11 sweet gifts for your pet
Valentine's Day is all about love, and since Canadians have lots of love for their pets, more and more are taking February 14 to show their furry friends just how much they care.
"People want to show their love to their pets and get them something special," says Chanelle Dupre, director of marketing for Bosley's Pet Food Plus, a pet-supply chain in British Columbia.
A growing trend
"Valentine's Day is becoming more of a gift-giving day for pet parents," says Shelley Peever, owner of Ruff Knits Canine Clothiers, a Victoria-based online retailer of dog clothes.
While flowers, jewelry and chocolate are the standard gifts for the special person in your life, pet presents, like pets themselves, come in all shapes and sizes. From the practical (sweaters, collars and booties) to the indulgent (toys, treats, toiletries and, yes, jewelry), no matter what gift is being given, the message is the same: Canadians love their pets, and think of them as one of the family.
Part of the family
"The shift in general is toward the humanization of pets, and the inclusion as part of the family, and therefore, the pet gets gifts like Valentine's gifts," says Peever. "It shows me how much pets are part of peoples' lives, which makes me very happy."
More than that, since pets are a real part of so many Canadian families, Valentine's Day gifts offer the chance to bring pets into important Valentine moments.
"I get orders from people for tuxes and for bow ties or for T-shirts that pets would wear during a proposal," says Peever, specifically "a T-shirt that says 'Will you marry my daddy?' on the back."
Not just for tiny pups anymore
And it's not just lap dogs that are getting gifts these days – cats and big dogs are being treated more and more.
"There is an increase in gift-giving for larger dogs," says Peever. "We have a large demand for tuxedos for large dogs in particular, since this is one item, along with the personalized T-shirts, that larger dogs can wear."
So whatever size your furry friend is, if you want to show them your love this February 14, check out this list of our favourite Valentine's for canines and felines.
Our 11 favourite Valentine's Day pet gifts
1. Puppy pendants
Jewelry is the Valentine's gift, and now your dog or cat can be blinged out, too. You can find the heart-shaped collar dangler charms for $4 each at canvasbackpets.com
