With Christmas coming up, you may be thinking about how you can share this merry time with your furry friend in a safe and fun way. Buying your pooch gifts so they have something to unwrap on the big day may provide some extra excitement for every member of the family. Below are a few ideas of treats you could surprise your beloved pooch with.
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Sturdy toys
Every dog loves a new toy! When purchasing toys, ensure they are robust so they will not shatter upon pressure or chewing. Avoid toys with ropes attached to them. Ropes commonly break down and the thin, long rope fibres can cause many problems to your pet’s health, especially their gastrointestinal tract. Equally, squeaking toys could cause mayhem whilst you are eating Christmas dinner, so these may be best avoiding at this time of year!
There are many toys with health benefits too. Tough toys that your pet chews can help with dental disease. The physical movement of the teeth on the toy helps to remove any plaque (a mobile, white substance) building up on the surface of the tooth preventing it from becoming converted into calculus (the dark, firm substance).
Many toys stimulate your pet’s brain, for example, toys which have treats hidden within them that require specific movements in order to dislodge the food. Encouraging your pet to eat slowly is important in preventing regurgitation too.
New fashion accessories
Who doesn’t like to be fashionable going into the new year?!
New collars are a great way to smarten your pet for an after-dinner Christmas walk
Whether you go for a light up collar – perfect to see your pooch when walking in the dark evenings – or a smarter or patterned collar, the decision is yours. You can even find attachable lights or bells for collars making it much easier for you to find your pet whilst you are out walking. You will find many different options with a wide price range online. If you are unsure on sizing, drop into your local pet store with your pet, however, most online sites will be able to give accurate sizing based on your pet’s breed.
Buying your furry friend a new coat is another option
This is especially valuable if they suffer from becoming cold during the wintertime. Many sighthounds struggle in the cold, as well as smaller dogs with a larger surface area to cool off. Plus of course any dogs that, due to genetics or disease, are less covered in fur as they might like in the cold weather!
Adding to your lead collection could be advisable too
Different length leads and elasticities are available, helping you to choose the most appropriate lead for the walk you plan to do. Shorter leads allow for much more control over your dog’s movement, whilst longer leads allow them to explore, sniff and mingle with other dogs more. For a full set, you may purchase a matching lead, collar and…
Why not try a harness?
Harnesses are recommended for attaching leads if you need to control your dog when pulling. Harnesses cause much less trauma to your dog when they do pull. Attaching the lead to a collar on a dog who pulls will compress the neck; perhaps even causing pathological issues including tracheal collapse and tracheitis.
New homeware accessories
Treating your dog to a new water bowl and food bowl could please your pet, but also enhance the look of your home!
Non slip mats for water bowls
These are great, and are advisable in protecting your floor from getting splashed and protecting yourselves from slipping.
A new doggy towel
Could be perfect for drying their feet following muddy, winter walks may also prove handy.
Tasty treats are something we all probably fancy around Christmas time
Visit your local pet store and see what flavours, shapes and colours they have in stock. Many people have started baking their own doggy treats now making the range of options available vast! You could even have a go at baking your own but please ensure they are canine friendly and do not substitute any of the ingredients.
Care when wrapping…
When wrapping up these doggy presents, be sure to avoid using ribbons that could easily become toys. As soon as the paper is removed from a parcel, dispose of it. This will prevent your dog from chewing any large amounts of paper which could result in an unwelcome Christmas day visit to the vets.
There are many different stocking fillers you can purchase for your pet… if you cannot wait until Christmas day, you could even create your dog a canine friendly advent calendar! Christmas should be a fun, festive period for all. Ensuring your pet has more than enough entertainment should hopefully keep them away from any festive distractions that may prove dangerous.
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