The hottest trend in Santa photos this Christmas: canines

Taking your kids to sit on Santa’s lap is a timeworn tradition. This is Toronto, though, home of pugs and bugs, and poodles and doodles galore. It was only a matter of time until the two worlds merged. And, unless the big guy has allergies, the four-legged friends are probably a nice break from having to pacify screaming babies or make empty promises to sticky-fingered tots—because these good boys and girls can’t actually ask for anything.

Niko is clearly in it for whatever treat is being dangled close to the camera:

Bailey the Boston terrier wore his finest letterman jacket for the occasion:

When your name is Mr. Beefy, you don’t do laps:

It’s hard to tell where Olaf the Samoyed ends and Santa begins:

Something this Shar-Pei mix might want for Christmas: an iron

Keep it together, Edie:

Everything about this picture is vaguely menacing:

Meet the Doublemint Dogs:

What Axel the mastiff wants for Christmas: his dignity back

You can bet this one was turned into a Christmas card:

Loki just hopes his police dog friends don’t catch word of this:

Aspen’s on point:

...while Sadie seems skeptical:

Pom Pom the Pomeranian, on the other hand, was born for this:

Santa is about one second away from losing his nose-like-a-cherry:

Things this cat might want for Christmas: a sweater with sleeves