Hurrah, it’s nearly Christmas! And it’s not just kids that enjoy an Advent calendar in the run up to the big day. Yep, more and more companies are cottoning onto the popularity of dog advent calendars. So, after a bit of a snoop around, I’ve picked out my favourite four suggestions. Here’s what’s on offer and what’s good about them:
JR Pet Products have two wonderful options, Ostrich or Venison and Turkey. I’ll admit, this is my first suggestion because I’ve just ordered one for Poppy! I’ve bought treats from this company before and I do like the quality of their pet food. They’re high protein and not bulked out with grains and other ingredients.
Scrumbles Advent calendar is also grain-free and full of tasty flavours such as chicken and turkey. It contains mini dental chews, treats and nibbles with a few extra ingredients like slippery elm, lemon balm and chamomile.
With Pooch & Mutt‘s calendar there are two tasty Turkey & Cranberry Meaty Treats behind every door. These treats have added goodness with probiotics for healthy gut flora, and collagen for healthy skin and coat. They come in a cute star shape and smell like cinnamon but I’m not sure your dog will even notice as they scoff them down!
With eco-friendly products becoming more important to us dog owners, this plastic-free version from Life of Riley is a good option. This lovely dog Advent calendar is full of grain-free treats and comes with a candy cane rope toy (if you hurry before they sell out).
A DIY dog Advent calendar
Or, why not make one yourself? How do you do it? Well, dogs aren’t really fussy as long as the treat inside is tasty! So, I’d suggest cutting toilet or kitchen roll tubes into 5cm long rings. Then, take two empty egg boxes and cut out the sections and number the bases. Now, take a small treat, scrunch it up into paper and pop it inside the first egg carton section. Then slide it inside one of the cardboard rings. Repeat this for the 24 days and stack your filled, numbered tubes into a Christmas tree shape. And, you’re done!
Dos and don’ts of treating your dog to an Advent calendar
- Firstly, don’t just give the calendar to your dog. Obviously, they’re going to scoff all the treats down in one!
- Check the ingredients before you buy. Some calendars are cheap for a reason.
- Don’t give your dog an Advent calendar meant for humans. Chocolate (and other treats) are poisonous to dogs.
- Keep the calendar out of reach of temptation!
- If you’re giving your dog treats every day, do keep an eye on their weight and make sure they’re receiving plenty of exercise to avoid health issues.