This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s fall editorial intern Jason Tsoi. Find him on Instagram at @jason.tsoi. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
Calling all dog lovers! As Christmas approaches, it’s the perfect time to consider how you’re going to spend the holidays with your four-legged companions. Celebrating with your pets, whether you’re a new or longtime dog owner, creates a memorable experience that deepens your bond. From making dog-friendly treats to giving your dog presents for Christmas, here are some ideas to ensure you and your dog have a holly jolly Christmas.
Christmas Activities To Do With Your Dog
Besides spending most of your time together indoors, there are a number of outdoor Christmas activities to do with your dog. Is your dog photogenic? If so, put their skills to the test by taking them to meet the man with the red suit and long white beard. After all, Santa Claus is the one who brings them toys during this time of year. To meet Santa, you can visit your local mall or public areas. Before doing a photoshoot with Santa, consider dressing up your dog in a costume. To ring in the Christmas spirit, dress up your dog as one of Santa’s helpers or as a reindeer. Doing this activity will not only provide excitement for your dog, but it will also give Santa some extra joy. After taking photos with Santa, you can include the photo in your family Christmas card.
Another activity that you can enjoy with your dog is taking them out on a walk or drive to look at Christmas lights and decorations. You can take your dogs to look around the neighborhood or visit dog-friendly parks that have Christmas lights. The stunning displays of shiny, bright lights will give your dog something to admire. Since you will most likely be out in the cold at night, it’s best to give your dog a jacket or sweater to keep them warm. Before you head outside, make sure to bring water for your dog to ensure that they’re well hydrated.
Presents To Buy For Your Dog
Gift giving is hard, especially when you don’t know what the person you’re getting a gift for likes. This experience applies to dogs as well. For many dogs, they prefer to play with a specific type of toy from balls to plushies. Just like us, dogs can lose interest in their toys after a while. That’s why the holidays make it a prime opportunity to buy them new toys that they can play with and have fun.
Are you looking for dog toys, but don’t know what to get? Since it’s almost Christmas time, think about buying Christmas themed toys for them. If your dog likes to play with balls, you should buy Midlee’s “Candy Cane Tennis Balls” at Target. These red and green tennis balls come with a squeaker, which is guaranteed to keep your dog engaged. However, if your dog prefers chew toys, consider purchasing Nylabone’s “Power Chew Holiday Textured Dog Chew Ring” at Petco. Since this chew toy is long-lasting, you won’t have to worry about it being worn out days later. But, if your dog plays more with plushies, think about buying Frisco’s “Holiday Santa’s Helpers Plush Squeaky Dog Toy” at Chewy. The toy comes in a set of three plushies that your dog can have fun playing around with.
Or you can purchase Wondershop’s “Dog Stocking Dog Rope Plush Toy Set” at Target, which carries all types of dog toys. Once you buy the dog toys, wrap up the presents and leave them under the tree for them to open on Christmas morning. This allows your dogs to join in on the festivities.
Christmas Treats To Make For Your Dog
It’s not Christmas without eating tasty treats. To include your dogs in your Christmas baking, you can make them delicious dog-friendly Christmas cookies. In order to make this recipe, you will need five ingredients: 2 ½ cups of whole wheat flour, 1 large egg, 1 cup of peanut butter, 1 cup of water and 2 tablespoons of honey. First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and put parchment paper over a baking tray. Then, in a bowl, combine your flour, egg, peanut butter, water and honey together, and mix it until you reach a firm dough consistency. Afterwards, on a flour covered surface, roll out the dough to your desired thickness. Using Christmas cookie cutters, you can make gingerbread or Christmas tree shapes. Once you’ve finished making your shapes, bake the cookies for 20 minutes and let it cool for a few minutes before serving.
Another dog-friendly Christmas treat that you can make for your dog is “candy canes.” This is not your typical peppermint treat, but a resemblance to it, using a cookie-based recipe. This recipe will require five ingredients: ⅔ cup of pumpkin puree, ¼ cup of peanut butter, 2 eggs, 2 ½ cups of oat flour, and red and green food coloring. First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and put parchment paper over a baking sheet. Then, combine your pumpkin, peanut butter and eggs in a bowl, and mix it together. Once it’s evenly mixed, add your flour into the bowl and mix it until it becomes a dough.
When you have your desired dough texture, knead it with your hands for a few minutes and then split the dough into two balls. Next, add drops of food coloring to each ball of dough and knead the dough until the colors appear. Afterwards, split the two balls into smaller balls and roll them into skinny sticks. Then, grab a set of green and red skinny sticks and braid them into a twist. Finally, shape the braided sticks into a candy cane and put them in the oven for 25 minutes. Let it cool for a couple of minutes and serve.
How will you be celebrating Christmas with your dog? Let us know in the comments.
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