Wednesday, December 7, 2011

My Favorite Holiday Gift Ideas For Pets (In Honor of Bubby)

holiday gift guide for pets and animal lovers

Way back in April, I posted some sad news about my sweet Bubby dog.  He had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, and given a few days to a few weeks to live.  Well here we are in December, and Bubby is still going strong!  He's had his ups and downs, but hasn't shown one symptom of cancer, and is now just 3 months away from his 16th birthday.  If only you could have witnessed the dramatic display of emotion I showed upon discovering Bubby's "Santa's Best Dog" bowl in the holiday decorations last week.  It was quite the scene.  I never thought he'd get to use it again, hence the uncontrollable tears streaming down my face as I sat cross-legged on the floor thanking the universe for one more Christmas with my furry soul mate. 

You see, Bubby is pretty magical to be around this time of year.  He's an old boy, and he prefers to sleep most of the day.  But when those boxes of holiday decorations came out, he suddenly had the energy of pup, all waggy-tailed and curious.  And I wish you guys could see his reaction to the presents under the tree on Christmas morning.  He assumes (naturally) that every gift is for him, and feels that it is his very special duty to help everyone in the room with the unwrapping of their gifts.  Yes, Bubby dog knows how to unwrap presents all by his very self.  (You can see so for yourself at the end of his 15th birthday video). 

In the midst of my joyful breakdown upon seeing his Christmas bowl, I promised him that Santa was going to be extra good to him this year.  This, of course, has meant all sorts of investigating and searching for the very best pet gifts I've been able to find.  Since many of you have beloved dogs/cats/bunnies/hamsters/lizards/hedgehogs of your own, I thought I'd share with you my most favorite gift ideas for pets - and those who love them - this holiday season...

1. Colorful cubes bow tie collar by Silly Buddy.  $42
2. Handmade eggplant dog toy and radish organic catnip toy by Wags and Wiggles.  $9.99/$4.99
3. 'Why Old Dogs Are the Best Dogs' poster, available in 3 colors (and inspired by Bubby dog!) in the Bubby & Bean shop.  $16
4. 'If You Can Read This, I Will Lick You' pet tag by Billets-Doux. $12 
5. Pet Pocket Mirrors from the Fabulous Animal Rescue Project (FARP).  All profits go to animal rescue groups! $4
6. Native American Cat Teepee by Loyal Luxe.  (Seriously, how awesome is this?!) $24
7. The Thundershirt in heather grey.  This little miracle has been a lifesaver for Bubby dog during thunderstorms!  $39.99
8. Black and Natural Pet Bowl by Jonathan Adler.  Not cheap, but undoubtedly one of the chicest pet bowls I've ever seen.  $50-$70.
9. Recycled P.E.T. leash from Found My Animal. This company makes "accessories for adopted animals and their people," and donates a portion of their profits to shelter pets. Love!  $41-$52
10. Vita Greens Natural Grass Treat 2 Pack for cats.  My friend's kitties love this stuff.  Just add water!  $4.50
11. Raw Apple Chew Sticks (10) for bunnies, handmade by the Dew Hop Inn.  $2.50
12. Wire and Dine Elevated Dog Feeder in orange.  This, my friends, is one beautiful dog feeder.  $80-$140.
13. Humunga Stache dog toy.  No words.  Just awesome.  $14.99


What are you getting for your fur babies this year?






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15 comments:

  1. Oh my god, that mustache ball today is so awesome!! hahahah! I am totally getting that for my doggy. These are really awesome picks!! :-)

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  2. I love giving gifts to my pets! Even if they don't really know what Christmas means, they give me unconditional love.

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  3. I am so happy to hear that your pup is still going strong! And as the owner/companion of a 7 year old staffie x adopted dog, I'm so happy to hear about a dog making it to an amazing 16 years! May we all have so many great years with our furry best friends! Great gift finds, too! Happy holidays.

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  4. I teared up watching the video from last year! So sweet. He has some sweet unwrapping skills!

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  5. This is a very touching post. Dogs are special as I learning, what a dent they make in our lives!

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  6. That doggy bow tie is amazing. I'm also so happy to hear Bubby is doing so well. That dog is famous.

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  7. I love the first bowtie! so adorable! And the pet feeder is always a great idea. When my Katie got older, I bought her a raised feeder and it made a huge difference.

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  8. great picks!! i especially love #1 and #13 :)

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  9. Thanks for the sweet comments you guys! I've had a lot of fun searching for doggy gifts in bed at 3 AM. :) Bubby isn't much for toys anymore, but I think I may get him the Humunga Stache anyway. Even if he picked it up one time and I could snap a quick picture, it would be so worth the $15 :)

    xo,
    melissa

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  10. Oh, I wish I had a dog! Really cute stuff here. :)

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  11. So glad to hear that Bubby dog is still going strong!! :)

    I definitely want #3 & #4!

    Have given my sweet Daphne 2 Christmas gifts early...a new, soft pink blanket and bacon treats. I'm trying sooooooooooo hard to wait until Christmas morning to give her the candy-cane-shaped rawhide! :)

    All the best,
    Mary
    Mixed-Media Map Art

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  12. you know i always love a good bubby leary story! :)

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  13. Your story made me so happy-sad, glad he'll use his bowl again :) He's a really lucky dog to have such a loving momma!! hugs to you all!!!

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  14. melissa! this is perfect because...in my family we dooo buy our pets gifts. true story. and i'm going to out gift each and everyone of my relatives. the dogs are gonna love me! thanks xxo em

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  15. Oh my gosh - I love 'Why Old Dogs are the Best Dogs'! They so are! I say that as the owner of a soon to be 11 year old Border Collie. I love reading your posts about Bubby - you can just feel the bond you have and how much you care for him jumps right off the screen. Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas xx

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