Oh My Dog!

obsessed with dogs

Pets for Christmas: Should you gift a dog or a cat?

I’ve been researching a post about adoption barriers, and I have a whole huge situation–with footnotes!–coming on that in the new year. For now, though, one thing I’ve encountered over and over again in my research: Limiting adoptions for the holidays throws up yet another adoption barrier not founded in data.

I am fully aware that this isn’t a popular opinion, so stick with me, guys, because I’m going to break it down.

Should you give a dog or cat as a Christmas gift_

I’m sure you’ve seen the headlines:

  • Pets Aren’t Presents
  • 5 Reasons Not to Give Pets as Christmas Gifts
  • Why You Should Avoid Giving Pets as Gifts

As so on. There’s even a massive online campaign from my least favorite, most hated animal group, PETA, that includes a social and blog push for “pets aren’t presents.”

Before we look at the numbers, let’s set three expectations:

First, we’re not talking about giving a puppy to, say, your mailman or your child’s classroom teacher. This isn’t a surprise for your Great Aunt Gladys (unless she explicitly told you all she wants is a kitten). This is a pet gift within your own household. And, honestly, the numbers bear this out anyways… people aren’t giving pets as presents to random people on your list anyways.

Second, every single one of the “don’t give pets as holiday gifts” articles I’ve read included the same theme: Giving a pet as a present brings an animal into an unprepared household. Since every  article includes this same warning–the recipient won’t be prepared–I’m wondering who they think gives the pet. I’m not sure if this is a scenario that assumes you give the pet as the gift and then wash your hands of it, but if we’re talking pets adopted into the same household (see the point above), it’s an expectation on the giver’s part to, you know, give the pet’s supplies along with the pet. Since more often than not this pets-as-presents debate focuses on parents giving their kids a pet for Christmas, well, the parents buy the supplies anyway.

Third, I’m focused solely on dogs and cats. Unfortunately, as with just about every animal welfare topic, there’s little reliable data on small animals, and I’m striving to avoid assumptions or anecdotes in favor of data.

OK, so we’re talking about a dog or cat given as a gift within the household and a responsible adult is involved in the decision. 

Seems simple enough, but somehow the popular opinion has decided people give pets willy-nilly to unsuspecting friends and family who know nothing about pets, who don’t have the budget for it, who haven’t pet-proofed their home. And then it turned into skyrocketing relinquishment numbers post-holiday (which the data shows that’s a far cry from the truth… more on that in a minute). Honestly, who’s giving dogs and cats out to everyone on their list?

All that aside, this happens so often in animal adoption: feelings seem to hold more weight than data. So, let’s look at the data.

My preference is always to find peer-reviewed literature, and there’s not a ton, but there’s this: “Should Dogs and Cats be Given as Gifts?” published in the open-access journal Animals in 2013. You can access the full study here, but here’s what the authors state in the intro (bold emphasis added by me):

Common arguments include statements such as: pet ownership shouldn’t be an impulse decision; the recipient should consent to pet ownership and be involved in the selection of a pet that fits his or her lifestyle; it’s a long-term commitment; pet ownership is costly; the holidays are a bad time to bring home a new animal. This message may be driven by concerns of inappropriate homing and return to the shelter. Often, organizations that support these arguments cite anecdotal evidence that returns of pets from unhappy gift receivers occurs frequently. However, the available data do not support these concerns.

They went on to clarify the purpose of their study:

While there is strong existing evidence to show that dogs and cats obtained as gifts are not at a higher risk of relinquishment than dogs and cats obtained in other ways, the myth that dogs and cats should not be given as gifts still persists.

They concluded:

The lack of associations between receiving a dog or cat as a gift and its impact on self-perceived love/attachment and whether or not respondents still had the dog or cat in the home is evidence supporting the notion that pets given as gifts are not at higher risk for abandonment. Further, denying potential adopters the right to obtain dogs and cats as gifts may unnecessarily impede the overarching goal of increasing the rate of live-releases of dogs and cats from our nations’ shelter system.

