Guest Post - Fun Gifts for Furry Friends

Annie and Pixel showing their Tartan & Sequins love!

While Julia is touring Italy (lucky!), she left some friends behind in San Francisco. We are Sophie and Carolyn, two of Julia’s favorite dog-owning friends. Sophie is proud mom to Annie (Corgi, almost 2), and Carolyn’s best buddy is Pixel (Maltipoo, just a month older than Annie).  

Sophie and her pup Annie!

We love buying presents for our furry friends, but the huge selection of pet products out there can be intimidating if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Did you know that the size of the US pet industry is estimated to be over $58 BILLION for 2014? (That’s a lot of bones!)

We compiled a list of our (and Annie and Pixel’s) favorite products below. You can also find these, and other recommendations, on Sophie’s Pinterest page.  In true Tartan & Sequins fashion, we’ve chosen things that help us and our pets stay healthy and stylish.

Carolyn and her best buddy Pixel.

Apparel

Given how much time dog owners spend walking their dogs, a leash makes a great gift. We say leash over collar because there are a lot more factors to consider when buying a collar for a dog you don’t know. Not only do you have to think about how big the dog’s neck is, but also if they even wear a collar. For really mini dogs or new puppies, a collar around the neck can be painful, so at her size (less than 5lbs), Pixel always wears a harness rather than a collar. Lately she has been collecting compliments on this harness (she has it in purple), and they even make it in a size XXS!

Pixel, in her harness, frolicking on the beach with her BFF Harry, like the beach babe she is.

Leashes, on the other hand, you can choose based on the owner’s tastes and lifestyle (not the dog’s). Assuming your friend already has a basic leash, here are a few more unique options you could consider.

For the friend who likes to run or hike, the Stunt Puppy Stunt Runner Hands-Free Leash ($38) would be a great present. The leash connects to an adjustable waist belt so the runner doesn’t have to hold the leash when s/he is running. While this wouldn’t work for the vertically challenged puppies out there (we’re looking at you, Annie and Pix), it’s perfect for taller dogs.

For the friend who lives in a city, the Timberwolf Alpine Lead ($14 to $24 depending on length and color) comes in a “traffic” length, meaning its shorter and allows the owner to prevent the dog from darting in front of cars and/or people on the sidewalk. It also has a built in key hook and, if you get the longer length, can loop around the owner’s waist for running.

It seems appropriate that a pup who looks like a fox has a toy duck no?

A reflective leash is good for any dog owner because, unfortunately for them, they’ll likely be on walks late at night when its dark. We like the Olly Dog Nightlife II Leash ($20) and the Casual Canine Glow Nylon Dog Leash ($13.57 or $17.57, depending on the width and length you choose). In a similar vein, we’ve seen a lot of dogs in San Francisco sporting lights on their collars for night time walking. The Glowdoggie™ LED collar ($52.99) is really cool and definitely on Annie’s birthday wishlist.

And if you just want to spice up your friend’s puppy’s wardrobe, think about what colors and patterns s/he normally gravitates towards. Julia almost bought Annie her red tartan leash (no longer available, similar here) from Catnip & Bones, a local pet store in the Marina in San Francisco, when Sophie first adopted her. Turns out Julia was right about it being a good choice, because Sophie had already bought it :)

Pixel’s cousin and Annie’s godbrother Maxwell Smart looks dashing in his blue gingham leash ($36), which is nice because it's a little more gender neutral. Annie has a neon pink leash and collar combo from Petsmart, which was purchased because...well, because it was neon pink and not gender neutral at all.

Annie is hard to miss in her sassy pink leash.

As for clothing for dogs, that’s really a personal choice and we’ll refrain from voicing an opinion :) While Annie and Pixel’s coats (or hair in Pixel’s case) keep them warm enough in the San Francisco climate, Pixel sports an American Apparel hoodie for winter visits to NYC.

After running around being ADORABLE all day, 

Pixel needed a sip of water out of her Martha Stewart Pet Collection dog bowl.

Household Items
Martha Stewart Pet Collection is a good source for household items such as beds, toys, bowls, etc. The selection is relatively affordable, and includes a variety of colors. Remember, these things will be on display all the time so we recommend choosing beds and bowls which complement your decor. Amazon also has a great selection of beds and pretty much everything else you could want or need.

Beds

Annie plays by her own rules, like sleeping half in and half out of bed.

This is where Pixel dreams of someday being a Tartan & Sequins 'Girl Crush of the Week'

Treats
Given how much visits to the vet can cost, we like to feed Annie and Pix food and treats that keep them healthy (or at least aren’t the equivalent of giving them junk food).

We especially like treats that have (or claim to have) some sort of health benefit. Dogswell (Annie and Pixel’s favorite treats in the world) are made from natural meat with no added hormones, processed gluten, and no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.  

Annie likes the Chicken and Sweet Potato Vitality ones and Pixie likes the Breathies, which we usually get using Google Shopping Express (free same day delivery!). If you are not in the delivery zone for that yet, they can also be found on Amazon.

Thanks for reading. We hope you have a great day!

Sophie and Carolyn