DIY Dog Gifts & DIY Gifts Dog Lovers

Ways to celebrate special occasions with your dog

Whether it’s the holiday season or your dog’s birthday, special occasions are more meaningful when your dog’s also in on the fun. They can sense it, and it adds to their excitement. They always want to be included! 

Just like how putting an electric fence excites your dog because they can finally play and train outside, seeing you set up for parties fills them with joy too, as they know that they’ll see more people and might get a taste of delicious food.

Here are plenty of ways to celebrate with your dog.

Include them in the photoshoots

Your Christmas card photo, birthday photos, and family photos aren’t complete without your four-legged family member! When properly socialised, your dog can be a polite and fun part of the party, greeting guests or being the guest of honour too. 

There are many ways to include our cute dog besties in photoshoots– sometimes they even steal the spotlight! You can let them wear costumes. You can also wear matching clothes or matching accessories. 

If your pooch isn't a fan of costumes, that’s fine too. As long as they sit close to you, or on your lap, everyone will know that they’re a full-fledged member of the family! 

Take them out on a walk or hike

When planning a trip for the special occasion, consider pet-friendly places so you can bring your dog with you. They want to see new places and faces too.  

Bring them to parks where there are outdoor Christmas trees and lights, or to indoor establishments when you go grocery shopping for the party. Wherever you take them, make sure you bring their things.

Donate to an animal shelter 

Not every dog is lucky enough to have a home. Donating to your local pet rescue helps them continue their life-saving work. Tell the shelter you’re making this donation under your pup’s name for an extra personalised touch.

Or, if you're in a position to do so at this time in your life, think about adopting another pet so that one fewer dog has to spend time in a kennel. 

Give them gifts

Dogs love gifts too! This is the perfect time to give them a gift, but make sure you’ve decided carefully on what to give them.

Here’s some things to consider when picking a gift for your pooch.

How to pick the best dog gifts

DIY Gifts for Dogs & Dog Lovers

Giving gifts to your loved one’s dog already means you’re giving that person a gift too– dog owners share the happiness of their dog and vice versa. Creating your own DIY gift has advantages too:

• DIY gifts are more personalised, as you know what your dog or your friend likes and dislikes.
• They are safe because you know the ingredients, or tools used in the making.
• They are budget-friendly!

Here are DIY gift ideas for dogs and dog lovers. 

Homemade treats

You need:
2 cups of whole wheat flour

baking soda, 1 tbsp

peanut butter, 1 cup

Skim milk, 1 cup

Mix baking powder and flour. Mix milk and peanut butter in a separate bowl. Then, stir the flour mixture and knead until it's smooth. Roll out to 1/4 inch thick and cut into shapes or use a cookie cutter. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. You can roll them into balls and flatten with a fork.

Fruit and Veggie Dog Treats

You need: 

1 sweet potato, cooked

1 banana

1 cup carrots, minced

1/2 cup applesauce

2 cups white or whole wheat flour

1 cup rolled oats

1/3 cup water

Mash the sweet potato and banana together well. Add the rest of the ingredients. Roll out on a floured board 1/8 inch thick. With a pizza cutter, cut into strips and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Store in a refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

DIY toys

You need:
Holiday or any party-themed socks, thick socks (optional), ribbon, thread (optional), scissors, sewing needle

These adorable and simple toys make wonderful presents for dog lovers with puppies who enjoy playing but aren't aggressive chewers. The directions are clear, but the processes are not shown with any images, which are always helpful. These can be created without stitching, so even beginner DIYers should be able to complete this project. The materials are inexpensive and simple to find. 

You need:

Empty glass jars, Mod Podge, glitter, ribbon, newspaper (for work surface), sponge brush

These adorable, simple goodie jars are incredibly simple to make. Cover your work surface with newspaper to make cleanup simple as you personalise your jars. This present is inexpensive and environmentally good because you can reuse and store empty glass jars rather than purchasing new ones. For the dog lovers you know, fill these jars with homemade snacks to create a colourful, entirely homemade gift. This project should be simple enough for any level of crafter.

Dog beds

You need:

Anti-pill fleece fabric, 1-2 Yards depending on the size of the dog.

Sharp pair of scissors or a Rotary cutter and cutting mat

Small Bag of Polyester fiberfill material

1. Check the fleece fabric to make sure it is at least 50 inches wide. You can use around 1 1/2 yards of fabric to cover a medium-sized dog. You only need one yard of fabric for a small dog and roughly two yards for a large dog. 
2. Use the anti-pill fleece to avoid shredding when you cut it. It's the cloth that works best for this project.
3. Fold the material perfectly in half and cut it in half.  Create a rectangle by laying the two parts together. Cut out a 3 inch square in each corner using the cutting mat or a tape measure.
4. Cut a 3 inch line roughly every inch starting at one side. You don’t want to cut it much wider because it will be harder to tie it. 
5. Trim the 1 inch strips from each of the four sides. You can begin tying it once you have finished all of your cuts. Just tie a basic knot. Once you've tied it, tuck the longer fabric strip under the second tie so that you have two equal lengths of fabric.
6. Only 3 1/2 sides will be tied before being stuffed. To puff it up, take the stuffing out of the bag in large clumps and tear it apart a bit. Prior to filling the rest of the bed, start by stuffing the corners. As you go, work any high spots out.
7. Completely tie up the remaining fleece pieces after stuffing the dog bed.  Put it in your dog's favourite corner and let him enjoy it!

Grooming 

You need:

Small Mason Jar or Tin

A Small pot to melt your ingredients in

2 tablespoons of Shea Butter

4 tablespoons of Olive Oil

4 tablespoons of Coconut Oil

1 teaspoon of Vitamin E Oil

2 tablespoons of beeswax

1. Put all the ingredients in the small pot and heat them over a low flame until they are completely melted.
2. Choose an area where your jars or tins can sit for a few hours while they harden up.
3. Fill the sterilised, clean jars with the mixture.
4. Allow to cool
5. Place your label and tighten the top screw.
6. The dog’s paws are smooth and supple!