The 6 Best Dog Advent Calendars for 2026 (Treats, Toys and DIY)

BARK is the company behind BarkBox, and its advent calendar is the most "complete" one here. Behind the 24 doors are 8 toys and 16 treats. The toys are BARK's own festive designs with squeakers, crinkle textures and nylon tug straps, and the treats are bakery-style biscuits in holiday shapes with frosted finishes. BARK says it suits dogs of all sizes.

The reason it sits at the top is that it isn't just 24 biscuits. A toy every few days means the calendar keeps paying off after December, and the box itself looks good enough to sit under the tree.

The trade-off: plush toys are not for every dog. If your dog destroys soft toys, supervise playtime and take away anything that starts to come apart, so stuffing and squeakers don't get swallowed.

SmartBones makes rawhide-free chews, and this calendar holds 24 of them in a small-dog size: 8 mini bones with sweet potato, 8 mini canes with chicken and 8 mini sticks wrapped with chicken. They're vitamin- and mineral-enriched, and a chew takes longer to finish than a biscuit, so your dog gets a few minutes of entertainment rather than a two-second snack.

The calendar is clearly built for small dogs. A Labrador or Shepherd would swallow these too quickly, which defeats the purpose and can be a choking risk. For a Chihuahua, Yorkie or Dachshund, it's one of the best-value options around.

Wufers bakes decorated dog cookies, and this calendar is its holiday showpiece: 24 hand-decorated cookies in festive shapes, behind a snow globe design that plays music. The brand says the cookies are baked in North America with human-grade ingredients, dog-safe icing and no artificial colors or flavors.

It's the one we'd pick as a gift. It looks like a bakery advent calendar for people, which is exactly why it gets a reaction when someone unwraps it. The cookies are a crunchy snack rather than a long-lasting chew, so think of them as a daily treat rather than entertainment.

If your dog sniffs at biscuits but goes wild for jerky, this is the calendar to get. The 2026 version mixes festive-shaped treats, freeze-dried treats, wraps, kabob-style meatballs, meat rolls and sausages, so there's a different texture behind most doors. The brand says it has expanded the selection and added more size options compared to last year's version.

The variety is great for picky eaters, but it's also the downside: lots of different proteins and textures in a short time can upset a sensitive stomach. Cut larger pieces in half for small dogs.

No treats, no calories, no ingredient worries: this calendar counts down the 12 days before Christmas with a toy behind each door. The set includes rope toys, rubber balls, chew toys and squeaky toys, and it's sized for small to large dogs. The listing describes the toys as built for strong chewers.

It's the obvious pick for dogs on a weight-loss plan or a prescription diet, and a fun one for households that want to skip extra food entirely. You only get 12 surprises instead of 24, but each one is something your dog can use again and again. Still, no toy is truly indestructible, so check them regularly and replace anything that's breaking apart.

The safest dog advent calendar is one you fill yourself. This wooden calendar has 24 small drawers decorated with dog and cat cartoons, and you decide what goes inside. It measures about 14.6 x 12.6 x 2.8 inches, and because it's wood rather than cardboard, you can use it year after year.

For dogs with food allergies, it's the only option on this list where you control every ingredient. Fill it with your dog's usual treats, a few pieces of kibble, freeze-dried single-protein treats or small toys. It's also a good choice for big dogs, since you can skip the tiny biscuits in pre-filled calendars.