Holiday Gift Guide for Dogs and Dog Lovers – 2016

Here are a few ideas to help you fill out your shopping list.

Shopping for your dog or for the dog lover in your life can be lots of fun at this time of year. The pet products industry is offering a plethora of doggy oriented items perfect for pets and the people who love them.

Toys for Dogs

Christmas Sticks: Dogs love sticks, but a piece of wood that will splinter and break in your dog’s mouth is not the safest fetch toy. Enter DOOG, which stands for Dog Owners Outdoor Gear, a company that is offering four seasonal stick-shaped dog toys for this Christmas. Called Christmas Sticks, each toy stick comes as a funny Christmas-y character: Twigfoot, Sticklaus, Rudy and Elfstick. Made from recycled rubber, the toys glow in the dark and float in the water and are designed for fetching (but not extended chewing). (doogusa.com)

Canine Skin Care

Bag Balm Pet: Yes, dogs need skin care too, especially in the wintertime. Vermont’s Original is producing Bag Balm Pet, with products designed to sooth dry, cracked noses and paws. Containing only four ingredients, people can use the product too to help with chapped lips and hands. Bag Balm comes in decorative 4- and 8-oz. tins, as well as a portable tube and a 4.5-lb. pail. (bagbalm.com)

Baby It’s Cold Outside

Dog Sweaters: Dogs with short hair need help staying warm during the holidays, and what better way to do it than with a cute, 100-percent wool wintery sweater? Chilly Dog is offering the Black Snowflake Dog Sweater as one of its Nordic dog sweater designs. The sweater is made following the Fair Trade guidelines, and is hand-knit in South America. Available in eight different sizes, from XXS to XXXL, the sweater is suitable for all breeds and sizes. (chillydogsweaters.com)

Stuff for Dog Lovers

Christmas Mugs: Everyone loves a cheerful mug for the holidays. Imagine being able to drink spiced apple cider or eggnog from a mug with a Christmas dog motif, while helping find a cure for canine cancer at the same time. The National Canine Cancer Foundation is offering nine different dog-themed Christmas mugs, with proceeds going to the organization. Each mug hold 11 ounces. (wearethecure.org)

Pet Pillows: Nothing says love like your dog’s face on a throw pillow, thanks to Custom Pet Pillows! Upload a photo of your dog and his face will be printed on a light gray or medium brown pillowslip, which covers a 20-inch by 20-inch feather pillow. Detailed instructions on how to choose the best photo of your dog (or any other pet) and upload it are available on the Custom Pet Pillows website. (petpillows.net)

Paw Print Ornament: You won’t find a better way to personalize a Christmas tree than with an ornament featuring your dog’s own paw print. Pearhead’s Pawprints Keepsake allows you to press your dog’s paw into a nontoxic, soft air-drying clay to capture the print. The kit comes with a plastic shaping ring, air-drying clay, a rolling pin, and a plastic hole punch. Red and green satin ribbons add a finishing touch and make the ornament hangable. The clay takes 24 to 48 hours to dry. (pearhead.com)

About the Author: Audrey Pavia is an award-winning freelance writer and author of “The Labrador Retriever Handbook.” She is a former staff editor of Dog Fancy, Dog World and The AKC Gazette magazines. To learn more about her work, visit www.audreypavia.com and hollywoodhoofbeats.net/