Best Christmas Gifts for Pug Lovers and Their Dogs
Quick Answer
The best Christmas gifts for a Pug lover are the ones that only make sense at Christmas: a personalised bauble with the dog's name on it, a proper dog-safe Christmas dinner so the Pug isn't eyeing yours, and a Christmas jumper that suits a flat face. For the owner, a Pug sweatshirt for the Christmas photo, and for a new family, a babygrow for baby's first Christmas.
Order by 10 December to have it under the tree on Christmas Day. Buying from other shops as well? They'll have their own cut-off dates.
Top 5 at a glance
Gift | For | Price band | Why it works |
A personalised Christmas bauble | Owner | Under $25 · £20 · €25 | Comes out every year, with the dog's name on it |
A dog-safe Christmas dinner | The dog | Under $25 · £20 · €25 to $25–$60 · £20–£50 · €25–€60 | Their own plate, so they leave yours alone |
A Christmas jumper that suits a Pug | The dog | Under $25 · £20 · €25 to $25–$60 · £20–£50 · €25–€60 | Warm on the walk, no hood over that face |
Pug babygrow | New parents | $25–$60 · £20–£50 · €25–€60 | Baby's first Christmas, same team as the dog |
A Christmas photoshoot with the dog | Owner | Go all out: $60+ · £50+ · €60+ | This year's Christmas card, sorted |
Christmas with a Pug
You can usually spot a Pug owner at Christmas. The dog has been on every lap in the house. The snoring has been audible over the Christmas film. And whenever anyone eats, there is a small, round, deeply sincere face at knee height.
Pugs were bred to be companions, and at Christmas they do the job thoroughly: following people from room to room, joining every conversation, and asking very politely about the turkey.
Dogs and wrapping paper are a Christmas tradition of their own. My first dog, a Boxer called Rocco, loved tearing the presents open, his and everyone else's. This year, Bruno, the Frenchie we rescued from a cage, will have his first Christmas with us, and we can't wait to see his face on the big day. I think we've bought more presents for him than for each other. But that's the joy of it.
So the gifts that land are the ones built for the day itself: something for the dog to open, a dinner of their own, an outfit that suits a flat face, and a house where the chocolate is out of reach.
Christmas gifts for the Pug
A Christmas dinner of their own
The easiest way to stop a Pug staring at your plate is to give them one of their own. Several pet food brands now make a dog-friendly Christmas dinner. Lily's Kitchen, for example, sells a limited-edition Christmas dinner bundle with a turkey Christmas dinner, turkey jerky and bedtime biscuits. Serve it as part of their normal daily amount, not on top of it: Pugs gain weight easily, and extra weight makes breathing harder work for a flat-faced dog.
Band: Under $25 · £20 · €25 to $25–$60 · £20–£50 · €25–€60
A Christmas outfit that suits a Pug
A Christmas jumper is fine on a Pug, and useful on a cold walk, as long as it's the right kind. Choose one that sits loose at the neck, skip anything with a hood, scarf or antlers that could flop over the face, and take it off once you're back indoors. A Pug in a jumper in front of the fire will overheat long before you notice.
Band: Under $25 · £20 · €25 to $25–$60 · £20–£50 · €25–€60
Our pick: FuzzYard Naughty Ginger Christmas Dog Pyjamas from Chelsea Dogs: soft, stretchy and easy to get on a wriggling Pug, with a size guide to check against the chest.
A present of their own to open
Rocco never needed to be told which presents were his. He opened all of them. Save yourself the trouble: wrap a new toy loosely in plain paper, no ribbon or tape, and let the dog have a go while everyone else opens theirs. Clear the paper away afterwards so it doesn't get eaten.
Band: Under $25 · £20 · €25
A dog advent calendar
Twenty-four small treats, one a day. Choose one made for dogs, keep the portions tiny, and count them as part of the day's food.
Band: Under $25 · £20 · €25
Something for Boxing Day
After a day of visitors, a Pug needs something quieter. A long-lasting chew sized so it can't be swallowed whole, or a snuffle mat with a few biscuits hidden in it, buys everyone a calm afternoon.
Band: Under $25 · £20 · €25
Christmas gifts for the Pug owner
A personalised Christmas bauble
The gift that comes out of the box every December. A tree bauble with the dog's name on it, or a little Pug illustration, costs very little and ends up being the one decoration everyone looks for. Look for a shatterproof one, and hang it high enough that it doesn't get investigated.
Want one for your own Pug? Plenty of small makers will personalise a bauble. Chelsea Dogs, a UK dog gift brand, is one: its breed baubles include Pug and carry your dog's name on both sides. If you're outside the UK, check delivery with them before ordering.
Band: Under $25 · £20 · €25
Wear it to Christmas
Clean line art and bold pop art: the curled tail, the wrinkled brow, the expression of a dog who has seen the Christmas dinner and would like to be involved. Made for the Christmas walk, the Christmas photo, and the January after.
Pug Line Art T-Shirt Pug Pop Art Sweatshirt
Line art tee, left. Pop art sweatshirt, right.
Band: tees and sweatshirts $25–$60 · £20–£50 · €25–€60 · hoodies Go all out: $60+ · £50+ · €60+
👉 Shop Pug women's t-shirts, unisex t-shirts or sweatshirts and hoodies
Baby's first Christmas
For the household where the Pug was the first baby and this is the new baby's first Christmas. A matching babygrow puts them in the same photo, on the same team, for about four seconds before someone needs changing. Older brothers and sisters can have a Pug tee of their own.
