Buying your dog a Christmas present is one of the small joys of the season. There is something lovely about watching a dog tear into a new toy on Christmas morning, tail going, utterly convinced that everything under the tree is for them. But dog presents are also one of the few gifts where the wrong choice can end with an emergency call to the vet, and the pet shop aisle does not always make the difference obvious. A toy that is perfect for a small, gentle terrier can be a choking risk for a determined Labrador. A pretty gift set can come with ribbon, string and a tiny battery compartment. A chew that looks like a treat can turn into a blockage.
This guide is the checklist I would work through before buying any present for a dog. It covers size, chewing style, material, batteries, wrapping, edible gifts and what to do if something goes wrong. I have pulled together advice from the RSPCA, Blue Cross, PDSA, the Royal Kennel Club, Dogs Trust and Cornell's veterinary college, and where a source is thin or has no named vet behind it, I have said so. I sell dog products at The Big Pet Shop, so where a gift idea of ours fits, such as the Big Spread lick mat and slow feeder, I will mention it, and I will be clear about who it does and does not suit.
The five-question gift test
Before any toy, chew or gadget goes in the basket, I would ask five questions. They are not from a single official checklist. They are my own way of pulling the common advice from several sources into something you can run through in a shop aisle or on a phone screen.
- Is it the right size? Too small and it can be swallowed or lodge in the throat. Too big and it is awkward to carry and play with.
- Does it suit how my dog plays? A gentle carrier and a determined shredder need very different toys.
- Is it made of something sensible? Not so hard it can damage teeth, and not so flimsy it breaks into pieces.
- Does it have anything that can come off, come out or run out? That means buttons, plastic eyes, stuffing, squeakers, batteries, ribbons and strings.
- Will I be there? Some gifts are fine to leave with a dog, and others need you in the room.
If a present fails any of those, it does not necessarily mean never. It means either choose something different or use it only when you are watching. Let us take each one in turn.
Size: the toy has to be bigger than the mouth
Size is the first filter, and it is the easiest mistake to make. In its guide to choosing a safe ball, the PDSA says a ball should be too big for your dog to fit whole in its mouth but still easy to carry. It adds that small dogs need lightweight toys they can grip, large breeds need a wider ball, and flat-faced breeds may do better with softer or textured toys. That advice is written about balls, but the principle applies to nearly every toy: a toy a dog can fit entirely in its mouth is a toy a dog can swallow.
A 2024 Scotsman feature on choosing dog toys, quoting a pet insurer's animal wellbeing specialist and a vet from an online veterinary provider, says the same thing in simple terms: toys should be big enough that they cannot lodge in the throat or be swallowed whole, and small toys are a serious choking risk. I would treat that feature as a useful summary rather than primary research, as it is a newspaper piece and the quoted vet is from an online provider, but it matches what the PDSA says.
What does that mean when you are shopping? A few practical habits help.
- Size up for the dog's mouth, not their weight. A dog's weight tells you little about jaw size. A long-nosed breed and a flat-faced breed of the same weight can need quite different toys.
- Look at the shape. Round balls are the classic problem, because a ball can sit snugly at the back of a dog's throat. The PDSA suggests balls with at least one open hole can help a dog keep breathing if the ball gets stuck, which is why holes are worth looking for.
- Think about growth. If you are buying for a puppy, a toy that is a safe size now may be too small in a few months.
- Do not reuse the children's toys. The Royal Kennel Club warns that parts of children's toys can be swallowed and cause a blockage, and the Scotsman piece notes that cuddly toys made for children are often flimsier. Keep them out of reach.
If you have a small dog, our guide to the best dog toys for small breeds goes into sizing in more detail, and the large breeds guide does the same for bigger dogs. Both are worth a look before you buy.
