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11 must-have pet products dog and cat owners swear by
Fluffy and Fido aren’t just pets. They’re family. So why not treat them to a few new toys and maybe even some tech now and then?
Our furry friends only get about a decade with us, so it just makes sense to shower them with all the love, toys and treats we can. They love us unconditionally, so the least we can do is spoil them, right?
But if you’re not sure where to start, we can help with that. Here are 11 products any pet will love.
1. Slow it down
Does your best friend eat too quickly? Do they scarf down any treats you offer? Try this interactive treat-dispensing toy. Not only will it slow your dog down, but it also provides mental stimulation.
Promising review: “My 65 lb. dog is a toy destroyer, except when it came to this! I use it as a treat dispenser, as well as just leaving it out for her to carry around. It has just the right amount of bounce to throw it in the house. … The plastic is soft enough [that] she can carry it in her mouth.”
2. Chill out
Does your little buddy suffer from anxiety, stress, destructive behavior or boredom? This product helps dogs redirect their licking habits from their coats and your furniture to this mat. Wipe it down with some peanut butter or wet dog food and let them go to town.
Promising review: “I have an older female Yorkie who licks everything. They say it is calming to her. I received this today, and both Yorkies love it and have spent quite some time licking off the doggy peanut butter I got. It took very little peanut butter, which was nice, too. She also has separation anxiety, so I plan on giving this to her if we leave the house to calm her down and distract her. So far, great product to keep your dog occupied.”
3. Where’d he go?
Ever wonder what Fido does all day while you’re at work? Maybe your pet got away from you and you’d like a way to track them down. This GPS dog tracker is the perfect answer to your problems. It’s small, lightweight and waterproof. It also allows you to track your dog in real-time and check out the location history on your phone.
Promising review: “The unit is a very reasonable size and fits well on my French bulldog’s collar. While he’s not the most active dog ever, it’s fun to see if he’s meeting his daily activity milestones and it’s great knowing I can track him down if he goes missing. I also like using GPS when he’s out on walks with his walker. The app is very easy to use and pretty intuitive. I’m a huge fan of my Tractive so far and would recommend it to other dog lovers!“
4. Go long!
Is your dog full of energy? Are you having trouble finding ways to keep little Scruffy well-exercised? Try this ball launcher. Load tennis balls into it with the hands-free pick-up and launch it clear across the dog park. The design also features a section to store two extra tennis balls.
Promising review: “For hyper dogs who like to run and chase tennis balls, this Hyper Pet K9 Kannon K2 Ball Launcher Interactive Dog Toy helps to deplete their energy so that the family may enjoy some quiet time in the evenings. The quality of the tennis ball matters. If your buddy has punctured a tennis ball and the ball is no longer firm and resilient, it will not launch very far. … [T]his has been a lifesaver for providing additional exercise for our two young Australian cattle dogs.”
5. Friend of a friend
If you’re a fan of “Friends,” this is the perfect doggy toy for your best pal. This “Friends”-themed plush comes with a squeaky center. When not in use, it can decorate your pup’s bed or sit atop the toy basket as an homage to your favorite sitcom.
Promising review: “Being a huge ‘[F]riends’ fan, I had to purchase this for my dogs! Love it and so do they! The size was great, so no need to ‘pivot, pivot, pivot.’ Arrived quickly, too.”
6. Never alone again
Do you miss your pets when you’re at work? Of course you do — we all miss our little fur babies! Now you can take a peek at what they’re doing all day with a little help from this smart camera. Connect it to Wi-Fi and use your smartphone to enable two-way audio and dispense treats. It even has night vision, so you can see what your kitties are up to in the middle of the night.
Promising review: “I bought Furbo because I was getting major surgery and knew I’d be in the hospital for a while. Even though my baby’s ‘daddy’ would be home, I couldn’t let my baby think I left him. So in the hospital I [would] talk to him, see him and, of course, give him his ‘Scooby snacks.’ I love Furbo! And once I can go back to work, I’ll be using it there! If you love your baby like I do … I highly recommend Furbo!”
7. Perfect portions every time
Just because you have a wonky work schedule doesn’t mean your pet has to have a crazy eating schedule. This automatic feeder measures out the right amount of food for your little fuzzball and dispenses it according to a set schedule. Never miss a feeding again.
Promising review: “This is great! We are retired and travel but have an outside cat that stays home. In the past, we had to ask the neighbors to feed our cat two times each day. They were very helpful, but we felt guilty hav[ing] to ask for help all the time. This unit works as stated and is reliable for feeding our cat. … There have been no failures from the feeder. Consistently feeds as programmed. We now have the freedom to travel. Great product!”
8. Keep Fido busy for hours
When you have hyper dogs, you need to indulge them with an interactive ball launcher. All Fido has to do is grab a tennis ball, drop it into the iFetch and wait for it to launch away. Balls can be launched at 10, 25 or 40 feet, depending on the setting.
Promising review: “Bought this for my 12-pound toy fox terrier. He LOVES it! We can play for hours. I was hesitant at first because of the size of the balls, but now that I’ve seen him with them, I’m not worried. It is so-o-o-o-o much fun! … Easy to travel with. I would buy this item again and recommend it to others.”
9. Never bored
When you’re away on vacation, you need a Pet Cube to keep track of your pets. This 24/7 pet monitoring system connects to your phone to provide 1080p HD video, a 160-degree ultra-wide view and night vision. You can zoom up to 4x and get real-time motion and even sound alerts. Feeling like a little fun? Use the lasers to keep your pets occupied.
Promising review: “I miss my cat while I’m at work. … This allows me to check up on him, talk to him and even play with him while I’m away. The laser is a fun feature you can use yourself with your phone screen, and you can set it to zap around whenever your pet walks by so they’re entertained. The night vision is just as clear as it is in regular lighting. Sound is good, as well. So far, the device is working great, so I’m glad I got it!”
10. Free range
Are you afraid of uninvited pets walking into your home through your old-fashioned pet door? It’s time for a high-tech electronic door. The four-way access control allows you to choose from giving your pet full access, no access, only in or only out. It’s also wind and weatherproof, senses when your pet is walking directly toward it and includes a deadbolt lock.
Promising review: “We bought this doggie door in 2017, had it installed, and it is the best buy ever! We have three dogs, and having to get up and down to let them out was crazy, but now it’s no worry. Our dogs were easily trained; they come and go when they want, with all the security that makes us happy. We greatly recommend [it] to everyone with dogs. [G]et it and you will love it!”
11. Only the best for Fluffy
We all love our cats, but cleaning up all that kitty litter can be a real pain. Save yourself the trouble with this automatic self-cleaning litter box. Just load it and leave it. When the tray is full, simply toss it and reline it with another disposable tray. Easy, right?
Promising review: “For a single-cat family, this is a godsend. I no longer have to scoop every day, instead cleaning once every three weeks. I use the Forever Tray with the Scoop Free, and it’s wonderful as well. … The smell in our house has improved 100%.”
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
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