Gift Guide for Dog Lovers

Happy howlidays!

This gift guide is for the dog lover in your life! Whether you know someone who's obsessed with their four-legged best friend, or you are the dog-obsessed one who needs ideas to send to friends and family, I've got you covered! This list includes some of my favorite items, specially curated for all the dog lovers on your list. From art to hiking gear to enrichment games, toys and more, you'll find everything you need to make the 2023 holiday season merry and bright.

Stocking Stuffers

Who doesn't love a good dog-related stocking stuffer?! These items are some of my favorite, and make a great additions for stockings or even Secret Santa exchanges where there's a smaller gift limit.

This spot light is the perfect addition to your dog's collar to help keep them visible at night - and you can really clip it to anything to stay seen. Speaking of light up items, this Nite Ize disc is a great gift for the frisbee loving pup - now the shorter days won't stop you from getting a great fetch session in after work! Nose and paw balm is a great item to have on hand for winter walks or hikes to keep your dog's sensitive areas protected and prevent snowballs from forming between their toes. I am also obsessed with this trail runner bowl because it packs down SUPER small but still holds a good amount of water. It's perfect for the friend who loves hiking with their dog. If you have a dog, you probably have dog hair everywhere, so you can snag one of these amazing cleaning brushes - this thing works wonders on short-haired dog fur (just make sure you test it on the fabric first)! Holiday dog treats like these ones (every purchase gives back to dog shelters) and these treat trainers are always a festive option. And you can't go wrong with everyone's favorite enrichment toy, the West Paw Toppl! The small ones are on sale for just under 20$. You can even pick up a super cute stopper on Etsy which makes them a lot easier to fill and freeze- I love these woodsy ones. Just make sure you get the right size one for your toppl and take it out before you give the toy to your dog! Another one of my Etsy faves is this adorable keychain from Cloris Creates. She has so many breeds to choose from and they are so CUTE! And finally, these silicone tags come in so many fun designs and have a QR code on the back that you can customize with all your dog's info should they ever get lost!

Gifts in the $25-$50 Range

If you're looking to spend a bit more, but still go with a more budget-friendly option, here are some of my favorite items in the $25-50 range! You can't go wrong with a high-quality food and water mat, and I love this one from L.L. Bean (made from recycled materials) or this one that's super easy to clean. Custom artwork of your (or a friend's) pet is always a great idea. Some of my favorites are this full body portrait from Benson and Lee, a personalized camp mug with your dog's name and breed from Huckleberry creations and this freaking adorable embroidered GSP sweatshirt. Just make sure to order in time to account for holiday processing times! Speaking of small shops, I have to give a shout out to my favorite collar shop - SloppyChops Co! Laura makes amazing goods and you can snag one of her classic biothane collars or one of my favorite, lightweight rolled biothane leashes. Lambwolf Co is another of my favorite small businesses. She makes the best and most aesthetic enrichment toys. I always get my pups a new snuffle toy each year - like this super cute baguette that hides treats and squeaks. My go-to harness for everyday use is the Ruffwear front range harness- it comes in tons of colors and lasts forever - my dogs have used the same one for years. One of my favorite safety items also comes in just under 50$ - it's the Hurtta Ranger Vest and it really helps your dog stay seen during hunting season or any low-light activity. This hip belt is not really a dog item, but I love how lightweight it is - the main pouch holds plenty of dog treats and I can also carry my phone, keys and ID with no issue. It's definitely one of my favorite items when hiking with my dogs! If you have a friend who loves coffee and dogs, this sampler from Grounds and Hounds Coffee lets them try a few varieties and give back to shelter pups. Finally, these are my favorite rawhide alternative dog chews. I love to let my pups unwrap and enjoy one of these on Christmas morning!

Gifts in the $50-$100 Range

These gifts are a little pricier but are a great option for the friend or family member you know is obsessed with their pup. This mug and dog bowl set from West Paw is so cute and perfect for the holidays - I mean, who doesn't love matching with their dog! This Yeti sidekick case lives in my trunk and carries emergency items, like an extra leash, poop bags, first aid and dog ID card should we ever get into a car accident. If you or someone you know loves camping with their dog, this packable sleeping bag is basically a travel version of a cozy cave (IYKYK) and perfect for any kind of outdoor adventure. If you want to keep the holiday cheer going for a few months, you could gift someone a 3-month subscription to Bark Box, which always adds a fun element of surprise. Another small business I adore is Muttruk and you can get my favorite bundle, the Sidekick Trio, which comes in three different colors and includes a travel bowl and duty bag for toting poop! You can snag a treat-dispensing fan favorite dog camera in the Furbo 360 so you can check up on your pet and reward them too. This is also a great price range to get someone a gift card to their favorite local pet shop so they can pick up a few of their dog's favorite items!

Big Ticket Items

These items are definitely more expensive - but maybe you're looking for that one big ticket item to surprise someone with this holiday season. My first recommendation is always some kind of custom art piece - just make sure that you order ahead of any cutoff dates and that you have any reference images you need to share with the artist ahead of time. My pups LOVE a cozy dog bed and two of my favorites fall into this category. If you have a dog who gets cold easily, the Snoozer Pets cozy cave bed is for you. Willow spends like 20/24 hours a day in hers. We also love this fleece-topped bed from LLBean. While it's not really a "dog" item, this Kelty loveseat is pretty much the best outdoor chair you can get for you and your pup to share. My dogs are obsessed with this chair and take it over on every camping trip we go on! If you have a friend who loves running with their pup or doing any kind of "joring" sport, this CaniX Belt from Nonstop Dogwear is THE BEST running belt. I can't even feel when it's on and it makes such a difference when you hook up your dog for pulling spots - no lower back pain! You could pair this with the Freemotion 5 Harness so their pup has a harness made specially for pull sports. Since colder weather is on its way, a winter jacket or fleece warmer is the perfect holiday gift. My absolute favorite small business, Voyagers K9 Apparel makes some of the best dog coats - they have so many different breed specific coats to choose from, or you can customize your own. These are the best fitting coats I've found for my pointers! If an art item is more your speed, these customizable blueprints let you personalize your dog's name and breed, and would make a great addition to an office or living room. If you have someone who wants to find out what breed of dog they have or whether or not they carry any genes that predispose them to certain health concerns, you can gift a super popular Embark breed and health DNA kit - or choose from a handful of other tests they offer.

Homemade Gifts, Upcycled Ideas and More

Getting someone a gift card to their local pet store is always a good idea and perfect if you're not quite sure what to get someone- this way they can pick out their pups favorite things (and you get to support local businesses in the process!) You could also make them a fun art print of their pet - Andrea Nelson Art on Instagram has so many fun and easy pet art ideas! Another great idea would be packaging ingredients for some homemade dog treats - you can find a recipe on Pinterest and print it out on card stock and then put the ingredients in some upcycled glass jars with ribbon. Some other ideas include making a DIY snuffle mat, ornaments or paw balm. You really can't go wrong - it's the thought that counts, and these are the perfect, personalized budget-friendly gifts! Whatever you choose this year, I hope you and all of your pups have an amazing holiday season!