We have three dogs, four cats, one goose, many chickens, bees, bats, many ducks, a tortoise, sheep, a crested gecko, toads, tarantulas (not mine) and regularly rescue dogs, cats, hedgehogs, pigeons, newts, rabbits, squirrels and more. We know a thing or two about pets, particularly fussy pets. In fact, this may be TMI, but the reason I don’t date is because it’s impossible to find someone as crazy as me and who loves animals just as much.
This is why the Pets Gift Guide is one of my favourites every year. While we don’t wrap the presents, we do indulge the pets throughout the month with toys, new treats and new foods. They love Christmas as much as we do. This year has been impressive with products from all over the world, mainly for the cats and dogs. With small dogs and very large dogs we’re able to test a whole range, ensuring you find the very best for your pampered pooch this Christmas.
Pets at Home
The full range of toys on offer at Pets at Home is impressive. Not only do they have their own high quality range they also collaborate with brands such as Bark to bring us more options for all the pets in our lives. Last year we gave Barley (grey Weimaraner in the photo – join TikTok and follow Sunday Woman and Big Fat Farm to see more of him) a long string of candy striped sausages from Pets at Home. Barley’s teeth are huge. I’ve seen him rip old sofa cushions in two in seconds. Teddy bears don’t stand a chance yet this string of sausages became his favourite and he would snuggle it every night to release any excess anxiety or energy. Two weeks ago the sausage sprung a hole. Probably my fault as the thought of his drool on it gave me the ice and so I washed it way more than I should. The hole is repairable but Barley, once he knows it’s there, will pick the stuffing out. So we replaced it, with a female string of sausages. He’s in love once again whereas his brother, Wisp (blind Weimaraner in the photo) , adores the long caterpillar. They look adorable together, both with their long toys. They sleep with them and know not to take them into the paddock (where the mud squelches) and they’ve become a huge part of their bedtime routine. Padfoot, the small toothless pug, meanwhile, has the Santa Capabara and snuggles up to it every evening. All dogs are happy for less than £30 and if they last an entire year again that’s a bargain. We love them. Pets at Home make the very best dog toys. It’s a fact. Sorry the caterpillar is a bit soggy, he really does love it so. I’ll add a picture where it’s brand new!
Fuzzball Catfood
I’ve tried the cats on many foods over the years but it’s true that Felix and Whiskers are like kitten crack. I’m not sure what they put in the food but every time I tried them on something else their noses would wrinkle, they’d look offended and proceed to meow all night as if their bowl was empty. Fuzzball changed all that. I won’t lie, their fresh food looks pretty disgusting, especially the one with seafood, but the cats adore it and you can tell it’s almost 100% meat. They adore the biscuits, the air dried treats, everything this brand produces they adore but it’s a treat, for now. Forget Ceasar, forget brands pretending to be posh nosh, Fuzzball is the real deal and their branding is also spot on!
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Ruffingtons Pets
We love Ruffingtons for a little luxury for our dogs. The treats also make great gifts for any dog lovers too. With a range of human looking sweet desserts, from cupcakes to biscuits, truffles to macarons, the Ruffingtons dog treats are an ideal way to include your pooch in the Christmas indulgence.
Omni Supplements
Omni make great meals with vegetables for dogs. We love their casseroles but they also create supplements for many common canine problems. We went looking for something to help Padfoot (the small pug – will attach a picture) with his bad breath and constantly clogging anal glands. It had become so bad that I could no longer look him in the eye should he breathe on me. He was gaining a reputation for being very stinky. I took Omni up on their 50% off offer on their supplements buying two pots. One for bad breath, the other for anal glands. Sadly, we lost Batpup, his sister, just last week. We don’t know why, the vet diagnosed arthritis the day before but we doubt this. This leaves Padfoot as our only small dog who was rarely allowed in bedrooms due to his stink. Now he’s allowed everywhere, he doesn’t smell divine (he’s an old dog) but he smells much better. His anal glands have cleared, he doesn’t take fifteen minutes per poop anymore and his breath is much fresher. They’re a little miracle. He also eats them too which is odd as unless it’s chicken or Jammie Dodgers he won’t usually look twice. They are well worth checking out for a range of common ailments as their selection goes beyond breath and bum!
Tribal Pet Foods
We’ve been looking for an alternative to feed the weimeraners. We had them on a raw diet but this can be pretty disgusting as summer rolls round if you’re not completely on top of the defrost process. Then we tried fresh chicken with biscuits but realised it wasn’t giving them enough nutrients. They have their raw bones from The Farmer’s Dog but we wanted something else. Something not for the freezer, something fresh, not too fresh but full of vitamins and minerals that they’d actually eat. Enter Tribal. Their huge sausages for the win. They love them. They’re solid enough that you can cut off slices, cling film the end and leave them in the fridge. With a range of flavours the dogs never get bored and there are flavoursome biscuits to serve alongside too. These are a new pet food brand on our radar and they should be on yours too. They win our award for Best New Brand.
I’ll be adding more as the week rolls on so please be sure to subscribe. I have pet clothes, outfits, more toys and games. Come back and see what you can treat your pet to this season or any time of the year!
Animed Dog and Cat Toys
When I first heard of Animed I got really excited thinking they were a new anime brand. I adore anime (except Dragon Ball Z and YuGiOh) and if you’re looking for Pokemon or Studio Ghibli inspired gifts we have you covered. Also Demon Slayer, Attack in Titan, Chainsaw Man, Jujistsu Kaisin, Tokyo Ghoul, The Promised Neverland and so much more. Anyhow, I digress. I was still excited when I discovered they sell a huge range of cat and dog toys, supplements, medicines and foods. We tried a couple of their toys such as the leopard print cat kicker and I was thrilled when the large dogs got hold of it but didn’t manage to pierce the fabric. This now lives in the hallway, kicked down and up the stairs by people as well as cats. If you’re looking for good quality toys on a budget for your pampered pets, Animed is the place to go! Find the Kong Kickeroo here.
Dog & Bond Baking Kits
Now and again someone comes along with an invention that should have been launched decades ago. Occasionally, my daughters and I, will bake some dog treats from scratch but we’re inexperienced and the ones we bake definitely are not full of vitamins and nutrients. Padfoot, our Pug, loves a pie and receives a very small one every time I make a family sized one. Barley and Wisp will eat almost anything, which is a problem, as they seriously need to lose weight! That’s why I was so excited to learn about Dog & Bond. An easy way to make nutritious dog treats with everything you need in their baking kits. From bone shaped moulds (which are not as easy to get hold of as you’d think) to dog themed cookie cutters you don’t have to abuse your Amazon prime membership to get everything you need. The results are impressive, the kitchen fills with the aromas of freshly baked goods, so much better than when I try to roast a knuckle bone for them. This is not only a great gift for pets, this is a wonderful gift for any conscious pet lover, pet owner, child. Even if the child down’t have a dog of their own they will love making treats for the neighbours dog, presenting them with a little, “made by me”, sign. This gift just keeps on giving, from the initial Dog & Bond baking kit to the gifting potential once baked to the joy of eating delicious fresh baked goods with your best friend. They win our Sustainable Award!
We have more reviews coming your way from Lily’s Kitchen to Doodlebone. Please subscribe so you never miss an update and check back to see gift ideas for your favourite friends all year round.
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