Dan's Papers - November 23, 2007

The time for holiday shopping has arrived, and that means you'll be deciding who's on the list that you'll be checking twice. And when those close to you who have acted both naughty and nice this year, you won't forget the little rascal who tore up the curtains, but has since aged into a mature and reliable friend.

Dogs are important members of the family, and while they don't quite understand the meaning behind the holidays, they do pick up on the excitement. While Jesus lying in a manger is no more than another target for their playful jaws, the smell of the garlands snaking up the banisters and the cinnamon wafting from the oven are the welcome senses of the holidays. As such, there are some great ways to make your precious pet feel like a member of the family. It will be fun for the animal and probably even more fun for you to select some special sentiments for their unwrapping pleasure.

The first place most of us forget our pet is when we hang our stocking by the chimney with care. But I will never forget the little felt bone that hung beside all our stockings when I was growing up, with the word "Toby" carefully scrawled in sparkly glitter. You can easily make these pet stockings by cutting two pieces of brown felt into the shapes of bones. Then stitch the two pieces together and decorate with green and red ribbon, and you've got your pet stocking. Shove in a few pieces of rawhide inside and your pet will be sniffing at the mantle all through the wintery night. If the furry friend in your life is a feline, just use a real stocking (that you're willing to lose) and fill it with catnip. Your kitty will be lapping up the yuletide all day.

When it comes to what lies beneath the tree or what's unwrapped beside the menorah, there are so many specialty pet stores nowadays, you will have no problem showering your pet with goodies. Your pet, just like the rest of us, could always use a more comfortable night's sleep, and a new, fashionable bed might be the perfect gift. Not only will your pet be happy with its new digs, but you've also got a cool new accent to your living room. My mom's favorite is the giant turquoise Tiffany box pet pillow.

Another pet gift that really gives back is a little outfit. I'm not going to lie: I was totally disgusted by the phenomenon of dressing dogs as humans until my parents invested in an eight-pound Yorkshire Terrier, and now, I can't help but swoon when I pass the little hooded sweatshirts that say "Brooklyn" or the tiny "Superdog" capes. Plus, this may just be a hopeless rationale, but those tiny bodies have got to get cold! Warm the little one up with a fleece vest or, if you're so bold, a leather jacket. Make sure you get a quick picture of your pet in the outfit, though, because they might end up wriggling out of it pretty quickly.

If you're looking for the more classic route, one that will actually make your pet truly happy, you can always go with a toy or treat. The best is the combos, like the little rubber toys that you can shove a treat into. Then the animal will have hours (or minutes) of entertainment digging out the goody, and at the end of it all, it still has a toy to play with. My personal favorite toy is "Skinny Long Dog," a hilarious squeaky toy that doesn't make the usual irritating squeak. Instead, when the dog clamps its jaws on a certain area in the mid-section, it lets out a low noise, like a baby's first laugh. It sounds like something coming straight from the diaphragm and is oodles less annoying than the usual squeaky toy, which will drive any sane person crazy.

If you're looking for pure functionality, go for the taste buds. Real bones make any dog drool, and they'll fall in love with you as if for the first time when you reveal a nice shoulder bone straight from the butcher. If they're lucky, some of the meat will still be hanging from the bone. It may not be as much fun as a shopping excursion at Bloomingdales, but hey, we have different perspectives on treating ourselves. It's the holidays - we all like to be pampered.