Guest Post by Cindy Aldridge of Ourdogfriends.org
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Photo credit: Pixabay
Dreaming of a Dog Christmas: Gift Ideas for Dog Lovers
This is dog country. According to Fortune magazine, there are currently 312.1 million domesticated pets living in 129.8 million households. Cats and dogs are the most popular. And as man’s best friend, dogs are an important part of our family lives, childhood, and holidays. Americans spend a considerable amount on dogs, and a good part of that money goes to increasing the comfort and luxury of our furry friends. So with Christmas around the corner, it’s a great time to get your fellow dog lovers the perfect gift for their pooch.
Dog Leashes and Collars
You can’t go wrong with basic dog necessities like collars and leashes, such as the following:
Dog Dreams
Dogs sleep a lot. Whether your dog is young or elderly, a dog bed provides more than just comfort. It is an important part of your dog’s living space, providing insulation, personal space, and hair and odor control. Dogs find comfort and familiarity where they sleep. A dog bed becomes a place they retreat to when they’re tired, anxious, or not feeling well.
For senior dogs or dogs with joint problems or pain, consider orthopedic memory foam like the one used for the Casper Dog Mattress. And if your dog sleeps outside, look for beds like the ones from Teton Dog that are waterproof, resist fungus, and are easy to clean.
Large Breeds:
This might include boxers, Great Danes, mastiffs, and German shepherds. For your large dog, you want a bed with firm support that will not shift.
Small Breeds:
This might include Yorkshire terriers, dachshunds, pugs, Chihuahuas, and small poodles. The Dog Clinic has a few suggestions that look at a variety of characteristics including durability, filling, size, sleeping style, and bed type.
DogBed4Less Orthopedic Memory Foam📷
Handy Gifts for Dog Lovers
You have a friend that adores his pooch and even refers to it as a child and insists on taking it everywhere. Maybe your girlfriend loves her dog so much you often feel like you’re the third wheel. So, why not give them a dog-related gift? There are plenty of great gift ideas that your friends will not only love, but that they will find useful and handy.
Pet-Monitoring Cameras:
For dog owners who leave their dogs during a long day at work, there is no better peace of mind than being able to keep an eye on their pet. There are a variety of pet-monitoring cameras that allow you to communicate with your dog from afar and include other features like motion detection, built-in ringtone that dispenses treats, a microphone to talk to your dog, or a laser your dog can chase for exercise. Some of these include:
Petcube Interactive Wi-Fi Pet Camera 📷 Petzi Treat Cam📷 Pawbo Wi-Fi Pet Camera📷 MiSafes WiFi Pet Monitor📷
Dog Trackers:
A dog owner’s worst nightmare is realizing that the dog jumped or dug a hole underneath the fence or figured out some way of escaping, but this does happen. A GPS dog tracker can help you track your dog in real time. Pup Life Today has reviews of some of the most prominent dog trackers on the market. They weighed the different functions like accurate positioning, HD street view, pet's location via SMS, lighting, waterproofing, versatility, and so on. Here are some on their list:
Whistle 3 GPS Pet Tracker and Activity Monitor📷 Link AKC Smart Dog Collar with GPS Tracker📷 DOTT The Smart Dog Tag📷
Support the Cause
With the end of the year drawing near, 2019 calendars will be making an appearance, including the ones with cute puppies galore. This year, why not give the dog-lover in your life a calendar with some meaning, such as this calendar from Posing for Paws that features homeless pets and the individuals making a difference in the lives of our four-legged friends. This same organization all offers a children’s book, so if your dog-loving friend happens to have a dog-loving child, why not give them the gift of reading? Following two unlikely characters -- a pitbull and a butterfly -- the book seeks to create a world of compassion toward all animals. All proceeds from these two gifts are used to help create a better world for people and animals, making them the gifts that keep on giving.
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Photo credit: Australiandoglover.com
Make this Christmas a Dog Christmas. Celebrate the love between man and dog with a fantastic gift your friends and family will love.
Cindy is a freelance writer and a dog lover. She loves writing about dogs and sharing her insights on how to be a responsible dog owner. She is the creator of ourdogfriends.org.