Target's $10 Christmas Lights Toy Gives Dogs Something Festive to Tug On

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Plenty of Christmas decorations are best admired from a distance. The ornaments, garland and especially that strand of lights wrapped around the tree are better left untouched, no matter how tempting they might look to a curious pup.

Thankfully, Target has a much safer alternative for dogs who want in on the decorating fun. The Bark Merry & Bite Lights Dog Plush Rope Toy is $9.99 and looks like a strand of three oversized Christmas bulbs. Unlike the real thing, these colorful lights are specifically made for dogs to grab, shake and challenge you to a game of tug-of-war.

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Bark Merry & Bite Lights Dog Plush Rope Toy, $9.99 at Target

The Merry & Bite Lights toy connects three plush bulbs in green, red and blue with a braided T-shirt rope. At 11 inches wide and 5 inches tall, it's big enough for your dog to grab a bulb while you hold the rope at the other end.

That's what makes this one more interesting than a Christmas plush that mostly gets carried around the house. Bark designed the rope to pull through the toy for tugging, giving energetic dogs a festive outlet for some of that playtime enthusiasm.

Each of the three bulbs also contains its own squeaker. Add crinkle material to the mix and your dog gets multiple sounds and textures to investigate as they bite, shake and toss their new "lights."

The design itself might be my favorite part. The old-fashioned bulb shapes make the toy look like the chunky Christmas lights you might remember seeing on trees years ago. They're even covered in tiny speckles that give them a little extra sparkle. Leave it sitting near the tree or poking out of your dog's toy basket, and it almost passes for another piece of holiday decor.

We've seen plenty of clever ways to work animals into Christmas decorating this year, including World Market's glass hummingbird feeder ornament . This flips the idea around by turning the decoration itself into something your dog can actually play with.

Related: Marshalls' $13 Yule Log Gives Dogs 3 Squeaky Toys to Dig Out Before Christmas

It Gives Dogs Their Own Christmas Lights to Destroy

Anyone with a dog who likes tugging knows the game doesn't always stay confined to designated toys. A dangling blanket, sock or anything else within reach can suddenly become fair game.

That's part of what makes these plush lights such a fun idea. They mimic something dogs absolutely shouldn't be chewing while giving them a version that's actually meant for chomping. The rope also creates several places to grab, which could come in handy during a spirited game of tug.

And dogs aren't the only pets getting their own versions of our holiday decorations. Hobby Lobby recently turned another familiar sight under the tree into a Christmas gift box that's actually a cat scratcher .

At $9.99, it's inexpensive enough to work as a stocking stuffer or a small early Christmas surprise. Your actual string lights can stay safely on the tree. Your dog can have these three to squeak, crinkle and tug to their heart's content.

Related: Target's $10 Christmas Cookie Is Actually a Stuffing-Free Frisbee for Dogs

This story was originally published by PetHelpful on Nov 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the Shopping section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.