Christmas time often reminds me of the growing up years at home with my parents and our pets.  I have fond memories of giving and receiving presents from parents, family and even my pets.

One particular Christmas our miniature schnauzer, Rolfe, decided to sniff out the Christmas chocolates my brother had purchased, wrapped and tucked away in his closet.  We had gone out for the evening and came home to find our little grey friend with chocolate in his beard.  The trail of wrappers led us to the previously wrapped box of chocolates.  I think Rolfe got the gift of an upset stomach that year.

On another occasion, one of my brothers thought it would be fun to get Rolfe a sweater for Christmas to wear out in the snow.  The teal and red sweater made him easy to find out in the snowy pasture.  We’re pretty confident Rolfe didn’t like the sweater by the sour look on his face as he wore it around the yard.

So this Christmas season, don’t forget to hang up the two legged stocking.  Who doesn’t enjoy giving a big milk bone to the old pup on a cold Christmas morning?

Holiday gift giving is certainly not lost on the four footed members of the family. In a year where consumers feel squeezed by high gas prices and an uneasy economy, 84% of pet owners said that they will not cut back on buying gifts for their pets this holiday season. Last year alone, pet owners spent over $10 billion on pet food and pet supplies.

The average pet owner that shops for “Fido” will typically spend over $50 on their pet for Christmas. While spending on pets may seem strange to some, in recent survey, 94% of pet owners said they were planning on buying at least something for their pet this year. The most popular gifts include: rawhide bones, kitty scratching posts, dog beds, pet drinking fountains and fancy pet collars.