Gift Ideas for Your Dog

As promised, here are the latest (though not alway greatest) Christmas gift ideas for your dog:

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Okay, this is just wrong. I'm sure the designer of these chew toys is headed for a special place in wildlife hell:

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You know how I feel about clothes for a dog, so I won't even comment on this nail polish:

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This little backpack just reminded me of something -- people who tie a plastic poop bag around their dog's collar -- after the dog has pooped. That's just mean.

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Dogs love to chase balls, but if you're anything like me, tossing them can get tiresome. Here's a great gift idea that benefits everyone involved:

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How smart is your dog? With the Interactive Brick Dog Toy, you hide the treats, then let your pet find them by moving the sliding "bricks" with his paw or nose. Where treats are involved, I think most dogs are pretty darn smart:

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And finally, after a hard day of chasing balls, what dog doesn't want to kick back and have a few?

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Don't forget all the animals at your local Humane Society or SPCA -- they would love some new toys, and now is the perfect time to buy in bulk. During the Christmas season, many stores sell "stockings" filled with dog or cat toys at a very reasonable price. The animals would also be happy to receive your old (clean) flannel sheets, towels and blankets. I've found that bathroom rugs with a deeper pile go over well -- they're soft and keep the animals warm.

Gift Ideas for Your Cat

Ah, catnip ... over-the-counter drugs for your pet. But just how many different ways can you package the stuff?

Do cats really care? I'll tell you what I do: I buy a package of loose catnip, toss some in an old sock, tie a string or ribbon tightly around the opening, and present it to my cat. She'll play with it for weeks.

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At first, I thought: Oh yeah, buy this toy and watch your cat's eyes go up in flames when she looks into the light, but apparently it's the green pocket laser lights that can damage one's eyes.

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I'm thinking photoshopped because there is no way they got a cat to sit inside this cardboard "Cat Play House". Yet it looks so realistic.

In this particular case, they really should have photoshopped a cat who didn't look quite so terrified:

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And finally, for the cat who always seems to be getting underfoot:

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Next up, gift ideas for dogs.

Christmas Gifts for Animal Lovers

Last year, I wrote about Christmas gifts for dogs and cats. I thought it was time for some useless gifts for the animal lovers in your lives:

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This doormat is so cute, but it's almost book-length so all your guests will most likely get frostbite while reading it:

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In an effort to appeal to every taste and interest, Monopoly games have gone wild :

Of course, there's one for cat lovers too:

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I make my own cards and tags, and these would be great to add to those I make for animal lovers:

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I do not for a moment believe this item will stop my cat from lounging on my mouse, desk or keyboard:

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While searching for these nifty items, I came across some more wonderfully useless stuff for cats and dogs, so I'm going to post those some time soon.

Playboy Bunny

This week, a few people have landed on my blog using the search: Playboy Bunny animal cruelty. Hmm ... until today, I don't believe I've ever referred to "playboy". I thought I'd find out what the sudden interest was. Apparently, some ex-playboy bunny has been charged with animal cruelty -- I didn't check out the details, but thinking of that particular icon reminded me of the time when my daughter was quite young.

Can't recall where we were, but she spotted some Playboy Bunny pins, and wanted to have one of her own. It was difficult to explain to a six year-old just why that cute white bunny head was off limits. Can you imagine what people would have thought if I threw caution to the wind, and bought the pin for her to wear? Great conversation starter.