It is the holidays, and once again it is time for us to find that special gift for our favorite feline, our delightful dog, and maybe even for our family members, friends, and co-workers who have pets. Green Acres Kennel Shop has come up with a list of gift ideas. To make it easy for you, we have categorized our recommendations by cats, dogs, cats and dogs, and people, Happy gift giving!
Especially for Cats
The Kong Company is well known for their dog toys, and they are stepping up the game with cat toys.
Kong Refillables are soft, snuggly, and plush. However, best of all, each one has a re-closable pouch to securely hold fresh catnip. The toys include a generous amount of KONG’s premium North American catnip in a re-closable vial.
When the catnip scent starts to fade, just add more fresh catnip for another round of fun! Catnip can be stored in the freezer to help keep it fresh. The toy is machine washable with the catnip removed.
Watch your cat attack, wrestle and snuggle with its KONG 
Kickeroo. This unique cat toy appeals to a cat’s instinctive desire to stalk and capture prey. The Kickeroo’s size, shape, and material were specially chosen to promote wrestling and hind paw kicking.
The fluffy tail provides movement for extra excitement, not to mention there is a generous amount of KONG’s potent North American catnip inside to further encourage play. Don’t be surprised if the Kickeroo becomes your cat’s favorite toy.
The KONG Snake Teaser is perfect for fun, interactive play and a great way to strengthen the bond between you and 
your cat. Irresistible feathers and unpredictable movement will stimulate your feline friend’s natural hunting instincts and provide beneficial exercise. The Snake Teaser is sure to bring out the playful tiger in any cat. Durable and safe, this item is for supervised play only.
Vital Essential Cat Treats – Cats appreciate treats just like our dogs do, but so many of the cat treats on the market are filled with unhealthy ingredients. Why not give your cat a treat that they will love and that is good for them. Vital Essentials cat treats come in a wide variety of formulas, and all are 100% freeze-dried meat. You can choose from Wild Alaskan Salmon, Chicken Breast, Chicken Giblets, Minnows, Duck Liver, Rabbit, and Ahi Tuna. Treat your cat like the friend you know they are!
Beco Cat Bowls – If you have not noticed, our cats are sensitive to their environment, including the types of 
dishes we use to feed them. The Beco Bowl for cats has a much lower rim so that our feline friend’s sensitive whiskers do not brush up against the sides making dinner time that much easier. Many sophisticated cats may refuse to eat out of a metal or plastic bowl, but because Beco’s bamboo plastic is toxin-free, they will happily eat out of the Beco Bowl. We have been using the Beco bowls in the cattery at Green Acres for a year now, and the cats love them
Especially for Dogs
Benebone Chews – Dogs love to chew, so one of the gifts you can give them that you will both appreciate is a chew toy. Our favorite new chew toys come from a company called Benebone; a small, family owned company that makes these fantastic treats right here in the USA. Benebone products are chew toys made of super-strong nylon and food-grade bacon, peanuts, and chicken. They use no chemicals or artificial flavors. The Wishbone comes in three sizes and three flavors while the Dental Chew comes in three flavors and two sizes. Our dogs love their Benebone’s and believe your dog would love one in their stocking.
Beco Environmentally Friendly Toys – Although your dog has probably not told you they are an eco-warrior, the fact 
is degradations in our environment are even more harmful to our pets than they are to us. That is why we love Beco Pets, a company that makes eco-friendly, long lasting and fun products for pets.
The Beco Hoop on a Rope is made from 100% natural rice husk rubber and is attached to natural cotton rope. It is designed to be as stretchy and flexible as possible. It is the perfect toy for older dogs with fragile teeth, and the smaller version offers a great teether for any puppy, as it is soft and lightweight, while really durable.
Each Beco Soft Toy has an irresistible squeaker inside, and its covers are double cross stitched making them especially durable! These toys are made from recycled plastic bottles and are named after employees at Beco.
The Beco Jungle Triple Knot is the perfect rope toy for long distance throwing and fetch. The Beco Rope toys are made 
from 98% Hemp and 2% recycled cotton. Hemp is a very eco-friendly material as it grows very quickly and no pesticides or fertilizers are used in the growing process. Most importantly though it is better for your dog as unlike cotton and synthetic ropes, it has very short fibers which are more easily digestible. The short fibers mean that hemp is tougher than cotton or synthetic ropes, as it is harder for the dog to pull apart. Beco Hemp rope toys are better for you dog and better for the environment.
Ruffwear Toys & Coats – Ruffwear makes great clothing and toys for dogs.
The Ruffwear Huckama™ Rubber Throw Toy moves like a critter and is fun to chase. This durable, interactive toy 
keeps dogs engaged with its erratic bounce and roll. The hollow design accepts food for treat rewards and whistles when hurled through the air. Made from sustainable, natural latex rubber, a renewable resource.
The Ruffwear Gourdo™ Rubber Throw Toy rubber toy is designed for interactive play, from tugging to throwing, this 
durable rubber toy does it all. The kernmantle [really, strong and flexible] rope lanyard makes it easy to throw and pick up, while avoiding the slobbery rubber end.
Please note: All Ruffwear toys are interactive and intended for supervised play. They are not designed to be chew toys. Once the interactive play has finished, place the Ruffwear toy out of your dog’s reach and replace with a designated chew toy.
