Holidays are family events, and you may want to include your pets in the gift exchange. If you have small children, they’ll want to know what their pets are getting for Christmas or Hannukah. So what are some great gift ideas for your four-legged family members?

For cats, consider the following:

- a homemade toy, like a decorated sock or ball of yarn stuffed with catnip. Kids can make these toys for their pets as part of a family crafts session.
- catnip toys are always beloved by cats!
- collar charms
- an “IOU” for an hour of play time — this is another great way to get your kids involved in their pets’ gifts
- a new cat tree or scratching pad
- a comfy cat bed
- your cat’s favorite all-natural treats

For dogs, here are some of our favorites:

- a holiday-themed toy, like a squeaky Santa or a dreidl
- a winter sweater to keep him warm on his walks
- rawhide candy cane treats
- fresh-cooked doggie biscuits. The kids can help with this one. Check out some great recipes here.
- a day at the “spa” — send your pet in for a day of grooming, where she’ll be pampered and brushed and come out looking and feeling like a million bucks
- an “IOU” for a nice, long walk, or a day at the dog park with the family

These are some of our favorite holiday pet gift ideas. What are you getting your pet for the holiday?

Kriser’s is proud to host a variety of in-store events across our stores, where our customers can meet with pet experts and walk away with tons of new knowledge and pet swag. You can get a full list of upcoming events here.

One of our favorite guests is Mike Lavoie, the pet photographer. Mike’s been doing pet photography at Kriser’s for the past four years. He’s photographed pet calendar covers, and his work’s been published in newspapers and many magazines. He first started leaning about pets when we got his first dog, Rex, at age two.

We wanted to bring some of Mike’s specialized knowledge to our customers who can’t make it to the in-store events, so we asked him a few questions for our blog.

What is your #1 tip for getting great pet holiday photographs?

Get down on their level. Lay on the floor with a sunny window behind you if you have a small breed dog, and point the camera up at them. It makes them feel like Napoleon at Christmas when they see their photos. :-)

With dogs you must work fast. Bribes help. Have a second person assist you, but don’t overdo the treats. The purpose of the treat is to keep the dog motivated and to help you track the pets face toward the camera. You have no more than 5 or 10 minutes before the dog gets bored with being a famous model and wants to just be doing doggy things again. Try to keep the dog’s head level in camera frame, it will make for a more natural-looking photo than with them facing up. Make the experience enjoyable for the pet and they will always want to strike that special pose for you!

What is the best part of working somewhere like the Kriser’s in-store event?

I love working with Kriser’s for several reasons. Their managers are the best. Once they see the photos coming from a session they are positively evangelical about the event. I also love the clients and their pets. I have been shooting the same dogs year after year. Pumpkin and Bodo are two of my favorite dogs and I have got to know them and their owners very well. I have become personal friends with some of the owners. The greatest compliment I get is when I show someone a print of their pet and they say, “This is my favorite picture ever.”

How can our customers get in touch with you if they want fabulous pet photos and can’t make it to one of your Kriser’s events?

They can call 773.213.6108, or email me at mike@phoDOGrapherCats.com. We’re building a web presence, and when that’s done, they can check out www.phoDOGrapherCats.com for more information and photos. My partner and I are available to do in-home portrait sessions, and have several more Kriser’ events planned this year