Spring - that time when we and our dogs emerge from our Winter "hibernation" and start getting in shape for summer with long walks through the park and around the neighborhood. Your pet (and you) will step out in style with these great gift ideas!

Chic Collars and Leashes

Update your pet's image with a brand new collar and leash!

PawPrintz Pet Boutique, one of our favorite online pet shopping stops, carries a fabulous assortment of designer collars and leashes for dogs and cats from the practical to the glitzy! We found beautiful leather collars in floral, plaid and polka-dot designs, Asian Brocade, "Preppy" stripe and "Retro floral" fabric collars, designer items from Coach, Playboy™ and Pamela Anderson™, crystal, jeweled and fur boa sets for the "frilly" types and biker motifs for macho dogs! Most are available to fit neck sizes from 8 " to 26".

Some of the most beautiful collars we've seen are the Earthstone line of pet collars, available at CatsPlay.com. Made from fine leather with real semiprecious stones and metals, these collars are dressy yet sturdy enough for everyday wear (though I don't recommend it for wild off-leash playing in the dog park). Our favorite? The Patriotic Pooch Pet collar - a beautifully detailed Sterling Silver Star, Czech Pressed Glass Beads and Sterling Silver disks on crimson Italian suede!

Or make your dog or cat a personalized rhinestone collar (or a bracelet for yourself) with their interactive collar builder. Spell out your pet's name in 5 different colors and add hearts, stars and other charms! Also at CatsPlay.com.

Collar Charms - The Hottest New Trend!

Collar charms are the newest thing in pet apparel! Like an ID tag, these decorative charms attach to your dog's collar to make a fashion statement and add some sparkle. Flowers, hearts, crowns, stars, pawprints, flags, letters, butterflies, a sterling silver bone, even a football were among the designs we found at PawPrintz Pet Boutique!

You could also put these charms on a chain and wear them yourself as a pendant or attach them to the zipper pull of your pet's carrier, your purse or a cell phone case.

For the Dog Who Has Everything ...

Would you believe... pet jewelry?? Pick up a little something truly special for that totally-spoiled dog or cat!

If you want to splurge, check out PawPrintz Pet Boutique for Dorothy Bauer designer pet jewelry, beautiful ID tags in crystal, sterling silver or 14K gold, crystal barrettes, real freshwater pearl necklaces for your dog or cat, and even tiaras!

For the more budget-minded, CatsPlay.com carries costume jewelry for cats and "teacup" to small sized dogs. Most have either stretch elastic or a breakaway design for safety.

Finally, a truly pampered dog shouldn't have to carry her own ID around, should she? With an ID Purse™ from Petjewelry.com - Designer Pet products she doesn't have to. Adorable, affordable and practical, these leather pockets attach to the collar and neatly store your dog's tags so they don't jingle and jangle.

The Other End of the Leash ...

Last but not least, some gift ideas for your favorite dog or cat lover (or yourself) - because humans are special too!

For dog owners, PawPrintz Pet Boutique has beautiful jewelry in sterling silver and 14K gold.

But we also found unique and attractive gifts in some very unexpected places. CatsPlay.com has a number of rhinestone dog breed pins, earrings and tie tacks, as well as an affordably-priced photo-frame necklace and earring set. We also found a silver bangle-style wristwatch featuring some adorable puppy photos!  

Whales & Friends Catalog has the loveliest hand-crafted puppy cameo pendant in agate and sterling silver, trimmed in 14K gold. Want to celebrate your dog's wild ancestors? They also have necklaces, charms and bracelets featuring wolf motifs. The Animal Den also has an assortment of wolf jewelry and a unique dog and bone design toggle necklace in sterling silver.

For Your Favorite "Cat Person" ...

CatsPlay.com has great selection of Austrian Swarovski crystal pins, lockets, earrings and tie tacks. Some can be personalized with your cat's name.

Another great shopping place for cat gifts is the Animal Den, where you'll find a variety rings, pins, pendants, necklaces, charms and bracelets. They have some delightful sterling silver earrings, featuring amethyst, garnet (pictured) and other semiprecious accents, and an adorable pair of hand-painted calico cat earrings. (Hint - to see the sterling jewelry, choose "Other Cat Gift Items" from the Cat Gift Products page).

Whales & Friends Catalog also carries a large assortment Cat Gifts & Collectibles, including some extraordinary 14K gold and sterling silver cat jewelry. Not to be missed, a beautiful "angel cat" cameo necklace, in agate and sterling silver, and some hard-to-find items like a 14K gold cat naval stud !