I don’t think my dog, Quijote, knows Christmas is coming. But we still use the holidays as an excuse to splurge a bit on pup presents we’ve been putting off purchasing.

It’s even better when we can buy them from independent makers and artists who put extra care into what they create.

A Win-Win-Win Situation

Not only do I love supporting talented creators, I love introducing others to them – whether it’s in person at a local market or where they’re selling online.

In fact, I was linking to people’s Etsy shops so frequently, I applied to become an affiliate. Now when you click one of the links in this post and then buy something on Etsy, you’re supporting the seller/artist and helping me keep this site going!

Cyberweek Sale: Lots of Etsy shops are offering discounts of up to 60% off from now until November 30!

Gifts for Dogs and Dog Lovers

So here are 5 gift ideas for your canine companions or the dog lover in your life that are made by artists with Etsy shops. I’ve purchased things from all of them before – either via Etsy or here in Tucson – and they all do fantastic work!

1. Blue Gingham Dog Collar Bow Tie Set

The Product: Collar with detachable bow tie

• Collar is made to be durable – with triple-stitched cotton over nylon webbing.
• Available as a set or you can buy the collar without the bow tie.
• Lots of other colors and pattern options too!

Our purchase: We have this set in blue and white gingham, and it’s now Quijote’s everyday collar. We add the bow tie to dress it up for occasions when we want him to look like a little gentleman (gentledog?) – even though we know he probably won’t actually mind his manners.

Handmade by: Katie of Collar Me Charming

Customizable? Yes. Contact this seller (Katie) if you have a special request.

2. Personalized Wood Dog Christmas Ornament

The Product: Natural-finish wooden ornament

• Approximately 3.5″ x 5″
• Made from locally sourced birch.
• Cord looped through the top, so you can hang it on a Christmas tree right away!
• Comes in ready-to-gift packaging.
• They have a also have quite a few other animal, kid, and keepsake ornament options.

Our purchase: To commemorate Quijote’s first Christmas with us, we got this cute ornament in the shape of a howling dog. He actually does like to throw his head back and howl sometimes, so this makes me smile!

Handmade by: Alexandra Rinde of The Aerialist Press Holiday Shop

Customizable? Yes. Etched with the name and year of your choice.

3. Bundle of Bark Custom Dog Gift Box

[UPDATE: This Gift Box will be unavailable through the end of the year. However, there are still tons of fun a-la-carte items in the Aall Forms of Life shop.]

The Product: Curated gift box for dogs and their humans

• Original portrait of your pet painted on a wooden plaque.
• Pet bowtie made from colorful fabric and a hand-painted cactus wood charm. The bow easily attaches to your dog’s collar.
• “Tell Your Dog I say Hi” vinyl sticker.
• Peanut butter pretzel dog treats.
• Option to include a personalized message for the gift recipient.

Our purchase: This gift bundle was a new find for me, so it’s the one thing on this list we don’t actually own. However, I have purchased other things from the artist (Nathalie Aall) and have no doubt this would make a fantastic gift. She also does these beautiful illustrations of desert animals and plants that you can get as prints, cards, ornaments, calendars, and stickers.

Handmade + curated by: Nathalie Aall of Aall Forms of Life

Customizable? Yes. Nathalie will paint a black-and-white portrait of your pet(s) from a photo. You can also request a personalized gift recipient message to be included in the box.

4. Custom Dog Bandana

The Product: Cotton pet-sized bandana

• Printed to order with your own design.
• Lots of bandana colors available.
• A variety of fonts and text colors to choose from.

Our purchase:

• Size: small
• Color: teal
• Font options: #3 and #9 in white

We ordered this fun accessory not long after we adopted Quijote. We were starting to notice that people were drawn to him (he is a bundle of cuteness), but he does not like meeting new people! I summed it up with the phrase “Antisocial but adorable.”

The designer (Andrea Karaha) was great to work with! She sends a mockup of your design before printing, so you can request a change if it’s not quite what you had in mind.

Individually printed by: Andrea Karaha of Gigraffe Design Studio.

Customizable? Yes. Very! Choose your own text and font(s) or provide your own graphic!

5. Watch Dog Pet Charm

The Product: metal and enamel collar charm

• 1.25″
• Created from an original, hand-illustrated design.
• Ready to attach to your dog’s collar.
• They make their own collar charms and they have a ton to go with any dog’s personality! I also like “Adventure Dog,” “Squirrel Patrol,” and “Obedience School Drop Out.”

Our purchase: We chose the “Watch Dog” charm, because Quijote is always on the alert, even for things that are definitely not a threat. He warns us when the mailman is here, when someone walks their dog past our house, when a barista hands me the coffee I ordered…

Illustration by: Rosie’s Barket (a.k.a. AtTheBarket)

Customizable? While Rosie’s Barket isn’t able to offer customization, once you receive the charm, you can have the back engraved without worrying about damaging the front.

Which of these is your favorite? And if you were going to purchase one pet present this holiday season, who would it be for?