10 Best Christmas Gifts for Dogs
Have you made your list and checked it twice? Whether the special dogs in your life made the naughty or nice list, we know you’ll be showering them with gifts during the holidays. Read this post for our top 10 favorite gifts for pups for the 2018 holiday season. All of these items are available at Cold Nose Lodge – 235 W Penn Ave. in Alburtis. We offer free gift wrapping with adorable paper paw print bags and tissue paper.
1. Canine Acres Goodies
Support TWO local businesses by shopping Canine Acres at Cold Nose Lodge. The adorable, gorgeously decorated cookies and pupcakes make for an aesthetically pleasing gift. You can also feel good about feeding these treats to dogs as they’re made with Canine Acres’ signature molasses dough base recipe along with fresh fruits and veggies, dehydrated meats, and yogurt based icing.
Dogs love the bakery items, but really seem to really go crazy for the dried meat options. Piggy twists are always a hit and are 100% pork loin that is twisted and dehydrated into a one ingredient yummy treat. Already packaged up and ready to be gifted is Canine Acres’ Meaty Mix Tin. It’s chock full of dried treats made from all beef hot dogs, chicken dogs, 100% pork Jerky, Chicken Jerky, Chicken Liver Jerky, and Beef Jerky.
2. Chuckle Toys
Confession, we’ve laughed maybe a little too hard at these unique sounding toys. These plush toys squeak, crunch, crinkle…and chuckle! Not sure what I mean? Next time you stop in, you HAVE to pick one up and see for yourself. We have both pig and alligator versions in bright colors and patterns that are sure to be a hit (not only with the dogs). These toys will be found under the trees of many of our staff members because we’ve found that they’re definitively the 2018 choice for maximum adorable head tilts.
3. Hardy Toys
Are you thinking that the plush chuckle toy will last about .2 seconds in your home? Tired of worrying about squeakers and cleaning up the fluff? You’ve got options! If you’re still hoping for something along the route of a stuffed animal we have both Tuffy and Mighty chew resistant stuffed toys. However, if you want a toy with a lifetime guarantee that we can vouch for as surviving countless daycare play sessions over the years, meet Goughnuts!
These rubber toys designed by mechanical and polymer engineers are made to last. No dog toy is indestructible, but these come close. When a red indicator rubber peeks through, you can send the toy back for a new replacement. Tip: the black toys are slightly stronger because of engineered carbon reinforcement. The doughnut shape vs the stick or ball is the strongest.
4. Calming Tools
At the Lodge, you’ll find calming products not only in their own nook, but dotted all around the boutique. From CBD products and calming pheromones to a variety of natural calming supplements, you may be wondering why we carry so many of these products. One of our goals is to alleviate fear, anxiety and stress in pets and educate and inspire the people who care for them. This is why we are a Fear Free advocate.
The Fear Free program provides education and certification to veterinary professionals and the pet professional community. The initiative, created by “America’s veterinarian” Dr. Marty Becker, focuses on the importance of the emotional well-being of our best friends in addition to physical well-being. You can read more about Fear Free at the Lodge here.
We love the idea of gifting calming products because it shows that you care deeply about the well-being of the recipient. These products can be life-changing for both the dog and owner. Stop into the Lodge and we’d be happy to guide you to what the best choices for your dog, or recipient are.
5. The Freedom No-Pull Harness
While we’re on the topic of Fear Free and making owners’ lives easier, we have to mention the Freedom No-Pull Harness. We know how severe leash pulling can be and this harness is a wonderful, kind gift that can be used to achieve loose leash walking. It’s affordable at $36.99 – $41.99 depending on size and has a great guarantee where it can be sent into the company and repaired for just the cost of shipping. In brief, here is what we love about it (you can read the full product spotlight here).
Why we love it:
- It’s designed to use in conjunction with positive reinforcement training. There are a number of specific features in the design to help achieve loose leash walking.
- The material is super strong and clearly high quality. The package includes a sturdy double connection leash with a sliding handle that is of the same high quality.
