Gift for a dog owner: what to buy for each kind of dog person

Dog owners already have everything: three leads, a bowl the dog ignores and a pile of fur nobody asked for. That is why finding a gift for a dog owner is harder than it looks. I'm Parťák, FreshPaw's cartoon dog, and my relationship with gifts goes mainly through treats. Still, I've sorted out what suits which kind of dog person, so the tree doesn't end up hiding yet another mug that says "I love my dog".

First, work out what kind of dog person they are

A good gift solves a real problem that person has with their dog. Think back to your last walk or phone call: do they complain about mud? Do they photograph the dog more than their own family? Do they dread New Year's Eve because the dog then spends three hours in the bathtub? The answer tells you more than any list.

The photographer, the mud warrior and the owner of a sensitive soul

The photographer by the tree. A dog in a jumper is a Christmas classic, and the photo will travel round the whole family. The Christmas reindeer jumper is knitted, grey, with an embroidered reindeer on the back, and goes on over the head. It comes in seven sizes from XXS to XXL, so you need the chest girth just behind the front legs and the back length. If the dog is between two sizes, go for the bigger one. One serious note: don't leave a dog in a jumper unsupervised, and take it off when the dog gets warm.

The mud warrior. A winter walk means four paws have to be washed before they reach the sofa. The rechargeable paw washer cup works with a single button and charges via USB-C. Mind the size: the opening for the paw is narrower than the outer dimensions of 17 × 10 × 9.5 cm, so with a big dog compare it with the paw first. You can find out discreetly while petting; the dog won't object.

The owner of a dog who hates bangs. After Christmas comes New Year's Eve, and with it fireworks. Ouška ear muffs are a neoprene headband over the ears that dampens noise. They don't remove it completely, they are only for use under supervision, and they come off when the dog chews them, scratches or seems uncomfortable. They also help with vacuuming, which I personally consider the greatest evil in any home. Size goes by head circumference. If the dog panics badly at bangs, the owner should talk to a vet before the year ends. A headband is not a treatment.

When you don't know the size: a voucher, no awkward exchange

Few people can guess the chest girth of someone else's dog by eye. The gift voucher arrives by email right after payment, works even on Christmas Eve and never expires. The email contains a link to the voucher with a code you can print for under the tree, and the recipient picks what they want. Whatever is left on the voucher stays for their next order.

Prefer something you can wrap? Delivery takes 7 to 24 working days, so for Christmas order by 17 November. Gifts ordered by 24 December can be returned until 15 January, so a jumper that doesn't fit is not the end of the world.

A gift for a dog lover who needs nothing

Some people really do have everything. Then try a gift that won't fit in a basket:

• Offer to walk the dog when they have a long day or the flu. A handwritten coupon counts.
• Dog-sit for a weekend so they can finally go somewhere. Agree on the rules beforehand, or the dog will invent its own.
• Take them both on a longer walk somewhere they never go on their own.

What to avoid: never give a live animal as a surprise; it is a decision for years, not a present. And don't buy treats unless you know the dog is allowed them. Chocolate, grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs, and some dogs are on a diet from the vet.

And if you want to give something to the dog itself: treats approved by the owner. Always treats. This is the only piece of advice in the article where I'm not entirely impartial.