Christmas stocking for dogs
A dog's Christmas stocking is really just a small, well-chosen pile of treats, chews and toys rather than anything you need a specific 'stocking' product for. The best ones mix a couple of things your dog already loves with one new toy to unwrap, sized sensibly for their age and how they play.
What actually makes a good dog stocking
A mix rather than a single big item tends to go down better — a couple of natural chews, a small bag of training treats, and one toy gives a dog several things to enjoy over the holiday rather than one thing that's forgotten by Boxing Day.
Match what you choose to how your dog actually plays. A dog who destroys soft toys in minutes is better served by a tougher chew than another plush toy, while a food-motivated dog will get more excitement out of a new treat than a toy they'll sniff once and ignore.
Sizing it for your dog
Chews and treats sized for a small dog can be a choking risk for a large one to bolt down whole, and the reverse applies too — a chew built for a large, powerful chewer may be unnecessarily tough for a small dog's jaw. Check the sizing on anything you choose against your own dog rather than picking on looks alone.
If you're filling a stocking for a puppy, look specifically at products aimed at puppies rather than adult dogs — puppy teeth and puppy stomachs both need gentler options than a grown dog's would.
What we'd put in one
A natural chew or two, a pack of training treats for stuffing into a stocking alongside something to unwrap, and a toy suited to how your dog plays makes a solid, varied stocking without overthinking it.
The grid below draws from our treats, chews and toy ranges — a mix from each, rather than several of the same thing, tends to make the best stocking.
There's no need to spend a fortune to make it feel special. A handful of well-chosen small items, wrapped or simply piled into a stocking, does more for most dogs than one expensive item on its own, since the novelty of unwrapping several things is a big part of the appeal.
The gifts themselves
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Inflatable Herding Ball for Dogs with Pump
A large inflatable herding ball with pump that taps into your dog's chase instinct.
From£19.99
Calm the Eff Down Treats Chicken Flavour 90 Tablets
Chicken-flavoured calming tablets from Pets Calm Down, made in the UK, ninety to a pack and given as a treat for dogs who find fireworks, travel or being alone difficult.
£22.99
Durables Toy Crocodile
The crocodile from Red Dingo's Durables line: solid hardware, hard-wearing materials and a five-year manufacturer guarantee, which is rare enough to be the reason to buy.
£20.49
Tuffy Junior Zoo Hippo
A junior-sized Tuffy hippo built in bonded layers with webbed, multi-row stitched seams, light enough for smaller dogs and puppies, that floats and is machine washable.
£18.99
Stop Bloody Scratching Treats Chicken Flavour 90 Tablets
Chicken-flavoured tablets from Pets Calm Down, made in the UK, ninety to a pack, given daily as a treat to support skin and coat condition in itchy dogs.
£22.99
Inflatable Herding Ball with Handles for Dogs
A large, tough inflatable herding ball that taps into your dog's natural chase-and-nudge instinct. Reinforced bite-resistant fabric and grab handles make it great for active outdoor play with medium and large breeds.
£29.99
Self-Moving Chew-Resistant Dog Ball
A USB-C rechargeable ball that moves on its own to keep dogs busy and active. Tough E-TPU construction stands up to chewing during supervised play, and the splash-resistant build suits indoor or outdoor use.
£15.99
Tuffy No Stuff Ultimate Ring Red Paw
Meet the Tuffy No Stuff Ultimate Ring Red Paw — one of the toughest dog toys we stock. Tuffy build their toys in multiple bonded layers with several rows of stitching and protective webbing on the seams, so they stand up to serious chewers far better than an ordinary plush. They float, and they’re machine washable (air dry).
£13.99
Forthglade Grain Free Soft Bites Fresh Breath Treats 8pk
Chicken soft dog treats with parsley and peppermint oil for fresh breath
£2.45
James Wellbeloved Adult Dry Cat Food Turkey
A single-source turkey dry food for adult cats, without the grain-free or joint-support extras
From£21.79
Catit Nibbly Jerky Chicken & Fish Treats
Soft chicken and fish jerky treats for cats, two named meats high on the list, grain free
£1.89
Common questions
- What should go in a dog's Christmas stocking?
- A mix works best — a couple of natural chews, some training treats, and one toy suited to how your dog plays gives them several things to enjoy rather than one item that's forgotten quickly. Sizing everything correctly for your dog matters more than the total number of items.
- Is it safe to give a dog lots of treats at once on Christmas Day?
- A stocking full of treats is meant to be spread out over the day and beyond, not all offered at once. Giving everything in one sitting risks an upset stomach from the sudden extra food, so pace it out the same as you would with any treat.
- What size chew should I choose for my dog?
- Check the packaging against your dog's size and how they chew — a size meant for a small dog can be a choking risk for a large dog to swallow whole, and a chew built for a powerful chewer may be unnecessarily tough for a small dog's jaw.
- Can I put toys and treats in the same stocking for a puppy?
- Yes, but choose items made for puppies specifically rather than adult dog products. Puppy teeth and stomachs are more sensitive, so a puppy-specific chew or treat is a safer choice than scaling down something built for an adult dog.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.