The dog lover is the dog owner. Simple as that. Anyone who owns a dog is actively invested in its well-being, and our guide aims to improve the lives of both dog and parent. If you like getting outdoors and long, cozy naps, read on.
The Lifetime Leash
Cheap leashes will burden dogs and their owners. Which is why Atlas Pet Co. built a better one in the Lifetime Leash. The Lifetime Leash is handmade in the U.S. with premium-grade climbing rope and the woven structure provides greater resistance to chewing. But if a pup does somehow destroy it, Atlas will replace it for life. All that makes it a perfect gift for the dog lover (and their best friend).
K&H Pet Products Crate Pad
Out of Colorado Springs, Colorado, K&H Pet Products is most known for making versatile, vet-recommended pet gear that doesn’t break the bank. Its crate beds embody this to a tee — they start at $8, you can get them in self-warming or odor control varieties and they come in a few different colors.
Honest Kitchen Beams Treats
When buying dog treats, or just processed foods in general, less is more. The Honest Kitchen’s Beams treat has one item on the ingredients list: dried salmon skin, which are naturally packed with Omega-3s, high in protein and good for dogs of any age.
Wild One Tennis Balls
Wild One is a new brand with cutesy branding and cutesy products — like this these tennis balls. As it turns out, most match-ready tennis balls are not great for a dog’s mouth since they’re made of an abrasive felt that can damage gums and teeth. These aren’t, and they’ve got a rubber core for extra bounciness — because why not.
Qalo Mountain Silicone Tags
The solution to dogs with jingly collars is here, and it looks better than any jingly collar ever did. Qalo’s 100 percent silicone tags come in more than ten designs and can be engraved with dog names, parents’ names, phone numbers, addresses and more.
The Original Goughnut
This circular chew toy has no weak points. It also floats in water and bounces on the ground. But the best part is that if your dog somehow manages to chew through the durable outside layer, Goughnuts will replace it. It’s about as safe as chew toys get.
Nordic Naturals Omega 3 Pet
There’s a great deal of misinformation on the internet about many things, and for whatever reason, fish oil is one of them. Nordic Naturals fish oil, which is made using the same stuff as its human fish oil supplements, makes an outsized impact for a pretty simple addition to a dog’s diet.
Bow Wow Travel Food Bowl
There are only a few things you really need from a travel bowl — durability, affordability, water resistance and a lightweight build. This one from Fish Pond USA is just that. It’s made with a waterproof nylon interior, a jacquard mesh exterior, a heavy-set base to stay upright and priced at only $20.
Well & Good Oatmeal Dog Wash
Yes, oatmeal. This one moisturizes dry skin, alleviates itchiness, softens dogs’ coats and smells pretty decent (for dog shampoo). It’s ideal for dogs with sensitive, itchy or dry skin, but works just like any other vet-recommended wash on dogs without skin issues.
Ruffwear Float Coat
All dogs who find themselves in water regularly should have a PFD, and Ruffwear’s is one of the most-recommended out there. It features a back handle to yank your pup from the water, reflective lining to spot them during night swims and, somewhat rarely, plenty of both sizing and color options.
Blue Plant Based Poop Bags
If there were ever a time to use clap emojis, this would be it. Pick. Up. That. Poo’. And do it with these bags from Blue — they’re made with eco-friendly plastic, won’t leak and come with a nice message printed on them.
Filson Large Dog Bed
There are the people who buy a dog bed to fit their dog, and there are the people who buy their dog an enormous bed to curl up on just because. Filson’s big dog bed appeals to the latter. It has a quilted top, a supportive and comfortable polyfill and is completely liquid- and stain-resistant.
Favorite Portable Carrier
Most people don’t need the enormous, bulky, hard-topped dog carriers of yesteryear. What most people need is a dog carrier that can be broken down quickly and doesn’t weigh 50 pounds. That’s what Favorite’s carrier is — simple, easy to tow around when in-use and in between uses and reasonably affordable.
WagWear Wellies
WagWear’s Wellington-style dog shoes are dead-ringers for Hunter’s iconic rain boots. They’re fashioned from 100 percent rubber, which is ideal for overly wet environments.
Nite Ize SpotLit
Anyone who has owned a dog and lived near a treeline knows the dog will inevitably sprint into the woods at night. This is where Nite Ize’s handy, cheap collar light comes in. The $6 waterproof LED bulb is about as low-maintenance as useful dog gear gets.