Best Christmas presents for your furry friends
It’s an incontrovertible Yuletide fact: Animals — be they Santa’s reindeer or the livestock huddled around a manger — are classic Christmas story characters. So, it seems fitting that our favorite animal companions not be forgotten this holiday season. Here are a few gift ideas for the pets.
WonderBowl
Tired of the cat getting into the dog’s feeding bowl or the dog supping on the kitty’s din-din? The OurPets WonderBowl Selective Dog Feeder opens via infrared technology only for the pet who’s wearing the matching collar tag. Maybe it’ll also keep the baby from dining where he or she shouldn’t. $42; target.com
Petcube Play
Ever wonder what your cat is doing all day while you’re at work? Petcube Play lets you see it all on your smartphone via live video streaming and a two-way audio link. You can even play with your pet — or just mess with its head — by using your phone to direct a laser point around your living room. $199; petcube.com
BarkBox
Give a gift that keeps on giving with BarkBox, a subscription service that each month delivers a themed box of goodies to your dog. Every BarkBox contains as at least two original toys, two bags of all-natural treats, and a chew bone. The “Super Chewer BarkBox” contains heavy-duty chews and “super-durable toys.” From $21 per month; barkbox.com
Wisdom Panel Health
Get to know your dog really well with the Wisdom Panel Health Canine DNA Test kit, which offers easy screening for more than 140 diseases and breed identification for more than 250 breeds, types and varieties. (A breed-only version also is available for $85.) $149; wisdompanel.com
Oh, nooo …
It’s hard to remember if Mr. Bill, the hapless clay figure from the earliest seasons of “Saturday Night Live,” ever was eaten by a dog, but he probably was. Recreate just another day for Mr. Bill with this chew toy by Multipet in Mr. Bill’s image that’s great for fetching and even says “Oh, nooo … ” when squeezed. $9.50; walmart.com
Pawscout pet tag
Keep track of your pet with Pawscout, a pet tag and smartphone app that tracks your pet’s movements in real-time. Pawscout also can be used to inform fellow Pawscout users about a lost pet, set up a “virtual leash” and tell you about nearby pet-friendly businesses. $20; pawscout.com
Canine cookies
Share the taste and fun of holiday cookies with your dog with Puppy Cake. The all-natural cookie mix is made of dog-safe ingredients, and a bone-shaped cookie cutter is included. Each package yields 18 cookies. $7, puppycake.com
Charlie Brown holiday pajamas
Sure, the matching Charlie Brown Christmas pajamas for the humans are cool, but don’t leave the family dog or cat out of the fun with matching pet PJs from Pajamagram. The pajamas feature Snoopy and he rest of the “Peanuts” gang in a holiday-appropriate design. $20 (dog and cat); pajamagram.com
Contact John Przybys at reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0280. Follow @JJPrzybys on Twitter.
For the humans
When you've worn out the family pet with all of that Christmas Day revelry, and as he (or she) is enjoying a nap underneath the tree, snuggle in yourself and catch up on a bit of reading with these pet-centric books.
"Angry Swearing Cats: Swear Word Adult Coloring Book" by Sweary Words Coloring Book and Swear and Relax ($5.99, CreateSpace)
The title says it all: A coloring book, definitely for adults, featuring cats using very naughty language. Garfield wouldn't last five minutes with these guys.
"Total Cat Mojo: The Ultimate Guide to Life with Your Cat" by Jackson Galaxy with Mikel Delgado ($17, TarcherPerigee)
Jackson Galaxy, cat behaviorist and host of the Animal Planet show "My Cat From Hell," offers cat owners instruction in "Cat Mojo" an understanding of which is, he says, key to cats' health and happiness.
"Men & Dogs" by Maria-Eva Chopin and Alice Chaygneaud ($15, TarcherPerigee)
From the authors behind "Men & Cats" comes this collection of 50 photos of men and their dogs, some of which support the notion that a dog and its owner really do start to look alike after a while.
"Men With Cats: Intimate Portraits of Feline Friendship" by David Williams ($13, Quirk Books)
The author, fascinated by the "unique and enduring friendships" between men and cats, offers photos and short anecdotes about men and their feline companions.
"The Dogist Puppies" by Elias Weiss Friedman ($25, Artisan Books)
From the creator of the popular Dogist Instagram account comes this collection of portraits of the cutest puppies ever. It's just the thing for those workaday moments when an cuteness respite is required.
