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11 Whimsical Advent Calendars Just for Pets

12 and 24-day options for dogs and cats who deserve a treat on the daily during the holidays.

by Charles Manning
November 23, 2022
Numbered circles and assorted pet treats and toys for an advent calendar set on a periwinkle blue snowy background

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Remember when you were a kid and your parents would get you one of those silly little cardboard advent calendars in the days ahead of the holidays? Filled with tiny plastic trinkets or chocolates pressed into cheery holiday shapes, those daily treats made the lead-up to the big day a little more bearable and a lot more fun.

It’s a particular kind of holiday magic that ’80s and ’90s kids know especially well and one you can now recreate it for your pet. (Also, on a purely practical level, it’s probably not a bad idea to space your pet’s gifts out over a handful of days as opposed to unloading them all at once. That way they have time to get used to each new item on its own instead of being overwhelmed by a deluge of new stuff arriving all at once. I mean, you were planning a deluge, right?)

Btw, our editors (and their pets) picked out these products. They’re always in stock at the time we publish, but there’s a chance they’ll sell out. If you do buy through our links, we may earn a commission. (We’ve got a lot of toys to buy over here, you know?)

the dog advent calendar

Gifting has never been more philanthropic than it is with this dog advent calendar from nutrition company and proponent of all things personalized, Dog Child. 100 percent of the proceeds from each calendar’s purchase are donated to Love Puppies, a company with a mission to stop the inhumane treatment of dogs at puppy mills. Created in partnership with Healthybud, Dumpling Street, and Treatzee, this satisfying array of treats will help your pup ring in the holiday season in style.

$34 at Dog Child

dog advent calendar

This 24-day advent calendar is perfect for smaller dogs and will look absolutely precious incorporated into your festive holiday decor. Behind each of its numbered doors are two delicious chicken-bacon flavored soft treats your pup will love. And if you want, you can always order an advent calendar for yourself, while you’re at it. Williams Sonoma sells a ton, although the Dolly Parton calendar is particularly wonderful, if you ask us. DOLLY!

$51 at Williams Sonoma
cat advent calendar in red

Cat parents, fear not! There’s something for you and your number one snuggler here, too. The Too Good Gourmet 12 Days of Christmas Cat Advent Calendar contains 12 individually wrapped gourmet cheese-flavored cat treats and retails for a mere $14.99. It’s the perfect way to let your kitty in on the holiday fun and you can get an additional 10 percent off if you order it online, then pick it up at a World Market store near you.

$15 at World Market
the advent calendar in a box with dog illustrations on the cover

This Bonne et Filou advent calendar features a veritable smorgasbord of holiday doggy treats: 12 dog bones with yogurt and sprinkles, eight dog truffles, and four peanut butter dog macarons. It’s beautifully decorated with watercolor illustrations of doggo living their best holiday lives and thanks to Neiman Marcus’s rewards system, it is practically free if you combine it with one or two other holiday items totaling $200 or more. Maybe a little something for yourself? Or a big something!

$70 at Neiman Marcus
advent calendar for pets

The 12-part Winter Box from Lambwolf Collective features four gifts for you and eight for your pet, so everyone can get in on the fun. There’s a small origami snuffle mat for food play and a trio of plush toys both with and without squeakers. Since dogs can’t eat chocolate, there are also four edible treats made from turkey hearts, bison kidneys, chicken breasts, and beef livers — yum!

And as for you, there’s a “dogs over people” scarf, calming essential oils, a desktop EO diffuser, and a ~*mYsTEry*~ gift. And best of all, it’s on sale right now for 40 percent off.

$120 at Lambwolf
advent calendar in red box

Cats like toys, too! Well, some of them do. Very specific toys, which are often hard to discern. But that is what makes this cat toy advent calendar so great. For a mere $10, you get 12 different toys, at least one of which your picky puss is sure to love. There’s a reindeer kicker, a frilly wand teaser, five assorted balls, and five little plushies. Two of the toys produce crinkle sounds to help spark your cat’s excitement and four are infused with catnip to really get your kitty going.

$10 at Target
cat shaped advent calendar in red and green

Sort of a DIY take on a traditional advent calendar, this reusable cat-themed advent calendar is perfect for kitties with particular tastes that a pre-made advent calendar simply cannot accommodate. You can also generate renewed excitement in existing toys by taking them out of your cat’s rotation for a few days, hiding them in the advent calendar, and then reintroducing them a little later. Your cat won’t mind one bit. After all, absence does make the heart grow fonder.

$15 at Etsy

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Charles Manning

Charles Manning is an actor, writer, and fashion/media consultant living in New York City with his two cats, Pumpkin and Bear. Follow him on Instagram @charlesemanning.