The holidays often revolve around family, and as pets have become members of the family pet owners increasingly include their companion animals in the festivities. In a survey by J.M. Smucker, 76% of pet owners involved their pets in special moments, including Christmas, Halloween, Valentine’s Day and other holidays. The company has aimed to capitalize on that humanization of pet holidays with a range of recipes suited to the season. While pet food and treat companies have made holiday-themed formulations for years, as more people consider pets as part of the family, the number of people buying gifts for pets may have increased. However, the buyers of holiday-themed pet products may not always be the pet owners themselves. In Smucker’s survey, 25% of seasonal pet purchases were by non-dog owning households. People buy gifts for others’ pets even if they don’t own any companion animals themselves. Smucker shared their survey data during their Investor Day presentation on December 12.
Cats and dogs aren’t the only pets receiving gifts for the holidays. The American Pet Products Association (APPA)‘ sdafasf
- 89% of small animal owners now purchase gifts for their pets, up from 75% in 2018.
- 76% of bird owners purchase gifts, an increase from 69% in 2018.
- 71% of horse owners now buy gifts for their pets, a dramatic rise from 31% in 2018.
- 52% of small animal owners purchase a gift for Christmas, and 46% buy a gift for their pet on their pet’s birthday, up from 25% and 20% in 2018, respectively.
- Most bird owners purchase gifts for their pets on at least one occasion, with birthdays and Christmas seeing notable growth in popularity.
- Most horse owners purchase gifts for their pets on at least one occasion, with Christmas seeing significant growth in popularity.
Holiday-themed pet foods and treats
Among the holiday-themed pet foods and treats on the market are these from Petfood Industry’s Pet Food Product Database. The most recently posted items are listed first.
PURE Dog Food Turkey Cranberry Holiday Flavor
PURE launches its seasonal Turkey Cranberry Holiday Flavor dog food, available online and at Erewhon locations. Vet-formulated, this ultra-premium, handmade meal features locally sourced turkey, sweet potatoes, and antioxidant-rich cranberries. Free from artificial preservatives, additives, and fillers. Key benefits include improved energy, digestive health, immune support, and a softer, shinier coat.
pawTree Cookies for Santa Paws
- Freshly baked holiday cookies for your pet.
- The set features pawTreats Gourmet Baking Mix, including Snickerdoodles, PB&J and Gingerlicious Snaps recipes.
Nestlé Fancy Feast Advent Calendar
- The Fancy Feast Advent Calendar offers 24 days of feline delight, featuring various meals, treats and complements.
- New additions include conversation starter questions, a QR code for a Feastivities Holiday playlist, and links to Fancy Feast-inspired holiday recipes for humans.
- This annual offering provides a unique, interactive experience for cat lovers and their pets during the holiday season.
Polkadog Holiday Mini Tube Treats
Polkadog Holiday Mini Tubes come in four different recipes I Love You A Latke (sweet potato & apple), Feliz Navidad (soft nuggets of U.S. beef and sweet potato), Stocking Stuffer (locally sourced U.S. chicken) and Yappy Howlidays (locally sourced U.S. duck). Polkadog uses 100% all-natural, made-in-the-USA, ingredients.
Nestlé Fancy Feast Festive Edition Stocking Stuffer
Fancy Feast Stocking Stuffer Sleeve is filled with cans of the brand’s first limited-edition holiday flavors. Two festive Edition recipes: Hearthside Salmon Platter with Pumpkin & Spinach Paté and Yuletide Turkey Feast With Sweet Potato & Tomato in Gravy. The sleeve comes with four 3 oz cans.
Snif-Snax Holiday Advent Calendar for dogs and cats
Snif-Snax Holiday Advent calendar for dogs and cats allows pets to experience the holidays with 25 days of omega-packed treats.
Smart Cookie Barkery Muttstletoe seasonal holiday dog treats
Smart Cookie Barkery Muttstletoe seasonal holiday dog treats are made with seasonally inspired ingredients like turkey, pumpkin and cranberries. The treats have a crunchy texture and are formulated with limited ingredients, which is great for dogs with sensitive stomachs. As with all of Smart Cookie’s products, these treats are made from scratch in their Golden, Colorado, facility and are grain-free, wheat-free, corn-free, soy-free and junk-free.
Spectrum Brands, Inc. Smartbones Holiday Shapes
The Smartbones Holiday Shapes from Spectrum Brands, Inc. are made with real chicken, wholesome vegetables and made into festive shapes. SmartBone products are 100% rawhide free, vitamin and mineral enriched and help maintain healthy teeth and gums.
Spectrum Brands, Inc. DreamBone Holiday Chicken Wrapped Twists
The DreamBone Holiday Chicken Wrapped Twists from Spectrum Brands, Inc. are made with real chicken, wholesome vegetables and wrapped with even more chicken. DreamBone products are 100% rawhide free, vitamin and mineral enriched and help maintain healthy teeth and gums.
Spectrum Brands, Inc. DreamBone Holiday Ham
The Spectrum Brands, Inc. DreamBone Holiday Ham is made with real chicken, wholesome vegetables and ham flavor. It is 100% rawhide free, vitamin and mineral enriched and helps maintain healthy teeth and gums.
Nature Gnaws Holiday Combo Pack dog chews
The Holiday Combo Pack dog chews from Nature Gnaws are 6-count combo packs of Bully Sticks, Triple Twists and Jerky Chews. The Holiday Combo Pack includes only single-ingredient chews, made with 100% natural beef, cleaned with water and oven-baked. Every product goes through a strict 5 step process to ensure safety and optimal nutrition.
Grandma Lucy’s Organic Oven-Baked dog treats
The Grandma Lucy’s Organic Oven-Baked dog treats are 100 percent USDA-Certified Organic and Certified Kosher. These treats come in three flavors: Holiday Gingerbread, Pumpkin and Cranberry. These products are GMO-free and don’t have any preservatives.
Cloud Star Wag More Bark Less Holiday Mini Jerky and Biscuits
The Wag More Bark Less Holiday Mini Jerky and Biscuits from Cloud Star are grain-free dog treats. The Wag More Bark Less Holiday Mini Jerky is available in two flavors: Gingerbread, and Honey Baked Ham. Meanwhile, the Wag More Bark Less Holiday Mini Biscuits are available in two flavors: Turkey & Cranberry, and Duck & Apple.
Whimzees seasonally shaped dental chews for dogs
Whimzees seasonally shaped dental chews for dogs are all-natural daily dental treats for dogs that come in two seasonal shapes: a snowman and a holiday tree. These treats help ensure proper blood flow through dogs’ gums and help prevent plaque, tartar and bad breath. They are made with all-natural, functional ingredients and no artificial ingredients, colors, flavors, preservatives, GMOs, gluten or meat.
Blue Dog Bakery Pumpkin and Gingerbread Dog Treats
Dog treat manufacturer Blue Dog Bakery is bringing its seasonal flavors back for the 2017 holiday season with Pumpkin and Gingerbread flavors now available in over 4,000 grocery stores across the US and online. These treats are made from human grade ingredients, according to Blue Dog Bakery.