Match the toy to how your dog actually plays
Dogs fall roughly into a few play styles, and a present that ignores that is often wasted or risky. The Scotsman feature says strong or energetic chewers need tougher toys, because aggressive chewing can break a toy into choking-sized pieces, and it advises being wary of soft, easily torn stuffed toys, especially for breeds with a strong prey drive. A vet quoted in a Yorkshire Post article from 2023 (the paper does not name the vet, only the clinic) lists small stuffed toys among items that can cause problems when pieces are torn off and swallowed.
Here is how I would sort dogs for gift-buying purposes, bearing in mind that your own observations of your own dog are worth more than any category.
The gentle carrier. This dog picks up a toy, parades around the house with it, maybe gives it a little chew and a squeak, then lies down with it. Soft plush toys can suit these dogs, with you watching. The Big Tangle octopus and the Big Peck chicken leg are the kind of toy I mean. I should be clear about what they are. Both are soft plush toys with squeakers, and the product pages say they are designed for carrying, tugging and interactive play rather than aggressive chewing, and that you should supervise play and check for wear. If your dog is a shredder, they are not the right gift.
The power chewer. This dog turns a plush toy into confetti within minutes. For these dogs, the answer is not simply a harder toy, because hard materials bring their own problems, which we will come to. The answer is usually a tough, appropriately sized toy made for strong chewers, used with supervision, and a lot of non-chew enrichment. Our guide to the best toys for dogs that chew everything covers this in depth.
The thinker. Some dogs love working things out. Food puzzles, lick mats and slow feeders are a good fit, and they do not involve a dog chewing apart a toy. The Big Slow puzzle feeder is a maze-style bowl that the product page describes as suited to small to medium breeds, and it notes that very large or giant breeds may find the compartments too small. The Big Spread, which I mentioned earlier, has a removable bowl, a maze zone, a honeycomb zone for spreading food and a textured zone, and the page says it can go in the freezer. Neither is a chew toy, and a very strong chewer should still be supervised with any feeding accessory, as the Big Slow page itself says.
The athlete. For dogs that live for fetch, a ball is the obvious gift, but it is worth knowing what PDSA says. It says tennis balls are not ideal, because their outer coating can wear down tooth enamel over time, especially in heavy chewers, and they can become slippery or damaged, which may raise the choking risk. It also notes that repetitive fetch can strain joints and muscles, and that some breeds, such as Labradors, Cocker Spaniels and Border Collies, may keep chasing when tired or overheated. So the safest fetch present is one with built-in breaks.
Material and hardness: not too soft, not too hard
The PDSA's guidance on balls is a useful general rule for materials too. It suggests choosing durable toys that are not too hard, naming soft rubber, nylon and natural rubber as options, and it warns that very hard or brittle plastic can break teeth. It also says dog-specific toys are preferable to household balls.
That sets a middle path. A toy that is too soft and flimsy will be torn up. A toy that is too hard can damage teeth. Neither extreme is safe for every dog, which is why the match with your dog's chewing style matters.
A few other points from the sources are worth keeping in mind:
- Look for dog-specific products. The Scotsman feature advises buying from trusted retailers and looking for products labelled BPA-free and made from non-toxic materials. That is useful as a basic filter, though a label on its own does not prove a toy is safe for your dog.
- Check for small parts. Plastic eyes, buttons and bows can come off. The Big Tangle page, for example, notes that its eyes are embroidered into the fabric, not stitched on as separate pieces, which is the kind of detail worth looking for in any plush toy.
- Be careful with squeakers. The PDSA's checklist for balls includes having no squeakers. That is advice about balls, where a squeaker is an extra thing that could come out, not a ban on squeaky plush toys. Plenty of dogs enjoy them, but the more determined the chewer, the more reason to supervise or choose something else. Our guide to whether squeaky toys are good for dogs goes through the trade-offs.
Chews, bones, rawhide and antlers: the gifts that look like treats
Chews are the category where good intentions most often go wrong, because they look like treats and many are sold as gifts at this time of year. I do not sell chews, so I am not trying to steer you towards anything here. I will tell you what the sources I found say and where the evidence is limited.
Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine, in its holiday hazards guidance for dogs (updated December 2024 and written by an extension veterinarian), says gifted treats such as rawhide can cause choking or intestinal blockages if they are hard to digest, and says bones can cause choking, tooth fractures or digestive tract obstructions. The RSPCA's Christmas page warns that cooked meat bones are dangerous. The unnamed vet in the Yorkshire Post article lists marrow bones and rawhide bones among risky items, saying cooked bones can splinter and that rawhide can swell in the stomach and fail to pass through the intestines. That is a clinic quote in a newspaper, not a study, so treat it as one more voice rather than proof.
I did not find a UK charity page that rates antlers or other very hard chews as safe, and the PDSA's warning that very hard or brittle materials can break teeth is a reason for caution. If your dog already has a chew they do well with, ask your vet before swapping it for something harder just because it was in a gift set. If you are unsure, a vet or a vet nurse at your practice can say which chews suit your particular dog. Our guide to toys for dogs that chew everything has more on the trade-offs.
The simple rule I would follow: never give a chew as a Christmas gift unless you know your dog tolerates that type, you have picked the right size, and you will be in the room.
Batteries and electronics: the hidden danger in a toy
Battery-powered toys are a growing category, from talking toys to light-up balls to heartbeat puppies. They can be great, but the battery is where the risk sits. The Royal Kennel Club says a chewed or punctured battery can cause chemical burns and, in extreme cases, heavy metal poisoning, and that a swallowed battery may cause a blockage, with signs including vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite and difficulty passing stools. It adds that a stuck button battery can produce an electric current that damages tissue. Cornell says chewed or punctured batteries can cause chemical burns to the mouth and oesophagus. The Pet Poison Helpline, a US service, describes swallowed button batteries as an emergency, because they can conduct electricity inside the body and damage tissue, and advises contacting a vet at once and not inducing vomiting. The RSPCA also lists chewed or swallowed batteries as a hazard.
That is a good deal of agreement from several organisations, though the Helpline's phone number and procedures are for the US, so in the UK you would ring your own vet or an out-of-hours clinic straight away.
Here is how I would handle battery-powered presents:
- Check that the battery compartment is secured, ideally with a screw, so a dog cannot pop it open. This is my own advice rather than something from a named source.
- Keep spare batteries, remote controls and children's electronic toys well out of reach, as the Pet Poison Helpline advises, and note that the Scotsman piece warns that toys containing batteries can be life-threatening if swallowed.
- If a toy is rechargeable, check how the charging port and cable are protected. Cables can be chewed too, and the Royal Kennel Club notes that fairy light cables carry electrocution risks if bitten.
- If a toy stops working, take the battery out and bin the whole thing rather than leaving it lying around.
The Big Fetch automatic ball launcher is one of our electronic products. It is USB rechargeable, so there are no batteries to replace, and it is a machine you control rather than a toy your dog carries about. The product page says it uses only the five included 5.8cm ETPU balls, since tennis balls, wet balls or damaged balls can jam the mechanism, and it recommends supervising the first sessions and using the shortest distance setting indoors. It is not a gift for every dog, since PDSA's point about repetitive fetch straining joints still applies. If your dog is the type who will chase until they drop, build in breaks and keep sessions short.
Wrapping, ribbon, string and packaging
The present itself might be safe, and the wrapping might not be. The RSPCA's Christmas page says wrapping paper, ribbons and labels are choking hazards, that wrapping often contains glitter or foil that is harmful to pets, and that silica gel sachets, while not toxic, can cause stomach obstructions. It also warns that string, cooking twine and yarn can cause serious internal damage. Blue Cross, in guidance last reviewed in November 2022 and approved by a veterinary surgeon working with the Veterinary Poisons Information Service, says wrapping paper and ribbon can cause a blockage in the stomach. The Royal Kennel Club adds that wrapping and crepe paper are low in toxicity but eating a large amount can cause a dangerous blockage.
