Christmas with your dog: cards, stockings, gifts and a safety checklist
To include your dog in Christmas, take a card photo at their eye level in soft light, fill a stocking with a toy and chews on Christmas morning, choose a loose, comfortable outfit, hang their ornament high on the tree, and start a simple tradition like a morning walk. Keep tinsel, holly, mistletoe, chocolate and xylitol out of reach.
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Key takeaways
- Shoot card photos at your dog's eye level in soft window light or shade, and use burst mode to catch the one good frame.
- Fill the stocking on Christmas morning, and hang it from a light hook your dog can't pull down on top of themselves.
- A dog Christmas outfit should be snug but never tight, worn only while you're watching, and removed if your dog seems stressed.
- The ASPCA warns that swallowed tinsel can block the digestive tract and may need surgery. Skip it and use lights and ornaments instead.
- Holly and mistletoe are toxic to dogs, poinsettias usually cause milder stomach upset, and chocolate and xylitol stay out of reach.
Ways to include your dog in Christmas
Your dog won't know the date. They will notice extra time with you, a new toy, a long walk and a house full of good smells. Mix a few things your dog enjoys with a few you'll want to keep.
| Idea | What you need | Time it takes |
|---|---|---|
| A Christmas card photo | A phone, window light, treats | 15 minutes |
| A dog Christmas stocking | A stocking, a toy, a few chews | 10 minutes on Christmas morning |
| A gift to unwrap | A toy wrapped loosely in plain paper | 5 minutes |
| A festive outfit | A bandana, collar or sweater that fits | A few short practice sessions |
| A dog Christmas ornament | A photo or name ornament | An afternoon |
| A new tradition | A walk, a game, a yearly photo | However long your dog likes |
Pick two or three. A relaxed dog on Christmas evening matters more than doing every one.
Dog Christmas cards and photos
A dog Christmas card puts your dog on every fridge in the family. A few ideas that work with almost any dog:
Card ideas
- The card "from the dog." Their photo, their name in the signature, and a line like "I was mostly good this year."
- By the tree. Turn the tree lights on, sit your dog in front, and let a nearby window light their face.
- Same spot, every year. One photo in the same chair or doorway each December. Put them side by side as the years add up.
- A video card. A short moving card of your dog in a holiday scene, sent by text or email.
How to get the photo
AKC's dog photography advice comes down to a few habits, and they all work on a phone:
- Get to eye level. Sit or lie on the floor so the camera is level with your dog's face.
- Use soft light. Indoors, sit near a bright window. Outdoors, AKC suggests shade or golden hour.
- Use burst mode. Take lots of frames for the best chance that one turns out.
- Bring a favorite toy or treat. Hold it just above the lens so your dog looks toward the camera.
- Watch body language. Stop if you see pinned-back ears or lip licking, and try again later.
If your dog won't hold still for a scarf and a pose, our holiday card template puts your actual dog in a snowy, lit-up porch scene with your message on the closing card, made from photos you already have. A person checks it before delivery, and we can send it to family on the day you pick, free. Order by December 22 for delivery by Christmas Eve. More on how it works is on our Christmas pet video page.
Put these ideas into action
See how it works →Dog Christmas stockings, toys and gifts
Filling a dog Christmas stocking
Good stocking stuffers for a dog are small and useful:
- A new toy, sized for how your dog plays
- A few of their favorite chews or treats
- A new tag with their name and your number
- A small puzzle toy you can fill with their usual kibble
AKC suggests two habits for the stocking itself. Fill it with food on Christmas morning, so it isn't tempting your dog for days beforehand. And hang it up high or from a plastic hook, because a heavy metal stocking holder can fall on a dog who tugs the stocking like a toy.
Christmas dog toys and gifts
The best gifts match what your dog already loves. A chewer gets something tough, a fetch fan gets a new ball, and a sniffer gets a snuffle mat or a puzzle feeder. To make it feel like a present, wrap a toy loosely in plain paper and let them tear it open, then pick up the paper.
Shopping for the person instead? Our Christmas gifts for pet lovers guide covers that, along with dog mom gifts and dog dad gifts. Short on time? Try our list of last-minute digital gifts.
A dog Christmas outfit your dog can wear comfortably
A red bandana or a festive collar is the easiest option and the quickest to put on. Sweaters and costumes take more care. AKC's guidance on dog clothes covers the basics:
- Fit: it should not be too tight, which can restrict movement, or too baggy, which can make a dog trip or get caught.
- Supervision: watch your dog the whole time they're dressed, and take clothes off before crating or leaving them alone, since clothes can snag and become a choking hazard.