Pug Line Art Babygrow Pug Pop Art Kids' T-Shirt
Babygrow, left. Kids' tee, right.
Band: $25–$60 · £20–£50 · €25–€60
👉 Shop the Pug babygrow, the Pug kids' tee or all kids' clothing
Go all out: a Christmas photoshoot
Every Pug household takes the same Christmas photo: owner on the sofa, Pug on their lap, looking at the camera like it owes him money. A short session with a local pet photographer turns that into this year's Christmas card. Book early, because December slots go fast, and wear the sweatshirt.
Band: Go all out: $60+ · £50+ · €60+
Stocking fillers and Secret Santa
Stocking fillers: Under $25 · £20 · €25
A personalised Christmas bauble
A dog advent calendar
Pug mugs, line art or pop art
A long-lasting chew or snuffle mat
Secret Santa and main presents: $25–$60 · £20–£50 · €25–€60
Pug tote bags, the Secret Santa that actually gets used
A dog-safe Christmas dinner
A Christmas jumper that suits a Pug
Go all out: $60+ · £50+ · €60+
Pug hoodies, line art or pop art
A Christmas photoshoot with the dog
Keeping a Pug safe at Christmas
Most Christmas trips to the vet start with food left within reach. The things to keep away from a Pug, and how:
Chocolate: out of reach, not under the tree. Researchers using UK vet records from the University of Liverpool's SAVSNET project found that cases of dogs eating chocolate peak at Christmas. Keep selection boxes and chocolate gifts off the floor and off low coffee tables, and don't wrap them and leave them under the tree, where a Pug's nose will find them first.
Christmas pudding, mince pies and Christmas cake. The PDSA warns that the raisins, sultanas and currants in them can be fatal to dogs. Keep the plates at worktop height.
Stuffing, onions and some nuts. Sage and onion stuffing is on the PDSA's list too. Leftovers go in the fridge, not on a low plate.
Turkey bones and the bin. Cooked bones can splinter. Put the carcass in a bin with a lid the dog can't open.
Guests with good intentions. Ask visitors not to slip the dog anything from the table, however hard the Pug stares.
Decorations, tinsel and ribbon. The American Kennel Club warns that a curious dog can be injured chewing or swallowing decorations, and that some holiday plants are poisonous. Hang breakables high and tidy wrapping as you go.
Heat. A warm room, a full house and a flat face are a poor mix. Give your Pug a cool, quiet spot and watch for heavy, noisy breathing.
If you think your dog has eaten something it shouldn't, call your vet straight away, even on Christmas Day. Don't wait for symptoms.
The verdict
If you can only buy one thing for the dog, make it a Christmas dinner of their own. If you're buying for the owner, a personalised bauble will outlast every other present this year, and a Pug sweatshirt will be in the photo with it.
Pug owners have given up a quiet night, an unobserved Christmas dinner and the use of their feet. They wouldn't change a thing. Neither should the gift.
👉 Explore Pug women's t-shirts, unisex t-shirts or sweatshirts and hoodies
👉 or shop the full PUG COLLECTION
👉 Shopping for a birthday or any other time of year? See our BEST PUG GIFTS guide.
Got a Pug in a Christmas jumper, tearing into the wrapping paper or staring at the turkey? Show us. Tag @doggystylesinc on Instagram or find us on Facebook at Doggy Styles Inc, and your Pug could feature in a future post.
More for Pug people
FAQs
What is a good Christmas present for a Pug owner?
A personalised Christmas bauble with the dog's name on it, a Pug sweatshirt for the Christmas photo, or, if you want to go all out, a Christmas photoshoot with the dog.
What can I get my Pug for Christmas?
A dog-safe Christmas dinner, a dog advent calendar, a loose-necked Christmas jumper, or a new toy wrapped in plain paper for them to open themselves.
Can my Pug wear a Christmas jumper?
Yes, as long as it's loose at the neck, has no hood or accessories near the face, and comes off indoors. Flat-faced dogs overheat easily in a warm room.
Can Pugs eat Christmas dinner?
Not yours. A little plain turkey with no skin, bones or gravy is generally fine, but stuffing, pigs in blankets, Christmas pudding and mince pies should be kept away. A dog-made Christmas dinner is the safer treat.
Are dog Christmas dinners safe?
Ones made for dogs by pet food brands are designed to be. Serve them as part of your dog's normal daily food, not on top of it, and check with your vet if your Pug has a health condition or a sensitive stomach.
Where should I keep chocolate at Christmas?
Up high and shut away. Not under the tree, not in stockings at dog height and not on a low coffee table. Cases of dogs eating chocolate peak at Christmas.
What should I do if my Pug eats chocolate or mince pies?
Call your vet immediately, even on Christmas Day, and tell them what was eaten and roughly how much. Don't wait for symptoms.
Can dogs open their own Christmas presents?
They can enjoy it, with supervision. Wrap a toy loosely in plain paper with no ribbon or tape, and clear the paper away afterwards so it doesn't get eaten.
What is a good first Christmas gift for a baby in a Pug family?
A Pug babygrow, so baby and dog match in the first Christmas photo. Older siblings can have a Pug kids' tee.
When should I order Christmas presents to arrive in time?
Order by 10 December to have it under the tree on Christmas Day. Other shops set their own cut-offs, so check theirs before you order. Personalised baubles and photoshoots need booking ahead too.
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