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Whether you’re looking for some tasty stocking fillers, stuffing-filled toys, a cute festive jumper or a beautiful red collar ribbon – Pets at Home has everything you could possibly need to make Christmas special for your four-legged friend this year.
The retailer has unveiled its Christmas range for 2022, featuring brand-new characters and collections, from advent calendars and stockings, to outfits, toys and tasty treats.
What’s more, is that the majority of the range is on three for two, meaning you can pick up some bargains as well. You could even donate some of the freebies to your local dog’s home this December, which is exactly what we’ll be doing with our extras this holiday season, to spread some festive cheer.
Jill Mason, head of own brand and innovations at Pets at Home, said: “Our pets are such important members of our family, and life is better with pets, so there’s no surprise we want to involve them in all of the festive celebrations to show them just how much they mean to us.
“This year, our Christmas range has something for everyone and every pet. From our new dinosaur characters and biggest pet party food range yet, to a touch of luxury with our new Winter Skies collection and Wainwright’s fresh look, we want to help every owner have a very merry Christmas with their pet this year.”
Phoebe and Frank have been taking a look at some of the new releases, and here are some of our top picks of treats, toys and accessories that will get tails wagging on December 25.
Treats
From seasonal boredom-busters to festive treats, Pets at Home have launched a selection of Christmas-themed treats that will see your pooch through the whole of December and beyond. These Christmas Meaty Festive Cookie Dog Treats with Chicken and Beef Liver are so cute and remind me of cookies left for Santa on Christmas Eve. A packet is £5.50 for 150g, and the meat content is pretty high too, with 85.5 per cent chicken, and 49 per cent beef. There’s no added artificial flavours or colours, so you know exactly what your dog is chewing on over the whole festive season.
It’s not Christmas without my favourite seasonal trimmings – pigs in blankets. We love the Meaty Pigs in Blankets Dog Treats, made with chicken, duck and pork sausage, priced at £5.50 a box.
These are the perfect treats for keeping nearby when you’re preparing or serving Christmas dinner, since it’s best not to feel salty, fatty scraps on the big day.
Every year at Christmas, my dad buys me a box of luxury shortbread biscuits in a posh tin, and now, Pets at Home is allowing you to do that for your dog, too, with their Shortbread Style Scottie Dog Biscuit Treats. Whenever I have a cuppa and open the biscuit tin, Phoebe and Frank are right there waiting for something to eat too, and these little biscuits are absolutely adorable.
They cost £7.50 for 120g, and come in a reusable tin that can be used over and over again for storing treats. They look just like regular human biscuits, though, so be careful not to munch on them yourself, since they look really rather tempting.
I will always advocate against buying rawhide for your dog. It’s honestly one of the worst things you can buy for them, and at Christmas, it comes in all sorts of shapes, colours and designs. There are so many healthier alternatives out there, including these Mini Puffed Wreath Dog Chews, which are made with flour, chicken and starch, as well as spinach and carrot powder. Coming in at £3.50, this 90g box only needs to be moved an inch and you’ll see paws skidding into the kitchen. There are no artificial colours of flavours here, just crunchy, chewy treats that can also aid in supporting healthy teeth and gums.
The sweetest stocking filler comes in the form of these Hand Decorated Biscuits, which come in a pack of four for £6.50. The pack features a star, candy cane, stocking and bell, all beautifully painted in festive colours, and are perfect for enjoying on Boxing Day when all is calm (all is bright!). I love that you get four, as these can be enjoyed by single or multi-dog households, and make for a really cute gift for friends and family pets, too.
Toys
There are dozens of festive toys that your dog will be delighted to discover under the tree this year, no matter if they’ll last five minutes before there’s stuffing all over the house – and not the delicious kind – or five years, being carefully put back into and taken out of the toy box time after time.
Play is important for dogs, so Pets at Home’s range of Christmas themed dog toys will provide plenty of exercise, stimulation and lots of festive fun all the way through to the New Year.
One of my favourite designs this year is the Christmas Turkey Detachable Drummers Dog Toy, coming in at £6.50, because what is Christmas without a turkey? This adorable plus character has detachable drummer legs that are velcro, which are perfect for throw and fetch play. It’s also fitted with an internal squeaker for that added bit of fun, making your dog’s Christmas Day a whole lot more enjoyable.
Whether you love them or hate them, sprouts are a Christmas staple. These Mr and Mrs Sprout’s will be a fun present for your dog on Christmas Day as he feels like he is a part of all the Christmas festivities that are on offer. We think he is SO cute, and the perfect accompaniment to the detachable drumstick turkey, too.