- Stress: if your dog seems stressed or frustrated, take it off right away and try another day.
How to get your dog used to an outfit
- Put the outfit on the floor somewhere your dog is relaxed and let them sniff it.
- Hold it in your hand and reward them for coming close.
- Bring it up to their body, then reward.
- Put it on gently, with praise and treats while they wear it.
- Build up the time they wear it around the house.
Start a week or two before the photo day.
Dog Christmas ornaments and traditions
Ornaments
A dog Christmas ornament is a small keepsake you unpack every year. Popular choices are a photo ornament, an ornament with their name and the year, or one shaped like their breed. Hang it up high. AKC recommends putting breakable ornaments near the top of the tree, wiring sentimental ones to the branch, skipping very small ornaments that could be a choking hazard, and checking the floor for fallen metal hooks.
Making a salt-dough paw print? The ASPCA warns that salt-dough ornaments can cause life-threatening electrolyte imbalances in pets even when dry, so keep it well out of reach once it's finished.
Traditions to start this year
- A Christmas morning walk before the house gets busy.
- One dog-safe treat. The ASPCA says a small piece of boneless turkey is a fine treat, and recommends keeping the rest of their diet the same as any other day.
- The yearly photo or video. The same pose each year turns into a record of their life.
- A gift of their own to tear open while everyone else unwraps theirs.
Our Pet's Year pack is $79 for 3 videos of the same dog, so Christmas and their birthday need only one set of photos.
Dog Christmas safety: what to keep out of reach
Most holiday hazards are things a curious dog can reach, chew or knock over. This table comes from ASPCA and AKC guidance:
| Hazard | Why it matters | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Tinsel | Can cause severe vomiting, a blocked digestive tract and dehydration, and may need surgery | Skip it and use lights and ornaments |
| Wires, batteries, glass ornaments | A wire can deliver a shock, a punctured battery can burn the mouth, and shards can cut | Keep them up high or out of reach |
| Holly | Can cause vomiting, diarrhea and depression | Use faux holly, or keep it out of reach |
| Mistletoe | Can cause vomiting and diarrhea, and in rare cases low blood pressure, a low heart rate and trouble breathing | Use faux mistletoe |
| Poinsettia | Irritates the mouth and stomach and sometimes causes vomiting, though the ASPCA calls it generally overrated in toxicity | Keep it out of reach anyway |
| Lilies in bouquets | Highly toxic to cats and can cause kidney failure | Skip them if you also have a cat |
| Chocolate | Contains methylxanthines, and darker chocolate carries more risk | Keep candy and baking chocolate put away |
| Xylitol | A sweetener in some gum, candy, baked goods and toothpaste that can cause low blood sugar and liver damage | Check labels and keep guests' bags closed |
| Tree water | Can grow bacteria that upset the stomach | Cover the tree stand |
| Snow globes | Can contain ethylene glycol, which is highly toxic | Keep them high and clean up any break fast |
| Candles | A wagging tail can knock one over | Never leave a lit candle alone |
Also secure the tree so it can't tip, keep wrapped food gifts off the floor, and ask overnight guests to keep medication in a closed cabinet.
If you think your dog ate something toxic, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. A consultation fee may apply.
Questions
How can I include my dog in Christmas?
Take a Christmas card photo with them, give them a stocking with a toy and a few chews, wrap a gift for them to open, and start a tradition like a Christmas morning walk.
What do you put in a dog's Christmas stocking?
A new toy sized for how your dog plays, a few favorite chews or treats, a new name tag, or a small puzzle toy. Add the food on Christmas morning.
Are Christmas trees and decorations safe for dogs?
They can be with a few precautions. Secure the tree so it can't tip, cover the tree water, skip tinsel, hang breakable ornaments high, and keep wires, batteries, ornament hooks and salt-dough ornaments out of reach.
Are poinsettias poisonous to dogs?
The ASPCA lists poinsettias as toxic to dogs because of an irritating sap that can upset the mouth and stomach and sometimes cause vomiting, but it also calls them generally overrated in toxicity. Holly and mistletoe are a bigger concern.
How do I make a dog Christmas card?
Take photos at your dog's eye level near a bright window or in shade, use burst mode, and pick the best frame. Or send 5 to 10 photos you already have and get a short video card of your dog in a holiday scene with your message.
When do I need to order a holiday video for Christmas?
Order by December 22 and upload your photos for delivery by Christmas Eve. Videos are ready within 24 hours, one video is $39, and gift delivery on the day you pick is free.
Sources
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The PetVids team · Editors at PetVids
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