Ultimately, the outcomes for animals given as gifts are the same outcomes of the general pet population. 

As far as anecdotal evidence, ASPCA Pro published a case study of a shelter in Charleston, SC, that launched a “Home for the Holidays” program. In that case, the president of the shelter reported that 40 pets have been given as gifts through their program and none have been returned.

In the ASPCA’s official position statement on pets as gifts, they write:

Recently, the ASPCA conducted a survey to learn more about people who acquire pets as gifts. In the survey, 96% of the people who received pets as gifts thought it either increased or had no impact on their love or attachment to that pet. The vast majority of these pets are still in the home (86%). The survey also revealed no difference in attachment based on the gift being a surprise or known in advance.  Several studies conducted in the 1990’s and 2000 (Patronek, 1996, Scarlett, 1999 New, 1999, New 2000) found that pets acquired as gifts are less likely to be relinquished than pets acquired by the individual.

And, across the ocean, the conversation is changing on pet adoptions through the RSPCA. Here’s an article that examined data and conducted interviews and concluded, again, that pets can be wonderful gifts as long as it’s not a surprise to an unsuspecting friend or family member. Check out their relinquishment rates graph, too, which further shows that the data just doesn’t bear out on the supposed increase in post-holiday pet relinquishment in the UK.

Finally, in this piece from CBS News, the journalist juxtaposes a shelter’s reluctance to adopt pets during the holiday against the data and the HSUS’ position, as well, ultimately concluding that more progressive shelters are likely to allow or even encourage adoptions during the holidays.

BTW, one of the shelters quoted says they try to counsel against adopting pets as gifts but understand that the person can ultimately just leave and go buy a pet to gift… so, who wins in that scenario?

This myth seems to be simply another barrier to pet adoption. Common assumptions that aren’t backed by research prevent pets from finding their families throughout the entire year, but hopefully this myth can be dismantled so that more pups can spend Christmas morning in a home!

Bottom line:

  1. Don’t give a pet to someone not in your household. Duh.
  2. Make sure an adult is involved in the decision. Also, duh.
  3. Pets make wonderful gifts and giving an adoptable dog or cat a home for the holidays is absolutely lovely–IF numbers 1 and 2 are strictly followed!

So, what do you think? Have you heard that pets shouldn’t be given as gifts? Have you ever received a pet as a gift?

The Best Fresh Dog Food Delivery IMO: Health and convenience from The Farmer’s Dog

At an event many years ago, I chatted with someone who was a pretty pet-savvy person. We talked about dog food, and I mentioned adding fresh veggies–carrots, beans, peas, etc.–to the boys’ food. She looked aghast. “I don’t feed my dogs people food,” she said. “I don’t want to turn them into beggars.”

OK, the behavior issue aside, when she said “people food,” I couldn’t help but wonder: Well, what is dog food made of if not… food? At least, shouldn’t it be made of food, real food, like the kind people eat? If a bag of kibble says it has carrots in it, how’s that different from giving your dog a carrot?

The conversation seemed silly to me, and now, thank goodness, it’s come full circle…

The Farmer’s Dog Food Review

The Best Fresh Dog Food Delivery_ Health and convenience from The Farmer's Dog

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Why Fresh Dog Food?

This is the big, underlying question: Why feed your pup fresh dog food?

At the end of the day, food is food is food is food. What makes one meal different from another ultimately comes down to how it’s made, right? Take the carrot example. Boiling and steaming both cook the carrots, but steaming preserves its nutrients while boiling loses 60% or more of the carrot’s nutrients. Eating a raw carrot might not be best, either, though because research shows  that some cooking methods might actually boost the carrot’s antioxidant power. Basically, a steamed carrot is a carrot, a boiled carrot is a carrot, a raw carrot is a carrot, a dehydrated carrot extruded into kibble form is still a carrot… but they’re not all nutritionally equal. I think we can all agree on that, and I think we can all agree that there’s nothing grosser than a boiled carrot. (Actually, maybe boiled asparagus is grosser?)

Anyway.

