I must be mad. My daughters fell in love with a couple of Weimaraner puppies. One blond one silver. I told them that if they could raise the money for their purchase, upkeep and vet bills they could welcome them into our home. My twelve year old immediately started doing jobs for everyone, from cleaning her brother’s stinky bedroom to walking the neighbour’s dogs. My nineteen year old asked for extra shifts at work.
Meet Barley and Wisp.
This made this year’s Pet Gift Guide even more important. We needed to test toys, and fast as those little needle teeth really do some damage!
I’m confident I am bringing you the very best in pet products this year and these have been put through their paces. More coming on Thursday, subscribe to see the full guide sooner.
Pets at Home Toys for Dogs and Cats
Pets at Home know dogs and cats, what they want but also what their owners want to see too. They seem to improve year after year with toys that really excite our furry friends, with their designs, colours and materials. This year we adore the Blue Yeti for dogs that keeps the two puppies above entertained for hours, alongside the festive chew treats of peas and carrots. Our older dogs adore the ball toys, from the bumble bee for puppies to the pea pod to Mrs Sprout Christmas while Barley won’t sleep without his caterpillar. The cats favourite is the gloved hand with feathers and the crinkly rocket ship.
Alongside their own designs they’re also working brilliantly with some incredible brands in the lead and collar space. It would be great to see this expand even more. We’ve chosen a country theme for the pups, green waxed jackets, tweed and tartan, and the Wainwright leads and harnesses fit this perfectly.
Relax a little longerWe'd love your views on these
Whatever treats you’d like to gift your dogs or cats this Christmas it’s best to check out Pets at Home first. They will definitely have something you’re looking for and something to keep your pet entertained as you put your feet up and relax on the big day.
Top Dog Collar
We love this Top Doig collar as it’s super easy to fit with the clasp, no belt buckles, and it looks great on. It’s very sturdy and impervious to chewing while being waterproof too. Top Dog are growing and they know how to style your pooch in the best possible way.
Catit Play Tunnel and Water Fountain
We love the water fountain as it has a Kawaii aesthetic in pastel colours of green, pink or blue. You can also buy it in grey. It filters the water before creating a gentle trickling fountain of fresh water for cats to enjoy. To fill simple pour in the top and change the filter once a month. We find we refill it every day as the cats and dogs love it so much. IT also makes a great water feature for the home. I love listening to the sound of rippling water when I settle down to read a book it makes me believe I’m sat at the side of a stream.
The cat tunnel and scratching post is a three in one toy that the cats adore. It sports the same adorable cat ears and comes fully formed. Cats instantly get to work at batting the hanging ball while digging their nails into the roof, saving the furniture from the same fate.
Denzel’s Treats and Chews
Pick up the bag of dog treats closest to you right now and look at the ingredients. Remember that ingredients are listed in quantity order, so the more there is of an additive the higher on the ingredient list it will feature. Our puppies were very hyperactive and showing no signs of slowing down, even at bedtime. This was a change from their usual habits so we looked at the food we’d been giving them. Sugar was listed in the top three ingredients in the well known organic wholesome treats (that I won’t name) so we switched to Denzel’s. Their treats read like a dream, ingredients humans are happy to eat. There’s very little, if any, sugar and the main ingredients are those you would expect to fund, simply meat and vegetables. The pups also love them and were much calmer when we switched to these which makes tis a no brainer. They’re available in Waitrose, M and S and online. We especially loved the Mince Pie chews and the Pigs in Blankets treats.
Vax Spot Washer Carpet Cleaner
I won’t lie. Having two new large puppies enter the house weeks before Christmas has not been easy. The weather is incredibly wet, the garden is very muddy, despite efforts to keep it under control, and their paws leave muddy pad prints everywhere they go. Last night I decided to use the spot washer from Vax with the power spot cleaner and those muddy footprints have disappeared. It’s so easy to use, simply fill with solution and water, press the start button and go. It’s also portable and small enough to hide in a corner so is perfect for accidents (and there have been a few). It has been a saviour this new puppy season and I’m not sure how we lived without it before.
Squishmallow Pet Bed
We have the Squishmallow pet bed in the design of the octopus and Barley and Wisp adore it. When we first brought them home they would just fit side by side in it and took an immediate liking to the bright colours and memory foam, refusing to nap unless it was in the Squishamllow bed. They’ve since grown as they are renowned for being a very large dog breed and they have now surpassed the height of all three of the pugs (not the width though, not yet, or ever) and when they lay down, from nose to tail they are a good three foot long. Not even one can fit in the bed anymore but do they care? No. They still use it for sleeping, every single day and they use it together, piled on top of each other like some well played game of Weimaraner Jenga. This, really, is the only review you need, as many pet beds are bought, (such as the Cath Kidston one in Lidl for £20) and left to gather dust in a corner as the pets choose the sofa instead. We love it too though as it matches the fun kitchen aesthetic and it’s very easy to wash fully or to sponge down. We’re not sure what the cats think of it, they haven’t had a chance to test it out yet!
John Burns Dog Biscuits
If you’re looking to offer your dogs a little biscuit variety this Christmas you won’t go wrong with John Burns. A new dog kibble manufacturer that’s glided onto the pet market with a solid, organic, meaty kibble that promotes all natural ingredients. The pups were weaned on Purina but we knew we wanted to offer something else (nothing wrong with Purina, the cats love it) and so we slowly migrated them to John Burns and they do seem happier, fuller and less hyperactive.
