their birthdays and my birthday too. I can’t remember what my birthday present was but I know where we went for the special walk LOL
Of course yummy treats and extra love are always part of the deal.
LOL really, on your B-day too LOL! Cute.
They are always up for some extra lovin’ … H&C sneak some extra lovin’ whenever they see an opportunity.
Like when I do some yoga, Charlie always manages to squeeze into one of my asanas LOL.
And Halle will cuddle whenever I read on the ground.
Such cuddle bugs.
Hugs to Jasmine.
Great tips! We just started selling antler dog chews. They are great gifts that last a long time.
Antler Dog Chews