Lucifer’s Holiday Gift Guide for Rescue Dogs

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… That’s what they say, right? The holiday season is a time full of family, friends, delicious food, and festive cheer. But, for many people, it’s also a time full of SHOPPING! If you’re sharing your heart and home with a rescue dog, you may find yourself a little lost on the perfect gift – after all, we can’t tell you what we’re wishing for. Don’t worry, I’m here to help!

Below you will find my holiday gift guide for rescue dogs.

These are the toys, treats, and other items that I use daily – things that I would be beyond excited to receive myself. The best part? They are all tried, tested, and Lucifer-approved. You know you’re getting something great.

Charlee Bear Dog Treats

If you have been following me on social media, then you shouldn’t be at all surprised that the first item on my list is Charlee Bear Dog Treats. There are so many different flavours and options to choose from and they are all incredible!

But, if I had to choose a favourite, it will always be Charlee Bear Grain Free Crunch Bacon & Blueberry. They are delicious, low-calorie, and small enough that they can be packed conveniently in my Mom’s treat pouch for training or our many outdoor adventures. I would do just about anything for a Charlee Bear treat.

Don’t believe me? Check out my Ode to Charlee Bear on TikTok!

Boss Dog Brand Tactical Collar and Leash

Do you want to show your pup that they are a Boss Dog in your eyes? If so, here’s the answer! Boss Dog Nation is an incredible company that Mom discovered while attending SuperZoo this past August. They even received her Best in Show pick for the BlogPaws Best Awards for their freeze-dried raw diet.

These tactical design collars and leashes are available in a variety of different colours. The leashes can be purchased in 4′ or 6′ lengths. There are also matching tactical harnesses if that is more your style as well as long lines (tracking leashes) for training and dog sports.

I’m trying to convince Mom that I need a new harness… *Hint, hint Mom*

Tall Tails Toys

Crunch Mountain Lion Toy

Earlier this year my siblings and I received an awesome package of goodies from Tall Tails. The instant hit in that package was my mountain lion, a toy that I have been carrying all over the house since.

This may look like a normal plush toy, but it both squeaks and crunches making it a lot of fun to play with even if I’m playing on my own. In addition to the mountain lion, there are several other animals in this line of toys including a bear, gator, moose, and turtle.

Stuffless Big Foot with Squeaker

Another toy that Tall Tails sent over is my Big Foot. Unlike my mountain lion which is small and easy to carry around the house, Big Foot is a lot larger but don’t let that fool you – I still bring it with me from room to room. Recently Mom has been packing for our big move and I even packed Big Foot 3 separate times. I don’t know why she keeps taking it back out of the boxes…

Big Foot squeaks and crinkles. It doesn’t have stuffing like most plush toys. Instead, it’s made with a rope structure through the body making it perfect for a game of tug. It’s also the perfect toy for a snuggle session with its soft fur.

Antler Chew Dog Toy

Another product that Mom learned about at SuperZoo was the new chew toys that Tall Tails has launched. They are slightly softer than many of the other chews on the market, making them safer on my teeth. The antler shape of this chew makes it easy to hold while I enjoy the bacon flavour.

The chew also has little grooves where Mom can add some enticing treats like peanut butter or pumpkin puree. When it comes time to clean, just toss it in the dishwasher.

With my injuries and upcoming surgeries, we have been searching for options to keep me entertained in my crate. This couldn’t be a better solution. Plus, as an added bonus, it’s helping to clean my teeth as I chew by wearing off any plaque and tartar that may have built up.

Hunger for Words Talking Buttons

You may have seen reels or TikTok videos of dogs using buttons to communicate with their families. After hearing about this, we decided to give it a try in our house and I am quickly learning the power of my buttons when I want to express myself.

I use my buttons to ask for a variety of different things throughout my daily routine including:

• Outside
• Treat
• Food
• Water
• Cuddle
• Play
• Bed

I also have buttons to direct my conversations to someone in particular like ‘Mommy’ and ‘Daddy’ as well as phrases like ‘Later’. The training process has been a lot of fun and a great way to offer some mental stimulation when I couldn’t get out and run as much as I wanted to.

But, Mom says I’m a little sassy… When I don’t get what I want, I’ve taken to hitting ‘Mommy’ and ‘Bed’ before looking up the stairs to make it clear I’m sending her to bed to rethink her answer!

KittyCatGo Biothane Long Line

KittyCatGo is traditionally an adventure cat gear company, but earlier this year we ordered a custom long-line from them that I am absolutely IN LOVE with! It comes in 2 parts, a 15′ standard leash and a 10′ extension for when I can enjoy a little more freedom. This has been so helpful when training at our favourite parks and beaches.

The leash is made from Biothane, meaning that it is stink-free and waterproof. If it gets dirty, Mom can just rinse it off or wipe it down and we’re good to go on our next adventure.

This isn’t an item that you will find available on the website. But, you can contact the owner Emily and mention you saw Lucifer’s long-line and are interested in one of your own. She’ll know exactly what you’re talking about and be able to give you more information.

