It’s that time of year when we’re wrapping packages and generously giving holiday treats to our beloved pets. But did you know that your pets actually prefer praise to treats? It’s true. Research reveals, such as in a recent article that was published in Science of Us, that “most dogs would take affection-verbal good boy or a belly rub-over food.”

A recent study in the Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Journal used an MRI scan. Dogs were put in a maze: some with food at the end; others with their owners at the end. Most dogs, with only a few exceptions, preferred their owners. Doesn’t that just feel good? So while I won’t discourage you from buying gifts for your pets during this holiday season, I will remind you to keep safety as the top criteria for gift selection. And remember, your pup would likely prefer your attention over anything you can find in a store, anyway.

Happy Holidays!