Posts tagged "gifts"

Unless you're one of those organized individuals who crossed off their entire holiday shopping list on Black Friday, chances are you still have some gifts left to purchase. And if you're looking for the perfect present for the pet lover in your life, we're here to help.

From breed-specific stocking stuffers to personalized pet accessories, these products can help to spread holiday cheer while celebrating the joys of pet parenting. Our friends at Zootoo rounded up some of their favorite holiday gifts for pet lovers to help you become a true Santa Paws this season.

Reflecting the lighter side of pet ownership, Magnetic List Pads from Little Gifts come in a wide variety of designs and phrases - ranging from the inspirational ("Things to Do: 1. Try and Start the Day with a Smile") to the humorous ("So Many Places to Pee, So Little Time..."). And the magnetic backing also makes these stocking stuffers easy to incorporate into busy households.


Take care of those thank-you notes to Santa Paws with English Bulldog Notes from Crane & Co. Part of the company's line of dog stationery, these beautifully designed, well-made cards allow you to proclaim your breed loyalty in style. And although not every breed is represented, most traditional favorites - such as Jack Russells, French Bulldogs, and Yorkies - are available to help you catch up on correspondence with a touch of canine class.


A gift for both pet owners and their four-legged friends, the Personalized Pet Placemat from Drymate makes mealtime neater with a non-slip backing to hold bowls in place and an absorbent material to catch spills and overflow. Available in a wide range of designs and colors to fit most kitchen decors, the mats can be personalized with up to 15 letters, and are machine-washable for added convenience.


Help the breed fanatics on your gift list declare their allegiance with Top Paw Socks. Featuring adorable representations of breeds with the name stitched at the cuff, these machine-washable socks are available in appealing colors. And with the line's broad selection of canines - from Pug to Pit Bull - you should be able to find a pair to satisfy the loyal breed lover in your life.


If you have a younger pet lover on your holiday gift list, try the book I Don't Want a Cool Cat! by Emma Dodd. Aimed at feline-friendly children, this sweet book features colorful, cheery illustrations and delightful prose. And the story has a wonderful message at its center - the importance of accepting other beings just as they are.

Giving a pet as a gift on any occasion is almost always a bad idea. While puppies are perennially popular impulse holiday gifts, a puppy or adopted older dog is a lifetime commitment that should not be entered into lightly. That cute puppy under the tree on December 25 may be a big headache by the end of January for an unprepared gift-getter. Even for experienced potential pet owners, the holidays are the absolute worst time of year to adopt a new dog. No matter what your best intentions, a puppy will get lost in the shuffle of holiday festivities. Also, the winter weather and early darkness is not conducive to acquainting your dog with the outdoors.

But just because you aren't going to have a new dog wearing a holiday gift bow on its chest doesn't mean the holidays need to be dog-free. Use this charitable season as an opportunity to help homeless dogs this year. There are thousands of worthy local organizations for dogs in addition to the national ones we all know about. Do a little research and find a local group that could use assistance during the holidays. Here are some great suggestions of how you can get your "dog fix" by helping the ones that need it most:

- Volunteer at your local shelter over the holidays. Call and find out what you need to do to become a volunteer and what is needed most at this time of year.

- Donate to an organization such as Sunny Days Rescue Relief. This organization provides money and supplies to shelters in need.

Animals at zoos must have been good this year because many of them are getting spoiled this holiday season. Zoos across the country are holding events where the animals get into the holiday spirit by opening presents. Not only is watching the animals unwrap their gifts entertaining for zoo-goers, it's a fun way to keep the animals' minds active.

If you visit Wildlife Conservation Society's Prospect Park Zoo in New York City on weekends in December, don't be surprised if wrapping paper is flying. Each Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., you can see baboons, cats and other critters tear into treat-filled bags and boxes.

Animals at Zoo Miami will also partake in the gift-opening fun. Every weekend in December, including Christmas Day, guests can watch the animals open a variety of holiday gifts prepared by zookeepers and volunteers. Zoo guests can also enjoy animal-shaped light displays at night and have dinner with Santa.

At the Sacramento Zoo in California, animals will get special treats delivered to them and staff will be on hand to share facts, secrets and answer questions. The treats include a cardboard gingerbread house for the lemurs, a piñata with spice and ice for the zoo's tiger, a frozen snowman for the hyenas, a wrapped box with crickets for the ground hornbill and a Christmas tree with edible ornaments for the kangaroos and emus.

Santa sure has been good to these zoo animals this year! Will you be attending holiday events at your local zoo? Be sure to look online for what's on offer near you.

More from AOL: For other holiday happenings, news and tips, check out Holidash.

Every once in a while, we here at Paw Nation encounter a pet-related product that's so wacky, so unique, and so totally genius we wish we invented it ourselves. Behold: Sniffins. These greeting cards are just for pets. And how do pets greet each other? Eloquent letters? Cutesy couplets? Nay. As anyone who's ever watched a pair of dogs sniff at each others' rear ends knows, it is through scent.

Sniffins greeting cards include a detachable, fuzzy paw print that collects scent. You take the paw print (loaded with ScentPrint Technology -- patent pending, mind you) and rub it all over your pet. Stick it in the mail and Fluffy's penpal will soon have a personalized pet-friendly greeting. The Sniffins website calls it a "greeting they can understand." We call it brilliant.

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