Top 10 best gifts for dog lovers
I’ve already shared my top 10 best gifts for cat lovers, so I thought I’d do the same for dog lovers. Five of them are pretty much the same as for cats, but after a bit of research, and some creative thinking, I found some really really great and unique ideas that are particularly suited to dog owners. You can click the links to find out more about them on my website or on Amazon. BTW, if you then buy them on Amazon via my links, I get a small commission so you’d be helping support my business as well as giving someone a great gift.
Incidentally, you may think I’m biased about putting pet portraits first, and that may be the case, but when asked “What is a good present to give a person who likes pets?” the Open AI GPT3 chatbot replied:
“If you’re looking for a gift for someone who loves pets, there are a variety of options to choose from. Here are a few ideas to consider:
1) Personalised pet portrait: A personalised portrait of their pet is a thoughtful and unique gift that they will cherish for years to come.”
I agree! The chatbot came up with another 5 ideas, one of which I hadn’t thought of so I’ve added it to my list below.*
1) Pet portraits
Most of my pet portrait commissions actually come from dog owners and that’s not unusual for pet portrait artists. Interestingly, out of the 62% of people in the UK with pets, 34% have a dog and 28% have a cat, but that does not quite account for the disproportionate amount of dogs I draw. I’m not sure why I get more dog commissions but pet portraits are certainly really popular with dog lovers so you can’t go wrong with giving them as a present. Get in touch if you would like to enquire about commissioning me or check out these 10 compelling reasons why pet portraits are so good.
2) Pet portrait voucher
If you think the dog’s owner might want to play a part in choosing the size of the portrait or the reference photo, or enjoy getting progress updates, then pet portrait vouchers would make a great alternative gift. Especially if the special day is fast approaching and the artist has a long commissions queue. If you would like to enquire about purchasing a pet portrait voucher, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. I can send you one digitally and/or post it to you in a beautiful presentation box.
3) Dog books
There are lots of dog books about particular breeds but here are a few more general ones (two serious, one with lots of great photos, and two more light-hearted books).
4) Fur removal gadgets
One of the top pet related searches is “what is the best vacuum for pet hair” Hoovering up hair is one of the tasks that come with sharing our homes with pets, so gifting a good one of these is always a good idea. Although, now I think about it, you wouldn’t want it to come across as a hint that they need to clean up a bit more! Maybe best just to treat yourself with one. There is a gadget for clothes and one for furniture:
5) “The dog is on my lap” socks
It seems like dog owners are as reluctant to move their dogs off their laps as cat owners. In my experience if you move a cat it might not settle down again! Even if dogs are more forgiving in this respect these “I can’t get up there’s a dog on my lap” socks would make a great gift.
6) Personalised dog puzzle
These would be a great gift for any puzzle-loving pet owner. First, a dog puzzle with dozens of little dogs:
Or second, this personalised one where you give them the picture of your dog and they turn it into a jigsaw puzzle.
7) Talking dog buttons
I loved the talking dogs in the Disney movie UP so these are one of my favourite dog owner presents. Your dog can learn to “speak” by pressing these large buttons. You can record whatever word you like on each one. Brilliant!
8) Dog surveillance camera
Have you ever been out or at work and wondered if your best friend is chewing the sofa to pieces? (your four-legged best friend that is ;-) Or maybe you just want to reassure yourself that they are ok, or just enjoy watching them for a bit. Well here are a couple of devices that let you do that and more. The first is a home security camera with night vision and two way audio. The second does all that plus you can control where the camera is looking, and fire out treats!
9) Automatic ball thrower
This automatic ball thrower is a bit more pricey than the cat laser pointers but your dog might love it as they can “fetch” for hours on end. A dog can even be trained to put the ball back into the machine itself! While these are not a substitute for spending quality time with your dog, and getting exercise yourself, they would be a great present for people who don’t always have as much energy as their dog but want to keep them active, entertained, and mentally stimulated. I imagine it’s also really enjoyable to watch your dog having so much fun. One reviewer wrote:
“Purchased for my neighbour’s dog, who is now in heaven chasing the ball”
I think this one can be powered by either battery or mains. The balls are smaller than normal tennis balls, probably so they can be “thrown” further, but you can buy extra for when they start to get a bit chewed.
10) Dog DNA test
Tracing our ancestors is all the rage at the moment. Everyone seems to be doing it. But what about the heritage of our doggy companions? While this dog DNA ancestry kit is also a bit pricey, it could be a fascinating present that a dog-lover never thought to get themselves, or couldn’t justify the expenditure. If you wanted to spoil them, it might be worth considering.
Conclusion
I hope that has given you some ideas. If you buy them through the above Amazon links, I should get a small bonus from Amazon to help me buy more art supplies. I’ve not been paid to promote them though, they are just a few things that I liked the look of.
*It was the dog monitoring camera system that Open AI recommended to me and was an excellent addition to my list.