There are two places to connect the double sided leash, one in the front and one in the back. This allows you to effectively “steer” your dog. You can even clip both sides of the leash in the front so that if your dog pulls, they turn back toward you instead of pulling you forward.- It takes the pressure of a dog’s neck, preventing damage to the trachea, thyroid, and spine.
- It’s easy for anyone to understand how to use. The harness comes with a visual guide on how to put the harness on your dog. The pamphlet also includes easy to understand directions on using the harness for training, including four ways to use the double connection leash.
- The company understands that accidents happen. If you accidentally allow your dog to chew the harness or if it has been damaged in any other way, they will repair the straps for just the cost of shipping. They can also repair and replace other parts of the harness for a small fee.
- The velvet strap around the bottom helps to prevent chafing to the armpits which is a common issue in short-haired breeds, especially those that are pullers.
The Freedom No-Pull Harness comes in a wide range of sizes and tons of bright, fun colors.
6. Training Class
You’re going to need some training to go along with those loose leash walking goals! Training can, and we encourage it to be, a fun activity for the whole family. Four to six weeks of family bonding, pup included, for $109-$169? We think that’s a GREAT gift on so many levels. Our basic obedience classes are our most popular. You can snag 4 weeks of training for dogs under 6 months in Puppy Kindergarten for just $109 or 6 weeks of training for dogs over 6 months in Elementary School for just $169. We enthusiastically welcome dogs of all ages and levels to train at Cold Nose Lodge. Classes are held once per week and are one hour long. See a list of classes here.
Our training philosophy: We believe dog training should be based on a relationship of trust, not fear. For that reason, we use positive reinforcement, redirection and luring to train dogs at the Lodge. The use of physical corrections and other aversive training methods (choke chains, prong collars, etc.) are prohibited in our training programs.
Has something been holding you back from signing up for training? Could it be one of these common misconceptions about dog training? Or maybe you’re not sure when to start training your puppy.
7. Chews
Know a heavy chewer? Is that an understatement? Challenge accepted. Help keep a pup occupied during the holiday festivities with a chew. From Himalayan Dog Chews and No Hides, to Benebones, horns, and antlers, we have options for all degrees of chewing and are happy to guide you to the right selection for your dog. A great gift idea for a chewer is a chew basket! Mileage varies when it comes to finding a chew that both lasts and interests a specific dog. Gift a variety of dog chews to help an owner (or yourself) find the lucky dog’s favorite and the longest lasting option.
8. Oral Care Supplies
Earlier this year, we called it the sweetest gift to give your dog. You’re not alone if the puppy kisses you receive are a little less than fresh. Over 80% of dogs show signs of periodontal disease by 3 years old, and it’s so easy to prevent. Periodontal disease doesn’t just affect the teeth. You can read more about the seriousness of the disease here.
We carry your usual dog toothpaste and brushes, but we also have some fun, innovative options at the Lodge that make great gifts. We carry super easy, hands-off options like enzymatic no-brush gel and sprays. We even carry an option that comes with it’s own flossing toy!
9. Stuffed Christmas Toys
We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the shipment of holiday toys we just received! There is not much cuter than a little Santa toy peeking out of your pup’s stocking on Christmas morning. ‘Tis the season! You can spread the cheer by gifting one of these stuffed toys. We especially like roly-poly Santa and reindeer.
10. Puzzles
Just like exercise, mental stimulation is important in keeping your dog healthy. Exercising their minds can keep them occupied, cut down on some behavioral problems that arise because of boredom, and of course, is fun! We carry a variety of puzzle toys and bowls at the Lodge. From Wibbly Wobbly Dog Pyramids to interactive feeders, we’ve got puzzles that will get your dog’s noodle working overtime.
BONUS GIFT: Safe Paw Ice Melt
More snow and ice is just around the corner. Using a pet and child safe ice melt is a gift to the whole neighborhood. Safe Paw won’t burn or irritate paws, skin, or eyes and is also safe in the case of accidental ingestion. You can see more of our winter weather reminders here.
Again, all of these items are available at Cold Nose Lodge – 235 W Penn Ave. in Alburtis. We offer free gift wrapping with adorable paper paw print bags and tissue paper. Happy Holidays, everyone!