The common thread is not that wrapping paper is poisonous. It is that a dog that eats a lot of it, or any amount of ribbon or string, can end up with a gut obstruction, and that sometimes means surgery. Ribbon and string are the ones I would worry about most, because they can be swallowed in a long strand and cause damage along the intestine.
Here is what I would do with a dog's present:
- Skip the ribbon and bows on dog gifts. Use plain paper, or a paper bag, or a cardboard box with the flaps tucked in.
- Remove tags, labels and tape before the dog gets near the present. Packaging often has plastic ties, cardboard hangers and silica sachets inside it.
- Unwrap it yourself first if in doubt. Let your dog see the finished toy rather than ripping into a pile of paper and card.
- Clear up as you go. A risky moment is straight after the fun, when paper and bits of packaging are scattered over the floor and everyone is distracted.
On timing, the Royal Kennel Club suggests putting presents under the tree only on Christmas Eve, and the RSPCA says edible gifts under the tree should be moved because pets can sniff them out. If you have a dog who investigates every parcel, I would go a step further and keep all gifts in a cupboard or on a high shelf until the day.
Edible gifts and the chocolate problem
It is tempting to give a dog an edible present, but Christmas is the season when the shop shelves fill with items that are fine for people and dangerous for dogs. Dogs Trust's Christmas advice lists chocolate (including chocolate tree decorations and advent calendars), grapes, raisins and sultanas, macadamia nuts, mince pies, Christmas pudding, cooked bones, onion, avocado, alcohol and xylitol among the festive foods to avoid. Blue Cross says never to hang chocolate decorations, since chocolate is toxic to dogs.
If you want to give a dog food as a gift, I would stick to products clearly made for dogs, buy them from a reputable source, check the ingredient list for anything on those lists, and keep the portion small, so it does not tip them into a stomach upset or add a lot of extra calories to a Christmas Day diet. I have written separately about Christmas foods that are dangerous for dogs, and about dog advent calendars and the people ones to worry about, so I will not repeat all of that here. If you are choosing an advent calendar for the dog, those two guides are the place to start.
One more reminder on this front: a food-based present for a dog that ends up in the wrong place is a gift that a dog will find. Keep anything edible out of sight until you are ready for it.
Opening day: how to hand over a present safely
The present is only one half of the risk. The other half is the scene in which it arrives. Christmas morning is exciting, loud and messy, and that is when accidents tend to happen. A few simple habits turn it into something calmer.
Keep to something close to your dog's normal routine where you can. Dogs Trust advises sticking to normal mealtimes and exercise on days with guests, and giving the dog a quiet space, such as a den or a room with a bed and fresh water, where they can retreat. A walk before the present-opening is a good idea, because a dog who has already burned off some energy tends to handle excitement better, though I cannot point you to a study on that, so treat it as a common-sense habit rather than a proven fix.
When it is time for the dog's present, hand it over one item at a time. Let them investigate it while you watch, and take away anything that is too exciting or that they are starting to tear apart. If several people are opening presents at once, have one person in charge of the dog and the dog's gifts, so the job does not fall between everyone. Put the wrapping straight in a bin with a lid or a bag, and pick up ribbon and tape as soon as you see it.
It is also worth deciding in advance who is on dog duty after dinner. It is easy for Christmas afternoon to become the time when everyone sits down and nobody is watching the dog, while new toys have been chewed for hours. That is a good moment to check them and take away anything that is looking damaged.
Presents from guests, children and relatives
You can control what you buy, but you cannot always control what other people bring. Relatives with the best intentions may arrive with a rawhide bone, a bag of chocolate dog treats or a plush toy the size of a golf ball. Children may leave their own electronic toys on the floor.
