Bring me my loot!

Buttercup waits patiently for Santa 
in Pat and Bill Hayes’ Dover, Mass., barn.

Isn’t my collar festive?

 Christine Henige’s Maple looked
excited to be posing with a
Christmas wreath around her
neck in Maplewood, N.J.

“Mama in her kerchief, and I in my cap…”

Judi Whipple of Breckenridge Farm in Plainfield,
Vt., sent us this photo, taken by her student Jade
Premont. Tutti Frutti is on the left, and Pepperoni
is seated. “Just as in many families, the woman
is doing all the preparation while the man relaxes,”
said Judi.

“Yes, all this is mine. I was very good this year.” 

Moseley Lohman belongs to Alan and Jessi Lohman
of Poolesville, Md. Jessi said that Moseley “posed
perfectly. And yes… all of our horses got
personalized stockings.”

When Rudolph’s nose failed to light up,
Hogan the Greater Swiss Mountain dog
leaped into action

Alyssa Gohn of Chadds Ford, Pa., submitted
this photo of her dog, Hogan (left), and her
mother Patti Lechmanik’s adopted terrier mix,
Sophie. Alyssa said, “Greater Swiss Mountain
Dogs are working dogs, and Hogan loves
pulling Sophie around in his little cart.”

You’ve heard of parti-colored Corgis,
well I’m a party-colored Corgi!

Holly is a 10-year-old longhaired Pembroke
Welsh Corgi owned by artist Barbie Sonnett
of Upper Marlboro, Md., and so named
because her birthday is Dec. 23. “She
is my constant companion, and as a sculptor
I love having her as my muse. She gives me
endless inspiration,” said Barbie.

I want nuttin for Christmas

Beth Cadwallader sent us this photo of Scrappy
the squirrel with Corgi friends Strebee and Friday.
Beth, Malibu, Calif., rescued Scrappy from a crow
more than three years ago. “The Corgi hounds can’t
believe they have to share their house/barn with a
demanding squirrel,” she said.

They say Santa’s belly is like
a bowl full of jelly…

Bethann Smith of West Terre Haute, Ind.,
said her cat Amadeus is also known as BFK:
Big Fat Kitty. He tips the scales at 22 pounds,
but his hefty size and good nature makes
him the perfect Santa. “He is so much more
complacent about me dressing him up than
my dog and cheaper than my horse,” said Bethann.

Brenda Tananbaum’s Elmo kept watch over the hearth. 

Bah humbug!

Buffy, owned by Jennifer Tarr of Troy, Mich., put on her best scrooge face, but we bet she’s secretly excited about the holidays.

Merry what? Do I look like an elf?

Larsen, who lives in Afton, Va., with Catherine Stevens, wasn’t quite in the spirit. 

Did someone say Pugly Christmas sweater party?

Ali Black took a photo of her family’s pug, Moose, all dressed up for the holidays at home in Seattle. 

Tally ho!

Elizabeth Murray at Salt River Farm in Moriches, N.Y., shared a hunt reenactment photo featuring her children Joseph (3) and Molly (7), Corgis LT and Simms, miniature horse GG and pony Sir Lance A Lot.

I’m not sure I’ll fit in the sleigh…

Hailee Greene’s Squibble played the role of Santa in Pomona, N.Y.

Shachine Belle’s Jackson was a good sport about holiday cheer in Farmington, Conn.

You’d better not pout

Jennifer Pesnell of Choudrant, La., sent us this photo of Martina, her rescued Beagle.  Jennifer’s rescue lab July wore the same hat, “with a much happier expression,” in the 2012 Holiday Pet Gallery.

Fill ‘er up with carrots, please!

Virtually A Zippo, a.k.a, Flash, was hanging his stocking at Jennifer Whiteman’s in Devon, Pa.

Will Santa find us?

Pucci (left, a West Highland terrier owned by Betsy Steiner) and Bailey (right, a Norwich Terrier owner by Jessie Steiner) blended right in with the decorations in Wellington, Fla.

Who needs a sleigh?

Julie Yusko-LeBlanc rode Toasted Almond in a holiday parade in Dover, N.H.

I thought you were getting a tree…

Posse patiently agreed to be garlanded and wreathed for Julie Sanders of Round Hill, Va.

Oh, the weather outside is frightful!

