Happy December ladies and gentlemen! At last, the holiday season has arrived at Pawsh and what a season we have in store for you! Not only do we have some fabulous holiday content planned — including fantastic new products, easy-to-make dog treat recipes, inspiring pets and more — but we also have 12 PAWSH HOLIDAY GIVEAWAYS set and ready to go valued at over $1000! (More on that this afternoon, so stay tuned!)

But first, let’s turn our attention to one of the most amusing activities possible for December — counting down to Christmas Day! Here is a dog-friendly twist on the traditional advent calendar. It’s beyond easy to make and is guaranteed to be lots of fun for you and your dog! Keep reading for complete details!

I don’t know about you, but the holidays are one of my busiest times of the year. Yet I always want to do something fun for the furchild (aka Rory!) Being part poodle she is particularly smart and I’m always trying to come up with new ways to keep her occupied. Enter the dog-friendly advent calendar that is beyond simple to create….

The Things You Need:

  • 24 mini paper gift bags in festive colours (I opted for gold and green)
  • Two different colours of tissue paper
  • Scotch tape
  • Dog treats

What You Need To Do:
1) Wrap one dog treat in one sheet of tissue paper for each gift bag.
2) Write numbers 1 to 24 on the bags, if desired.
3) Measure out a rectangular area on a blank open wall.
4) Tape bags to wall in straight lines, resembling a calendar format. (Note: the lines don’t need to be perfectly straight, so don’t lose sleep about it.)
5) That’s it! Keep reading to learn how it all works!

Each morning before I leave the house, Rory goes to her bed and gets a small dog chew or toy to keep her busy while I’m away. Rather than spoil pup too much over the holidays, I simply placed 24 of her regular morning goodies in the 24 advent calendar bags. Before I leave each morning, while I enjoy a few final slurps of coffee or pack my bag for the day, I take down one of the brightly coloured bags and place it on the floor for Rory.

The bag then becomes a toy; an extra game Rory can play while I’m busy waking up and getting ready! Rory delightfully noses the bag around and sets to work ‘opening’ her present, which is far more stimulating for her than simply sitting pretty and getting a treat right away. Making your dogs work for their treats (especially in a way that reinforces their natural hunting instincts) is a great way to add interest to their day!

So there you have it! An easy holiday activity, a challenging game and a delicious prize all in one!

PAWSH POINT: Do not leave your dog unattended when playing with the paper bag and tissue paper. Be sure to clear all paper products from the floor before leaving your dog to enjoy their treat.