Some pointers for buying a dog a gift.
Match the gift to the size of the dog.
Small dog small ball, small treats. A large dog can
choke on a small ball. A very large breed can choke on even
a normal size tennis
ball.
Suit the toy to the breed's traits.
A tug
of war toy for a Great Dane is a bad idea (unless the owner
is a champion wrestler!) A ball for a lap dog is often not
so good. But a new soft bed for a lap dog, or a nice collar
or personalised food bowl could be perfect. A large chew toy
for the larger breed, or a large Kong could
be just the ticket.
Suit the toy to the dogs owner.
A frisbee may be good for a more active owner but not so good for an aging
Aunt.
Safety.
Sticks or
stick like objects can stick into a dogs mouth or throat
if they try to scoop it off the ground while running. As
mentioned above a too small too as a gift could be swallowed
and choke the dog. Even Frisbees as
mentioned above have been implicated in safety concerns where
dogs jump flip and turn themselves inside out whilst trying
to catch the spinning disk.
You might also consider a "practical" gift, say
a lead, a new collar or a food bowl.
Some brief tips...
Lead
The best leeds for dogs, in my humble opinion, are good quality
soft leather leeds. The thickness of the lead and the strength of
the buckle must be match to the size and strength of the dog they are for. A
good quality leather lead will last a long time.
Collar
Dog collars need to be sized to the dog
both in width and length. Again good quality leather is
great but may not suit all environments. The quality of the
metal hardware is very important. Appropriately strong steel
(even better brass) fittings work well.
Water Bowls and Food Bowls
For young or active dogs a metal bowl will last a lot longer
than ceramic, plastic or the super hard poly watch-a-ma-called ones.
Of course you may be able to buy something more breakable
for a little or docile dog, but one drop from a bench when
full with food and it will be gone.
If buying for a puppy I suggest you buy the bowl for the size
the dog will become rather than the size the dog is. |
