It’s almost Thanksgiving, a holiday during which we recognize and celebrate all the good in our lives. Thanksgiving also heralds the beginning of the holiday season, with a big focus on Christmas. I know some of our readers will be scouting around for holiday-themed dog products, perhaps for their own dogs or for gifts to beloved human and canine friends. PetSmart sent me a big bag of holiday product samples from several of its product lines, including Martha Stewart Pets, Bret Michaels Pets Rock, and Disney. What better time than Thanksgiving week to check them out?
My very favorite item in the whole PetSmart sample bag was the Bret Michaels Pets Rock Skull Sweater ($11.89 to $13.29). I’ve written before about my love for this product line, which I find to be interesting and unique. This sweater mixes Santa Claus with a skull and crossbones — edgy! I found the construction to be of good quality for the price, and the colors are bold and vivid. Ace’s 19-inch chest fit snugly into a medium, with a maximum listed chest circumference of 19 inches, so you might consider sizing up if you’re between sizes. Ace will be sporting this sweater on Christmas morning when she’s shredding all the discarded wrapping paper like a boss.
Ace also tried on some holiday garments from Martha Stewart Pets. I usually like the products in this line because they are well-made and have an attractive color palette, which can be hard to find with dog clothes. I wasn’t particularly excited about the two items we tried. The Snowman Costume ($19.99 to $21.99) is an adorable concept and is made from soft, plush fabric. However, I found the addition of sleeves for the hind legs made the costume difficult to put on and awkward-looking. It seemed to accentuate Ace’s bottom in a manner I found unsettling. I imagine the Snow Fleece ($19.99 to $21.99) would be a better choice if you like the cuteness of the snowman.
Ace also tried the Martha Stewart Pets Suspenders Tee ($14.99 to $16.99). This t-shirt had an ice-blue and cherry-red color scheme with fun details like a polka-dot faux skirt, blue bow tie, and faux candy-cane suspenders. Not my style, but the item is unique and well-constructed, given the price.
PetSmart sent several samples from Disney PetHoliday, Disney’s line of holiday dog products, including clothing, hair bows, scarves, and bandanas. Many of the neckwear items were decorated with small metal jingle bells, including as the Pluto Bandana ($9.99), Bow Scrunchie ($12.99), and Bell Scrunchie ($12.99). Ace seemed bothered by the bells when she moved, but other dogs might ignore them. I found these neckwear items to be unique, particularly the Bell Scrunchie. PetSmart’s website suggests these items as alternatives for dogs who don’t like to be dressed in clothing, and I found they were easier to get on and off Ace compared to clothing.
However, I don’t agree that the Minnie Mouse Ears ($14.99) fall into that category. Ace was not able to tolerate having something strapped to her head! These might make a cute photo if your camera has a very fast shutter speed.
Disney PetHoliday also offers some holiday clothing, including the Plaid Hood ($14.79 to 18.89), a soft hooded pullover. While I found the garment fit true to size and seemed comfortable on Ace, I personally did not care for the color scheme or plaid pattern. I did like the detail of the little pouch pocket with the Mickey Mouse icon. Disney PetHoliday also has some cute-looking Disney character sweaters available.
After our fashion show, Ace and I worked our way through a herd of Christmas-themed toys. PetSmart’s website lists a huge selection from several vendors. As with most inexpensive plush toys, the toys we sampled were not designed to stand up to tough, rough chewers like Ace. However, if you know a dog that is gentle with her toys, these would make cute gifts. Again, I particularly enjoyed the Bret Michaels Pets Rock toys like the Mini Kooky Plush ($3.49) because they stand out in a crowd.
Dogster Scorecard for PetSmart’s Holiday Toys and Apparel:
Quality: These products were of average quality given the affordable price.
Style: I was partial to Bret Michaels Pets Rock collection, though I enjoyed the look of some of the Martha Stewart Pets items.
Function: The bells on some of the Disney PetHoliday apparel might be unsettling to some dogs.
Creativity: Bret Michaels Pets Rock collection is unique, Martha Stewart Pets is fashionable, and Disney PetHoliday brings your favorite Disney characters to holiday toys and clothing.
Value: PetSmart keeps its holiday products affordable so you and your dog can get into the holiday spirit.
Bottom line:
If you’re looking for cute, inexpensive toys and apparel to celebrate the winter holidays with your dog, check out PetSmart for a wide variety of offerings.
Dogster readers, do you find yourself shopping for dog products during the holiday season? Share your favorite finds in the comments section.
About Ace’s Mama: This East Coast transplant enjoys the bounty of San Francisco, including its microclimates, farmer’s markets, and secret stairway walks. When she’s not walking with, talking about, or kissing the face of her Boston Terrier, Ace, she blogs about Ace’s adventures. Product reviews writer and guinea pig at Dogster.
