10 Really Awesome Christmas Presents for your Pooch

Do the Christmastime Blues have you by the wallet? We all know the price of presents is up this year, we all feel the pinch of pricing as “Santa Time” comes screaming down the calendar at us. You know the routine, it’s either buy less or find quality gifts at a lower price point. That’s where we come in… Freddie sent his FreddieSez research guru’s out to find the BEST and COOLEST gifts for dogs under $50.

The first question on the minds of our team was, “where do we go to find a ton of gifts, all in one place?” You know, a place that has filters, great descriptions, a multitude of look up options, competitive pricing, AND FREE DELIVERY on most items well in advance of Christmas. There was really only one answer… Amazon. Sure, Walmart probably has lower or equal pricing, but Amazon has the free shipping and easy returns (not that your dog won’t love what you get them).

Once we found the right place, we went to work on filtering to narrow our search. That’s another thing you have to love about online shopping, ease of use. We have options to search by brand, price point range (we chose $25 to $50), daily deals, material the item is made from, any special features (lightweight or floating or stuffed, for instance), color, flavor, patterns, excluding out of stock items (why bother to look at it if we can’t get it for the big day?), and they even had a selection for “small business” suppliers. With these filters in place, we figured the search would just “speak to us” and this would be an easy day at the office. WRONG! Regardless how we filtered, the results were deep, wide and fun. It took literal hours for us to narrow the field of potential fun stuff down to a “top 10.”  To be clear, this is OUR top 8, created by what we though was odd, unusual, fun, in stock, and practical.

We checked reviews from users and kept our choices at 4 to 5 stars, along with actual written reviews that weren’t “solicited.” Besides being fun, it was also interesting to see how marketing played into the advertising on the site. The same item could be purchased from several vendors at different price points. We were sure to check availability, shipping options, what were “Prime offers” for Prime Members (additional savings to us), and items with in the moment coupons or discounts. It was like shopping with your Mother at the Mall… without having to fight for every item, avoiding the perfume salespeople in the middle of the mall Kiosks, and standing in line at a Sbarro or Panda Express. We also didn’t have to find our car or fight the traffic just to get in more traffic.

With that all said, here is the Freddie’s Place Unbiased, Unsolicited, Underwhelming, Unbelievable, Under $50 toy parade for 2023… in no particular order. All of the pricing we list is “today’s” price and the time was in stock at the time of the review.

Stuff Your Sack Deluxe Dog Gift Basket with Toys and Treats

We start with variety and volume as a trigger for this selection. The depth of toys in this gift basket is rated “all breed sizes” and is deep enough to keep any dog playing well into the new year.

What you get – Tucked inside your “Goodie Bag” is 18” Sport Launcher (a plastic cup on a handle that lets you really get behind throwing a ball), a Folding Launcher (for your dogs backpack), Two Tennis balls, a classic fetch ball (we love the classics), 1 Ultra Ball (which looked like a tennis ball on steroids), 1 Rugged Ball (which looks like an Ultra Ball with nubbies), 60oz of Jerky Treats (filled with Omega 3, vitamins and minerals), two rope toys (and they float) for tug-a-war, keep away, and “trip your parent” games. The burlap “Goodie Bag” was even rated highly for its look and feel.

What it costs – the price point on this is a cool $44.88. Since its over $35, you get free Prime Delivery. This is also a “Small Business” item, so you’re sticking it to the big guys.

What People are saying –  Reviews are favorable, all 5-Star, mostly complimenting the quality of the product… although the reviews were solicited from a “Free Giveaway” program. Some items are made in the USA, and it is assembled and shipped from inside the United States.

Loobani Interactive Dog Puzzle

The video of the dog playing with this toy sold us on the items. It’s wooden, looks sturdy, is adjustable in height, and comes at various price points for various number of treat dispensers.

