Pet Christmas Stockings Set to Bulge
Posted By Ryan O'Meara Date: 12/12 Posted Under: Dog Advice, Dog Articles, Pet Industry
The market for pet Christmas gifts
It’s estimated that British pet owners spend between £20 and £30 on gifts for their pets over Christmas period.
Furthermore, the trend for treating pets to expensive products over the festive period shows no signs of slowing up as spending is set to increase year on year as more and more consumers splash the cash on pet gifts in tune with a growing number of companies catering for this blooming market.
Pet owner spending at Christmas stats
92% of owners surveyed bought their pet a Christmas present.
62% bought their pet a Christmas stocking
30% sent their pet a Christmas card
Over 65% of those surveyed admitted to adding their pet’s name beside their own when sending out Christmas cards
64% served up a Christmas dinner for their dog (source PDSA)
The trend for ‘designer’ fashion labels amongst Christmas shoppers spreads to pet owners too. Pet owners love to see their animals decked out in diamond replica collars, luxury canine fashion brands and even a range of designer pet perfumes.
Who spends the money on pet Christmas gifts?
Pet owners in the north are far more generous than those in the south with 85% of pet owners living in the north set to buy their pets a Christmas treat, compared to just 58% of pet owners living in London. (source Argos pet insurance)
Women are said to account for 63% of all the money spent on pet gifts at Christmas
Unique pet Christmas gift ideas
Andi’s Paws - www.andispaws.co.uk - Swarovski Crystal Collars For Dogs and Cats - for those who want to splash out and treat their pets
Furry Godmothers - www.furrygodmothers.co.uk - Canine safety seatbelts - for those who want to buy something practical for their pets
K9 Magazine subscription – www.k9magazine.com/subscribe - A great gift for modern pet lovers and lots of additional benefits for their dogs too throughout the year with product offers, free pet stuff and of course lots and lots of useful canine tips and advice
A unique family pet portrait - www.thisisventure.co.uk - when it comes to getting a truly memorable, genuinely unique gift for pet lovers at Christmas, it’d be a hard push to beat the thrill of a professional pet photograph.
A fantastically rewarding present, an enjoyable session with a pet friendly photographer and something to keep and cherish forever and ever. What a priceless treat.
Pet Insurance - Petplan.co.uk - Protect your pet over Christmas and throughout the years ahead. Pet insurance nowadays is a must, not a maybe. Pet insurance can be a great gift to buy for pets and owners, the longterm benefits are invaluable. If not for Christmas, at least make it a New Year’s resolution to protect your pet with some quality pet insurance cover.
Homemade dog treats - www.biscones.co.uk - you’re sure to be tucking into your selection boxes and Christmas pud and now you can ensure your dog gets their own little treat to enjoy on the side.
All in one England tracksuit - Luxury Pet Dept - The football team failed miserably to qualify for the Euro finals. Still, dogs are known for their undying loyalty so at least they might be prepared to keep the three lions flying with this all in one canine tracksuit.
Designer doggy fragrances and pet perfumes. Only in America eh? Well, let’s face it, if there is a more pun-tastic industry than the designer dog scents market, I’ve yet to see it. Just look at what’s available….
From Tommy Hole Digger, Bono Sports, Arfmani, CK-9, Pucci, Grrsace (come on people, Grrsace!!! How on earth could the uber cool fashion house that shares a similar name possibly sue a company who’ve called a dog scent Grrsace?)
With such a range of fragrances available, it’s a pet gift idea not to be sniffed at (except really it is, pet perfumes are a pretty daft idea but who are we to spoil anyone’s fun)
See more pet gift ideas, whether they be pet Christmas gifts or just gifts for pets at any time
Christmas tips for pet owners
Pets as gifts at Christmas time, not a good time to get a pet over festive period due to lack of normal routine in most households
More hazards around the home at Christmas time and access to a vet can be more difficult
Always pays to make sure your pet is insured and pet insurance for a pet lover could actually be a very good present and one the owner AND pet will benefit from for a long time
According to research, many dogs become obsessed by the sound of scrunching wrapping paper and they can be very tempted to shred and eat it, complete with gift tags and sticky tape
Be careful not to overfeed pets around the festive period. Tempting as it is to allow pets the opportunity to join in the indulgence in rich, calorific food their health won’t thank you for it. It’s easy to allow pets to join in the fun without over feeding them though. Simply break up their meal so they receive smaller, more frequent portions of their food throughout the day and they’ll be less inclined to beg at the table
Chocolate can be fatal to dogs. Chocolate is highly toxic to dogs and if eaten in great quantity could even kill. Not many people are aware that chocolate contains a chemical called theobromine, which although harmless to humans is potentially deadly for dogs. Theobromine is contained in higher concentration in plain varieties of chocolate, and lower in white chocolate.
Toxic doses vary according to the size of dog and cocoa solid content of the chocolate, but as a guideline Dogs Trust estimates that 50g of plain chocolate could be enough to kill a dog such as a Yorkshire Terrier. An average size dog, such as a Collie, could be killed by around 415g of plain chocolate
Pet charity the Blue Cross believes almost 4m pet owners prepare a special meal for their pet over the festive period. It’s always a wise choice to try and keep pets - dogs especially - within a routine. Changing their diet over the Christmas season can upset their stomachs and generally contribute to a miserable time for them and their owner.
Dogs are happy just to be involved so by all means include them in the fun but be sensible.
Author DetailsRyan O'Meara is editor-in-chief of K9 Magazine, the lifestyle magazine for dog lovers. He lives in the East Midlands with his own two dogs, Mia and Chloe. - See this author's webpage
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Wednesday, December 12th, 2007 at 12:38 am and is filed under Dog Advice, Dog Articles, Pet Industry. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.