Tips for holiday pet gifts

By Claire Bachand,
Bluedevilhub.com Staff–

Stores across Davis, from PetCo to TJ Maxx, stock up on stocking stuffers. Their shelves are full of Santa, elf and reindeer costumes, dozens of toys, and–if you look carefully–you might even find a holiday blanket or bed. The holiday season is for everyone–even the pets.

Of course, it isn’t necessary to get your pet a gift. As Texas A&M veterinary professor Mark Stickney put it, “Your pet doesn’t really care about the holidays, so they won’t be upset if they don’t receive a present.”

However, many people do buy or make a gift for their pets. “He’s part of the family and he needs a gift too,” Da Vinci sophomore Michelle Monheit said of her dog Charlie.

Last Christmas, Monheit sewed Charlie a dinosaur costume.

In the past, Davis High sophomore Alison Rubin has filled a Christmas stocking for her bunny, Ginger, while Da Vinci sophomore Andrew Eweis-LaBolle has bought his cats toy mice.

What to get

When choosing a gift for your pet, it is crucial that you pick something safe.

According to Laurel Gershwin, professor at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, when buying your pet apparel, you should make sure there are no tags or seams on the inside of the fabric that could irritate the animal’s skin. Also, double-check that there’s nothing on the costume that an animal could bite off and swallow or that could restrict the animal’s movement, according to Stickney.

If you plan to buy clothing for your pet, have your pet try it on first. Stickney says the clothing should be loose enough for you to slip two fingers in between the fabric and the animal.

“If giving a toy, try to make sure there are no readily accessible pieces that can be swallowed, as in squeakers. I have seen those torn out of stuffed toys and they can be potentially swallowed producing intestinal obstruction,” Gershwin said.

While many squeaky toys are made of a material that can easily be chewed up, “GoDog” squeaky toys are made from material that dogs have trouble tearing apart.

Karen Snider, an employee at Pet Food Express, purchased a “GoDog” toy for her dog last Christmas and it is still in good condition; although it is slobbery, it doesn’t have a single hole and the squeaker still works.

Snider describes her dog as a “master destroyer of any other toy,” and she is impressed that the “GoDog” toy has lasted as long as it has. “A regular stuffed animal dog […] she can get the tail in two minutes,” Snider said. 

If Gershwin were to buy a gift for her pet, she would get a soft toy without a squeaker or a nice ball. She suggests the ropes with balls connected to them for medium to large dogs.

“Also, in cold weather a nice coat or sweater is a good gift if you take your dog on walks or go up to the snow with him or her,” Gershwin said.

A nice treat can also serve as a good gift for your pet.

According Gershwin, “greenies” have been known to cause some problems with dogs. Also, some dogs don’t do well with rawhide chews, while other dogs love them. “I like the good old standards: milk bone and other nutritional biscuits,” Gershwin said.

Where to go

At the Western Feed Store, you can buy a pair of snow boots for your dog for $14.79 to $22.99, depending on your dog’s foot size. This is much cheaper than similar dog shoes at PetCo.    

However, if you want to get your pet something holiday-specific, cheerful Christmas colors line the shelves of PetCo, Pet Food Express and TJ Maxx.

Near the back of TJ Maxx, a sign reads “Gifts for your Pets.” Under the sign is a variety of different possible gifts–racks of Santa, snowmen, reindeer and elf toys, along with costumes, hats, stockings, bell collars, blankets and beds.

In general, TJ Maxx has the cheapest options–anywhere from $2 and $25. Dog toys can cost from $3 to $8, while the prices of costumes range from $8 to $14.

However, the only holiday reflected in the gifts at TJ Maxx is Christmas, and other than a few stockings, there are no holiday-specific cat toys, although they do have regular toy mice.    

Pet Food Express and PetCo have areas dedicated to Christmas cat toys and to Hanukkah, along with many racks dedicated to sweaters, dog pastries and more.

Out of all the stores in Davis, PetCo has the widest variety of Christmas gifts for cats. It has Christmas mice, hats, bow ties, scarves, Santa costumes and more.  

On the other hand, pet Food Express houses various unique dog toys, including snowballs and coal balls that possess a minty aroma with room for treats inside. Along with this, there are safety collars which light up so cars can see your pet. This is also the home of “GoDog” toys.