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The best gifts for pet parents that aren’t just leashes and dog toys
Sometimes, finding the right gift for a friend or family member is difficult. But here’s a tip: Think about their hobbies. What do they love to do? If the answer is to hang out with their dog or cat, consider these gifts for pet parents that will definitely make them smile.
Little Words Project - Dog Mom Bracelet
Letterfest Pet Portrait Sketch
Merry Makings Dog Person Hat
Custom Pet Seater
Mark & Graham Knit Dog Sweater
Wisdom Panel 3.0 Breed Identification Dog DNA Test Kit
Dog Pawsonality Test
As a pet parent, I know these gifts are great because my dog is my Roman Empire. There are pictures of him — photos and even paintings — all over my apartment. I’ve only made two TikTok videos, and guess what? They’re videos of him. He’s even sitting next to me, curled up right now. Any gift that benefits both my dog and me or helps me show him off even more is a win in my book.
Of course, dog people and cat people are generally pretty different. But the love they have for their pets is not. Check out these gifts for pet parents — whether they have a dog, a cat, a guinea pig or all of the above.
Little Words Project makes fun yet pretty beaded bracelets — you may have even seen Taylor Swift wearing them. This “Dog Mom” bracelet is a somewhat subtle way someone can show their appreciation for their pup. Of course, there’s a “Cat Mom” bracelet as well. The brand also allows you to make custom bracelets, so you can make one that says “Dog Dad” or even spell out a pet’s full name.
This pet portrait by Letterfest is one of the less corny and actually pretty classy versions of the many pet portraits on the brand’s site. Choose the size, photo and any words you want in the image. The brand will create a simple pencil sketch of the pet — and provide a proof before sending — for an extra $10.
Dog people, where you at? This hat can help anyone show their pride for Team Dog. Yes, of course, there’s a Cat Person hat as well in the same neutral color.
OK, this sweater isn’t exactly cheap, but it’s a custom photo and name of any pet. I love it, and it’s slightly cheaper than my favorite STAUD x C.BONZ pet sweatshirt. Choose the sweater color, and submit a photo of the pet (or two pets) you want on the sweater. Uncommon Goods will email you a proof for you to approve the sweater design before making it.
Mark & Graham (a brand that’s part of the Williams Sonoma Inc. family) makes great custom home goods, apparel and more. Its pet section is amazing, too. Get your friend’s pet a knit sweater with their name on it. There are over 30 designs to choose from, and even when personalizing a sweater, the brand ships pretty fast.
If you know someone who adopted their pup and wants to know a little more about their history, get them a Dog DNA Test Kit so they can find out their dog’s breed mix. Knowing this, they can help personalize their dog’s care based on the results if necessary (or at least help explain their dog’s obsession with water). It’s like 23andMe — but for dogs.
For more money, you could also gift them a DNA test that reports on additional health information on a pup.
While it’s not exactly a full DNA test, this fun little book offers 81 multiple-choice questions about a dog’s behavior and matches them to one of 36 profiles. Are they a Wild Child, a Furry Godmother, a Renegade or something else? Humans take quizzes all the time. Waste a little time helping your furry friend find out who they really are with this book.
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