Black Friday Gifts for Pet Parents: 2026 Gift Guide

Our favorite gifts for $25 and under

Small, useful, and easy to wrap.

A slow feeder bowl

For the dog who finishes dinner before you've put the bag away. The ridges turn a 90-second meal into a little puzzle, and the AKC points out that eating too fast can lead to choking, vomiting, and bloat. Look for dishwasher-safe plastic or silicone, and pick a shallower maze for flat-faced breeds so they can actually reach their food. Most cost $10 to $20.

A lick mat or puzzle toy

Both buy you ten quiet minutes, which is honestly a gift for the human too. A lick mat is a textured mat you spread something soft on (plain pumpkin, xylitol-free peanut butter, or wet food) and pop in the freezer. A puzzle toy hides kibble behind little doors and pockets so they have to work for it. The AKC's lick mat guide covers what to look for. Tuck a few of our lick mat recipes into the card and the gift is done.

A natural chew

Yak cheese chews and rabbit ears keep a dog busy a lot longer than a plush toy they'll de-stuff in four minutes, and both are simple, natural chews. Yak chews are the long-lasting pick for big chewers. They're firm, so the AKC recommends getting one too big to swallow whole and taking it away once it gets small. (Pop the leftover nub in the microwave for a few seconds and it puffs up into a crunchy treat.) Rabbit ears are the softer, lighter option for small dogs and seniors.

A travel water bottle

This one's a personal favorite. Our founder's mini dachshund, Marley, has one, and it's the gift we'd buy again first. You tip the bottle down, press a button, and water fills the little trough on the end. Flip it back up and whatever he didn't drink drains right back inside. No collapsible bowl to knock over, no wasted water. Search for a "dog travel water bottle" with a leak-proof lock and a one-hand button. Most cost $15 to $25.

A supplement for everyday health

Probiotics with Prebiotics is the one we'd hand to almost any pet parent: everyday digestive support, made for dogs and cats alike. It's an easy add to a routine they already have.

A gift card, when you don't know the pet

Our gift card comes in $10, $25, $50, and $100. It's digital, so it lands in their inbox right away, which also makes it the one gift on this list you can still buy at 11pm on Christmas Eve.

Worth spending a little more

For the people (and pets) at the top of your list.

Build a wellness kit for their pet

Pets are the new kids. (Ask any dog mom. She has 4,000 photos to prove it.) So skip the generic gift basket and put together a little kit made for that one pet. The formula is easy: one supplement, one thing to do, and one thing that makes everyday care easier.

Grooming tools are the sleeper hit here. A deshedding brush, a quiet nail grinder, or a tin of paw balm for salty winter sidewalks all get used every week. The AKC even shares a DIY paw balm recipe if you want to make it yourself. A few kits to steal:

For a senior pet: an orthopedic bed (plus a little joint support)

An older dog or cat with stiff joints really feels a thin bed on a cold floor. A memory foam bed with a removable, washable cover gets used every single day, and the AKC's dog bed guide explains why support matters more with age. If their dog is already taking the stairs a little slower, tuck in our Senior Support Bundle too: three formulas for joints, heart, and organs.

Red light therapy for dogs (the honest version)

Red light therapy is having a moment, for people and pets. Vets have used light therapy (laser therapy, or photobiomodulation if you want to impress someone) for years on sore joints, especially arthritis. Here's the honest part: the AKC's vets point out that at-home gadgets usually don't reach as deep as the lasers vets use. So for a stiff, slowing-down pet, the best version of this gift might be a few sessions at a vet clinic that offers laser therapy. If you'd rather give an at-home pad, get their vet's OK first, keep it away from the eyes, and press it right against the skin, since a thick coat blocks a lot of the light.

For a cat: a water fountain

Plenty of cats are unimpressed by a still bowl of water and a lot more interested once it's moving. Cornell's Feline Health Center says cats should always have clean, fresh water, and a filtered fountain makes that easy. Pick ceramic or stainless steel over plastic, and check that the pump comes apart for cleaning. If it's a pain to clean, it won't still be running by spring.

A custom pet portrait

A hand-painted portrait is the gift that ends up on the wall, not in a drawer. We love sending business to small artists, and Alexandra Schmeling is one we'd happily point you to. She paints watercolor and ink portraits of dogs, cats, and pretty much any pet from a photo, starting at $110, and usually finishes within two weeks of getting your photo. If it needs to be under the tree, send her a sharp, well-lit photo taken at eye level by early December.

Gift ideas by who you're shopping for

Staring at a name on your list? Find them here.