If you're out Christmas shopping, and you pick up a gift for your pet, you won't be alone. Several studies show that most families, up to 80 percent of pet owners, buy gifts for their pets.

In fact, a third of dog and cat lovers spend more than 50 dollars more on Fido. These days, stores are selling more than dog bones. Popular items include automatic self-cleaning litter boxes, carpeted cat stands and glow in the dark fish tanks.

“We see a lot of toys, something to keep them busy during the holiday season,” explains Scott Evans from Pet Supplies Plus in Goshen. “This is the time of year where it's a time to spoil the dog or cat or reptile or bird little bit more than you normally would. So you will definitely see some purchases that are impulse buys that people would not normally buy.”

Typically experts do not recommend giving a pet as a present. It should be a family decision because it's a lifetime responsibility, but also a "gift that keeps on giving."