For the more traditionally minded we have dog bowls in a couple of sizes to suit any breed. Thinking of liquid refreshment for the owner rather than the dog, we offer two types of mugs and a Swiss quality Sigg water bottle. Our attractive car stickers are sold individually but if you’re looking for a bulk supply of stocking fillers you’ll get a great discount if your order in packs of 10 or 100.

A gift subscription to a canine magazine or newspaper is one of the few gifts that lasts right throughout the year. As I write for Dog World I should declare a bias. Dog World is the leading dog weekly and much more than the dog show bible.Reports from shows are an important feature of the paper but there are regular features on agility, obedience, field trials, doggie dancing, canine health - you name it! It’s also a great place to keep up with what’s going on in your breed with regular breed notes on all our British heritage breeds. Anyone who owns a pedigree dog is, like it or not, affected by the political battles in the pedigree world. Dog World is the very best place to keep abreast of dog politics. Dog World journalists have broken just about every significant news story affecting pedigree dogs this year.

Still focusing on the owner I come to the old Christmas standby, socks. You might think they’re boring but many a winter walk has been ruined by cold feet. A good pair of technical socks from an outdoor clothing company will make all the difference. Back in the summer I helped organise a charity dog show. The Tilley Company, more famous for their hats, donated a pair of socks for our raffle. It was one prize that nearly didn’t make it on to the draw table!

Whistle World was another sponsor of our show. They kindly gave us an ACME silent dog whistle in polished brass. Apparently ACME was the first company to develop a silent whistle and it’s been used to train all sorts of animals from pigs to dolphins. They represent a classy gift for anyone interested in training their dogs.

What would dogs choose as presents for themselves? If yours are anything like mine they’d choose food!

We have to be extra careful at Christmas that they don’t get hold of the wrong sort of food. Most of us know that Chocolate designed for human consumption can be very bad for dogs. The severity of the reaction varies but in the worst cases it can be a killer. If your dog is as greedy as ours it’s best to keep the Christmas choccies well out of reach. If your dog does get hold of chocolate don’t hesitate in contacting your vet It’s less well known that grapes are bad for dogs. Not just fresh grapes but raisins, currants and sultanas, i.e. the main ingredients of Christmas cake/pudding! Once again the severity of the reaction varies from dog to dog but it is best to keep all dogs away from all forms of grapes.

In fact it’s probably best to keep your dogs’ diet the same as usual during the Christmas period. If you can’t resist giving some festive treats keep them in moderation. Maybe consider raw carrot instead of an overload of commercial chews.

Dogs are creatures of habit and routine. Christmas throws us out of our routine. We might be home from work and have more time to put to the dog but it’s much more likely that the hectic seasonal schedule will give us less time. Don’t let your dog suffer. Try to ring fence time for walks and keep consistence over feeding times. Indeed, consistence in all things doggie is the key.

So, what has Santa got for my dog? I’ve had a little word with the great man and he’s bringing a new treat bag and some fish4dogs star training treats.

If Santa’s interested in getting a little something for me I’d settle for a bottle of a good malt whisky - life, after all, is not exclusively about the dogs!

May I wish you all the best for a wonderful Christmas and a happy, prosperous and peaceful New Year.

[Ed. note: link added for donations to Kevin! The Scotch Whisky Shop ]