People love gifts of their pets as special as their bond with their furry (or feathery or scaley) friend. If you have a pet, you know exactly what we’re talking about. And the key to the best pet gifts that capture their unique bond? Personalization.
Show your friend or loved one that you understand the special bond they have with their pet with a custom gift they’ll absolutely love.
If you’ve ever wondered how to create personalized pet gifts, the answer is high-quality print-on-demand platforms like VistaPrint. Whether you’re looking for the perfect present for the pet lover in your life or gifts for the pets themselves, read on to explore personalized pet gift ideas.
- Determine what custom pet gifts to make/buy based on who it’s for (the owner, the pet) and the reason (birthday, memorial, etc).
- Personalized dog gifts, personalized cat gifts and all other thoughtful pet gifts can be a great way to welcome home a new pet, celebrate a pet’s birthday or adoption anniversary, or memorialize a pet who has passed on.
- Giving a personalized pet gift shows that you know the recipient well enough to create something that’s truly unique. Your gift reflects and celebrates their relationship with their pet.
Popular personalized pet gift ideas
Before diving into our guide on creating personalized pet gifts, let’s look at different personalized pet gift ideas to help you find what to create. There are options available both for pets, like a custom bowl, and of pets for their owners, like a custom wall calendar featuring their furbabies.
Gotcha gifts
Celebrate a new pet coming home with a “gotcha!” gift. Pet adoption anniversaries are often called the pet’s “gotcha day,” so make a pet’s first gotcha day extra-special with a gift that’s sweet, memorable and for the new pet parent’s sake, practical!
Personalized pet tags
Stylish and functional, these custom pet tags ensure your furry friend is always identifiable. Show off their unique personality with a pet tag that fits their vibe, like a playful font for a new puppy.
Custom dog collars
Personalize a custom dog collar with your pet’s name and details for a unique and practical accessory. Dog collars are a great gift for a new dog coming home or a puppy as they grow. They’re also a fun way to show off the pet’s personality, like a serene blue for a calm dog or a sophisticated black for a prim pet.
Custom pet bowls
Add a personal touch to mealtime with custom pet bowls, designed to reflect your pet’s personality. Think graphics like a skull and bones for Spike or a moon and stars for Luna.
Pet birthday/adoption anniversary gifts
Pets are part of the family, so of course you need to celebrate their birthday like you would any other family member! Sometimes, an adoption anniversary becomes a pet’s “birthday.” Or you can celebrate both! Pet photo keepsakes are a delightful way to celebrate each new year with your pet, whether that’s their birthday or just each year you’ve had them.
Pet photo canvas prints
Pet photo canvas prints are a timeless way to celebrate pets in any room of the house. They’re also a fantastic way to celebrate a beloved pet’s birthday or adoption anniversary. Choose a photo that really captures the pet’s personality, like an in-motion shot of a dog catching a frisbee or a cat laying in a sunbeam.
Wall calendars
Celebrate a pet’s milestones with a custom photo calendar! A photo calendar showcases 12 unique photos of the pet, making it a great choice for celebrating the pet’s first year—or simply their best moments!
Pet photo books
Among pet photo keepsakes, a pet photo book is a wonderful way to turn an entire camera roll’s worth of pictures into a tangible, glossy showcase. Separate it into seasons, vibes, settings or any other categories that make sense for your unique pet.
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Holiday gifts for pet lovers
When the holidays roll around, you might find yourself wondering what custom pet gifts to make/buy for your family and friends. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered. Check out VistaPrint’s custom pet photo gifts to find inspo for holiday gift-giving.
Pet photo mugs
Pet photo mugs are perfect for a morning cup of coffee, whether your pet is right beside you or waiting for you to get home from work. Choose colors and style options that match your pet, like a fun orange and black scheme to go with your calico cat’s coat.
Pet photo blankets
Cozy and functional, pet photo blankets are perfect for a pet-themed home decor piece. Snuggle up with your best friend and a blanket featuring your best friend. Make sure you get one big enough for you both!