The Ruffwear Front Range™ Harness is an everyday harness that is easy to put on and comfortable for dogs to 
wear. The harness features two leash attachment points: an aluminum V-ring centered on the dog’s back for everyday walks, and reinforced webbing at the dog’s chest for training or additional control. The ID pocket keeps dog tags quiet and easily accessible.
We live in Maine and let’s admit it; sometimes even our dogs are happier in a coat. The Ruffwear Overcoat™ is a classic cold-weather utility jacket. This vest-style jacket is 
built with sturdy, durable materials to keep up with the most active dog. Wind- and water-resistant outer fabric protects against harsh elements, while interior recycled polyester fleece lining keeps body heat in. Side-release buckles on both sides provide easy on/off, and a leash portal allows the Overcoat to be worn over our Front Range™ Harness.
Another favorite dog toy at Green Acres is made right here 
in Maine. The Floating Rope Fetch Toy by Downeast Nautical is a favorite, especially for dogs that love the water! My dog Muppy is a certified landlubber but still loves retrieving her rope toy when I toss it from the living room to the far end of the kitchen.
This fall we brought in a new line of soft toys from Tall Tails. The Tall Tails Plush Squirrel is inspired by the outdoors and is designed for endless interactive play. The 
squeaker is sewn into a separate pouch and stitched into the seam for extra protection against choking, while the plush exterior makes for a soft and friendly companion. While I was writing this post, my dog Muppy found this toy on the floor where I had inadvertently dropped it. I heard the noise, knew she was having fun, and realized that due to my inattention I had just bought her a new toy. Muppy gives the Tall Tails Plush Squirrel 5 Paws. She is sure that your dog would also like the Chipmunk, Duck, Goose, Fish and other toys in the Tall Tails family.
Vital Essentials Treats and Snacks – A favorite line of training treats are the Freeze Dried Meat Treats from Vital Essentials. They are small, high value, come in a variety of flavors, and are a very healthy option. Please note, that while labeled dog treats, cats love these treats as well.
Training treats are great for training and giving our dog a small reward; however, like most of us, I occasionally like 
to give Muppy a special snack. That is when I go to the Vital Essentials Raw Bar for the 
tasty and healthy snacks she loves. Muppy’s personal favorites are the freeze-dried chicken necks and duck necks. They are the perfect size for her. Other dogs love the cod skins, salmon skins, turkey necks, turkey wings, and bully sticks. If you are looking for a high value and healthy snack, check-out the selection at the Vital Essentials Raw Bar.
Earth Animal No-Hide Chews are a healthier and more digestible alternative to Rawhide. No-Hide Chews gives new 
meaning to dog snack. They are more durable and digestible than any other chew on the market and dogs love them.
No-Hide Chews are available in Chicken, Beef, and their new Pork flavor.
Especially for Both Cats and Dogs
Raw Rewards Treats from Northwest Naturals are the latest addition to our treat selection at the Green Acres Kennel Shop. One of the things we like about these treats is that they are equally yummy to dogs and cats. However, we also love that they are manufactured in a quality controlled USDA human food inspected facility from meat sourced in the USA and New Zealand. These freeze-dried treats have only a single ingredient, making them ideal for pets with food-related sensitivities. Raw Rewards Beef Liver, Bison Liver, Chicken Liver, Lamb Liver, Pork Liver and Salmon treats are highly palatable and easy to feed.
Especially for People with Pets
At the top of my gift recommendations for dog owners, this year is the new book A Kids’ Comprehensive Guide to Speaking Dog! by Niki Tudge –If your family includes 
children and a dog, if you have children that spend time with friends and family members that have a dog, or if you have a dog that spends any time around children, you, your children, and your dog will benefit from your reading A Kids’ Comprehensive Guide to Speaking Dog!.
The goal of this new book from author Niki Tudge and Doggone Safe is to provide a resource that anyone can use to teach children how to be safe around dogs by teaching them how to “speak dog.” As a dog training instructor that teaches both adults and children how to train their dogs, we make teaching canine body language part of our classes. What I have learned over the past 22 years is that before taking a dog training class, even most adults are not aware of most aspects of “speaking dog,” which is why I believe this book will be of value to both children and adults.
A Kids’ Comprehensive Guide to Speaking Dog! is written to be used as an interactive resource and uses cartoons and photographs to illustrate body language dogs use to signal when they are happy, afraid, and angry. By teaching children, and adults, how to read and respond to these signs the book helps keep people and dogs safe. The world is full of children and dogs, and it is essential that we teach them how to interact safely. A Kids’ Comprehensive Guide to Speaking Dog! combined with a parent or teacher does just that. I give this book five paws!
If you have a pet, you have pet hair in places where you 
would rather not have pet hair. The easiest and most effective way to remove that pet hair is with the Fur-Zoff. This simple tool does the job far better than anything else we have found. Bangor’s own amazing automobile detailer Jesse Bell of Adept Auto Detailing swears by his Fur-Zoff.
A Green Acres Kennel Shop Gift Card – If you just cannot decide or are unsure what to get, you cannot go wrong with a Green Acres Kennel Shop Gift Card. Available in the denominations of $5 and up, they can be used for any product or services at Green Acres Kennel Shop.
©5DEC17, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved
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American Animal Hospital Association. I have recently posted articles on this same topic by Dr. Nancy Kay and Dr. Jean Dodds.
