To Be Tested

Tested & Awesome

  • Amazon Basics Folding Soft Crate – I’ve been very happy with this crate so far. It’s not super high quality, but is adequate and I’ve experienced no issues with it. My dog uses it all the time in the home and is great for traveling.
  • barkOutfitters Treat Pouch – I’ve had this treat pouch for 9 years and it’s still in great shape! It holds plenty of treats and is easy to open and close. The only two problems I’ve had with it are: 1. it’s kind of hard to clean and needs to be cleaned periodically (otherwise it gets gross) and 2. the “sturdy” plastic clip broke early on (for attaching to your pants or pocket instead of using a belt loop. I would not rely on the plastic clip or you risk losing the entire pouch.
  • Carhartt Nylon Duck Dog Collar – This collar looks awesome and is super durable. After 3 years of use, the only thing that has worn out slightly is the Carhartt text along the collar, but that doesn’t really matter.
  • Chuckit Kick Fetch Ball – If you like soccer, this ball is for you! My adult dog really enjoys this toy compared to the puppy. It’s fun to have a different style of toy to play with too (ex. instead of a tennis ball).
  • Coachi Whizzclick – I’m not actively using the clicker for training, but wanted to buy one just to test it out. It seems like a solid product.
  • Dexas Lidded MudBuster Portable Dog Paw Cleaner – Normally, I would never buy a product like this because it seems unnecessary, but there was an Amazon Prime promo so I picked it up. I am pleasantly surprised at how effective it is. In 2024, we had a weird winter with a lot of moisture, but not a lot of snow and the dog park was muddy. I used this nearly every day for 1-2 months and it was awesome!
  • Downtown Pet Supply – Long Dog Leash – I bought the 50 foot version. It does exactly what you’d expect. No issues after 7 years of use.
  • Flexi Neon Retractable Dog Leash – This retractable dog leash has worked for years without issue and pairs well with the Jerk-Ease attachment. The color and reflective tape also stands out well for visibility purposes. I’ve used this product for 7 years on many walks and hikes and it has yet to wear down or break.
  • Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training, Vol. 1: Adaptation and Learning by Steven R. Lindsay – If you can get through the dry science material like me, this book is fascinating and indispensable! I can’t wait to read volumes 2 and 3.
  • Jerk-Ease Bungee Dog Leash Extension – I’m a little torn on the rating for this product. It IS awesome, but didn’t hold up to wear and tear as well as I thought it would (especially for the price). However, the second one is still going strong so ultimately I’m still listing this as awesome.
  • MudBuster Portable Dog Paw Cleaner – This thing works surprisingly well! I’ve used it many times after the dog park when my dog’s paws are caked in dirt and it washes it all off in a few motions.
  • MULTIPET Duckworth Plush Filled Dog Toy – This is not a durable stuffed animal, but my dog loved this toy for some reason which is why I’m putting it under awesome.
  • OneTigris Dog Backpack – This doggie backpack is rugged and high quality. It holds a decent amount of gear (although be careful not to overload your dog). My typical load-out is: 1 mini-Nalgene bottle with water on each side + 1 collapsible dog bowl on each side + 1 bottle of bug spray + 1 collar bell + 1 roll of poop bags. Alternatively to 1 of the water bottles may be a small baggie of dog food and/or treats.
  • Outward Hound Fun Feeder Slo Bowl – These slow feeder bowls are awesome! It increases meal time by at least 3-4x, even for my older dog who has long mastered them. Occasionally, I will still feed her out of a normal bowl and she inhales her food by comparison.
  • Outward Hound Hide A Squirrel Plush Dog Toy – My dog enjoyed this toy more than the bird version. It also held up better than the bird version for some reason.
  • PawsPamper Professional Grooming Rake – This is a nice, high quality undercoat brush that is extremely effective at removing my dog’s undercoat fur, especially during the shedding season.
  • Pet Botanics Training Treats – Both of my dogs love the taste of these training treats. These are perfect for an on-the-go training treat pouch.
  • PetBemo Dog Poop Bag Holder – These little poop bag holders are awesome! I have 1 attached to my leash and 1 attached to the harness. They’ve survived years of wear and tear and keep on trucking.
  • PetFusion Ultimate Dog Bed – This memory foam dog bed is the epitomy of “go big or go home” for dogs. My hypothesis going in was that if I bought a large and expensive dog bed my dog would actually use it compared to the cheap dog beds my family always used to buy growing up. I was right, my dog LOVES this bed and prefers it over most other options in the house. It was worth every dime and continues to hold up 6 years after purchasing. The only drawback is that it’s bulky to travel with (ex. when Ellie is staying at someone else’s house while I’m traveling).
  • Petrodex Toothpaste – I’ve been using this dog toothpaste for years and it works great!
  • RUFFWEAR Front Range Harness – Another awesome RUFFWEAR product that has held up through years worth of walks, hikes, swimming, rolling, dog parks, and more! The purple version looks great on Ellie too. The only part I didn’t like was that the front clip is fabric and plastic instead of metal like on top.
  • RUFFWEAR Knot-a-Leash – I have 2 of these leashes and they’re indestructible. I love them and would buy them again and again!
  • TRIXIE Flip Board Level 2 + TRIXIE Move-2-Win Level 3 + TRIXIE Chess Level 3 – I like including these games in my training regimen. Personally, I don’t think they do a lot for your dog in terms of “intelligence”, but they do exercise their minds, encourage different interactions like tongue vs mouth vs paw, and keeps them busy for a short bit of time while they figure it out. Just be aware that once your dog figures it out then it will only last a few minutes at best. Ellie can finish all 3 games in a minute or so.
  • Wellness Soft Puppy Bites – Both my new puppy and my older dog love these! The only problem is that they’re not great as a training treat for a pouch. They’re too big, the wrong shape, and a little messy compared to something like Pet Botanics Training Treats above.

