The best gifts for a new puppy
A new puppy gift lands best when it solves a real problem in those first chaotic weeks rather than just looking good in a basket. The short list that gets used every day is a comfortable bed, something safe to chew, a slow way to eat, and a collar with an ID tag — everything else is a nice extra on top of that.
What actually gets used in week one
A new puppy chews constantly, partly through teething and partly because everything is new and interesting, so a tough chew toy is one of the few gifts that gets picked up daily rather than sitting in a drawer. A soft, washable bed matters just as much — a puppy who has just left their litter is sleeping in an unfamiliar place for the first time, and something that holds a bit of warmth helps more than owners expect.
A slow feeder or puzzle bowl is a quietly useful gift too, since plenty of puppies eat far too fast in a new home and a slower pace helps settle both the meal and the stomach that follows it.
Something with their name on it
A collar and ID tag is a genuinely practical gift rather than a token one — a puppy who slips a lead or bolts through an open door in an unfamiliar garden is a real, common event in the first few months, and a properly fitted collar with a tag showing a phone number is the fastest way a stranger can get them home.
It is worth checking the puppy's rough size before buying, since a collar bought too early often needs replacing within weeks as they grow — an adjustable one gives a bit of room either way.
Treats that double as training
Small, soft training treats are one of the most-used gifts in the first month, because a new puppy is learning their name, their house rules and basic manners all at once, and a pot of treats sized for tiny mouths makes that easier for whoever is doing the training.
Look for treats described as small or bite-sized rather than a big biscuit — the point is a fast reward the puppy can eat in one go and get straight back to learning, not a chew that takes a few minutes.
What tends to sit unused
Elaborate outfits, novelty toys with a lot of noisy plastic, and anything sized for an adult dog tend to be the gifts that end up in a cupboard. A new owner is usually more grateful for something they would have bought themselves in week one than for something decorative.
If you are not sure what the household already has, a gift card or a simple, well-made basic — a second bed for downstairs, a spare lead — is rarely wasted on a puppy who is going through everything twice as fast as an adult dog would.
The gifts themselves
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
New Scooby Textured Rubber Ball Dog Toy
A textured, multicoloured rubber ball for dogs who love to fetch, catch and chew.
£31.99
Good Boy Gift Highland Cow Dog Toy
Highland Cow, a Christmas dog toy from the makers, in two sizes
From£6.99
Good Boy Gift Pawsley Dog Plush Toy
Pawsley Gift Dog, a Christmas dog toy from our festive range
£8.99
Bakers Dog Treats Christmas Selection Gift Box
458G BAKERS Christmas dog treat selection box with recipe details
£4.50
Denzel's Birthday Gift Box for Dogs
110G Denzel's Birthday Gift Box for dogs: complementary dog food or treat with composition and analysis stated clearly
£5.00
Good Boy Real Meat Gift Tin
A Christmas tin of four dog treat types, plus a rope toy, in a reusable tin
£7.99
Pedigree Christmas Stocking Gift Adult Dog Treats Mixed
A mixed stocking of Pedigree treats for adult dogs, 367g — the largest of our Christmas stockings and the one to buy if there is more than one dog in the house. Treats are a top-up rather than a meal: keep them to about a tenth of what your dog eats in a day and take the same off their dinner, or a week of Christmas adds up faster than you think.
£4.04
Sportspet Squeak Puppy Mini Tennis Balls 4 Pack
Four Sportspet SQUEAK! mini tennis balls for puppies: small, bouncy and squeaky.
£5.49
Sportspet Puppy Tennis Ball
Sportspet puppy tennis balls in a small mini size, made with natural rubber, as a single ball or a 4 pack.
From£1.15
Coolpet Puppy Elvis Elephant
Puppy character toy with elvis elephant name and for puppies, with use limits stated clearly
£5.55
Common questions
- What is the most useful gift for a new puppy?
- A comfortable, washable bed and a few tough chew toys are the two things almost every new puppy uses from day one. Both address real needs — somewhere to settle in an unfamiliar home, and something safe to chew through the teething months — rather than sitting unused.
- Should I buy a collar as a gift, or let the owner choose it?
- An adjustable collar is a safe gift because it can be resized as the puppy grows, but check roughly what size the puppy is first. If you are unsure, a gift card towards one, or a lead instead, avoids buying something that needs replacing within a fortnight.
- Are toys or training treats a better puppy gift?
- Both get genuine use, but small training treats are arguably the more practical choice in the first month, since basic training starts immediately and a new owner will go through a lot of them. A durable chew toy alongside it covers the teething side as well.
- Is it worth buying a second puppy bed for downstairs?
- Yes, if the household spends time on more than one floor. A lot of new owners only buy one bed at first and find themselves without anywhere settled for the puppy to nap during the day, so a second one is a genuinely useful and rarely duplicated gift.
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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.