Most dog owners have one thing in common: they love their dog. Buying unique gifts for them should be simple if a person is clever and willing to do a bit of looking.
1. Dog Calendars. If a person owns a dog of a specific breed, you may be able to find a calendar featuring that breed of dog. If specific breed calendars are not available, try finding one that caters to the dog group their dog belongs to, for example: toy dogs, sporting dogs, or herding dogs. These calendars are often found in pet supply stores. Look through it to make sure the pictures are good quality. If their dog is not a purebred, a mixed dog calendar will do. Better yet, if the local animal shelter offers calenders, try getting one of those.
2. Pooper Scooper. (Trying not to insult a person, of course.) There are many fancy pooper scoopers available designed so the user does not have to bend down to retrieve their dogs mess. Some have attachments for the bag making easy work of transferring the poop to the bag. Buying refill bags for somebody who already has a scooping system is a good idea too.
3. Portrait Session. Either take the dog to a groomer and then to a pet photographer to get a portrait made, or give the owner a gift certificate so they can do the same. Many people are proud of their dog and have okay photography skills, but a professional picture is a great offer for people who lack such talents. To even go further, having a painting or drawing done of the dog is a great gift offer.
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4. Plastic Swimming Pool. This is more for the dog, than the owner. Big dogs who live in areas with hot summers love playing in a kids’ plastic swimming pool, but few owners think to buy them for their dog. It might raise eyebrows on the receiver if they do not have children, but if they have a large dog, particularly one of a breed that loves water, such as retrievers, a kids’ swimming pool is an excellent gift.
5. A shirt featuring a dog of the breed the person owns. You can find shirts that say “I love my Pug!”, or whatever breed the person has. You can even find shirts that say “I love my Mutt!”. These shirts are a way for a person to show off the fact that they own a dog even when they are not walking their dog. Pet supply stores are the best sources for these kinds of shirts, although in some cases they may be ordered on line.
6. Toys for the dog are good gifts too. Try to be aware that different breeds have different preferences and the size of the toy should fit the size of the dog. Rope toys, are a good choice for retrievers and terriers, as are Kong type toys. Small dogs often like squeaky toys. Smart breeds, such as border collies, like toys that challenge their minds, such as puzzle toys where the dog has to work to get a treat.
7. Healthy Treats. These can be purchased at specialty stores, and sometimes even human health-food stores. Generally they are not sold in grocery stores, or even in chain-run pet stores. Healthy treats use human-grade ingredients and may even have extra additives such as glucosamine or chondroitin for joint health.
8. New dog owners are easy to buy for, you can get them good quality supplies, a carrier, stainless steel bowls, a leash or collar. Books on dog care, a dog bed, or even a seatbelt for car rides (an excellent suggestion for medium and large dogs, with smaller ones it’s safest for them to be in a carrier when in the car).
9. Gift Certificates. You can always get a dog owner a gift certificate for any number of things. This can be for grooming, obedience lessons (especially good for new dog owners), even veterinary care. Most pet supply stores also offer gift certificates. Consider gift certificates from stores that offer healthy pet foods and supplies, specialty shops.
10. Donate to a Dog Charity. Some dog owners neither need, or want, any gifts. However, you can donate to a pet charity in their name, or the name of their dog. You give them a card to show that this was done. Helping homeless dogs often means a lot to an owner who has a dog, particularly if it is one they adopted from a shelter or rescue themselves.
This year, remember the dog lover on your list with one of the above suggestions!