A quick message beforehand can save a lot of worry. You do not need to be awkward. Something like "she's got a sensitive tummy, so we're only giving things we've checked first" does the job. Or suggest a type of gift that suits: a toy from a list you have chosen, a walk-related gift, or a bag of the food your dog already eats. If someone does arrive with something unsuitable, put it away until you have had a chance to check it, and thank them for the thought.
The Royal Kennel Club and the Scotsman piece both warn that children's toys and their small parts can be swallowed. If children visit with electronic or small-part toys, a simple rule such as "toys go in the playroom when the dog is around" helps.
Inspect it, and know when to retire it
Buying a safe toy is only the start. The PDSA's checklist for balls includes making sure there are no cracks or loose pieces, and it says to replace damaged balls immediately. That works for any toy. Every few days, check each toy for torn seams, exposed stuffing, loose squeakers, cracks, chewed-off chunks and sharp edges. If it is damaged, bin it. Dogs do not understand that a wrecked toy has stopped being a toy and become a hazard.
It also helps to rotate toys, so the same few do not get chewed to bits. Your dog will stay interested for longer, and you will get a regular chance to look each one over.
If something goes wrong
Even with every precaution, a dog may swallow something it should not. The advice from the Royal Kennel Club is clear: contact your vet straight away, and never try to make your dog sick. Tell the vet what was eaten, how much, when, and any symptoms, and take the packaging or a sample if you can. The Pet Poison Helpline gives the same advice about not inducing vomiting after a battery.
Signs of an obstruction, according to the Royal Kennel Club, include vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite and difficulty passing stools. The PDSA says to seek help immediately if a dog is choking, struggling to breathe or has swallowed toy pieces, and to contact a vet for vomiting, lethargy or loss of appetite after swallowing toy pieces.
I am not going to give you step-by-step choking first aid in a blog post, because it is the sort of thing that is best learned hands-on. The Scotsman piece cites a dog first aid trainer's steps, and a short first aid course for dog owners is a worthwhile thing to do. In the meantime, save your vet's number, and your nearest out-of-hours emergency clinic, in your phone before Christmas Eve. Practices may have different arrangements over the bank holidays, and it is far easier to find the number when you are not panicking.
Gifts that are not toys
Some of the safest and most useful dog presents are not toys at all. If you want to avoid the chew and choking question entirely, here are the ideas I would think about, and I am mentioning products we sell, so take that into account.
An ID collar and lead set. The Big Walk Set is a matching collar, 150cm lead and poop bag holder in a matte vegan leather, with free engraving on the buckle plate. The product page notes that UK law requires a dog in a public place to wear a collar showing the owner's name and address, so engraving a surname, postcode and phone number is practical as well as a nice gift. One timing point matters: it is made to order, the page says to allow 2 to 3 weeks for delivery, and it recommends ordering by 14 November for Christmas. Personalised items cannot be returned unless faulty or damaged, so check spelling and numbers carefully.
A proper bed. A bed is a gift that does not involve ribbon, batteries or small parts, and it is something your dog will use every day. The Big Snooze Pro is our orthopaedic bed. Whatever bed you choose, I would measure your dog lying out flat and buy for that, not for a curled-up pose.
Something for the wet-weather walks. If your winter walks end with a soaked dog, a drying kit is a gift you will both appreciate. The Big Dry-Off Kit pairs a drying coat with a large paw towel, and I have written a full guide on how to dry a wet dog properly after winter walks if you want to see how it fits into a routine.
Time. Not the most glamorous suggestion, but a long, slow sniffy walk somewhere new is the present many dogs would pick for themselves. If you want a few ideas for days when the weather defeats you, I have also put together a list of ways to keep a dog entertained on snow days. And if you are shopping for the owner rather than the dog, our best gifts for dog owners guide has a wider list.
