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7 Fun Ways to Celebrate the Holidays with Your Pets

Holidays are a time to spend with family and our pets are doubtlessly members of our families. Many pet owners therefore like finding fun ways to incorporate pets into holiday activities or even preparing activities specifically designed for our pets. It's a time to laugh, share the goings on in our lives, and remember how nice it is to spend time with our special people, but our special animal friends have other ways that they can be made to feel special, important, and loved.

During the holidays we purchase gifts for our pets and include them in holiday photos, but many owners want to find ways beyond the things they would have done regardless of their pets to do in order to make the animal members of their family feel like there is something dedicated to them. For those pet-parents who want to have some ideas for something special, we put together a list of 7 fun ways to celebrate the holidays with your pets.

Special Recipes

Most families have a bit of a tradition where during the holidays a special food item or a meal is made. It is a bit of a family signature for something that we go the extra mile to prepare for the holidays that our families enjoy. So treating a pet to their own holiday delectable is a fine way to include the pet in the special family holiday tradition.

To give your pet something special this holiday season beyond some new clawing posts or chew toys, pull up your favorite search engine and query “pet-friendly recipes” to get a slew of great ideas for homemade treats for your pets. Fantastic DIY dog-treat recipes and catnip infused cakes, are just among some of the original ideas you can find to treat your favorite animal-child to a delicious holiday snack especially made for them.

Outdoor Adventures

Much like people, different pets have different tastes. If your animal loves the outdoors regardless of the weather, the fresh air and some exercise are always welcome. Bonus treat for snow lovers is to be able to play in the snow. Dogs tend to be curious and interested in snow, its something different and unique for them to dive into, play in, and it gets their important olfactory senses some good practice in the cooler weather just don't forget to give them the perfect outfit for the cold weather

Taking dogs out for walks specifically is not only good for their overall health, it helps them expand their energy. If not done, the energy can be redirected in less than desirable ways, and that is certainly not the tone or behavior owners want, especially around the holiday season.

Pet Party

Holidays are gregarious events; gathering loved ones to socialize and mingle among sometimes relatives and friends we do not see as often as we would like. Many animals also long for interaction with their own kind. It is a good opportunity to let your furry kids socialize with fellow animals, to play, and remember how nice it is to be around their own kind.

Some owners take the idea further by having the pets exchange gifts, or exchanging them with other owners on the pets’ behalf to be more accurate. A fun holiday photo op can present itself if there is a matching theme for the pets. This will not only make for an adorable picture (if all animals involved cooperate), but also will create a lasting moment captured for memories for years to come. Many such holiday pet parties actually incorporate challenging games to infuse fun into the lively pet interaction environment.

Pet Stocking

If every family member gets a stocking hung on the mantle, there is no reason to exclude certain ones. Many owners make it a point to have a stocking hunt for their pets too, filling it with new toys, yummy treats, and any other pet friendly products that can be gifted to your family’s animal for the holidays. This will give them delicious treats and new activities to enjoy for the upcoming year, while being treated as a gift receiving family members. For their part, they will continue to reward you with the gift of love.

Holiday Photos

Families often take holiday photos together with their pets. If it's going to be a family photo, it's only right that all members are included. Some owners go beyond that, and take holiday themed photos specifically for their pets. Perhaps it is a photo of your animal in a restful slumber under your gorgeously decorated tree or even among a set of beautifully wrapped presents. In either case, a photo exclusive to your pet can make for a great lasting memory capture that can join your photo albums and computer wallpapers for you to enjoy.

Extra Cozy Pet Bed

Here is a good, practical idea to increase your pet’s comfort for the holidays: pamper them with an extra comfortable, warm, and soft blanket. Whether the added comfort is an enhancement to their existing sleeping quarters or an addition to their favorite resting spot, your pet will gladly accept the extra cushion and comfort to enjoy their treasured rest time.

Spending Time Together

Let’s be honest, the thing your pets want and need most from you as an owner is for you to simply be with them and for them to be in your presence. This bonding is not just important over the holidays of course, it is the way that the animal learns to love and trust their human owner overall, but our lives are busy, and we often have to leave our pets for extended periods of time (work, get-aways, and outings). For the holidays, the best gift you can give your pet is not something of a physical nature. The best present you can provide them is to treat them to social time together. Your presence will be more valuable for their psyche and your pet to owner relationship than anything else. After all, holidays are all about spending times with our loved ones!