When your dog or puppy is sick, a gift can help cheer up an ill pooch — just like gifts cheer up your dog’s human friends.
Overview: Our Top Picks
- Gluten-free chews and biscuits ($9.49)
- Organic, healthy treats Organic chicken jerky go treat ($13.77)
- Extra-plush doggie bed ($29.99)
- Chew toys ($17.99)
- Sock monkey plush dog toy ($9.69)
- Dog shampoo with oatmeal and aloe ($12.56)
- Ice cream for dogs ($8.99)
Jump ahead to these sections:
- Get Well Gifts Basket Ideas for a Sick or Recovering Dog
- Get Well Soon Dog Toy Ideas
- Edible Get Well Soon Gift Ideas
You can find a wide assortment of get well gifts for dogs so you can find just the right thing for a canine who needs a little cheer. Look for gifts that cater specifically to your dog’s dietary needs, age, and mobility restrictions. Thankfully, there’s a gift out there for every pooch.
Get Well Gift Basket Ideas for a Sick or Recovering Dog
When a dog is sick or recovering, the pet’s owners feel the pain their furry friend is experiencing, too. A doggie get-well gift not only brings some cheer to the doggie who isn’t feeling well but to the two-legged members of the household as well.
1. Gluten-free gift basket
Didn’t know this was a thing? Some owners prefer to have their doggie on a gluten-free diet because some canine friends can’t have gluten in their diets. That’s why you can get unique gluten-free treat gift baskets.
These baskets come with a variety of treats that include gluten-free chews and biscuits along with toys and stuffed animals for special friends to enjoy while recovering from illness or an operation.
2. Organic treat gift basket
Organic treat baskets might just be the best thing you can give a sick or recovering doggie. Just as humans need good, healthy, nutritious food, dogs do, too. Organic, healthy treats are especially important when a dog is recovering.
The best baskets often include “superfood” treats. This type of basket is perfect when you want to show someone you care by going the extra mile to ensure the best possible type of nutrition for a dog while he’s recovering.
3. Doggie bed and blanket
You may love nothing more than curling up in bed with a cozy blanket when you’re sick. Dogs aren’t much different!
Get a sick pooch an extra-plush doggie bed and a blanket to curl up in. You’ll get hand licks and tail wags even if your pup isn’t feeling well.
4. Chew toys and treats basket
For dogs on the mend, a basket filled with chew toys and fun treats is just the thing to help them improve. Chew toys are best for younger dogs or older dogs who are less mobile but need stimulation. Any dog with a quiet temperament may be able to enjoy the toys without becoming overly excited. Be careful not to offer too much excitement — a dog can risk pulling out stitches or exert too much energy.
Pro tip: For dogs with dental problems, make sure the chew toys are plush rather than plastic. Check with owners for any dietary restrictions.
5. Custom get well gift basket
No pooch can resist a sock monkey or chewy treats. Owners can’t resist new shampoo, a fresh comb, and a new bandana.
A fun, lighthearted gift basket full of fun goodies can provide opportunities for loving interaction between furry friend and owner and give a recovering doggie a much-needed distraction from recovery.
Pro tip: If a friend gifts you and your furry friend a custom gift basket, write a thank you note and have your pooch sign it with a doggie paw stamp.
Get Well Soon Dog Toy Ideas
Dogs may not be very playful or excitable when sick or recovering, but dogs usually love new toys. They may cuddle with toys until they’re ready to play, but they’ll play with them as soon as they’re well enough. New toys can offer a dog motivation to get well soon.
6. Plush squeaky toy
Get any aged dog a plush squeaky toy in the shape of a bone, a heart, or a dog house.
Dogs love squeaky toys and will happily chew when they are confined to a bed, stuck in a “cone of shame,” or too sick to move. It will bring comfort, joy, and some normalcy to their recovery process.
7. Giggling plush toy
Push toys are fun to look at and make dog and owner both smile. Those that have a giggle box inside are even more fun. Giggle plush toys can look like any number of things, from a squirrel to a carrot. They’re brightly colored and sure to bring some happiness to a sick dog.
These types of toys naturally inspire a more playful spirit in a dog, so know how far along in the recovery process the dog is. If the dog can stand and get around and shake a toy, then this is the perfect one to get. If they need to stay as calm, quiet, and unmoving as possible, then go with a plush toy that does not giggle or make noise instead.
8. Chewy ball
Chewy balls are the closest thing to the tennis balls beloved of every dog, great and small. When your four-legged friend is sick or recovering from surgery, he doesn’t have the luxury of running in the park, chasing tennis balls into the ocean, or bounding across the street to play fetch.
Give your dog some fun without getting him too riled up. Offer a chewy ball instead of a regular tennis ball. These come in a wide variety of colors and some look like tennis balls. They’re chewy and soft and allow for biting and playing without getting too excited and worked up.
9. Plush teddy bear
Plush teddy bears can be fun, sweet toys that give your doggie something to cuddle up with. Doggies like to cuddle with something furry and soft, just like their humans enjoy cuddling with them.
Teddy bears provide a sense of love and warmth for them to hold while they aren’t feeling well.
10. Plush hiding chew toy
When a doggie is on the mend, get him a toy that helps stimulate him and still keeps him calm. A plush hiding chew toy comes in a wide variety of styles and options such as a plush squirrel in a plush stump. The squirrel gets tucked inside the stump and the dog can dig it out. Once the squirrel is retrieved, the owner can let him play with it or put it back inside for more hide-and-seek fun.
Pro tip: Add a “thinking of you message” with this gift to let their owner know that you’re still thinking of their doggie even when they are well on their way to recovering.
Edible Get Well Soon Gift Ideas
When dogs get sick, they don’t want chicken noodle soup. They want fun biscuits, doggie bones, and other yummy treats they can enjoy, instead. As with human edible get-well gifts, make sure to follow any dietary restrictions your human’s doggie friend may have.
11. Edible get well card
Edible get well cards are a fun, whimsical way to wish a doggie well. They have a customized message written in dog-friendly icing on the front of a postcard doggie biscuit.
12. Ice cream for dogs
Ice cream for dogs is doggie-safe and doggie-approved. They come in flavors like vanilla and peanut butter and make for a delicious treat for a doggie under the weather.
13. Get well cookies
Get well cookies are specially-made doggie biscuits with dog-approved icing. They can be customized to come in any shape you want, from pills to dog bones or dog houses. You can have “get well” written on them as well for an extra dose of good vibes and well wishes.
14. Personalized dog treats
Dog treats shaped into a dog’s favorite things, from tennis balls to doggie bones. Have them personalized with a dog’s name stamped into the top of the treat or written in icing. Complete the gift by placing all the fresh treats in a custom treat jar with a bow.
15. Treat box
Get a doggie a treat box filled with pill-shaped cookies, Band-Aid-shaped biscuits, and iced doggie bones. A dog is sure to love the variety and will enjoy each treat as he gets get better.
16. Get well doggie cake
You can DIY this cake by getting a doggie-approved cake mix or ordering one and having it delivered. A doggie cake is a special treat for dogs to enjoy at any stage in the healing process. Give it to them when they return from the hospital or as a celebration of recovery. Either way, they’re sure to love it.
Loving Canine Friends
Dogs enjoy receiving get well gifts just as much as humans do when they’re not feeling well or recovering from surgery. From plush toys to fun, edible treats, your doggie friends are sure to love you when you send a delightful package with a note to get well soon.