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It’s a little-known fact that 100% of the dog population is on the nice list as all dogs are good dogs. That’s a whole lot of work for Santa!
We all love our dogs. They are part of the family, so it’s no surprise that 70% of dog parents purchase gifts for their pooch during the Christmas holidays! Which begs the question.. “if my dog had thumbs and could write to Santa, what would he ask for?” Well we’re here to answer that!
Natural Chews
Coming in at number one, it’s natural chews. It’s hardly a shock that your dog would want some delicious chew for Christmas! Some good long-lasting air-dried chews like pizzle, braided lamb or tripe sticks would make an excellent addition to your dogs stocking. Though make sure to avoid things like the brightly coloured rawhide that you often see in pet shops at this time of year.
A good natural chew will not only be delicious for your dogs, but it can also calm them down too. Perfect way to keep them quietly busy to themselves throughout the hustle and bustle of Christmas. An added bonus is that it’s a great way to keep their teeth in good condition too!
Toys
Dogs love toys, but finding one that works for your dog is the real magic of Christmas. Depending on your dog’s breed and personality, this will affect what toy your dog will want most from Santa. Here are a bunch of our best recommendations!
Tug Toys
Breeds such as Collies, Bully Breeds, and Terriers have lots of drive and often thrive off fur tug toys and chasers. Consider a sheepskin or rabbit skin tug (we recommend a bungee type to protect your arm and their neck as you play).
Tugging is proven to increase the bond between you and your dog, help with impulse control, and tap into your dog’s natural behaviours. Tug toys can be an excellent reinforcer for recall too.
Chase Toy
If you have a dog that loves to chase consider a ‘flirt pole‘. If you’ve not heard of a flirt pole before, think of it as one of those cat chaser toys but bigger and for dogs!
Dogs with prey drive LOVE flirt poles and they are an excellent way to provide your dog with an outlet for natural behaviours, instead of using it on poor Mr Whiskers down the road! It’s also excellent exercise. Most breeds like Collies, Terriers, Sight Hounds and Bully breeds will love to chase and catch the teaser on the end, and you can swap these out for various things like fur, fleece or small squeaker toys!
Herding Ball
This ball will allow herding breeds like the Heeler or Collie to tap into their drive to control movement. They will get great pleasure from something like this boomer ball that they can move around and chase freely.
Fetch Fanatics
Spaniels, Labs, Goldens and other Gun Dog breeds are often big lovers of fetch and retrieve games. However, it’s time to ditch that tennis ball! Tennis balls are generally not the best fit for dogs. As your dog chomps away on it, the fuzz acts like sandpaper, gradually wearing down their teeth in a process called “blunting.” This can eventually lead to dental problems such as exposed tooth pulp and difficulty chewing.
Dr. Thomas Chamberlain, (a board-certified veterinary dental specialist), warns that the fuzz is actually quite abrasive, and when it accumulates dirt and sand this increases the abrasive quality of the ball.
You can often tell tennis ball-addicted dogs apart from others by the wear on their teeth. We recommend a robust and durable rubber ball which is easy to rinse off and will not wear on the teeth like the coating of a tennis ball. As dental work is not often footed by insurance companies, it’s always important to look after those pearly whites!
Plush Toys
Stuffed toys or squeaky toys are always a hit with dogs. We’re sure you might be used to finding a de-stuffed Santa next to a snowstorm of stuffing! Plush toys and squeaker toys are often enjoyed by all breeds and there are so many fun and festive toys to choose from. Here are some of our favourites including some pawesome interactive toys:
Enrichment toys
Enrichment toys are suitable for all breeds but do consider the size and difficulty of their toy.
We can’t recommend Lickimats enough.They offer so many benefits to your dog’s mental health and wellbeing – you can read more on the benefits here. There are also Licki bowls that offer the same benefits but can be used for feeding meals.
Snuffle mats
Snuffle mats are also excellent enrichment toys as dogs find sniffing naturally calming. Experts tell us that just 20 minutes of sniffing is equivalent to an hour’s walk in terms of enrichment for your dog, so don’t miss out on this awesome gift for your pup. Perfect for those rainy days or a wind down before bed.
Stuffable Toy
These sorts of toys are the types that you can fill with treats and your dog has to work on getting the food out. From interactive topple toys to the classic stuffable and freezable kong for making your own doggy snow cones. Stuffable toys are an excellent choice for Christmas. This really is the gift that keeps on giving, especially if you share a little bit of that turkey dinner inside!
Puzzle Toy
There are so many types of puzzle toys or brain game toys for dogs. Some have different difficulty levels, so make sure you choose one that’s not too difficult for your dog. After all, no one wants to be frustrated on Christmas Day because they can’t get their cool new present to work (flashbacks to getting awesome presents as a kid but not having any batteries!) Click here for 17 of our favourite puzzle toys – each one created to promote mental stimulation.