A note on puppies as presents
A puppy is not a present in the way a toy is. Blue Cross's guidance on getting a puppy describes a commitment that lasts the whole life of the dog, with costs that include food, check-ups, vaccinations, flea and worm treatment, insurance and emergency vet care, and it says everyone in the household should be on board before you commit. It puts the cost of buying a puppy at roughly £400 to £3,000, before any of those running costs. The RSPCA has a line on its Christmas pages that pets are for life, not just Christmas, though that is a pointer to its adoption pages rather than detailed advice, and neither charity page I read gives a full guide to giving a puppy as a gift.
That is enough to say this much. If someone in your family would like a dog, that is a conversation to have properly, with the people who will look after the dog involved, well before any decision.
The short version
If you read nothing else, take this: choose a toy bigger than your dog's mouth, match it to how they play, avoid anything very hard or very flimsy, treat batteries as an emergency risk, ditch the ribbon, keep edible gifts out of reach until the day, and stay in the room. Check each toy regularly, and keep your vet's number handy.
Christmas is a good time for a dog. A well-chosen present, a decent walk and a calm, warm place to rest is most of what they want.
Q: Are squeaky toys safe as a Christmas present?
A: It depends on the dog and the toy. The PDSA's checklist for balls says a safe ball should have no squeakers, because a squeaker is an extra part that could come out, but that advice is aimed at balls rather than plush toys. A squeaky plush toy can suit a gentle carrier who enjoys the noise, as long as you supervise and check it regularly. For a dog who tears toys apart, the squeaker and stuffing become pieces to swallow, so I would choose something else or keep play short and watched. Our own plush toys, the Big Tangle and the Big Peck, carry exactly that caveat on their product pages: they are for carrying, tugging and interactive play, not aggressive chewing.
Q: My dog has swallowed a battery or a piece of ribbon. What should I do?
A: Contact your vet straight away, or your nearest emergency clinic if it is out of hours. The Royal Kennel Club advises never trying to make your dog sick, and the Pet Poison Helpline gives the same advice for batteries, which it treats as an emergency. Tell the vet what was swallowed, how much and when, and take the packaging with you if you have it. Do not wait to see whether signs appear. The Royal Kennel Club lists vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite and difficulty passing stools as signs of an obstruction, but button batteries in particular are treated as emergencies, so ring first.
Q: How do I know what size of toy to buy for my breed?
A: Use the PDSA's rule: the toy should be too big for your dog to fit whole in its mouth but still easy to carry. Weight and breed are only rough guides, so try the toy against your dog's mouth in the shop if you can, and check the dimensions online. Small dogs need lightweight toys they can grip, large dogs need a wider ball, and flat-faced breeds may do better with softer or textured toys. For balls, the PDSA suggests at least one open hole, which can help a dog keep breathing if the ball becomes lodged. Puppies outgrow toys quickly, so recheck the size every few weeks.
Q: Can I give my dog a bone, rawhide or antler for Christmas?
A: I would not give any of them without checking with my vet first. Cornell's veterinary college says rawhide and other hard-to-digest chews can cause choking or blockages, and that bones can cause choking, tooth fractures or digestive obstructions. The RSPCA warns that cooked meat bones are dangerous. I did not find a UK charity page that rates antlers as safe, and the PDSA warns that very hard or brittle materials can break teeth. That is not proof that every dog will have a problem, but it is a good reason to ask a vet who knows your dog, and to supervise any chew you do give.
Q: Should I wrap my dog's present and let them open it?
A: It makes for lovely photos, and it can be done more safely. The RSPCA lists wrapping paper, ribbons and labels as choking hazards and says wrapping can contain glitter or foil that is harmful, so use plain paper with no ribbon, remove tape and tags, and keep the paper simple. Wrap the present loosely so that it opens in one go, let your dog open it while you watch, and take the paper away as soon as it is off. Do not wrap anything edible in a way that invites a dog to eat the wrapping with it. The Royal Kennel Club suggests putting presents under the tree only on Christmas Eve, and I would keep the dog's gift out of reach until the moment you hand it over.
— Joseph, The Big Pet Shop, Bacup, Lancashire 🐾