What you get –  It’s a stand up wooden puzzle with plastic tube dispensers that the dog has to slap, nose, or punch to spin. The treats eventually will fall out of the opening on the top of the tubes. It’s a simple design, but if your dogs like treats as much as ours do… this will become their focal point for playtime WITH Rewards. It is advertised as “will not tip over” (which is different from “my dog knocked it over, assaulted the tubes, then ran away with all the treats). Believe it or not, the three tubed dispenser can hold 8 cups of dog food or small training treats. They are keen on its ability to help stimulate the minds of young dogs while keeping older dogs active and sharp (if you pooch is exceedingly dim witted, this might not be an option for them). Some assembly is required, but if you can work a screwdriver… you got this.

What it costs – Price points vary based on the number of bottles and design, starting at $39.99 – $45.99. If you dig on Amazon, some vendor have certain models of these for $29.99. The toy gets high marks for sturdiness, good marks for durability & value, and lower marks for “easy to clean.” 70%  of buyers have this toy high marks, 11% mid marks, and 11% hated it. Of those that didn’t like it, their dogs either wouldn’t play with it or they struggled with assembly

Pet Snuffle Interactive Mat

This looks really cool. They stress that, with training time and repetition, you can teach your dog to identify and react to individual numbers. Come on… really? How awesome would that be. Your friends would freak out if you told your dog to go to #8 and he DID IT!  Again, his is a training toy with other benefits

What you get –  The quality of a handmade Snuffle Mat, biodegradable materials, 100% quality assurance with their customer service hot line, various mats to match your dogs size. They claim that this mat can be used as a feeding platform as well. The mat has hiding places in its nooks and crannies, along with the numbered stations.

What it costs – Two different sizes of mat are closely prices and $39 & $35. However, we found a coupon that will give you nearly $19 off the listed price… so it can be purchased for almost 50% off. Reviews were very good on this item, with 90% of people rating it a 4 or 5 star buy.  People raved about how many treats can be hidden, and that the level of difficulty can be changed. It is given high marks for being sturdy and “unbreakable.”

Fuoyloo 4 piece Toy Squirrel House

Designed for smaller dogs, this is a plush chew toy set. There are squeakers to make your dog crazy, and the soft design is easy on the teeth and mouth. Great for puppies that are teething.

What you get –   There are three squirrels (that look oddly like raccoon’s) tucked into a tree trunk. The squirrels can be pulled out so they can be victimized by your dog and given the thrashing they deserve. Very cute looking and sure to be a hit with your small breed.  If raccoon’s aren’t your dog gig, you can also order this with foxes, sloths, or owls. (owls were out of stock at the time we wrote this blog, we didn’t give a hoot!)

What it costs – There’s a lot of fun packed into this four piece set and it is at a decent price point at $25.39. There is apparently a 6% off coupon available for this item at checkout. Zero reviews on this item, but it look like a good time for a small dog. It is made in China but most thing are in the dog toy market.

HurriK9 Dog Ring Launcher (Starter Pack)

If you have a medium to large breed dog that likes to play fetch, this toy is the perfect accessory for your back yard or the park. It’s technology at its finest, so much so that pet parents love to play with the toy, too.

What you get –  Comes with the hand held “launcher” that looks like a futuristic ray gun from a bad “B” movie, and two rings. You load up the ring and pull the trigger, the ring flies from 60 to 100ft. They show dogs of all sizes playing with this toy, but the size of the rings might be big for a tiny breeds mouth.

What it costs – The base unit (launcher and two rings) comes to you for $49.99. This is not a throw away toy, as the manufacture also has as “repair kit” for the launcher, and various ring replacements and upgrades that you can purchase. For another $35 you can get three “Heavy Duty” rings. Six replacement rings (when the starters wear out) will set you back $35.99.  For the amount of fun this could bring to a dog that loves to run and chase, $50 is a steal.  75% of buyers rated the toy 5 or 4 stars. 9% gave it a 3 rating. People who had issues with it seemed to complain that it was no match for their dog. Dogs gonna be dogs and if your dog destroys everything… why think these plastic rings would be different? This product is a small business product. We challenge you to support small businesses.