If you’re going to eat food, which of course you are, and if you’re going to feed your dog food, which of course you are, wouldn’t you want it to be the most nutritionally-rich food available? Of course you do! We all do! And the benefit to our dogs is that they don’t have to choose between, say, a grilled chicken breast vs. drive-thru chicken nuggets because we make the decisions on their behalf. So, it stands to reason that if we know fresh food is best, and we’re in position to decide the best food to feed our pups, we’d want to go fresh, yeah?

There are a TON of fresh foods hitting the market (more on that in a minute), but we’ve found The Farmer’s Dog to fit our lifestyle, budget, and Coop’s belly quirks.

Backing up one quick step: When I wrote about The Farmer’s Dog previously, we switched foods after getting the results of Cooper’s allergy test. At the time, I didn’t write a full review because I wasn’t sure how helpful it would be since I was so focused on food allergies. We were so pumped to find a recipe that didn’t contain a single allergen from Coop’s list, and while he’s limited to one of the three formulas for that very reason, it’s made measurable, noticeable differences in his belly. I wanted to sing that from the rooftops! But, SO many of you have reached out with specific questions I didn’t answer in that post that I thought I’d pull them together in a full review after all!

{{Note: Because I think rotating proteins is so super important, we’re still rotating in The Honest Kitchen because two of the three formulas from The Farmer’s Dog do contain allergens on Coop’s list.}}

The other big thing is that our food production system is deeply flawed. Romaine lettuce, anyone? I’m sure you’ve all seen the gobs and gobs of dog food recalls due to tainted ingredients, as well. In fact, there’s a major one underway as I type this: FDA Alerts Pet Owners about Potentially Toxic Levels of Vitamin D in Several Dry Pet Foods.

It’s critically important to me that we’re feeding Cooper a food where the ingredients are responsibly sourced and the production is smaller scale for better quality control. I fully acknowledge that no food production system is perfect. For that, we’d have to grow and make our own, which let’s be honest, isn’t happening.

The Very Best Fresh Dog Food Delivery

I think we can all agree that fresh food is the way to go, but that’s not without a substantial list of pros vs cons when it comes to pet food. It’s not like you can walk into the produce section of your local pet store and pick up a fresh meal, ya know? Let’s take a look at some of the obvious pros and cons of fresh dog food and fresh dog food delivery services:

  • Cost: Equal parts PRO/CON. I get into this in detail below re: The Farmer’s Dog, but these services are definitely more expensive than picking up an average store bag of kibble (though there are many premium kibbles that are comparable or even more expensive). I do think it’s worth examining the cost of health-related issues from convenience foods vs. wholesome foods. But you guys know me: I’m NOT someone who says in a blanket statement kibble is bad. It’s not. Even though I advocate for real, whole food, these services might not fit your budget. #noshame It’s my opinion that The Farmer’s Dog is priced at a fair value. It’s definitely a stretch if you’ve been feeding regular kibble, but not if you’ve been feeding premium or, as we were, a dehydrated option like The Honest Kitchen.
  • Packaging: PRO! Alright, you guys. You know I’m obsessed with finding eco-friendly solutions to every pet care problem. Well, The Farmer’s Dog comes in recyclable packaging AND the insulation is cornstarch that you dissolve in your kitchen sink! The brand is committed to sustainability, too, so you can trust that their production methods are gentler on the environment.
  • Website/ordering: CON. You can’t see the formulas until you create an account. I feel like that’s a bummer for those of us who have dogs who are SO sensitive to ingredients that we can’t make decisions until we see every last ingredient.
  • Convenience: PRO! More on this below, but having the food automatically shipped is a life saver.
  • Small-batch production: PRO! For all the reasons stated above. And each packet comes labeled specifically for Cooper.

The Farmer’s Dog vs Ollie (or NomNom Now, PetPlate, etc.)

Fresh food + delivery is the future, y’all.

Hopefully by now you’re on board with the fresh food piece, but delivery?

