If you have furry critters running around your home, you probably like to do something for them on the holidays when you are celebrating with your family. If you would like to get them something, you are in luck. There are some great holiday gift for pet ideas out there and they are sure to be hit with your pet. Just remember that if you don’t keep the personality of your pet in mind when you buy, they could be less than thrilled and perhaps even indifferent to what you have gotten for them.

If you have to find a holiday gift for pet on short notice, you can never go wrong with treats and bones. Both cats and dogs love to have special treats, and they might value those things above anything else that you can get. You can even get Christmas stockings full of these things, and there may be some toys included as well. Though cats don’t play with toys as much as dogs, they are known to do so when they are presented with the right toy. Find something that looks good and then get that for your pet.

If you have some more money to spend and you would like to get something really special when you get your holiday gift for pet, you can get them a bed of their very own. Dogs may need something very large, depending on breed.  Quite often they just want something that is soft, but does not have to look like a bed. You can find some miniature beds that small dogs and cats can use, though you never know if they are going to take to it or not. Animals are hard to read and even if you like it, they may not give it another thought.

One thing you do have to remember is that when you buy a holiday gift for pet, you can’t expect them to understand that they are getting a gift, or that it is even a day that is different from any other. What you can expect is that they will usually love something new that is meant for them.  Some instinctively know when something is for them and for them only.  If they walk away from whatever it is with disinterest, don’t take it personally. As long as they have your love, that is all that they really need beyond the necessities.

So you want to buy the kids a puppy for Christmas. Sounds like a great idea, may even teach the kids responsibility by caring for the puppy.

We could put it in a box and put a large bow around it, pop in a few air holes - what a great surprise for the kids, Christmas morning.

Hold on a minute - what is wrong with this? Sounds like a very bad idea! Think about things from the puppy’s point of view. It is a living creature with needs. Young puppies are only babies afterall. This could be its first night away from its mother and littermates - and you want to shove it in a box for over 12 hours. You will be opening a very soggy package in the morning.

Maybe you won’t wrap the puppy in a box, but is it still a good idea to have the puppies’ first day at home, on Christmas day? Will you have time to care for the puppy while rushing around? Are you going out to the relatives or are they coming to your place? All the commotion of Xmas Day could be quite upsetting to a baby puppy.

Puppies first day in his new home needs to be a peaceful occasion. You will need to introduce the puppy to his new environment and start the housetraining routine. While you may have bought the puppy for the children to learn responsibility, there will be very few children that are capable of carrying out this task. Are you prepared to see to the puppies needs if the children are not capable of carrying out these chores?

A puppy that is loved and cared for make great companions. Those that are bought on a whim often end up in the pound as their new owners have no idea how to raise them.

Please don’t purchase a puppy as a Christmas present. Get your new puppy before or after the holiday period. A reputable breeder will not allow you to take a puppy home for Xmas day.

A puppy is for life. A week or two either side of Christmas day will make the world of difference to the puppy’s start in life without the safety and security of its mother and littermates, and you will be able to spend important time with him.

Avonti Standard Poodles

Passionate about the standard poodle breed for the past 25 years. Breeder and exhibitor of both the black and white standard poodles.