Casey and Peanut: Article From SubmitYOURArticle.com: Doing Your Homework to Find Great Gifts for Dog Lovers

Are you a dog lover? It's not a question about
whether or not you like dogs, but more an inquiry
about your passion for all things canine. A dog
lover is someone who puts their retriever,
shepherd, pit bull, or poodle before anyone else
in their life. They rate their dog as a family
member and would do anything to guarantee their
happiness. If you understand that, you can easily
pick out gifts for dog lovers because you are one
yourself. If you have a hard time comprehending
that level of feeling for an animal, you'll need
to ask for help to shop for your dog lover
friends.

The first step in this process is to study the
breed of dog that your friend or loved one has
chosen to spend their time with. The pet can tell
you a lot about its owner's personality. If a
person chooses an aggressive dog like a shepherd
or pit bull, they may have a need for security or
self-confidence. Focus on gifts that reinforce
that. If they own a smaller dog like a terrier or
poodle, they may like cute and fuzzy gifts. Try
to put yourself in the position of the dog owner
and think about what you like about your dog.
That should give you some ideas for gifts for dog
lovers.

The next element to look at is the environment
that the dog and its owner spend their time in.
Do they live in a house or an apartment? Is there
more than one pet in the home? Many dog owners
also have other pets such as cats and exotic
birds. When you buy a gift for them you might
want to take that into account. Perhaps something
that shows an appreciation for all animals would
make a good gift. Either way, make sure any gift
doesn't clash with the environment that pet and
owner reside in. For instance, you wouldn't want
to buy a large outdoor fountain for someone who
lives in an apartment.

Shopping for the Pet Owner, Not the Pet

Remember that you're shopping for the person, not
the dog. Don't think about dog toys or specialty
items when you set out to go shopping for gifts
for dog lovers. Trying to buy something for
someone else's animal can backfire on you unless
you have a close relationship with the dog
itself. Pet owners can be very touchy about who
befriends, plays with, or feeds their dog. Be
careful about crossing that line. Before you do
anything for the animal, ask the owner first. If
they see you truly care they will no doubt give
you some leeway, but don't go out and buy dog
gifts without asking first.

As far as gifts for dog lovers themselves,
clothing, pictures, and novelty items seem to
work really well. You can always tell when you're
in the home of an avid dog lover by looking
around the room and counting the number of animal
pictures, plates, and pet logos or slogans you
see on walls and refrigerators. Take a peak in
every room and you're bound to see at least one
"I Love My ..." sign that mentions a dog or dog
breed. Those items were most likely gifts from
someone else in the past, so make sure you don't
duplicate their efforts. You'll want to find
something original.

Looking for Value without the High Price Tag

Let's face it, some of the items marked as
"gifts" by pet and department stores are
downright cheesy. They're cheaply made and
designed to catch the attention of those who
don't know any better or those working with a
very limited budget. If you're in the former
category there's not much we can do for you, but
if you have a limited budget as many of us do
these days, you can still find something nice if
you shop around. Good things come in small
packages and they often come with small price
tags too. When searching for gifts for dog
lovers, don't think in terms of price or
opulence. Those things mean very little to a dog
lover. Think in terms of value instead, spiritual
and sentimental value you can't put a price tag
on.

Helpful Suggestions and Gift Ideas

Let's summarize. At this point, you've evaluated
the personality of the pet owner by looking at
their pet and the characteristics inherent in it.
You've viewed and studied the surroundings, the
environment that pet and human coexist together
in. You've discarded the thoughts of buying for
the pet and not the owner, and you are determined
not to get anything cheap or cheesy, despite
being on a limited budget. Your homework is done
and you are now ready to do some actually
shopping for gifts for dog lovers. Start at pet
stores and then move on to department, gift, and
novelty stores. You might even want to try hobby
shops. You'd be surprised at some of the really
cool gifts you can find there for pet lovers.

Pictures and plaques make great gifts, but don't
go with the same old thing that everyone buys.
Those "I Love My Dog" signs are neat, but
everyone already has one. Try finding something
unique that you never see. Afghans and throw rugs
can be nice if you find the right one, but make
sure you match the color scheme of the pet
owner's home or you'll never see it again after
you gift it to them. Statues and figurines are
also nice; go for quality instead of size when
you buy them. An exquisitely designed miniature
is a far better choice than a gaudy statue. Use
you imagination and keep some basic guidelines in
your head while you're shopping. Remember that
the person you're buying for loves animals, so
don't buy anything that shows an animal in
captivity. You'll want to focus on something that
glorifies the animal or acknowledges the
contributions of pet owners and animal lovers.
You could also make a donation in the recipients
name to a shelter or organization that prevents
cruelty to animals or saves them from harm.
That's the kind of gift that benefits many, not
just one dog lover.

----------------------------------------------------
Robert Redding is the CEO and founder of Animal
Blue Print Company. Robert was the former VP of
Design at Quicksilver for more 12 years. Robert
has a passion for pets and pet art. You can
learn more about Animal Blue Print Company at:
http://www.animalblueprintcompany.com/

EasyPublish this article: http://submityourarticle.com/articles/easypublish.php?art_id=124431