Christmas is a time for excitement, and with that comes chaos from our four legged friends – from breaking the baubles to stealing stockings and everything in between. That said, our mischievous mutts still deserve a treat throughout the festive season, and what better way to celebrate the Christmas countdown than with their very own advent calendar.
Advent calendars for dogs are becoming more and more popular with each year, and with so many to choose from, how are you supposed to know which one is the best for your pack of pooches?
This year’s lineup has some fabulous options and some really creative additions, including ‘first of its kind’ calendars and 24-day games, and The Scamps have been sniffing out some of the best advent calendars available on the market in 2023. From budget buys to more luxurious canine calendars, ranging from £6-£21. Some of the calendars are offering 24 days of delicious surprises, with others providing doors to open right the way up to Christmas Day, too.
Here are our top six advent calendars for dogs to fill your December mornings with festive fun. From meaty treats to biscuit bites, there’s something for every four-legged family member to enjoy this Christmas.
Denzel’s
Price: £12.50
Treat type: Soft bites
Doors: 24
Brand new this year, Denzel’s has launched their first ever advent calendar, and for us it’s the star on top of the tree for this seasonal selection. Priced at £12.50, this isn’t your average ‘find a treat behind the door’ calendar. Instead, it’s a beautifully illustrated box filled with 24 bags of treats, featuring six different recipes. First you ‘crack the ice’ then each day, you can pull out a bag of treats from the box, and share them with your four-legged friends throughout the day.
From Duck and Orange bites to Turkey & Nut Butter Bites, each day promises a special surprise. What’s even better is that all treats are made with 100 per cent natural ingredients, and the packaging is 100 per cent plastic-free, aligning with Denzel’s commitment to sustainability, even in the festive season.
You can always count on Denzel’s to do some out of the box thinking, and for me that’s what makes this one of my favourite canine calendars this year. It’s well-priced, well-thought out and really injects some fun into the Christmas countdown.
Read more about Denzel’s Christmas range here.
Lily’s Kitchen
Price: was £14 now £7
Treat type: Meaty
Doors: 24
The Lily’s Kitchen advent calendar for 2023 has replaced their usual baked bites this year for meatier alternatives. Behind each door, owners will find a selection of Turkey Bites with Cranberries, Chicken & Quinoa Bites and Chicken and Beef Training Treats, making them all the more tempting.
The trio of delicious meaty goodies are made with top quality ingredients, including proper meat as part of a grain free recipe. Perfect for getting their attention on wintry walks or distracting your dog from whatever festive nibbles you’re eating, they’re definitely a welcome change from their former offerings, and the £2 price increase from last year reflects the higher quality too.
What I really love about the Lily’s Kitchen advent calendar is that they’re pretty generous when it comes to filling the doors, too, so if you have a two-dog household like me, you’ll only need to buy one calendar. Just be prepared to resist those puppy eyes as they anticipate their daily treat.
Read more about the Lily’s Kitchen Christmas range here.
Pooch and Mutt
Price: was £39.99 now £20.99
Treat type: Dental Sticks
Doors: 24
The first of its kind to ever exist, this luxury Dental Stick Advent Calendar from Pooch and Mutt sees 24 doors containing four delicious dental stick flavours including: Limited Edition Cheese Fondue, Peanut Butter, Turkey & Hemp and Spirulina & Mint. All flavours include Lignocellulose which is a natural source of fibre, and SHMP, to prevent tartar build-up to keep teeth looking incredible – ready for The Big Dog’s arrival.
The vegan calendar is undeniably premium. First of all, it’s absolutely huge. Behind each little window is an individually wrapped and colour coded dental stick for pooches to gnaw on, described as a game of ‘dental stick roulette’ for your four-legged friends. But with high quality comes a high price tag, with the calendar originally retailing for an eye-popping £39.99. I waited for it to come down in the sale to £20.99 before purchasing, because I really did consider the price point to be on the dear side – especially when you could buy four packs of dental sticks for less than £16 and essentially DIY it at home.
As we have a multi-dog household, I plan to either break these dental sticks in half, or save them all up and use them as a 12-day calendar after Christmas.
Read more about the Pooch and Mutt festive range here.
Scrumbles
Price: was £8 now £6
Treat type: Biscuit
Doors: 24
The Scrumbles Dog Advent Calendar is one of the most affordable options even at full price. Usually £8, it’s been reduced to £6 and is full of delicious natural dog treats that will get them excited during the Christmas countdown.
We really like the packaging this year, where the design sees a canine Christmas party in full swing. It’s all eco friendly and fully recyclable, and I love that Scrumbles have thought about the benefits of each treat for your dog, too.
Each of the 24 doors holds a surprise treat that has functional benefits, including calming treats, training treats and chicken meaty bites that taste great, are kind to tummies and the planet. Each door contains 2-3 treats making it a good choice for multi-dog households and great value for money.
Buy the Scrumbles advent calendar on Amazon here.
Pure Pet Food
Price: was £10.99 now £4.99
Treat type: Meaty
Doors: 24
Pure has released their first-ever Feliz Navidog Advent Calendar, which was £10.99 but has been slashed to £4.99. Filled with 24 mouth-watering turkey and cranberry nibbles, each window bursting with festive goodness that is both tasty and nutritious – with absolutely no nasties. There are two slices of meaty sausage containing 60 per cent turkey behind each door so it’s great for households with two dogs.
What’s more, owners can personalise the calendar with their dog’s name, so even the naughtiest pooches will be on the nice list this year from Santa Paws. The quality of this calendar has really impressed me and while this is the first year we’ve sampled Pure’s range, they’re definitely one we’ll be keeping a close eye on in 2024.
Read more about the Pure Pet Food range here.
Tails.com
Price: £12
Treat type: Biscuit
Doors: 25
The dog-food subscription service Tails.com has brought back its 25-day advent calendar after selling out last year. The navy calendar features the slogan ‘Joy Oh Joy’ on the front, opening up like a book to reveal 25 windows amid a very fun illustration of festive four-legged friends.
For 2023, the £12 countdown is packed full of delicious biscuits that come in three lip-smackingly festive flavours – turkey, cheese, and carob. Peeking behind the doors, days 1 through 24 feature a star-shaped biscuit, which is big enough to break in half if you have two dogs like us. Plus, there’s a final bumper treat hiding behind door number 25 so that Phoebe and Frank will be able to have one each on Christmas morning to signal that Santa Paws has arrived.
Made without wheat, these grain free treats have no added sugar, artificial colours or flavours and are suitable for dogs of any size, from 12 weeks old.
Read more about the Tails.com Christmas range here.
