Finding a Unique Gift for a Dog Lover

Giving a great gift is truly an art and something the recipient will cherish for years to come. Picking out a meaningful gift for someone requires some time, effort and thought. A common misconception is that you need a large budget in order to buy someone a great gift. This is definitely not the case. A great gift is not measured by the amount of money you spend on it, but by the amount of thought you put into it. Anyone can run to the grocery store and pick up a greeting card or a cheap box of candy. Chances are though, if you ask the recipient a year later if they remember what you got them...they probably won't remember. Even worse, they may only remember that you got them a thoughtless last minute gift that left them feeling like you didn't care about them. Don't be surprised if when the time comes for them to give YOU a gift, they don't put any effort or thought into it either.

I've definitely received my share of bad gifts. I've also had my share of good ones. To give you an idea of what a good gift should be, let me tell you about a gift my friend got me that really showed me she put some thought into it. Shortly after our wedding, my husband and I purchased our first home in the city. My parents still lived in the suburbs and the family dog who I grew up with, stayed with them. I told my friend how much I missed "my" dog (he is really my parents' dog) and that home just didn't feel like home anymore because my dog wasn't there to greet me when I walked in the door. The next time she came over she told me she had a housewarming gift for me. Inside the box was a door mat that was airbrushed with a black silhouette of my dog. Included was a gift card that said: "I hope this makes your home feel like home again. Your dog will always be here to greet you when you come home." Although a dog mat isn't your traditional housewarming gift, this particular gift made my home feel more like home. I appreciated the thought that went into it and it's almost two years later and I the dog mat still brings a smile to my face when I walk in the door. I am not only reminded of my beloved dog, but also of the wonderful friend who was thoughtful enough to get me the gift.

Remember how earlier I said....a great gift is not measured by the amount of money you spend on it, but by the amount of thought you put into it? It really was true in this case. My friend was a college student at the time with a very low budget. After a few weeks of pestering her, she finally told me where she got the dog mat from. She found the mat on www.petmatsil.com and for under $20 with shipping included, she was able to get me a gift that meant more to me then the expensive espresso machine someone got me as a housewarming gift that I never actually use. If there is someone you know who really misses their dog or cat, such as homesick college student or someone who has suffered the loss of a pet, then a dog mat or cat mat along with a thoughtful gift card might just brighten their day.