Okay my friends! Here it is… my first ever “curated” gift guide.
These are a few things I discovered this past year that I think would make pawome gifts for animal lovers! If you’re like me be sure to follow the one for you, one for me shopping rule!
These suggestions support small, local businesses. Heaven knows, the big stores can fend for themselves! If you like this idea, I’ll start earlier next year and make it a little more comprehensive! Soooo, with no further ado, let’s get this pawty started!
Olive & Co handmade collars and bandanas
Instagram: @olive_and_company
I literally have dozens of bandanas from Olive & Company. Indy and Lucca have several each and I have all different sizes for my Deck the Dogs holiday sessions.
They’re so well made, wash nicely and always look snazzy. They have oodles of patterns that change frequently, I never have trouble finding something to match each of my guys’ individual personalities!
https://13thstreetwinery.com/
Be sure to go to 13th Street Winery (on 4th Avenue) and check out their retail space. It’s chock full of cute pet owners’ items including ornaments and tea towels. These tea towels clearly win the best tea towels in the world award!
I also highly recommend their Pinot Gris for an evening of lying with the pets watching Christmas movies! If you’re lucky you might score some butter tarts too!
The Meadow
https://www.celinesk9.ca/the-meadow
I can’t wait to go here with Indy and Lucca.
The Meadow is a private rental, by-appointment, off-lead, dog exercise area on 10 acres of fully-fenced meadow land in Niagara-on-the-Lake. You can rent by the hour ($25) and you and you dog have the place to yourselves. Perfect for a reactive dog who would love to just get out and play with you. Or you and your dog’s best friends can have their own play party in the great outdoors. With a 6 foot chain link fence around the property and a 21 x 41 foot dock diving pool, this is puppy paradise.
Boreal Pet Foods
https://borealpetfood.com/
Indy looooves Boreal treats. Next to freeze dried lung and liverm these are his favourites, the duck & blueberry. They are a little soft which is nice and smell divine everytime you open the bag. Boreal was born and raised locally in Beamsville and continues to branch out taking the world by storm. I really like the owners’ philosophy on pet nutrition and ingredients.
Locally Boreal products are sold at Global Pet Foods, Ruffins, Paul Mac, Maggie’s Pet Boutique and The Dog Spot to name a few!
Redemption Paws
website: https://redemption-paws.myshopify.com/
One of my favourite t-shirts is from Toronto’s Redemption Paws, an awesome foster-based rescue that has a secondary web-site that sells merch. Apparel, accessories and drinkware are among their products, and I love the designs. The sayings rotate around through the products so my t-shirt, “Mutts are Limited Editions”, is currently on a coffee mug, but I see a new favourite on the site that I’ll be ordering! My understanding is that proceeds go to the rescue. Can’t beat that!
Grrratefultails
Available at The Dog Spot on Main St. in Grimsby.
Carole-Ann Mercuri painstakingly hand crafts these absolutely adorable neck pieces. Bandanas for all, and bow ties for the boys but, I LOVE that she creates pieces especially for the girl canines on your list. Her little collars are the epitome of charming and the little poinsettia velcros onto a collar. It just sent me over the edge, LOL, I adore them!
2022 Winery Dogs of Ontario Calendar
Available on this website and at participating wineries
The 4th edition of the Winery Dogs Calendar, featuring the companions to winemakers and vignerons at Niagara and Prince Edward County wineries! Twelve glorious months of dogs, plus dog-friendly policies of the wineries included. Lots of space to write on the dates in the calendar too.
My stock is very low, which is awesome news, as $2 from the sale of every calendar is donated to local rescue, Pets Alive Niagara. Get yours before they’re all gone! Check the link for wineries that carry it too.
http://www.windyridgedesign.etsy.com/
Windyridge Designs is a family owned laser cut wood designs located right here in St. Catharines. All designs are made with premium Baltic Birch wood. I gave several of their ornaments last year with dog names on them and they were so well received that I had to mention them here!
There are dog, cat and equine inspired pieces, well, technically there are quite a few more, but these are the only ones that interest little only animal crazy me LOL. Alas it’s too late to take advantage of their awesome products this year, but they have new designs coming out in 2022 including some for home decor!
Cards by Christine
@cardsbychristine55
Adorable handmade cards made by a local dog mom. Her themes run the full gamut of card sending occassions and, of course, my favourites involve animals! She does custom work as well!