OK, so I know that you’re busy. I’m busy, you’re busy, we’re all literally stretched so thin it’s impossible to keep up. Grocery pickup has changed my life! I honestly can’t stand going into the store–truly, grocery shopping is my single most hated chore–so ordering online then driving over and having someone load it into my car is, in my opinion, the greatest invention of my lifetime.

At least it was.

Until… Delivery!

Delivery is the next wave of convenience foods, which is SO much better than “convenience” foods like McDonald’s or microwave meals because you can pick all your own healthy foods and have them brought to your doorstep. My neighbors, who have five children, get their groceries delivered, and I’m sure it’s changed their lives for the better! Well, that’s how I feel about fresh food delivery for my pets. I think more people are demanding delivery for more and more things (I have three different apps on my phone for takeout/delivery services…) so you can expect to see tons of fresh dog food delivery brands crop up to fulfill that need.

After my previous post, I got a ton of questions about how The Farmer’s Dog compares to Ollie. Honestly? We’ve never tried Ollie. I did Google a bunch of the brands that are already out there, and nearly everything I read ranked The Farmer’s Dog toward the top for convenience, cost, and options. Here’s a review from a food blog I love if you want to read some specific comparisons.

How Much Does The Farmer’s Dog Cost?

It varies. It depends on the size and age of your dog and his or her daily caloric needs. Let’s say you love a sedentary pug. Well, your cost is going to be lower–and rightly so!–than my high-energy, perma-pup Am Staff mix. He needs a lot of calories in the day to keep up with his skittering and cat chasing!

That said, they do offer arrangements to do the meal as a topper, which I think would be an ahhhhhmazing way to mix whole foods into a kibble or dehydrated diet in a cost-effective way.

My advice? Try it (at 50% off) and see. It’s either going to work wonders for your dog and his diet (which I really do believe it will) or it won’t! But, it can’t hurt to try, especially at such a discounted price.

The Bottom Line

At the end of the day, everyone wants to do what’s best for their pup. That’s it. We all do the best we can with the parameters we have. No, this isn’t going to be for everyone. It might not be a full meal option for you, either, but the topper situation might work. Or, maybe you’re ready to dive into something new. Everyone’s doing their best, and as long as you’re loving your pets, you’re doing great. If part of that includes trying The Farmer’s Dog fresh dog food delivery service, I’d love to help you get started with a discount: Click here to try it for 50% off!

What stones have I left unturned? I tried to answer the questions I had gotten via email and DM, but in case I missed something, or if another question cropped up for you as you were reading this, please leave them in the comments! I’d love to provide as much info as possible, and if I don’t know the answer, I’m always happy to reach out to the company to find the right information! 

The Farmer's Dog

Some additional reading:

Is my dog basically Lassie?

This story starts Thanksgiving Day.

We took Cooper and Violet hiking in a nearby nature preserve. We wanted to burn off Coop’s energy before we left for Thanksgiving dinner at my brother’s, plus burn off a few preemptive calories before all the pies.

Well.

Turns out, every other person and pup in central Indiana felt the same way. Every trail we took, we encountered dog after dog after dog. Which, as you know, Cooper doesn’t handle well. John had Violet in the backpack, and I had Coop on his harness. The squeeze cheese worked for a while, so did u-turns and forks and circling back and zig-zags and just outright stopping while we waited for dogs to pass us by. But, of course, he reached maximum threshold at some point way in the back of the preserve, so it was a lot of pulling, lunging, and barking until we got back to the car. I ended up just running him back–he focuses way better when he’s running–though my shoulder ached by the time I loaded him into the car.

Such is life with a stressed-out, reactive pup, right?

You plan. You prepare. You manage. But, we can’t control other dogs and their owners. Unfortunately.

The next day, we decide to get our Christmas tree. We ran some errands, then stopped at the library to let Violet play. A block from the library, the Girl Scouts sell trees each year for a fundraiser, so we planned to hit the coffee shop on our way, then pick out a tree and head home. As we loaded Violet into the car, she looked up into my eyes and said, “Pooped.”

Sure enough.

