5 Sweet Dog-Friendly Christmas Traditions to Start in Your Family

Looking to start some fun new holiday traditions with your fur-babies? We’ve compiled a list of 5 sweet dog-friendly Christmas traditions to carry on for years to come.

There’s nothing like a family portrait to commemorate the holiday season, so why not include your pups this year and beyond? Take a nice mix of serious and silly photos. Get creative and use props, different outfits, and accessories, and play around with different settings. You can even turn them into holiday greeting cards for next year — that's a dog-friendly Christmas tradition that will last a lifetime!

Related: Tips and Tricks for Taking Dog Pics Like a Pro

Visiting Santa is already a Christmas tradition for many families, so why not let your pup join in on the fun? Many big-box pet stores have free events where pets can have their picture taken with “Santa Paws” and even get a professional photo to remember it by.

Homemade Christmas ornaments are a great dog-friendly Christmas tradition to start in your family. There are endless "pawssibilities" of different designs and media you can use to create a masterpiece.

Some things you might use include photos, glass ornaments, twine, cardboard, and clay. You can even construct your decorations from recycled goods and homemade clay (flour, salt, and water). There are no right or wrong ways to design your ornaments, and there’s no limit to your creativity!

There are a million different dog-friendly Christmas cookie recipes, many of which people can enjoy too! Feel free to experiment and make an original concoction. Cranberries, blueberries, coconut, sweet potatoes, peanut butter, honey, oats, and flour are all dog-friendly ingredients that work beautifully in baked goods. Need some inspo? Check out these 5 Christmas cookie recipes that your dogs will absolutely love!

You already hang your children a stocking — what’s one more, right? Fill it with bags of treats, small toys, tennis balls, squeaky toys, and anything else you think Fido will delight in. Stockings don’t have to be expensive; just a few toys and treats from the dollar store will suffice. Regardless of what you buy, your pup’s eyes will beam when they see their very own stocking to open on Christmas morning.

Your pup will love taking part in new dog-friendly Christmas traditions — especially when they find out there are cookies and presents involved! We hope this inspires you to try something new this year and beyond.