Tested & Ok

  • Amazon Basics Adjustable Dog Car Barrier – It works, but feels cheap. I think a determined dog could break this by pulling at it or jumping into it. Regardless, it has worked well for my dogs who are fairly calm in the car.
  • Amazon Basics Poop Bags – This has been downgraded from Awesome because the new version (post-inflation) is significantly worse (lower quality) than the original version, but they still get the job done. They used to be a smoother plastic and easy to open. Now they’re a gritty plastic that is nearly impossible to open unless your fingertips are moist/sticky.
  • Arm & Hammer for Pets Tartar Control Dental Spray – I use this as a supplement to brushing my dogs teeth. I can’t say definitively whether it’s effective or not, but I feel like it’s worth it for the cost. My older dog is 9 and her teeth are in great shape.
  • Arm & Hammer Super Deodorizing Shampoo – I bought this because it was on sale and it seems ok. The only thing I don’t like about it is that it doesn’t come out of the bottle very well. It either comes out a little and then gets sucked back in or it comes out in a huge glob (due to the consistency).
  • Coolaroo – The Original Cooling Elevated Dog Bed – This product is pretty good and definitely worth having, BUT the quality is not quite there. The legs don’t remain aligned (slightly crooked) and the fabric has lasted a year so far, but I’m not confident it will last much longer.
  • DOGSWELL Styptic Powder – This is good to have on-hand if you trim your dog’s nails instead of bringing them to a groomer. I’m putting it under OK because it doesn’t really qualify as an awesome product that I’m excited about.
  • Hydroluxe Shower Head Combo – This is great to have if you bathe your dogs at home.
  • Intrepid International Lunge Line with Rubber Stopper – I bought this as a second long leash option. It’s meant for horses, but the rubber stopper is nice because you can step on it easily to stop your dog. It also worked great in the winter with gloves and mittens on. The only problem with this leash was that is started disintegrating over time because it’s made of a plastic-like material instead of fabric.
  • K9 Advantix II – Personally, I want to list this as poor, but I know some people have luck with it. However, I did not and my dog still had ticks even while this was applied. I switched to Simparica Trio which is significantly more effective (and less messy).
  • Milk-Bone Original Dog Treats – This 10 pound box of dog treats is a classic that all dogs seem to love. I don’t think they’re particularly high quality, but the fact that you can get 10 pounds for $10-$20 is really nice.
  • Outward Hound Hide A Bird Plush Dog Toy – My dog enjoyed this toy. Not her favorite, but not bad. She liked the squirrel version better.
  • Outward Hound Port-A-Bowl Portable Dog Dish – This product has been downgraded from the original version because it is significantly lower quality and leak-proof than before. I would rate these as poor for water and OK for food. The original was rated as awesome for both.
  • PETMAKER Waterproof Pet Blanket – This product is technically poor as a waterproof blanket. The inside material used for waterproofing is a thin piece of plastic which doesn’t hold up after use and washing. However, as a dedicated dog blanket, it falls under the OK rating because the fabric is nice and soft.
  • RUFFWEAR Swamp Cooler – This is probably the only RUFFWEAR product I’ve purchased that I felt only OK about. The quality and concept are great, but the practical execution isn’t quite there. In theory, this would work well in a hot environment with lots of water sources, but I bought it when I was in Denver which is hot and dry. It worked well for about 30 minutes until it dried out. I was hoping it would work for at least 1 hour, but it quickly became another item for me to carry instead. However, if you’re somewhere where you can regularly re-soak it, then it could be an awesome product.

Tested & Poor

  • Dremel 7300-PT 4.8V Cordless Tool – This dog nail grooming tool performed ok, but did not last very long. The battery died after a couple years. Disappointing since Dremel is a well known brand.
  • Lixit Bracket Mount and Stake Retractable Leash – I have to put this product under poor, not because it’s poorly made, but because it’s basically useless to me. The retracting mechanism is too strong and, when I hook my dog up to it, it is basically pulling her back towards it the entire time. It just doesn’t work right, at least for my needs. The one time I used it, I had to fully extend the leash and then use clips to try to stop it from retracting back in so my dog could walk around.