Adairian Rover Roasts

When your dog opens a box of steaks, they will lose their mind. When they find out they are plastic chew toys, they will lose their minds. Either way, its a fun time with plush squeaky toys.

What you get –  There is a variety to choose from, some have single steaks or ribs. We are focusing on the deluxe Steak Box. The box comes with three steaks that are packed just like steaks from your local market. Each steaks looks to be a different cut of meat, for your picky diners. The box also comes with dinner napkins and a bandanna for your dog for the “full dining experience.” These are soft/plush chewies, not the hard plastic steaks you see at other places.

What it costs – Price points start at $10.99 for single steaks and ribs. However the big box of steaks and accessories will run you a cool $35.99. You know you want to spring for the full Monty on this one… you dog will LOVE IT.  This is manufactured by a small minority owned business… so you get double the feel good about your purchase. Ratings are through the roof on this one, with a whopping 89% of buyers giving it a 5 or 4 starts. 11% gave it a 3, and there was nothing lower than that.

AuroarPet 20 Pack Variety Chew Toys

Yep, 20 of them and a nice variety to boot. Can you imagine the look on your dogs face when you dump 20 toys on the floor a one time. They would have no idea what to play with first.

What you get –  Everything from ropes to squeakers to frizbee toys. A dog would be set for a long time  with this much to kill. The octopus seems to be the center piece of this toy bonanza, but the sheer volume of  toys is enough to keep any dog happy for awhile. The set also comes with a poop bag dispenser and a few poop bags. This is designed for puppies and small dogs. They do put the warning that it’s not for “Super Chewers.” They also mention that their toys are made from “Safe products.”

What it costs –  20 toys out the door for $29.98. Listen, we aren’t professional math wizards but it looks like around $1.50 per toy, and THAT is a value any old day. Reviews are solid with 80% of buyers coming in with 5 or 4 stars. Again, made in China.

Minkissy Pet Communication Button (4pcs)

Unlike other buttons, YOU record the message thats on the box, so YOU control the training message and what you want your dog to “say” when they push the button.

What you get –  4 individual round buttons that you can customize with different words or phrases. Advertised as “high grade materials” that will remain sturdy for a long time.

What it costs –  Price point for all four buttons is $25.79. You can choose from pink or purple buttons. There’s true fun to be had here, as you use treats and praise to tempt and train your dog on how to speak the feelings you created for them. One can only imagine the ridiculous phrases, terrible words, or smart mouthed mutts that will be created from this toy. We support it fully… a dog needs its own voice, even if you decide what they say!! Sadly, like most dog toys, this is made in China.

That concludes our Great 8 toy review for Christmas 2023. Understand, we do not endorse any company, product, or item on this list… they all just look different, weird and fun. The FreddieSez team, Freddie’s Place, or anyone in or about our team did not receive any compensation from the manufactures. Frankly, we just looked through about 100 of 250 pages of dog toys on Amazon with the price point of $25 – $50 and chose things that looked like a dog would like them. Who knows, page 101 might have had cooler stuff than this, but we did see an enormous amount of duplicates, similar items, and cheap looking stuff that we bypassed. So do your won research, read reviews, comb over the specifics of the product, and get something that YOU think you’re dog will dig.

That’s it for this week’s Dog Blog. Watch our social media sites starting December 1^st for a big announcement of a country wide promotion to help dogs in need. Also, Freddie’s Christmas Gift to San Diego pet families will be unwrapped sometime early in the month, and we promise you it will be exciting and ground breaking stuff.

Till next week, from our FreddieSez crew to you and your family… go out and see Holiday stuff, decorate your home, have special times with your friends and family, enjoy the Christmas season and… above all else… include your pets. Be Dog Friendly out there, #FreddieSez.