So, we decided to do the tree later and just head straight home. We put her down for a nap and thought we might as well clean the house before we decorated anyways, so that’s what we did. And, since my darling daughter tends to huck her plate when she gets frustrated, that included scrubbing down the walls and cabinets in the kitchen.

It was then, at some point when I was scraping dried milk off the baseboards, I felt a twinge. Just a small little tweak across my lower back. Not a big deal. Just a little ache.

The day continued: My sister came over to watch Violet so we could finish some errands. She stayed for dinner. We missed getting the tree but were ready to throw ourselves into full-blown Christmas Saturday morning!

And then… in the wee hours of Saturday, like 1:30 AM, I woke up with the worst back pain ever. Like, enough to draw tears. It took me ages and ages to stand up, to slink my way out of the bedroom and into the living room. I had it in my head that if I could just stretch out on the floor, I’d be OK.

Cooper popped out of bed, of course, and came with me. He watched me. He sat in his chair in the living room and stared at me. Unblinking. He just stared.

Well, turns out, I was wrong. Once I got on the floor, it was worse by significant degrees. But then I couldn’t get up. At all. I tried shifting, rolling, scootching to the cabinet to pull myself up. Nada. Not happening.

So, I turned to Cooper, my beloved pup who stays by my side every day no matter what, and I said, “Cooper, go get John.”

He looked at me.

“Coop. Please. Get Papa.”

He stared.

“OK, bubba. I’m dying here. I need help. Go. Get. John.”

He jumped down from his chair, walked over, sniffed my face, and then curled up alongside me and rested his head on my belly.

I couldn’t move.

He got comfortable.

And slept.

John found me two hours later in tears and cursing in the loudest whisper I could muster. (This whole time, you guys, I didn’t want to wake Violet. I knew that would make everything way, way worse…)

Cooper, though? Sound asleep by my side.

Is my dog basically Lassie?

Is my dog basically Lassie?

No. No, he’s not.

Dear Newt

OK, Newtie. I know what you’re thinking.

You’re thinking, Of course. Of course you’re late writing my letter. I’m amazed you’re even writing one at all. How many years have you missed, hmmmm? 

I could argue that I’m writing this Gotcha Day letter a little early! Looking back, you appeared at John’s Louisiana apartment end of September/early October 2012. He was still trying to find a home for you–or find your owners if you were lost–and had you spayed in November. It wasn’t until after that, when he saw how upset you were for your vet visit and spay, that he decided you were staying. I think after John came home for the holidays and worried about you with the pet sitters the entire time, it was official. So, I guess I could say… this is right on time? At least in the window…

Newt

Anyway, Newt, you are one special girl.

You are the first cat either John or I ever had, and we couldn’t have asked for a better cat to teach us the ropes.

Why?

Because you know exactly what you want, and you know exactly how to ask for it! I’ve had quite a number of nibbles over the years to whip me right into shape!

I’m joking, but only a little because you used to bite me a lot! I think a big part of that was because you had John all to yourself, then I suddenly appeared with three dogs in tow… and one of those dogs did NOT get along with you for a long, long while. And then there was the foster dog who wanted to chase you relentlessly. Then there was the foster kitten. Then there was Ripley. Yeah, we have asked a lot of you over the years, but you’ve risen to the occasion–and sometimes even more than we could imagine–time after time. I think the only instance where you just couldn’t was the move from Louisiana to Indiana. (To be fair, none of us could on that drive…)

Introducing cats- How Ripley and Newt became BFFs

You defy many cat stereotypes, Newt. You’re adaptable. You’re brave. You love going outside on a leash. You enjoy meeting new people (as long as they don’t touch you until you’re ready, at which point you saunter over and sit on their lap). When it comes to dogs, you know how to keep them in line. You’ve met so many in your lifetime, from our pups to fosters to cousin dogs to friend dogs, and you meet them all with the same resigned ferocity: Look, you. You do what I want, and I won’t swat you. Push my buttons, and I will swat you. And, so far, every dog has fallen in line!

