For Our Best Friends

"Pets are family members now," says Darlene Arden, the Framingham-based author of The Irrepressible Toy Dog (Howell Book House, 1998) and The Angell Memorial Animal Hospital Book of Wellness and Preventive Care for Dogs (McGraw Hill, 2002). "Even with working animals, people are taking better care of them," she says. "People enjoy them so much, they want to do something for and with them."

And many pets, Arden says, particularly dogs, love being included in the holidays: "There's nothing as happy as a dog opening his own gift and knowing it's for him."

If there's a pet or pet lover on your gift list this year, these items are among the best in show.

Pet-Portrait Quilts

Jan Queijo of Hubbardston combines her love of animals with her sewing skills to create portrait quilts to celebrate or memorialize a cherished pet. Working from a photograph of the animal, Queijo first selects fabrics that will best represent the animal's coat and features, then enlarges the picture to life size, using the copy as a template to cut out ears, eyes, jowls, and so on. After she sews the fabric pieces together onto a backing material, Queijo embroiders noses, whiskers, and facial lines and then completes the quilting by hand.

Twenty-four-inch-square wall hangings can be ready in less than a week and cost about $200. Quilts may take up to two months and start at $400, depending on the size and complexity of the design. Queijo also donates many of her quilts to animal rescue organizations for fund-raising auctions.

On the Web at www.crazydoglady.com.

Rare Breed

For the dog lover who has everything, how about a rare or collectible book? When it comes to dog books, collectibility is in the eye of the reader, says Ken Gloss, proprietor of the Brattle Book Shop in Boston.

Some people like to collect books on their pet's breed, where the book's rarity probably matches that of the dog. Others like to collect dog books from their childhood; vintage copies in pristine condition of an original Lassie book can cost up to $1,000, Gloss says.

But the most prized old dog books are those from the 18th and 19th centuries that feature hunting dogs. "The rich hunted," says Gloss, "and the rich had the money to buy books."

Brattle Book Shop, 9 West Street, Boston. On the Web at www.brattlebookshop.com or call 617-542-0210 or 800-447-9595.

Bead Dazzling

Barbara Anderson of Westford, Massachusetts, and Nancy Brubaker of Concord, New Hampshire, met at Camp Gone to the Dogs in Stowe, Vermont, in 2001. They combined their love of dogs and all things stylish to create personalized beaded canine collars, because, says Anderson, "dogs need jewelry, too."

They scoured every family jewel box to locate big, unusual vintage beads to accent their custom creations. They use an assortment of colorful contemporary beads as well.

The beads are strung on 18-gauge wire, with the ends tucked into the beads for safety, but the necklaces are not intended for use as a replacement for the traditional canine collar. "They're something for the dog to wear when it goes out socially," says Anderson.

Necklaces up to 20 inches long are $20, plus shipping. Larger necklaces are priced individually. Allow three weeks for delivery.

Necklaces are sold online at http://barbarachloejosie.tripod.com/ dogbeadcollarnecklaces/. For more information, contact Anderson at 978-251-7564 or e-mail her at barbara.chloejosie@verizon.net.

Chow, Bella

Celebrate those special occasions -- puppy's first birthday or graduation from obedience school -- with fancy pastries or cakes from The Gourmet Dog of Newport, Rhode Island.

Kelley Coen and her crew will cater pet parties and deliver catnip cookies for your precious pets. Treats such as cakes and a meatless lasagna are made from the same ingredients as high-quality pet foods, says Coen. "They're made to appeal to our eyes and the pets' stomachs," she says.

The Gourmet Dog will ship its specialties anywhere, but Coen warns that the cost of delivering the perishable items can sometimes be more than the food itself.

Cakes and entrees range in price from $16 to $32; pastries, $3 each; catnip cookies, $3 a dozen; parties, $100 and up.

On the Web at www.thegourmetdog.com or call 401-841-9301.

Click it

Know a pooch or parrot that just won't do as it's told? According to many pet professionals, clicker training produces results in a snap for dogs, cats, birds, and other animals.

The positive-reinforcement method works this way: You click the hand-held

device when you see Fido or Tweetie doing something right, then reward the petimmediately. Eventually, the pet behaves without the reward. The animals think they're training you, professionals say, which must be how clicker training can work on cats.

There are many books and videos on clicker training. Karen Pryor's Waltham-based ClickerTraining.com offers a good selection.

On the Web at www.clickertraining.com or call 781-398-0754.

Fluffy, on the Sofa

If you're tired of ratty dog pillows littering the floor or cat hairs engulfing the couch, Posh Pet Furniture can help you out.

At $450 apiece, Posh daybeds, chaises, and sofas come in a variety of fabrics to match your decor and are built with a solid wood frame, upholstery-weight fabric, and professional-grade stuffing, according to company president Brandon Howard. A moisture-proof interior cushion is available, in case of accidents.

On the Web at Poshpetfurniture.com or call 866-976-7387.

Night Light

Walking your pets at night can be dangerous, especially if they're small or have dark coats. Now when the sun goes down, motion-sensitive, battery-operated lighted identification tags can make your pet more noticeable and more festive to boot. The season-appropriate tags are $5 each.

At PETsMART stores, all locations.