Christmas Presents For Dogs 2023: How to pick the perfect festive toy for your adorable pup 🐶

With dog owners set to spend £3 billion on their pups this Christmas, pup parents are looking to buy presents that won't get ignored.

It can be hard to find the perfect present for your pup.

Buying presents for the family over Christmas is never an easy job, especially for new puppy owners who may not know what toys and treats ACTUALLY entertain their furry little friends. 

Making sure you buy the right present this year will mean that less money ends up down the drain, as reports suggest dog owners will spend more on their pets than any other family member this year.

With any well-considered present, we often think about if the person will like or use it. While our puppies can’t tell us if they hate the blue ball you bought them for Christmas, information about the puppies' age and breed is often a good indicator as to whether or not a present would be suitable for your little pooch.

To give you a helping hand, Lorna Winter co-founder and head of training at Zigzag, has shared her top tips for selecting gifts.

Here's what she advises you should to consider.

Safety

Ask yourself ‘is this toy safe for my puppy to chew?’ because, like toddlers who teethe, puppies don’t treasure their toys like we would hope, they really just want to chew on them.

When selecting the perfect toy, think about if it would have sharp edges once chewed. Also think about if the toy looks like it could be broken easily and what material it's made from as small chunks could break off and be harmful or a choking hazard to your little one.

Is the toy size appropriate? Too small and your puppy could swallow it whole. Too big and your puppy may hurt themselves flinging it around.

Hard or soft toys

Different puppies have different needs, some prefer a gentle and soft plush toy whereas others prefer a harder toy especially when they’re teething. As you get to know your puppy you’ll understand what your puppy personally gravitates towards. 

However, certain breeds are more inclined to prefer different toys, for example French Bulldogs have a lot of energy and love rough play. A harder toy which can be chewed and thrown about might be best for this sort of breed, in comparison to a Cockerpoo, who LOVES retrieving and may prefer a soft ball.

It’s worth having a variety of toys at the beginning of your puppy’s development to see what they like.

Shape

All dogs’ mouths are shaped differently; this is because different breeds will have been bred for different purposes such as hunting or scavenging! For example, a Whippet has a jaw that is long and thin, ready to grab small prey and shake. Whereas a Labrador has a wide cavernous jaw, designed to bring back a bird that’s already been killed and carefully carry it back to its owner without damaging the meat on the way. 

So, a Whippet would naturally prefer thinner toys that they can sink their teeth into; while the Labrador may like larger more ball-like shapes.

Noisy

As well as physical stimulation of the jaw, some nosier toys can also be great mental stimulation for your furry little friend. Some dogs will go crazy for a crinkly sounding toy, whereas others go mad for something squeaky. 

Of course, for some households this noise may drive you up the wall, so consider whether you’d want a noise toy in your home. Do not reprimand your pup for playing with a noisy toy if you have bought one. Your puppy won’t know why you’re upset with it and will be confused as to why you’re angry. Once your puppy is bored of playing with that toy, exchange it for a different toy and make sure not to buy noisy ones in the future!

One player or two

There are toys that you leave with puppies to play with by themselves, toys that need two people to play with (like tug toys) and toys which are best played with together, at least at first such as the puzzle and enrichment toys. 

Toys played together with your puppy are a great way to bond with your little one; so pick something you’ll enjoy playing with too! They’re also the perfect game for teenage dogs, especially when 38% of owners struggle with increased levels of energy during this stage of development, and that energy is always best utilised through mental stimulation and play, than exercise. 

Buying Christmas presents can be tricky, but for our little ones it’s really about understanding who they are and what is appropriate for their size and breed. Toys are not only a great way to bond; but they’re also a fab alternative walkies and can tire your pooch out just as much!