Gifts for Dog Owners: Photo, Dog-Print and Breed Gift Ideas

What makes a good gift for a dog owner?

Dog people are easy to shop for in one way: you already know what they care about. The hard part is finding something that isn’t one more mug or keychain. A good gift does three things well.

• It’s about their dog, not dogs in general. A photo of their own dog will always feel more personal than a generic paw print.
• It gets used. Pajama pants, blankets and socks are worn and used often, so the gift gets seen often too.
• It fits. Clothing needs the right size. When you’re unsure, a blanket skips the size question altogether.

A blanket works better than clothing for a surprise, because there is no fit to guess and every couch has room for one more throw.

One thing to know before you scroll: everything in this guide is for people. These are dog gifts for humans. We don’t make clothes or accessories for dogs to wear, and we don’t sell matching dog-and-owner sets.

So when people ask for the best gifts for dog lovers, our answer is anything about their own dog. Unique gifts for dog owners printed from a photo also make good presents for people with dogs who already own every leash and toy, and they count as cool presents for dog owners who seem to have everything. Cat people are covered too: every photo item here works as one of our pet lover gifts with a cat picture, so this doubles as a list of gifts for the pet lover in general. For cat people specifically, see our guide to cat lover gifts.

How do you choose? A quick checklist

Run through these questions and the right section below will usually be obvious.

1. Can you get a clear photo of their dog? If yes, start with the personalized gifts. If not, see the tips below for getting one without spoiling the surprise.
2. Do they have more than one pet? Choose the number of pets (up to 5) and upload a photo of each, so every pet fits on one gift.
3. How do they spend downtime? Couch people want a blanket. Early-to-bed people want pajamas. Dog walkers want socks they can show off.
4. Do you know their size? If you don’t, choose a blanket. If you do, check the size charts on each product page.
5. Is there a date? Everything is made to order, so leave time, especially in the holiday season.
6. Has their dog died recently? Skip the playful picks and see the memorial section instead.

Personalized gifts for dog lovers, made with their dog’s photo

These are our most personal options. You upload a photo of their dog on the product page, and our team crops it and places it on the design. If a photo is too blurry, dark or low-resolution to print well, we email you before production. They work just as well with a cat photo.

Pet face pajama pants

Custom Pet Face Pajama Pants put their dog’s face on an all-over print. They’re 100% polyester in a lightweight stretch fabric with an elastic waistband. There are no side pockets and no drawstring. Choose a men’s or women’s cut in sizes S–2XL.

The print runs all over both legs, which means the dog’s face repeats many times. A close-up of the face prints better here than a full-body shot taken from across the room.

Christmas pajama pants with their dog’s face

For the holiday version, choose a Christmas background for the pet face pajama pants, or pick the women’s Christmas short pajama set in red or cream. They’re a good pick for a family gift exchange or a Christmas morning photo. Order early. Shipping can take longer during the holidays.

A photo blanket for the couch

A pet face blanket is the gift to choose when you don’t know someone’s size. Pick from five styles in fleece, sherpa or minky, in sizes from 30″ x 40″ up to 60″ x 80″. You can add the dog’s name (up to 12 characters). The print is single-sided, and the fleece and sherpa styles are machine washable.

Socks with their dog’s face

Custom Pet Face Socks are polyester-blend crew socks printed with their dog’s face. They come in 3 sizes (12.5, 14 or 15.5 x 3.5 in), and they make an easy stocking stuffer or add-on to a bigger gift.

A satin pajama set with their dog’s face

The Custom Pet Face Satin Pajama Set is a long-sleeve button-up shirt with matching pants in 100% polyester satin, finished with contrast border trim. Their dog’s face is printed by dye-sublimation, and the set comes in sizes XS–5XL. It takes longer than our other pajamas to make and ship, so leave extra time before a birthday or holiday.

How do you get a good photo without spoiling the surprise?

This is the part most gift-givers worry about. A few ways to get a usable photo quietly:

• Ask someone in their household. A partner, roommate or family member can send an original from their phone.
• Take one yourself. Next time you visit, snap a few close-ups of the dog near a window or outside.
• Look through shared albums. Family photo streams often have better originals than social posts.
• Avoid screenshots where you can. Images saved from social apps are often compressed and may not print sharply. The original file from the phone is the better choice because it keeps all the detail in the fur and eyes.