We were meant to be your family, if only because we’re willing to bend over backwards to make sure you’re happy!

More than that, though, you brought and continue to bring levity and laughter. For such a serious gal, you have moments of pure, unrestrained joy, like when you wrestle with a hair tie or sprint laps around the house doing wall jumps and leaps. (At which point Violet yells, “HA CA!” (aka, HOT CAT!) which her Auntie Jeree and Uncle Sammy taught her!)

You “Mama Cat” Ripley and tolerate shenanigans from the toddler, though one of our few nonnegotiable rules is that she’s not allowed to touch you because the aforementioned nibbles. She follows it pretty darn well, but you’ve gotten really good about reading her moods, too. In fact, you read everyone–dog, human, cat–which is, I think, how you keep us all in line. You know what we’re going to do before we do it!

Newt in the bow tie

Every day, when you settle onto my lap for a little afternoon snooze, I think just how lucky we are to have your fuzzy, bunny-soft, sweet, and fiery little soul in our family.

Six years ago, you arrived. You picked John. You waltzed into our lives–literally–by marching yourself into his apartment. You know how to read people. You picked the right family. And we’re so, so grateful you do.

We love you, Newtie! We’re so grateful you’re you!

Looking back, holy moly. It was an epic battle to integrate cats and dogs but obviously so, so worth it. For anyone who’s thinking about introducing cats and dogs, I have a ton of posts I’ll link below in case it’s helpful. Now that we’ve done cat + cat introductions, too, I can share our experiences there. Or, if you have any questions, leave ’em in the comments below, and I’ll do my best to answer!

And now we have peace! 🙂

One final note, I had the opportunity to share my tips on bringing a new cat home for the 2019 Blogging Cats Weekly Planner, a blog planner put together by our friend Paula who runs the blog Sweet Purrfections. You can purchase a copy (we’re December!!) here.

2018 Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts for Pet Parents

Welcome to the third and final day of this year’s holiday gift guide! If you haven’t checked out the others yet, be sure to scope out the best gifts for pets and the best handmade gifts for pet lovers. (And enter to win all the gifts listed in each!)

For today, this guide is all about YOU, the loving pet parent who takes such wonderful care of your animals day in and day out! Some of these are just for fun. Some are super useful. All are selected just for pet parents who care! Let’s dig in, shall we?

2018 Holiday Gift Guide: 8 Gifts for Pet Parents

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8 Gifts for Pet Parents

The Zero-Waste Pet

The Zero-Waste Pet Cover Image

You had to know this was coming! 🙂 This makes a perfect present for anyone on your list (including yourself) who’s interested in lessening their impact on the planet and reducing their pet’s carbon “pawprint.” It’s full of actionable tips, easy steps, and free resources–plus, it comes with access to a closed page with even more info and resources to make going lower-waste that much easier. Even better? It’s a waste-free gift! No wrap, no boxes, no shipping costs… it’s all delivered to you electronically! Grab yours for half off!

Basepaws

 

OK, among the things that I get pitched–and there are a LOT, probably half a dozen a day–this one stood out as the coolest of the year. In fact, to be totally transparent, I haven’t even tried this yet. We’re going to get a kit and share the process and results with you guys next year. (Vote: Newt or Ripley???) Anyway, Basepaws is an at-home, feline-specific genetic test that allows you to learn about breed and ancestry markers that are present in your cat’s DNA explaining the physical traits are in your cat’s genes. Here’s how they describe it: “As a pet owner, you want to know as much information as possible about any potential health risks for your beloved cat. With knowledge from your cat’s genetics, you can make more informed decisions about their health-care needs earlier—possibly mitigating or even preventing illness down the road. To send Basepaws the sample, you collect hair from your feline or use a mouth swab for cats without hair. After mailing the sample in you can expect results in 2 to 4 months. Once you are part of the Basepaws family, your cat will receive a lifetime of benefits. This includes report updates, personalized recommendations, membership in the Basepaws community, access to the latest research on cat science, tools to connect owners of similar cats, and discounts on future products that will be specifically formulated for your cat’s genetic needs.” Get yours here (and note the coupon code at the top of the webpage!).

