Christmas Toys for Good Pups and Pooches

Today I have a guest post, especially of interest to all my readers in the UK, but I think we all can get some ideas of fun Christmas toys for your pets that you can find online, or in stores near you.

Treat your Dog this Christmas-- 2010 Doggy Products
by Jessica Hodkinson on behalf of GJW Titmuss pet supplies and dog food.

Have a look at this fun guide and pets, get pestering your parents for doggy products that scream fun. There's a lot more than just dog food out there!
(All images courtesy of GJW Titmuss Pets)

Good Boy Christmas stockings
Christmas stockings are filled with a variety of scrumptious treats that our canine friends adore.




Piggy
Doggy Do Little piggy toy. Your dog will have lots of fun with this toy. What an excuse to make lots of noise with its squeaky belly!


Laughing Christmas Tree
Soft plus toy provides your dog with lots of fun, and also will make you smile with its contagious
laugh.


Babble Ball
This crazy babble ball gives off a variety of sounds when touched, and is sure to keep most dogs entertained (and slightly confused!)





Turkey
If you are cooking a holiday turkey, your dog will sit and drool over the smell. How about going along with the theme and giving your dog a turkey of its own?

Homemade Holiday Gifts for Pets

Thinking of a handmade gift for your pet this holiday? Here are some fun ideas from Martha Stewart's Pets, via Pet Happy! What about you? Are you thinking of trying one of these ideas? Have you made your pet a great homemade gift?

(All photos courtesy of PetHappy.com.)

* Pet ID tags. Get the instructions here.










* Pet travel cushion. This uses bath towels. Get the instructions here.








* Dot painted pet bowl. Get the instructions here.









* Fleece dog coat. Requires some sewing skills. Get the instructions here.










Cardigan dog sweater: Turn a cardigan sweater into this adorable dog sweater! Needed: basic sewing skills. Get the instructions here.

Monday Ruffs and Mews

Hi, and welcome to Monday's Ruffs and Mews!

Are you a cat person or a dog person? Author and blogger Dorien Grey of Dorien Grey and Me admits to liking both, but falling slightly on the side of dogs. I have to agree. We had cats in my family when I was growing up, but my husband and I have always owned--and loved--dogs. What about you?

Speaking of cats and dogs, I just read a cute article in December's Catnip Chronicles, entitled Children as Pets by Moggies. It begins, "Have you ever realized that children are like dogs, but teenagers are like cats?" Be sure to read the rest to find out how! And, while you're at it, why not subscribe to Catnip Chronicles, tons of great articles in every issue.

Meet America's Cutest Dog, winner of the All American Pet Company's Cutest Dog Competition. What breed do you think it is?

golden retriever? poodle? pug?





If you're traveling over the holidays, what do you do with your pet? Bring him with you? Board her at a kennel? Leave him with a trusted friend or relative? Hire a pet sitter? This is always a problem for us with Kelly. She has separation anxiety issues. Here's an option: host families that are screened, and ready to take your pet into their homes. If we found a family Kelly bonded with, this could be a viable solution.

52% of pet owners buy their cats and dogs Christmas gifts. L.A. Unleashed has more.

What about you? Do you board your dog over the holidays? Or have you found a different solution? What are you planning on giving your pet for Christmas? And, are you a cat person or a dog person? Or both?! And join us next Monday for more Ruffs and Mews.

Monday Rufferences and Mews

Welcome to Monday Rufferences and Mews!

* Dogster announces their very first Dogster iPhone Application! It’s called Dog Park, and allows you to stroll through the virtual dog park, chat with friends and meet other dog people on the go. Check it out! Sounds like fun!

* Have you heard about this hero dog? Sabi, a black Australian labrador and American army bomb sniffing dog was separated from her unit and lost in the desert for a year. Happily, she was found and is now reunited with her unit. (From the Syney Morning Herald.)

* I just love this dog trainer's look at obedience school drop outs from Rachel Baum's fun blog Bark: confessions of a dog trainer.

* Gina Spadafori reminds pet owners that ferrets are susceptible to the H1N1 virus.

* Are you thinking of giving a dog as a Christmas gift? Edie from Will My Dog Hate Me suggests you might want to think twice.

What do you think? Is your dog an obedience school dropout? Have you ever given a dog or cat as a Christmas gift? I'd love to hear from you.

Join us again next Monday for more Rufferences and Mews!

What NOT to give for Christmas

Pictured at left is a swan pin cushion shoe, one of the horrible gifts featured in the The Daily Mail's roundup of "The ghastliest gifts ever."

Facts about you and your pet

Some interesting percentages from a new poll released by the Associated Press and Petside.com:

67 percent of pet owners claim they can comprehend their pet’s own language
62 percent think their pet understands what they say as well

But not all species are equal:
69 percent of surveyed dog owners insist their pets understand when they speak to them
50 percent of cat owners say the same

The economy might be awful, but
85 percent of pet owners are not cutting back on pet care expenses due to economic pressures, even though other polls show a majority of people having to make cutbacks in other areas.

43 percent of animal owners plan on purchasing a gift for their pet this Holiday season.

Planet Earth - The Complete BBC Series on DVD

As of its release in early 2007, Planet Earth is quite simply the greatest nature/wildlife series ever produced. This astonishing 11-part BBC series is brilliantly narrated by Sir David Attenborough and sensibly organized so that each 50-minute episode covers a specific geographical region and/or wildlife habitat (mountains, caves, deserts, shallow seas, seasonal forests, etc.) until the entire planet has been magnificently represented by the most astonishing sights and sounds you'll ever experience from the comforts of home.

Bad Cat Wall Calendar 2007

Demented. Wacked out. Borderline psychotic. And inexplicably, utterly irresistible. It’s a full-color year of cats unplugged, adapted from the off-the-charts #1 New York Times bestseller, Bad Cat.

Reindeer Jelly Bean Candy Poopers

# Santa`s reindeer dispenses dainty doo doo candy for the munching pleasure of your friends and loved ones.
# Reindeer Length : 4 Inches
# Push down on rear of reindeer to dispense yummy brown jelly beans.