Thankfully, this month, as the holiday season begins, I’ll be spending a little more time than usual with my zoo of three cats and one high-energy spaniel. (I’m also grateful the spaniel gets along well enough with the cats).
This post contains links from affiliates such as Amazon and/or Chewy online pet supply store.
Maybe that’s why I’ve become strangely obsessed with Advent calendars this year – December will be our month. So why not have each day involve opening tiny cardboard doors to reveal prizes: chocolate, tea, puzzles, treats, ornaments? It will be a month of daily routine, and that’s a good thing because pets love routine. And I guess, this month I will too.
Dog-themed Advent Calendars
I bought several Advent calendars from Amazon, PetSmart, and other local shops – for both me and my pup. But not only food. Here are six interesting pet-themed ones I found during my search. Each day in December, I’ll be feeding my dog two treats a day while enjoying a cup of tea and a puzzle daily (with a chocolate too).
A Puzzle A Day
A puzzle a day keeps the doldrums away, and it’s good for your brain and mental well-being, too. Imagine 24 small puzzles to open each day in the form of an advent calendar – some are individual puzzles; others are pieces of a larger picture. Many dogs and cats. And that’s the option I chose. Check out these cute Christmas puzzles, each focused on a different fur baby (affiliate link).
Trim the Tree Each Day
One way to brighten your day – or an entire month – is to unveil a new dog (or cat) ornament to hang on the tree. There are many pet ornament advent calendars, some mixed dogs or mixed cats, and others are breed-specific.
A few I found during my Amazon search included Corgis, Golden Retrievers, and Beagles (affiliate links). But my favourite is the assorted dog ornament advent calendar (affiliate link) because it’ll be a surprise each day which type of dog you’ll get (affiliate link).
Daily Dog Treats
I found the best selection of dog treat advent calendars at PetSmart or Chewy – online or in-store. Because my dog is a little fussy (yes, she sometimes rejects treats), I selected two types:
- Countdown to the Holidays from Spunky Pup (affiliate link) that contains crunchy cookies.
- Great Jacks 25 air-dried meat dog treats
Either way, my pup should be happy, even briefly, while I’m enjoying my tea (see below).
Daily Dog Toys
If calorie intake is a concern, especially during the holiday season, maybe skip the dog treat-a-day advent calendar option and splurge on the dog toy-a-day version (affiliate link). or a bigger box shipped to the US here (affiliate link).
This can be fun for you too, because each day is a new surprise. Most options, however, are only 12 days (but better toys). Also, many toys are geared toward smaller dogs, so that’s a consideration when selecting, too.
Refillable Advent Option
Next year, this will be the way I’ll go: I’ll refill a sturdy cardboard or wooden advent calendar (affiliate link) with dog treats I know my dog loves. (Some crunchy cookies she’s not a fan of). Plus, this could be used any month of the year – but clearly December is the preferred month.
Let’s face it, though, every month is dog treat-of-the-day around here. Somehow, opening a small drawer to find it makes it that much more festive.
Cuppa for You
This one I’m looking forward to because each day in December, after I’ve given my dog her two treats and eaten my chocolate, I’ll be sitting down to complete my puzzle with a cup of tea. This hang-on-the-wall, tea-bag-a-day option from Vahdam Tea (affiliate link) offers a different flavour each day – and doubles as holiday décor in my house. Here’s to hoping such quiet time is possible with a spaniel this holiday season.
Writer bio: Sherri Telenko has been a professional writer for decades and a travel writer for the last two. She’s a member of TMAC (Travel Media Association of Canada) and Dog Writers Association of America and travels almost weekly with her canine companion, Victoria.Contact Sherri at dogtrotting.net here. All written content is original, written by a person, and based on experience and research. Please subscribe!