DNA My Dog

This is one item on the list that we actually received as a Christmas gift last year. While I obviously look like I’m part German Shepherd, my smaller size had everyone curious… My parents talked about doing DNA testing for a while and then their family surprised them with this kit.

The process was incredibly easy. Mom just had to swipe around inside my cheek with this swab and then send it into the company. When the sample was fully analyzed, she received a detailed breakdown of the breeds with important information about each and a certificate displaying the final results.

(For anyone interested, I’m a German Shepherd/Bernese Mountain Dog/Australian Cattle Dog)

KONG Toys

Squeezz Dental Stick

As a young puppy, my parents quickly realized that I’m a chewer. This was the start of their search for any chew-friendly toys that could keep me occupied – especially during the teething phase.

This dental stick toy from KONG is relatively soft, making it safe to chew without fear of breaking or chipping my teeth. It’s covered in little nubs and grooves that help to remove plaque and tartar from my teeth while I chew as well as massage my gums.

There is also a matching ball and a bone. I have the ball version, but the stick is the one that I always go back to.

CoreStrength Dog Dental Bone

The KONG CoreStrength line of toys has been a favourite of mine from the first day I came to Canada. My first chew toy was the smaller version of this, which is a bowtie shape. Over time it started to show wear and tear (as they do), so we upgraded to my bone.

Bedtime is one of the times that I get the urge to chew. My parents found that the best way to discourage me from chewing on things that I shouldn’t (and saving their pillows) was to always have a bedtime chew toy available. I’m 1 1/2 now but I still bring my chew bone to bed to gnaw on every night. I swear it helps me fall asleep!

Jumbler Ball

Have you ever taken your pup shopping and let them pick out their own gift? I love shopping – and occasionally Mom gives me the okay to shop for myself (even if she does limit me to one item). On one of those shopping trips, I picked up this fun jumbler ball.

I was SO proud to carry it up to the front of the store so we could purchase it and bring it home.

This is a multi-use toy. The handles on each side are a fun option for a game of tug, the round ball shape makes it ideal for fetch in the house, and it squeaks. Combine all of these elements and it has given us hours of fun playtime together.

Nina Ottosson by Outward Hound Food Puzzles

Mom says I have a bad habit – I eat my food way too quickly. Apparently, this not only makes me feel nauseous, but it could also put me at risk of bigger problems someday. For this reason, I don’t eat out of a typical dog bowl anymore. Instead, every meal comes in a fun puzzle or fancy feeder.

We have a collection of different food puzzle toys from Nina Ottoson and plan on adding to that collection in the future. But, this Twister puzzle is one that I have been enjoying more lately.

I have figured most of my early puzzles out. But, they come in different levels of difficulty making it easy to step up our puzzle game and keep me engaged and entertained. I haven’t figured this one out fully yet. But, my older sister just pops the little teal covers off to help herself to the food. She needs something a little more challenging.

West Paw Zogoflex Toys

The love for Zogoflex toys in our house goes WAY back. They are a favourite of my sister Daviana when she was a young puppy, so we had a bunch already in the house when I joined the family. The material is easy to clean, chew-friendly, and surprisingly durable.

How durable? One of my favourite balls for fetch in the yard is called a ‘Huck’ that my parents bought for my sister over 10 years ago. She played with it growing up and now I’m putting it to the test. It’s still going strong!

But, my favourite WestPaw toy is the Toppl. In this picture, you can see me enjoying the Large and XL-sized Toppls paired up to create a food puzzle for my meal. But, they are also a great option for filling with food and tasty treats and freezing. We had a lot of frozen meals in them during the hot summer weather.

The Toppl is also one of our favourite options for keeping me entertained in the crate. Early in the process of discovering my injuries I had to do a 6-week crate rest and Mom said these were essential for both her sanity and mine.

Paikka Recovery Blanket

Mom was first introduced to the Paikka recovery blanket by Elvis the Beagle and his mom Christy. They use it regularly and told her all about the way it helps to ease any aches and pains.

The blanket is made with a Far Infrared emitting material lining. This means that it absorbs energy from my body when I’m snuggled up in it and releases it back to me. This helps to ease muscle pain, increase blood flow, and speed up the body’s natural recovery process. Mom snuggles me up in it any time I’m having a bad pain day or any heavy exercise like a big hike.

It’s available in a smaller size for dogs or a larger blanket that’s also good for humans. I have a human-sized blanket and I will often snuggle with Mom under it.

Lucifer the Rescue Pup Swag!

Of course, I can’t share a gift guide without including a shameless self-plug for my Lucifer the Rescue Pup swag. The proceeds from every sale go directly to my veterinary bills for my upcoming surgeries. Not only is this a great Christmas gift for the dog lover in your life, but you’ll also be helping me with my Christmas wish!

Choose from comfy sweatshirts and t-shirts, mugs for your Christmas cocoa, or a reusable tote to carry all your gifts to the family get-together.

Are there any items on my holiday gift guide for rescue dogs that you love in your house? What items are you most excited to try? I’d love to know!