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2017 Christmas Gift Ideas For Senior Dogs

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Gifts for Senior Dogs

Gifts for Senior Dogs
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As dogs age, they become a bit hesitant to chase a ball or empty out a food stuffed toy. With the holidays approaching, check out these gifts for senior dogs. Older dogs will sure to love one of these Christmas gifts.

Thick Orthopedic Bed

Seniors dogs certainly enjoy and appreciate a super soft bed. Depending on your senior dog’s size, choose a supportive orthopedic bedding for medium and large dogs. Smaller dogs enjoy fluffy comfort too, and enjoy snuggling into clamshell beds (i.e. beds with a cover). With that said, some larger dogs enjoy snuggling into large-sized clamshell beds too! Of course, make sure your senior dog’s new bed has a removable cover in case of accidents.

Fleece Blanket

All dogs enjoy thick fleece blankets, but seniors enjoy them just a tad more. Choose machine-washable twin- or queen-sized fleece blankets, and cover your dog’s bed with comfort. During colder months, cover your dog’s favorite napping spot with thick fleece blankets. Don’t forget to bring a fleece blanket during your senior dog’s next vet visit!

Boxes for Nosework Games

Senior dogs still need exercise and mental stimulation, so keep all of those Amazon boxes lying around. Once a day, place several empty boxes in a room and fill one box with a few treats. Open the door and let your senior dog wander around and hunt for treats. When treats are located and gobbled up, reset the “food” box with treats, and then place the “food” box in a different spot in the room. If your senior dog follows you around, toss a couple of treats over a baby gate and reset boxes, then let your senior dog back in to hunt. Check out additional details on playing nose work games here.

Ramp

Arthritis and painful joints are common as dogs age, and climbing into cars, beds, couches or stairs becomes difficult. Invest in a sturdy dog ramp to make it easier for your dog to climb up or down from furniture, stairs or vehicles. Small and medium dogs can be easily picked up, but it’s more difficult for larger dogs. With so many portable ramps available that attach to SUVs or that easily fold up, they make a great gift for senior dogs. Check out this DIY ramp version.

Senior dogs are such a treasure. Give them extra cuddles during this holiday season!

Best Christmas Gifts For Dogs 2017

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Christmas Gifts Your Dog Will Love

Christmas Gifts For Dogs
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It’s almost Christmas time, which means it’s time to choose a gift for your furry family member. With so many new dog products created each year, here are my favorite 2017 Christmas dog gifts. As a professional dog trainer, I’m extremely picky about dog products, so you can rest assured I’ve tested these Christmas gifts for dogs thoroughly with my own and my clients’ dogs.

A quick tip: It’s best to place your dog’s toy, treat and chew gifts on the fireplace mantel. This prevents your dog from unwrapping his gifts before Christmas. 🙂

Comfy New Harness

Everyone needs a new spiffy outfit to start off 2018. Choose a fashionable, yet comfortable, harness for your dog to wear while trotting around town. Comfortable dog harnesses should offer full range of motion for front leg movement, and they should never chafe your dog’s skin.

My favorite harness is RuffWear’s Front Range harness. It comes in beautiful colors for every dog. This harness is easy to put on and take off your dog as well as offers lots of padding and front and back leash clip options.

Snuffle Mat

Mental enrichment is so important for dogs; that’s why I like the snuffle mat. Dogs love to forage for food, and a snuffle mat fulfills your dog’s foraging behavior. Snuffle mats contain long fleece strands tied to a rubber mat. They look like super long shag carpeting.

Sprinkle your dog’s daily kibble meal or treats into the fleece strands, and your dog will forage for an hour. Snuffle mats can be purchased online or easily created at home. Check out this DIY snuffle mat video. Oh, these mats are super easy to clean too—just toss into the washer and air dry.

Get Fit Gifts

Most dogs are stuck in the house all day, so splurge on a fun activity for your dog.

  • FitPaws offers balance boards, inflatable peanuts and cavaletti sets to keep your dog’s mind and body fit. Purchase online or create a DIY version, and then practice in your living room.
  • If your dog needs to lose a bit of weight, sign him up for hydrotherapy, which incorporates swimming in a heated pool or underwater treadmill. Hydrotherapy is not only reserved for injured dogs. It’s great for dogs that need to lose some weight too. Contact a certified pet physical therapist in your area for details.
  • Enroll in a fun class! Nose work is so much fun for dogs, and it’s a super easy activity for pet owners too. You’ll be shocked how good your dog’s nose really is. 🙂

Good Tried-and-True Dog Favorites

Of course, there are several tried-and-true gifts every dog will love. You can’t go wrong with any of these inexpensive Christmas gifts for dogs. 🙂

  • Kong Squeaky Tennis Balls are always a favorite. Balls are offered in two different sizes and come in three per package.
  • Stinky treats, such as bully stick chews or fish skin treats, will make any dog lose his mind.
  • Kong toys and Wobblers are always a hit with dogs. Just stuff stinky and yummy dog treats inside them, and your dog will stay busy for awhile.
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