© Karoline Thalhofer / stock.adobe.com
Dogs can be huge snuggle bugs with an unending appetite.
On 14 February we are celebrating St Valentine, a day where everything revolves around our loved ones. It’s becoming more and more usual to treat not just your partner on Valentine’s Day, but your friends both human and four legged. We’ve put together some of our top picks when it comes to the purrfect Valentine’s gift for your four-legged friend!
It’s well know that dogs love to spend time with their pack, so this Valentine’s day why not put aside an extra hour or two to spend with your four legged friend and show them just how much you love them.
Whether your dog is a couch potatoes or full of energy, all dogs love shared activities and feeling part of something. Why not take them for a long walk, or spend extra time cuddling them on the sofa.
If however you’re looking for something different, then why not take this year’s Valentine’s Day as a golden opportunity to start a new hobby together:
Is your dog always on the hunt for new smells? Then you can go on an adventure of discovery together, such as man-trailing. The easiest way is attending a class at dog school. Dogs with hunting ambitions are particularly keen, as they are able to follow a scent.
However, you could also build in little scent exercises at home or on walks.
Agility doesn’t just stimulate your dog mentally in terms of mobility, but also helps strengthen the bond between you. In an agility class, you literally need to overcome different obstacles together. You can do this against the clock with a competitive mentality or you can be completely relaxed – just go for it!
If you have a garden, you can set up your own little agility course with slalom poles, hurdles and tunnels and have a real at home adventure for Valentine’s Day.
Find out about agility with dogs and agility for small dogs. You can find more types of dog sport in our dog sport summary.
© fesenko / stock.adobe.com
Many dogs love toys and as you’ll know, their tastes can differ!
Some dogs like fluffy, squeaky toys, whilst others prefer wild ball games bouncing around the garden. Others like intelligence toys or to play tug on a rope! We think you’ll know what your dog likes best, so have put together a selection purrfect for Valentine’s Day:
You can’t decide between a ball or cuddly toy? How about this pink Massage Piglet? It’s great fun and will look after your pets teeth at the same time.
Sweet but too small? This Flamingo with Rope is a good alternative also suitable for larger dogs at 35cm in length.
Does your dog love balls and still doesn’t have the natural rubber Chuckit! Ultra Ball? Then this is would be a great Valentine’s Day gift for your pet! This ball can jump, swim and even put up with lots of chewing.
The Kong Classic is a classic chew toy also great for playing with. Why not try filling your pets with a mixture of yogurt, dog food or tuna for special occasions, and freeze it. This way you will always have a fantastic surprise ready for your dog.
Many dogs find intelligence toys great fun. As soon as they are filled, the task is clear: reaching the food – but how?! We’ve got a great selection of intelligence toys with different levels of difficulty.
Our favourite would be the zoolove intelligence toy for Valentine’s Day. Not only will you be making your pet happy but you’ll be helping out animals in need, because we donate 10% of the sales proceeds to an animal welfare charity.
Many dogs like to make their bed soft and cuddly so why not treat them to a brand-new bed this Valentine’s Day! A gift for your pet but also you, with our range of cute baskets and blankets great for protecting your sofas and chairs.
The Cosy Panther Pet Bed looks attractive and offers comfort during cold days. It gives dogs a wonderfully soft and comfortable place to lie and plenty of space to dream.
Do you want maximum functionality? Vetbed is non-slip, attractive and anti-allergenic.
Looking for the fluffiest of beds for Valentine’s Day, ideally in pink? Check out the Princess Snuggly Bed a visual Valentine’s highlight for dogs – including an extra stuffed heart where they can lay their little head.
Is that too much pink for you? No problem! This regal bed is also available in a blue-grey variety: Prince Cuddly Bed.
Would you like to express your love of animals in your home? The Trixie Lian Bed offers a cosy island of comfort thanks to its round shape. Its loving design and inscription “Love is a four-legged word” makes it the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for dogs.
Nice but unfortunately your pet doesn’t fit? The Cosy Mocca Dog Bed is suitable for larger dogs.
Would you like to give a Valentine’s gift to an elderly dog with a health condition? An orthopaedic dog bed could be the best choice. Thanks to the memory foam, this bed adapts to the dog’s body giving that much needed relief to the joints and spinal column, allowing them to rest and relax. If you want to treat your dog to its own little sofa, you can alternatively opt for an orthopaedic dog sofa.
© filmbildfabrik / stock.adobe.com
The way to almost any dog’s heart is through its stomach! So why not treat them to some delicious pet approved treats?
Heart-shaped treats are recommended for Valentine’s Day:
Bosch Goodies Light are mostly suited to dogs that need to keep in shape.
If you’re looking to gift something to a friend or loved one who is mad about dogs then we think opting for treats and toys are your best option (We’d always suggest finding out in advance whether the dog can eat or play with everything or has certain preferences).
So you have decided you would love to welcome a new puppy into your home – but does it have to be a pedigree pup? If not, then animal shelters can offer plenty of great alternatives.
“How do I recognise that my beloved dog is happy?”. “How do I know that I am doing everything right with my dog and that it is completely happy with its life with me?”. Many dog owners ask themselves these questions.
Some dog lovers are sure that their canine companion understands them perfectly. Nevertheless, there are often misunderstandings between humans and dogs in day-to-day life, because what appears self-explanatory to us isn't always so clear for dogs. What do dogs really understand?
