Puptastic Presents
It’s nearly Christmas, so if you have a much-loved hound in the household it’s time to start thinking about gifts for the special dog in your life. Here we’ve picked our favourites…well actually, our dogs did!
Eco-friendly essentials
There’s an eco-friendly bowl for every dog and owner out there, but we’ve found the best at Becopets. How about a pattern of waves as a reminder of the good you are doing by avoiding single-use plastic, honeycomb to remind us to continue protecting the birds and the bees, a mid-tone grey inspired by the coastal rocks that waves splash over, a rich blue that’s reminiscent of the clear night sky on your adventures, and last but not least, an uplifting mint shade, as fresh as the crispy mint that inspired it. www.becopets.com/collections/accessories
If you’re looking for sustainable and natural gifts there’s a wide range of natural rubber toys for your pooch on the market. We love the natural rubber ball on a recycled cotton rope, fastened with chunky knots - the added weight of the ball keeps it soaring through the air as your dog chases and (sometimes) catches. Another favourite is a soft and flexible natural rubber frisbee that glides through the air and is gentle on teeth during aerial catches.
On the crate train
Dog crates are becoming increasing popular with owners, and if you’re looking for a dog crate that looks more like a piece of furniture than a cage, then Lords and Labradors’ wooden dog crates are just for you.
They have wooden surrounds and covers so that your dog crate fits into your home seamlessly. The wooden crate covers can double as side boards and end tables, so your room coordinates beautifully.
There are also crates with practical slide-aside doors and crate and dog gate combos which convert from crates to gates depending on which function is most practical in different situations.
A beautiful piece of dog furniture begs for smart upholstery and padded crate covers in cute and lovely fabrics so your dog’s home can blend in with the rest of your household. Older canines will enjoy a bit if peace and quiet over the Christmas period, while youngsters will love playing in their crates while the humans entertain their guests.
Toys for all ages!
Got a new puppy this Christmas? The Puppy Essentials Warm Bear will provide warming cuddles at nap time. It includes a bag of buckwheat that you place in the microwave for 2-5 minutes (depending on the power of the microwave) to warm, and then place inside the bear. The plush bear comforts the puppy and helps reduce separation anxiety. An adorable first toy for new puppies to help calm and relax them.
Looking for a toy that’s good for your youngster’s teeth? Make Christmas fun with the Puppy Kong dog toy, specially designed for a growing puppy's baby teeth. It’s the perfect first chewing toy for teething puppies, its all-natural rubber formula is ultra-gentle and helps teach appropriate chewing behaviour, beating boredom and cleaning teeth with its strong natural rubber.
The Kong puppy activity ball is specially designed for puppies 2-9 months, with Denta-ridges that clean teeth and gums as the dog chews. With extra soft natural rubber to preserve the teeth, it’s ideal for stuffing with Kong puppy snacks and easy treats. The perfect tasty puppy chewing treat to keep him quiet while you enjoy Christmas dinner!
Outward bound
If your dog is moving up to advanced training, have a look at the Nina Ottosson by Outward Hound Dog Twister Interactive Treat Puzzle Dog Toy, Advanced.
Designed for advanced levels of problem-solving play that challenge your dog with learning sequential steps, it’s a fun way for your smart pup to train his or her brain while redirecting destructive or negative behaviour in an exciting way.
Place treats underneath the triangular block compartments and push in the white plastic tabs to lock the blocks in place. Your dog will have to lift the tabs sequentially to unlock the blocks and move them to reveal the treats.
Active brains
If you’re not actively taking dog classes such as agility, obedience or gun dog training, you can look to focus your dog’s endless energy elsewhere. Just 10 minutes of brain training every day and you’ll have a tired, yet clever pup! There are lots of different brain training games and tools to choose from, but we think our own is pretty special.
Find out more about Professor Akira’s brain training flashcards here www.professorakira.com and sign up for our new training academy that will be launching soon.