RE: Do you buy birthday or Christmas gifts for your pets?
As both mine were rescue dogs I don't really know when their birthdays are but we decided to celebrate each dogs birthday on the same day as the children's birthday. I have to admit that I don't make a fuss over their "birthdays" like the children do as I know deep down that the date is wrong but it does help to keep track how old they are!
I can't say that I've ever bought my dogs either birthday or Christmas gifts as I'm normally too strapped for cash with buying other things but I do make sure that I give them a little more attention than normal and perhaps a few extra treats.
At the end of the day some dogs love the extra attention and some dogs don't but as long as both owner and pet are happy it doesn't really do anyone any harm does it? If a dog owner has the cash to spend on silly dog gifts for Christmas then why not?