The Best Cheap Christmas Gifts for Dogs
You can spoil your pooch this Christmas season without breaking the bank. Let’s face it–dogs don’t know the difference between an expensive, new toy or treat, and a homemade one. There are plenty of cheap Christmas gifts for dogs out there. You can create your own toys, or bake up some treats. Here are a few ideas that you can make or buy for your own four-legged friend.
Bake Up Some Treats
A quick internet search will reveal that there’s a plethora of free dog treat recipes available online. Make them look extra cute and festive using a tray/mold that shapes the treats into “animal cookie” shapes, like this one from Michael’s. Last summer, Boulevard Bark was part of Whatcom Humane Society‘s Dog Days of Summer festival, and this is the recipe for the grain-free dog treats that we handed out to hungry pooches all day:
Easy Grain-Free Dog Treats:
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups of chickpea flour
1 cup of oat flour
3 tbsp. peanut butter
1/2 cup applesauce
1 egg
1/4 cup water
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mix oat and chickpea flours together.
Add peanut butter, applesauce and egg, and stir well.
Add hot water 1 tbsp. at a time.
Mix until pliable. (If the dough is too sticky, add more flour).
Put about 1 rounded teaspoon of dough in each treat “cavity” in your tray (if using a tray). (Add more if needed!)
Bake on a baking sheet for 12-15 minutes. Turn down to 250 degrees and bake 20 more minutes until very firm.
Allow to cool, remove from the molds.
Keep refrigerated.
Warm & Cozy in a Fleece Blanket
Our dogs love warm, cozy stuff. You don’t have to know how to knit or crochet, or break the bank, to gift your dog a warm, snuggly blanket this year. Often you can pick up a fleece blanket at your local dollar store or a thrift shop. Try locally owned shops or big-name places like Target when digging up fleece blankets on a budget.
Homemade Toys
I delight in giving my dog new toys. He knows they’re his, and he always seems so proud when he prances around with a brand new toy in his mouth. It’s important to remember that he loves the toy because it’s his, not because I spent money on it. Here are a few ideas for homemade dog toys you can put together on your own, even if you’re not at all crafty.
You can make rope toys out of old T-shirts, or follow this link to learn how to make a chew toy out of old pairs of jeans! You can make this toy out of a water bottle and a sock. Or follow this link to learn about 17 fun, safe dog toys you can make on your own!
Make a Dog Toy Box!
Here’s a cool tutorial about how one “dog mom” made an adorable toy box for her dog. (My dog adores his toy box/container, and loves to go through his many toys to choose the perfect one to play with at any moment).
Just Spend Some Special Time Together
Sure, you could make or discover or regift all kinds of these cheap Christmas gifts for dogs. But really, when it comes down to it, what our dogs want the most from us is simple, and totally free to give: our time, attention, and love. The rest (toys, treats, blankets, and other doggo goodies) are just extras when compared with the joy of a walk or car ride together with the humans they adore. So take your dog for a drive to a special spot where you love to hike, or if it’s too cold just curl up on the couch together and give him a little massage while you watch holiday movies on TV.
And remember, a dog truly doesn’t care how much money you spent/didn’t spend on her this Christmas. She’s just happy to be with you.
