If you’ve followed Team Minnevangelist for any length of time, you know that we’re big into our senior rescue dogs. The current stars of @american_chis are Miki the Chiweenie and Mia the Chihuahua, both 12. During the holidays, we love showering them with treats and sweaters (which they hate-wear with gusto). But where to shop?
Chuck & Don’s, Urban Tails in Uptown, Copilot Dog Outfitters in Linden Hills, Bubbles & Ecouture in St. Paul, and Lulu & Luigi in St. Louis Park and Wayzata are all on our radar. From pals with kitties, we’ve heard good things about Purrniture in St. Paul.
Brick-and-mortar stores aside, we like supporting Minnesota makers and designers. What follows is an assortment of #MNmade gift ideas for pets and the people who love ’em most.
1. Commission an ink and watercolor custom pet portrait ($45-$60) by Allison Stratton of Trnslation Lost in Minneapolis.
2. Here’s a gift both pets and their parents can enjoy: The Holiday Dog Box ($37.50) from Northern Wick in Minneapolis. It includes a limited-edition pumpkin chai candle, a black-and-white bandana from Luck of Tuck, and three treats from Morey & Me Barkery. A portion of the proceeds benefit Happy Tails Rescue in Fridley.
3. From Lucy & Co., the humans behind Minnesota’s wildly popular @dogsofinstagram account, comes this glammy Enchanted Forest reversible puffer vest ($45) and matching poop bag holder ($14). Not into metallics and florals? The team also makes a reversible puffer in a muted holiday plaid.
4. Minneapolis’ Pickle Dog Design dabbles in all things doxie — like these charming wiener dog wood paperclips ($6.40 for three) and wiener dog wood magnets (also $6.40 for three).
5. For your feline-loving friends: a polymer clay cat lady ornament ($14) by Jenna Freimuth of Minneapolis.
6. The dog-themed wooden puzzle ($70) from Big Stick Studio is a solid color puzzle with 40 dog-shaped wooden pieces. Can you spot the Chihuahua?
7. For the person who’d rather observe birds on their porch than inside a cage: the heart-shaped Jules Loft bird feeder ($32) from Homespun MN.
8. Calling all Pittie parents: $5 from each Merry Pitmas snap bandana ($16.50-$22.50) sold by North Star Hounds benefits My Pit Bull is Family, a Minneapolis-based 501(c)3 nonprofit working to end insurance and housing discrimination toward Pit Bulls.
9. For the fisherman/fisherwoman who never hits the water without their pup — a trout-themed dog collar ($50) from Great Lakes Collection.
10. Cat’s in the cradle (literally) with this carpeted cradle (from $85) by St. Paul’s Purrniture. The scratching rope is optional.
11. A Scandinavian-print Great Dane snood ($15) from Great Dane Outfitters in Duluth may seem like a weirdly specific gift. But for the Great Dane owner who lives in a cold climate like Minnesota, it’s genius.
12. Love, love, love these handsome dog beds ($280) made from antique and vintage rugs by Henslin. The small size, which is all Henslin has left, fits up to a 35-pound pet.
13. Treat-motivated doggos do flips for the bite-size baked bones from St. Paul’s Sojos. Creative flavors include apple dumpling, blueberry cobbler, and shepherd’s pie. Find the brand for sale at Chuck & Don’s and Urban Tails.
14. Yin Yang cat shirt (from $21) by Snowy Palms in Elk River. Proceeds from the Ruff Life Collection go toward helping foster animals from a local rescue.
15. Minneapolis’ House of Talents works with artisans in developing countries to source the most fantastic home goods. Their stylish cat baskets ($135, on right) are hand-woven from wild date palm and fitted with a washable cotton pad covered in an African-print textile. The dog bed baskets ($195, on left) also come in a variety of woven patterns.
16. Your very good boy/girl would look very handsome in this Aztec fleece vest ($39.99-$69.99) from Kovered Up in Minneapolis.
17. Here’s a fun one for the young pet lover: a personalized pet book ($34.99) from I See Me Books in Eden Prairie. Choose from among 12 illustrated dogs (including golden retrievers, Labs, huskies, beagles, poodles, Yorkies, dachshunds, and pugs) and multiple colors to create a canine that closely resembles your own pet. Your dog’s name, as well as the names of up to two people in your family, will be used throughout the hard-cover storybook. You can even add a photo of your dog on the dedication page. (And yes, cat people, there’s a version for you, too.)
18. The cactus bandana ($20) from Dogs of MSP is handmade in Minnesota with a vegan leather label. Other prints include lumberjack plaid, vintage holiday campers, festive llamas, and tropical flowers.
19. Know someone who just got a new pup? Hook them up with The Canine Coach‘s private mini-course ($275 for four sessions), which covers basic obedience and manners training at its facilities in Northeast Minneapolis and St. Paul. Alternatively, the Canine Coach offers private Skype sessions for training while social distancing. These are $100 a pop and can address anything from crate training to resource guarding.
20. Want to get on Mr. Meowser’s good side? Stuff his stocking with wee bottles of catnip-infused Cat Wine ($5.75) from The Cafe Meow, Minneapolis’ first cat cafe. Options include White Kittendel, Pinot Meow, Moscato, and Catbernet. (Sorry, humans; this hooch is for felines only.)
21. Say no to drink rings on your wood furniture and yes to quilted paw print coasters ($13.99 for four) from Miranda Rosa of My Bit of Wonder in Shakopee.
22. Another fun, experiential present for proud pet parents: a gift certificate for one of Gray Duck Art’s pet-painting kits. Each one includes a pre-drawn paint-by-number canvas featuring the face(s) of the giftee’s pet (up to two animals), pre-mixed paints that correlate to the numbers on the canvas, a basic set of brushes, easy instructions, and more. Canvases with one pet cost $79; two pets is $109.
23. Wish your whole family could dress like the dog? Dog Threads makes matching outfits for pups and their peeps. These good-looking Great Yukon sweaters start at $42 and come with sizing options for dogs, kids, men, and women. Bonus: Dog Threads donates a portion of every sale to non-profit animal rescues.
24. For every bandana purchased from CuddleMutt in Minneapolis, 20 percent of the profit is donated to a rescue or shelter. This Buffalo plaid bandana retails for $28.
25. Present them with a gift card ($10-$100) to Bubbly Paws, which can be used for self-service bathing, full-service bathing, or dog grooming at any of the micro-chain’s four locations: St. Louis Park, St. Paul, Maple Grove, or Minneapolis.
26. When we decided to include Minneapolis-based designer Michelle Brusegaard‘s More Cats tee ($25) in our gift guide, we had exactly one friend in mind. Michaela, you need this.
Still shopping? Check out our other holiday roundups, including…
Minnevangelist’s Epic Minnesota Gift Guide: Art + Home Goods
Minnevangelist’s Epic Minnesota Gift Guide: Jewelry
Minnevangelist’s Epic Minnesota Gift Guide: Food + Drink
Minnevangelist’s Epic Minnesota Gift Guide: Kids
Minnevangelist’s Epic Minnesota Gift Guide: Clothing + Accessories
Minnevangelist’s Epic Minnesota Gift Guide: Beauty + Wellness
Minnevangelist’s Epic Minnesota Gift Guide: Sports + Recreation
Minnevangelist’s Epic Minnesota Gift Guide: Experiences