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Custom pet pillows
Custom pet pillows are a great way to cuddle with your pet when they aren’t around to cuddle with you. Take a custom pet pillow on vacation, work trips or even send your child off to college with a keepsake of their pet back home. Add sentimental text or match the photo to a background color that makes it pop.
Custom pet socks
What’s more fun than wacky socks? Wacky socks with your pet’s face all over them! Celebrate your relationship with your pet with comfortable, fun pet socks. Try a cute or funny photo of your pet.
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Pet memorial gifts
It’s never easy to lose a pet. If a friend or loved one recently lost a pet, a personalized memorial keepsake can be a thoughtful, kind way to help them through this difficult period.
Paw print keepsakes
A paw print keepsake is a sweet way to remember a pet who’s passed on. There are a few ways to create these, such as a plaster cast of the pet’s paw or an ink print on paper.
Source: Capture your pet’s pawprint for a timeless keepsake via Depositphotos
Ornaments
A personalized pet ornament is a beautiful way to honor a pet who’s no longer with us. Choose a photo of a warm memory to create a sentimental ornament. You can even make it a yearly tradition by adding the year to each ornament!
Framed prints
Wall art is a lovely choice for any pet photo keepsakes, but for a memorial gift, it’s generally best to go with a more formal design choice. A framed print is a beautiful way to memorialize a pet who’s passed on, keeping their memory alive forever.
Step-by-step guide on how to create personalized pet gifts
1. Choose the right product
Choose which product you’d like to personalize. To narrow it down, first answer this question:
- Is the gift for a human or an animal?
Of course, gifts for animals like personalized pet tags and bowls, are also gifts for their human companions, but if the pet will be the one using the product, that’s an important factor to keep in mind. You wouldn’t want to give a harness that’s too small or a deep bowl that’s uncomfortable for a cat’s whiskers.
Once you’ve determined who the gift is actually for, brainstorm some pet gift ideas. Think about what the recipient can use and what they’d like. Maybe a pet photo mug is the perfect way to feel closer to their furry bff while they’re at work, or a custom-printed pet pillow is a great way to decorate their new apartment. Take a look through VistaPrint’s platform to find inspiration for custom pet photo gifts and more.
CTA: Does your loved one or friend also love to read? Check out our article on gifts for book lovers.
2. Upload pet photos or insert the pet’s name
Once you’ve picked a product, you can upload the photo you want to feature (if it’s a photo gift). Sometimes, custom pet photo gifts have space for more than one photo, so you can upload pictures of both (or all!) of your pets! For those that feature the pet’s name or a design, update the filler text or image to match the pet.
Once the photo is uploaded, you can make adjustments like its size, brightness and with certain products, position on the product.
3. Personalize your design
The best pet photo gifts don’t just feature beloved pets, they’re fully customized to the recipient. Try out different colors, design choices, fonts and more options in VistaPrint’s easy-to-use customization platform. It can be fun to match design elements to the pet themselves, like a bold font for a rambunctious puppy or a swirling, looping font for an elegant betta fish.
CTA: Pet gifts are just one kind of unique personalized gift VistaPrint has to offer. Scroll through our 2025 gift guide for more ideas and inspo.
4. Finalize your product
The last step in creating custom pet photo gifts is finalizing your design. Check out the 3D mockup VistaPrint creates as you design to see what it will look like once it’s in your hands. Like what you see? Finalize your design details, choose the quantity (matching custom pet socks, anyone?) and add to cart!
Bring your personalized pet gift ideas to life
There’s no better feeling than giving the perfect gift. If somebody in your life is a pet lover, it’s really easy to give them something they’ll love (almost) as much as their pet—a personalized pet keepsake. Explore VistaPrint’s custom pet photo gifts to find the perfect present, whether it’s goofy, sentimental, cute or plain fun. Personalized gifts make the perfect keepsakes because they show that you care enough to give something that’s truly one-of-a-kind.
And who said the perfect gift needs to be for somebody else? You can treat yourself to a unique, high quality pet photo gift too with Vistaprint!
