What I’d Design If I Were a Pet Product Guru

I love trying out new pet products. Sometimes they are things that I discover myself. Other times, I admit, companies send them to me to check out.

It would be ideal, of course, if every product that came in my path was free of any whiff of a reason to suspect commercial favoritism, but there are plenty of products I never knew I really needed until they were in my hands.

Here are some things I consider to be standouts.

Pet Products That Made Me a Convert

Consider Tagg: The Pet Tracker, a sleek, collar-mounted GPS tracking device whose paging function alone is enough to convince me. Got a wayward dog who’s rooting around in the deepest, darkest recesses of a huge, overgrown yard? Hit the button on the base station, and the next thing you know, there’s a light and a sound identifying his otherwise stealthy presence.

Same goes for The Safety Turtle, a water safety tool that I loved so much that I ended up investing in two more for my dogs’ poolside pleasure. It rings when your otherwise land-lubbing dog lands unexpectedly in the drink. As the mother of a drowned dog (you really don’t want to know what it feels like), anything that adds one more layer of safety to summer activities is well worth the expense.

Then there’s Crypton, the odor-repelling, easy-washing fabric that comes in eye-friendly designs. The company’s William Wegman–themed Throvers — owners can toss the throw-meets-covers over anything for stain and smell repulsion — are my favorites.

So, too, it goes for Dublin Dog collars, whose green brand of recycled collars are so gorgeously designed and well made that they look good for years on end. I should know — my dogs are still wearing the same collars that I got three years ago.

One Product That Still Needs to Be Made

I could go on and on about how blogging has unwittingly changed my approach to pet products — except that my plan for this post was otherwise: The goal was to offer up my personal nominations for items that I would love to see produced.

My top “I’d-like-to-see-it-out-there” idea that I think could make a big splash in the world of pets: Dr. Khuly’s Miraculous Car Safety Clip!

I think that every single dog collar or harness should come equipped with a car-friendly clip that any seatbelt could be threaded through to make it easy for owners to keep their non-crated pets safe in a vehicle.

Most people don’t get how important car safety is for pets — until you’ve been in a serious accident with your pet. And, really, who wants to learn?

Check out more opinion pieces on Vetstreet.