Karen Bayerl shared a photo of the crew at the Midwest Horse Welfare Foundation in Pittsville, Wis., including (from left) Lilly (miniature horse), Kane (Great Dane), Monty (long-haired mini Dachshund), Bella B. Hound (Basset Hound). Karen said, “Lilly and Kane were very best friends, but unfortunately Kane passed away this summer. They were both rescued and seemed to have an instant and incredible bond with each other.”

“Bet Santa’s got more presents for my little ass than yours.”

Eagle Point Farm may be a Thoroughbred training center in Ashland, Va., but it’s also home to Petunia and Tulip, who were happy to pose for Karen Godsey.

Gathered around the Christmas tree

Holiday pets perennial Odamae (center) is back for another year in the Chronicle’s holiday gallery. Kathy Pinera took this shot of the lab/pit mix, who will turn 16 in January, with friends Corrina (left) and Cutty. Kathy said, “Our theme this year is ‘gathered around the Christmas tree waiting for Santa!’ ”

Can I eat this costume?

Yes, Otis the goat is wearing elf shoes! He lives with Laurin Taskey in Fayetteville, N.Y.

But I was so good!

Lisa Lee’s Corgi Fergie looked none too thrilled to have gotten coal for Christmas!

Is this what we call “bomb-proofing”?

Lynlee Dutton’s young horse Futurescape peeked out from under quite a Santa hat

Santa hats are in this season

Mackenzie Lea of Katy, Texas, celebrated with her ponies Gucci (left) and Victoria.

Santa hats for one and all

Bart the horse and Bogie the pug posed with Maggie Cowling in Dallas, Texas. 

Santa is such a ham

Mandy Smith’s 8-year-old miniature pig Huckleberry turned out to be anything but mini. “He is meant to be a miniature pig but weighs in at over 200 kilograms and stands a stately 10 hands,” says Mandy, of Groomsville, QLD, Australia. “He is lord and master of all he surveys.”

The best elf of all

Natalie Abbott of Piedmont, Calif., shared this photo of Cassius, a Canine Companions for Independence service dog, “humoring me as I dressed him up as an elf.”

At Christmas, I wear my fancy halter!

Niamh Macken’s Captain Smirnoff looked quite proud of his festive gear in Ireland.

But Santa is supposed to have a belly!

Ethel modeled her holiday finest in Oakland, Neb.

Rudolph is no one-trick pony

Gretchen Jelinek shared this photo of daughter Peyton (age 9) and pony Belvedere as Santa and Rudolph.

“He is the BEST pony ever; he does it all!” said Gretchen.

Peyton and Belvedere went trick-or-treating together this Halloween, and they just qualified for 2015 U.S. Pony Finals in the small pony hunter division. The photo was taken at Dandelion Farm in Maple Plain, Minn. 

“I may be gift wrapped, but I’m not fitting under that tree.”

Rachelle Barstow of Tewksbury, N.J., sent us a photo of, Teddy, her 8-year-old homebred Hanoverian cross.

“During the past year he decided on a career change from hunters to dressage so this year he decided to wrap himself up and re-gift himself to his mom as a whole new horse,” said Rachelle.

“I’m ready for my kiss Mommy.” 

Saundra O’Reilly, San Jose, Calif., submitted a photo of her dog Sergeant Bailey O’Reilly, dressed in his holiday best and probably looking for some mistletoe.

Who needs braids when you have tinsel?

Sharon Hirsch’s Pure Elegance, or “Ellie,” was all tinseled up in Bethany, Conn.

It takes some goating to wrap presents with care 

Alex Beckstett captured this photo of goats Six (left) and Ozzy, owned by Ashley Watts of Liftoff Equestrian in Versailles, Ky.

What do you mean Rudolph called in sick?

Rhecipe looked ready to fill in for the famous reindeer when Susan Kelly of Allentown, Pa., isn’t riding him.

Thank goodness you left the reindeer antlers in the closet!

Suzanne Kelly’s dog Butters was flying his holiday colors in Warrenton, Va.

Need some help with the tree?

Tish Quirk’s cat Catrin looked ready to help hang the lights in Carlsbad, Calif.

Those boots might be a tad big, but the hat’s pretty good

Tricia Costa’s Jack Russell Stella cut quite a dapper figure.

One of us already HAS antlers

Ben (left) and Bugsy helped spread the holiday cheer for Vicki Hewitt of Long Valley, N.J.

I was born to wear this color

Alsion Finger’s Tuvalu Blue modeled his best Santa look in New York.

It’s almost a team of eight

Heather and John-Paul Andreini posed with their three not-so-tiny reindeer, Sis, Tiny and Galahad in Bellevue, Wash.