6 ways to indulge your pooch this Christmas

Sometimes in the frenzied rush that is the festive season, we may neglect our furry best friends. Here are six great ideas to ensure your dog has a very merry Christmas.

1. Create a fabulous basket of goodies

Who doesn’t love a Christmas hamper? Make up a canine-themed basket that includes not only toys but special grooming treats and health-inducing products as well. Next to a six-pack of tennis balls, a great chew toy and a frisbee, pack PAW Rose Aroma Grooming Mist, Dermoscent BIO BALM and PAW NutriDerm Replenishing Conditioner, and add goodness-masquerading-as-treats like PAW Wellness & Vitality Chews (kangaroo-based).

2. Organise play dates

Play has multiple benefits for dogs – it’s provides a good mental break (just like it does for humans), it keeps them fit and it’s great stress-buster. So why not set up a couple of play dates with dog-owning friends over the festive season? Choose a large park or reserve with plenty of shade for the humans (it’s December, after all) and ensure there’s a source of fresh water – or pack plenty yourself. Opt for early morning or late afternoon to be sunsafe.

3. Commit to excursions to the dog beach

If your dog is a water-lover, try and get him or her down to the beach or any body of water at least once a week over the Christmas break. Swimming is not only fun, it’s fantastic exercise for dogs. It provides resistance which works all their muscles, and it’s also low-impact – ideal for pooches with joint or arthritis issues. Don’t know where your closest dog-friendly beach is? A quick internet search will bring up your best options.

4. Cook up a doggy-loving storm

With a little time on your hands over Christmas, why not show your pal how much they mean to you by whipping up some homemade recipes. Human-grade raw meat should be the main ingredient, but small amounts of vegetables (avoid onion, corn and mushrooms) and pasta and rice can be added, too. Consider options like: a beef stew with sweet potato and carrot; a little turkey mince cooked with beans and carrots and served with a small amount of cooked rice or pasta; and a dog-friendly meatloaf made with mince, eggs, veggies and fresh breadcrumbs.

5. Plan the perfect pooch-friendly Christmas Day

If you don’t have a turkey to prepare or kids to wrangle, think about all the things your dog really loves – and then plan a Christmas Day that includes all of those elements (spaced out through the day – you need some festive feet-up time, too). Nobody knows your pooch better than you – so you make the perfect party planner for a day you’ll both remember.

6. Take a few trips to a dog-friendly cafe

We love an activity that’s equally satisfying for humans and their canine companions – and a cafe that welcomes dogs strikes the perfect balance. You get to enjoy a great coffee, your pooch gets a few delicious treats from the dog-friendly menu (puppycino, Rex?) and there’ll be plenty of socialising with other café denizens – human and non!

Remember, though, that what your dog values above all else is love and time with you. Neither cost a thing.