Your holiday shopping list would not be complete without a present for your canine or feline family member. You can find aisles full of toys for dogs and cats at pet stores, children’s toy stores, discount stores such as Target and Walmart, and online.

Here are some shopping tips for pets:

For your dog

Toys are vital to a dog’s health. They help to ward off boredom, prevent poor behavior problems, and strengthen jaws. They can also help keep a dog’s teeth clean.

Play with me toys. Choose toys that let you interact with your dog — perhaps games like some form of Frisbee or a gentle version of tug-of-war. They can give your dog a good cardio workout. Remember that size matters. Stick with a small Frisbee (or something similar) for little dogs and pups, and a tougher and larger Frisbee for bigger dogs.

Keep me busy toys. Look for tough toys like Kongs that you can fill with treats that the dog works to get at. Softer versions are good for young pups and older dogs.

Calm me down toys. Consider giving your dog a stuffed animal. Some dogs seem to find it calming to chew on toys like a stuffed animal or rope knot, says Bonnie Beaver, a professor at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences and former president of the American Veterinary Medical Association. But forget about buying your dog a stuffed animal if your pooch is the search-and-destroy type that tears out (and eats) stuffing. Such toys can be dangerous. Be sure to toss out any snuggly animal toys when the insides start to come out.

For your cat

Cats will play with just about anything, so you don’t need many toys to make them happy. Even a paper bag (with the handles cut off for safety) or a small cardboard box can provide hours of fun. Rotate your cat toys every few days to keep things new.

Play with me toys. Get toys you’ll want to play with, too. Some cats will play fetch with small balls. Cat dancers — usually sticks or mitts with things that dangle — are tantalizing and provide great jumping exercise. Toys that dangle from doorknobs are also fine as long as any elastic is well enclosed and there is no risk that the cat will eat the string. (Don’t leave lying around any toys with strings, feathers, ribbons, or other objects that can be swallowed, potentially causing choking or intestinal blockages.)

Keep me busy toys. Consumer Reports recommends trying catnip toys. They encourage play when you’re not around, which can keep cats away from stuff you don’t want destroyed.

Calm me down toys. See if your cat likes carrying around a stuffed toy to cuddle with and bite. Or your cat might prefer fabric toys that make a nice crunch, like a chew ring or fish.