Look for a photo where the face is in focus, the light is good, and the dog fills most of the frame. If the picture you send won’t print well, we’ll email you before production so you can swap it. Our guide on photographing pets indoors has more tips.

Want to see every photo option in one place? Browse our full range of personalized pet gifts.

What about a home with more than one pet?

Many dog owners have two dogs, or a dog and a cat. You don’t need to choose. On every GenzOutfit photo product you can pick the number of pets, up to 5, and upload one clear photo of each. Our team places every pet on the same design, so the whole family ends up on one pair of pajama pants, one blanket or one pair of socks.

Photograph each pet on its own, in the same spot and light. Faces taken at a similar distance print at a similar size, which keeps the design looking even.

What if their dog has died?

If someone you know has recently lost their dog, a playful gift can feel wrong. A memorial piece is quieter. A photo blanket with the dog’s photo and name (up to 12 characters) gives a favorite picture somewhere to live. It comes in fleece, sherpa or minky.

To get a photo without asking the owner directly, try a partner, family member or a mutual friend. There are more options, including photo blankets and socks, in our pet memorial gifts.

Present ideas for dog lovers: quick picks

Need a present for a dog lover and short on ideas? Start with the dog. The best present for a dog lover shows their own dog, and every idea below does that. These dog owner present ideas run from small to cozy.

• A gift for a dog lover who has everything: pet face socks. Small, personal and easy to wrap.
• Useful gifts for dog owners: a pet face blanket for the couch, where the dog probably naps anyway.
• Cool gifts for dog lovers: pet face pajama pants on a bright background.
• Great presents for dog lovers who love Christmas: a Christmas pet face pajama set.
• Gifts for people who love their dog more than anything: one blanket with every pet in the family on it.

Most dog presents for humans fall into three groups: things to wear, things to wrap up in and things to keep. Ours cover the first two, and good presents for dog lovers usually come from those two groups. If you’re still collecting ideas for dog presents, the sections below sort them by person and occasion.

Good gifts for new dog owners

The best gifts for new dog owners celebrate the first weeks. A gift for a new dog owner made from one of the first photos becomes a little time capsule. Good presents for new dog owners are pet face socks or pajama pants, because a new puppy changes fast and a blanket can wait for the grown-up face.

A gift from the dog

Gifts from the dog to Dad or Mom are a favorite for birthdays, Father’s Day and Mother’s Day. A gift from dog to owner can be signed with a paw print on the card. Men’s pet face pajama pants make easy gifts for Dad from the dog, and the women’s short pajama set suits mom and dog gifts.

Breed gifts: any breed from a photo

Every item starts from a photo, so breed doesn’t limit you. These work as gifts for golden retriever owners, for chihuahua lovers, for poodle owners and for Yorkie lovers. A German shepherd, a shih tzu or a mixed breed prints just as well.

Birthday and Valentine’s Day presents

Birthday gifts for dog lovers can be playful: their dog’s face on bright pajama pants or socks. For Valentine’s Day gifts for dog lovers, pick the “I Love You” background and add the dog’s face. Order early either way, since every piece is printed to order.

Funny gifts for dog lovers

Funny gifts for dog lovers work best when the joke is the dog itself. Socks covered in one goofy face, or pajama pants with a dog mid-sneeze, are funny dog owner gifts that still feel personal.

For a grieving pet owner

Gifts for grieving pet owners should be gentle, not funny. For gift ideas for losing a dog, think quiet and personal. A blanket with the pet’s face and name is a quiet choice. See our pet memorial gifts for more ideas and timing.

Gift ideas by breed and by dog person

Every gift starts from a photo, so any breed works. Here are doggie gift ideas for some of the people on your list.

• Gifts for German shepherd owners: men’s pet face pajama pants, like the German shepherd print in our photos. German shepherd gifts for owners suit a long weekend on the couch.
• Golden retriever gift ideas: a pet face blanket with that happy golden face. Golden retriever mom gifts can be the women’s short pajama set.
• Labrador gifts for dog lovers: pajama pants or socks with their Lab’s face. Labrador retriever gifts for dog lovers work for black, yellow and chocolate coats.
• Yorkie gifts for the dog owner: socks with one tiny face on repeat. Gifts for Yorkshire terrier lovers and gifts for shih tzu lovers work best with a close-up photo.
• Gifts for bulldog lovers and Pomeranian lovers: a pet face blanket shows off a flat face or a fluffy one equally well. Beagle mom gifts work the same way.