A little more expensive at £8.50 is the Gingerbread Man Tough Dog Toy, which we have high hopes for. A festive favourite for everyone, this gingerbread man reminds me of the Shrek fan-favourite with his gumdrop buttons, and just like the tough-cookie character, is made from a durable longer lasting material which should allow for a greater play time.
I am a HUGE fan of a snuffle mat – and we’ve previously reviewed some from Dogtastic bandanas here – so this Christmas snuggle mat is the most amazing enrichment toy that will tire your dog out over the festive season when everything feels a bit hectic.
Snuffle mats are a great way of making your dog work for their treats. Not only do they encourage physical activity, they provide your dog with so much mental stimulation, which in turn deters destructive, bored behaviour. Simply hide the treats in the Christmas inspired compartments and watch your dog as they sniff their way to a tasty reward.
This may be priced at £15, but it’s well worth the investment as the snuffle mat is sure to be one of the most enjoyable presents your dog has ever had.
Christmas crackers can be scary for dogs because of the loud bang they make when pulled across the dinner table, but this one from Pets at Home is made just for your dog, and is sure to bring fun and excitement to your post-dinner celebrations.
Priced at £6.50, the Interactive Christmas Cracker for Dogs is packed with fun toys and tasty treats for your pup to enjoy, including two knotted rope toys designed for your and your dogs to pull, a fun festive bandana and some treats.
Some of the Pets at Home toys come in little and large varieties, such as these adorable pink festive dinosaur toys. This medium £6.50 plush is the ideal size for Phoebe and Frank, but the mini version is prime for puppies and smaller breeds, too. Wearing his very own Christmas hat and with an internal squeaker in his body, this Dino will bring the joys of Christmas to every household, no matter their size, with the mini version costing just £3.50.
Other smaller toys for younger dogs and small breeds include the £3.50 Penguin Plush Dog Toy Mini for games of throw and fetch or simply for snuggling up to when it’s time for that Christmas Day snooze, and the Owl Flattie Dog Toy Mini, which is also £3.50. Flattie toys have no stuffing which means no mess, and the crinkle texture and squeaker will keep your dog engaged and stimulated during all of the Christmas Day excitement.
Accessories
For the ultimate Christmas card photo, you can get all of the props and accessories you need in their three for two deal, including jumpers, novelty headwear and cute collars and bandanas.
Everyone wants to look their best at Christmas time and why would your dog be any different – whether they’re the star of the show, or more of a festive wallflower, we’ve got something for every pet personality, keeping you on their ‘Nice’ list.
The Up To Snow Good Dog Jumper perfectly captures Frank’s personality, which was proven when he tried to chomp off the white fluffy bobbles on this red knit the moment I put it on him. The jumper comes in five sizes – Frank wears XL – and they’re priced between £10-12. Not just perfect for pictures, the jumper also keeps him warm on chilly walks, and is machine washable, making it really practical too.
Or maybe a festive accessory is more your dog’s style? There’s this comical Naughty/Nice woolly hat that comes in at £5, which can be reversed to show ‘naughty’ or ‘nice’ depending on your pet’s behaviour.
Move over Donner and Blitzen, there’s a new reindeer in town! Both Phoebe and Frank loved their Red Felt Antlers, which are a really affordable option at £2 each – or £4 for three pairs. It really is the perfect festive accessory to showcase who Santa’s little helper is, and I think they’ll feature in our Christmas card picture this year.
I can’t stop giggling at Frank in this Christmas Tree Hat (£5), which is certainly one way to get your pooch ready to turn heads this Christmas. Whether it’s a little something extra for that party outfit or a jolly way to accessorise on your daily walks, this hat will be a festive favourite.
The best accessory for me though was this stunning Red Velvet Bow (£5), which Phoebe modelled beautifully. Christmas is the perfect time to dress to the nines, and this luxurious velvet collar with a big sailor-style bow looks so pretty, and feels incredibly quality. Adjustable to fit comfortably, this collar is a must-have accessory for any parties that they attend this season.
And if that wasn’t enough, even walkies can be made Christmassy with the Pets at Home festive poop bags and Candy Cane Poop Bag Holder. After all the Christmas excitement and of course, that Christmas Day Doggy Dinner, your dog will inevitably need to let nature take its course. Therefore keeping in the Christmas spirit, these Santa Paws poop bags will do just the job of helping to clean up your dog’s mess. There are four rolls of 15, so 60 in total, with a tie handle costing £3 per pack.
And the Candy Cane Dog Poop Bag Holder (£6.50) is ideal for storing them in. Complete with a handy zip for filling up with bags, and an opening to pull them out one at a time, it ensures you can clean up quickly and easily after your dog on those post-dinner walks..
