Two Great Treats
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Icelandic+ Mini Cod Fish Chips for $10: Open a bag of these cod fish chips and your room will immediately be engulfed with a fishiness that will linger in your nostrils for hours. On the other hand, your pup will dart to your room and wolf these down instantly. At least mine did. These are imported from Iceland and are sustainably wild-caught. There are literally no other ingredients.
Vital Essentials Freeze Dried Raw Treats for $12: Like the cod fish chips above, there’s only one ingredient in Vital Essentials’ freeze-dried raw treats. You can choose from several flavors—my dog loves beef tripe—and it’s high in protein.
Other Great Accessories
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Casper Dog Bed for $126: Getting a dog bed from a mattress company may sound like Too Much, but investing in your pup’s care and comfort helps keep them happy and healthy. I got the Casper Dog Bed for my 18-pound dog in 2023, and it has held up well. The foam is supportive without adding much height to the bed. The Casper Dog Bed comes in three sizes (small, medium, and large) and colors (blue, sand, and gray). The foam inserts are fully removable, so you can easily toss the cover into a washing machine. The downside? There are five foam inserts, which can at times be frustrating to fit back into the cover.
Molly Mutt Wool Dog Bed for $150: I’m a fan of wool, pretty much wool anything, so when we got a new puppy it made sense to me to get a wool dog bed. What makes the Molly Mutt wool bed special is the anti-microbial, anti-odor properties of wool. After six months of use, including many of day of wet puppy flopping down on this thing to nap, and it still doesn’t have the slightest bit of odor. I’ve followed Molly Mutt’s suggestion to pull the insert out once a month or so and leave it in direct sunshine, but otherwise this has been a zero maintenance bed. We were fortunately that our puppy was housebroken in about a week, but if yours does have an accident, fear not, just pour some water on the insert, leave it in the sun and it will dry and odor free in no time.—Scott Gilbertson
Roverlund Ready-to-Roll Cabin Carry-On for $389: The idea behind this carry-on is that the horizontal shape will allow you to plop your dog’s carrier on top, making it easy to travel with them instead of carrying it separately. I tested the carry-on on a recent trip to Kentucky and paired it with Dagne Dover’s Kyoto Carrier and, while I like the carry-on itself, the experience wasn’t great. The carrier is wider than the carry-on, so my dog tipped over and the whole thing toppled down. If your pup is smaller, this may work. Roverlund also recommends it with its own carrier, but I have an older version without the luggage strap, so I couldn’t use it. However, you can still see in pictures that its updated carrier is wider so I don’t think the outcome would be any different. Still, I think this system works if your dog is 15 pounds or less. I love the bright orange accents inside the carry-on, and there are so many organizational pockets and pouches. It’s a great weekender; I was able to fit a whole suit on one side!
PetSmile Pet Toothpaste for $23: Every time I go to the vet, they give me a brochure on how to brush my dog’s teeth as a silent dig that I really need to brush them more. There are so many dog toothpastes out there, but my dog seems to like Petsmile, specifically the London Broil flavor. Well, he likes the toothpaste, but he hates the brushing part. Petsmile says you don’t have to brush, just put some on their teeth and let their tongue do the job, but I brush anyway. It’s approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council, but keep in mind that this organization doesn’t conduct testing—it reviews data from trials that adhere to VOHC protocols.
Photograph: Kat Merck
Tavo Dupree II Pet Carrier for $300: As anyone who’s driven with a pet in the car can attest, animals don’t always stay put. This can be a hazard for both pets and drivers under normal driving conditions, let alone in the event of an accident. There are pet seatbelts and restraints, but for maximum safety, a pet carrier that can attach to a vehicle’s car seat anchors might be a good option. The Tavo Dupree is from high-end baby car seat maker Nuna, and like its car seats, it meets the United Nations ECE child restraint standards. It can click into your vehicle’s anchor bars and is also airline-compliant as a carry-on that fits under the seat. It’s an extremely sturdy, structured bag with a removable memory foam bed and thoughtful details like an Airtag holder. However, be advised it is for very small pets under 20 pounds only—at 18.5 x 11.5 x 10.25 inches it was even a tight fit for my small tortoiseshell cat. —Kat Merck
WagWellies Mojave for $49: Snow and ice are the main cause of paw-related concerns, but so is hot pavement. We like the WagWellies Mojave, which are like little Crocs for your pups. They come in seven sizes, and the straps around the ankles help the shoe fit better, while the holes keep their toes fresh and breezy. Our tester’s dogs haven’t figured out how to walk in shoes but these stayed on their paws.
RifRuf Caesar 1 Dog Sneakers for $75: Take the trendy, knitted mesh look many humans love, shrink it down, and offer it in six colors for your dog. The sturdy soles protect your dog from the elements, but the knitted body of the shoe can keep their paws cool enough on a regular walk. Our tester dog looked particularly cute in the Taro pair, even if she refused to walk in them.
PetSafe Stay & Play Wireless Virtual Pet Fence for $320: Virtual dog fences aren’t a replacement for real fences. If your dog needs to be fully restrained, get a real fence. However, if your living situation permits a looser barrier, this wireless fence gives you a hassle-free way to partially restrain your dog. Despite the name, this is not really plug-and-play. The device itself is: Just plug it in, set the perimeter distance, and you’re done. But you’re still going to have to train your dog to acknowledge the perimeter and get them used to stay inside the permitted space. Once that’s done, this fence works really well. It’s also portable, so you can take it to a campground or to an Airbnb that permits dogs. Petsafe also makes a more permanent in-ground electronic fence we like even better because it’s cheaper and setting the perimeter is easier. The trade-off is that you have to bury the wire. The key to success is to train your dog to the fence. Don’t install it and expect your dog to figure it out.
Dog Accessories to Avoid
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
StitchLeash Coops Retractable Leash for $35: Most pet products sent my way are pretty good. That is not the case with the StitchLeash. It’s a simple retractable leash, but there are holes with carabiners attached to them. One carabiner has a poop bag holder, another has a poop bag dispenser, and you can attach two other things to the empty ones. Useful!
However, the metal carabiner rubs against the plastic, and after a few days, it began making awful squeaking noises. Worst of all, the leash broke after a full week! My dog rushed after a squirrel, and rather than halting him at the leash’s end, it just broke off from the StitchLeash. You had one job! I’ve owned the classic Flexi retractable leash for years and haven’t had this problem. (Update: Turns out, the model the company sent me was a beta prototype not intended for use with … dogs. I’ll be getting the final version soon to try and will revisit the StitchLeash.)