Pet Krewe Elf Elmo

Elf Elmo

I mean, honestly. There are no words for how cute Cooper is as Elf Elmo. You guys are already familiar with Pet Krewe, the leading pet costume company. Well, they’re licensing Sesame Street, y’all, and look how adorable! He will totally rock this look on Christmas morning. In fact, there are a whole bunch of other Sesame Street character costumes, and I’m tempted to get them all because they’re just so adorable. And Violet is obsessed. She gave him roughly 97 more kisses when he was wearing this than usual.

Edited to add: Apparently Elf Elmo is now sold out! 🙁 However, there are other equally adorable options available. Just check this one out (and you do NOT want to miss the model…. dying)!!!

Dogs and Wine T-shirt

Dogs & Wine

I just recently learned of BarkYours.com, a one-stop destination for dog-inspired clothing, crafts and gifts. At BarkYours.com, you can find thousands of unique, dog-themed items, created by a growing list of talented artists. It’s like an entire shopping mall of dog-themed stores… but online so you don’t have to leave your dog at home! So, they introduced us to their website and sent along two gifts. This shirt? I’m obsessed. It’s my favorite color and the perfect theme. I think T-shirts with personality make amazing gifts. They’re affordable and personal, plus most of us wear tees most of the time, amiright? Get the Dogs and Wine tee or check out others in the store! (Thinking I might have to get John this Dog Dad hat! There’s NEVER Dog Dad stuff!)

Dog Breed Shoulder Bag

Dog Breed Shoulder Bag

Shoulder bags are my, well, bag. I love the hands-free functionality. It’s so easy to balance a leash, a bag of groceries, a baby, whatever, but I still want it to look cool. This dog breed bag is sized just right, too. This find is also from BarkYours.com, and if you check out the specific shop that this bag is from, you’ll see that she sells bags with just about every breed. There are different color options of each, as well, so you can fully customize. (Ummm… Santa? a hot pink Staffie, please!) Get your dog breed shoulder bag here!

Yin & Yang Nutrition for Dogs

I think I’ve featured a new cookbook every year since this gift guide started! Clearly I love cooking for my pets! This one’s a little different from what I’ve featured before because the focus isn’t solely on the individual recipes but rather the way food plays into overall health. It’s based around the specific properties of food and how those can affect various parts of the body and conditions. For instance, there are recipes for bone support or liver health. There’s an entire chapter dedicated to cancer. This book would make a wonderful gift for a pet parent who’s interested in learning about holistic nutrition and getting some homecooking ideas. I’m starting with the recipe for Golden Paste, first! Pick up a copy and start cooking!

My Life in a Cat House


How many of you read Homer’s Odyssey? Obviously, I can’t see the show of hands, but I have to imagine it’s most of you. It was touching and delightful and wildly popular. This, another from Gwen Cooper, shares eight stories of life with cats that are reminiscent of the feel of Homer’s story. It’s got a lot of humor and a lot of heart-string tugs. Her writing is so relatable and accessible, too, that the book flies by. The reviews all say you’ll find yourself hugging your cats a little tighter by the end… and if my kitties liked or even tolerated hugs, that would’ve totally been true. 🙂 Get yours! (BTW, right now this book is free with an Audible trial… you could bundle up a pretty nice Christmas gift this way!)

Homer and the Holiday Miracle: A True Story

If you want to read a heartwarming holiday story by the fire on Christmas Even (and who doesn’t?!?), this is the one for you. It’s touching and funny and short–a perfect stocking stuffer. This would also make a great present for a gift exchange–clocking in under $10–or bundled together with My Life in a Cat House for the book-loving cat person. Pick up your copy. 

There you have it! This year’s top recommendations for dog and cat lovers! 

Thanks to the generosity of each participant, it’s now YOUR chance to win these gifts for your dog or cat! This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. The widget should load below, though it sometimes takes a minute. If you’re reading this via email or within a feed reader, you’ll probably have to click the link:

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