For dog walkers and dog sitters

Present ideas for dog walkers and gift ideas for a dog sitter: pet face socks with the dog they look after. Dog walking present ideas don’t need a size guess, and socks are easy to send.

Gifts from pets to owners

Gifts from pets to owners are a sweet idea for birthdays. Choose the gift, sign the card with a paw print, and let the dog take the credit.

Awesome dog lover gifts don’t need to be big. Cute gifts for dog owners, cool gifts for pet owners and unique gifts for the dog lover all come back to the same idea: a gift for a dog person should show their dog. That is what makes a great gift for dog lovers, and a perfect gift for dog lovers who seem to have everything.

Who is each gift for? Every dog person on your list

Every dog person on your list has a different reason a store-bought gift falls flat. Here is the honest match for each one.

• Dog moms: most “dog mom” mugs carry a slogan and a stranger’s breed. Pajama pants printed with her own dog’s face, cut from her photo, are about her dog and nobody else’s.
• Dog dads: he is hard to shop for, and one more gift card is forgettable. Socks with his dog’s face come out on every early walk.
• Cat owners in the same house: cat gifts tend to be cartoon cats and puns. One clear phone photo of the real cat is enough, and a person on our team checks it before printing.
• A coworker or dog walker who has everything: generic dog gifts end up re-gifted. One photo from their phone does the job, and if it is too blurry to print well, we email you first.
• Families who want matching pajamas: someone always ends up left out of the photo. The same dog goes on women’s and men’s pajama pants, and the family discount applies once you order more than one piece.
• Couples: anniversary presents start to feel the same every year. Their shared dog on two pairs of pajama pants is a gift about the two of them.
• Grandparents of a grand-dog: they live far away and miss the dog between visits. A photo blanket keeps that face on their couch all week.
• New puppy owners: a puppy grows up in a few short months, and nothing personal exists yet. Socks made from a first-week photo keep the tiny version.
• Christmas and birthday shoppers: last-minute holiday buys tend to be generic. Every piece is made to order, so order early for the holidays and pick a Christmas background.
• Someone grieving a dog: you may worry a gift will hurt instead of help. A soft blanket with a favorite photo and the dog’s name is a quiet keepsake, given when they are ready.
• Homes with two dogs, or a dog and a cat: one pet always gets left out of the gift. Choose the number of pets on the product page so every face goes on one design.
• You, if the dog is yours: you might hesitate to buy it for yourself, yet your camera roll is mostly the dog anyway. Treat yourself, no occasion needed.

What are good dog owner gifts for each occasion?

The occasion can narrow things down quickly.

• Birthdays: the pet face satin pajama set, ordered well ahead, or a photo blanket.
• Christmas and holiday gift swaps: the Christmas pet face pajama set for close family, pet face socks for a bigger group.
• A new adoption or a new puppy: pet face pajama pants or socks made from one of the first photos.
• A thank-you for a dog sitter or walker: pet face socks or a photo blanket with the dog’s name on it.
• Mother’s Day or Father’s Day from the dog: pet face pajama pants or a photo blanket for either parent. For her, our dog mom gift ideas go further.

What offers apply to dog owner gifts?

Buying for more than one dog person, or adding a pair for yourself? These are the offers running in the store right now.

Ordering for the family? Mix any styles and sizes: one for you, one for them. Your cart always shows the final price.

• 2 items: 15% off, added automatically in your cart
• 3 or more items: 20% off, added automatically in your cart
• Free shipping from 2 items
• Just one? Code PETPJ20 takes 20% off at checkout
• Problem with your order? If it arrives damaged, misprinted or wrong, email us photos within 14 days of delivery and we reprint it or refund you

When should you order custom gifts for dog owners?

Every item is printed after you order. Production takes 1–5 business days and US shipping takes 2–11 business days, depending on the style; the satin pajama set takes the longest. During the holiday season, shipping can take an extra 5–15 business days. We don’t promise delivery dates, so order early for birthdays, holidays and anything else with a date attached. We ship to US addresses.

Frequently asked questions