Our Top Favorite Pet-Related Items
Any day is a PURRfect day to enrich your pet parent life or the life of your fur baby. In addition, the holidays will soon arrive. Let Top Dog Pet Sitters help you with holiday shopping for your pet (and yourself)! We used our 30+ years of pet care experience and have created a list of our favorite pet items.
Toys
Have you been to a pet store recently to purchase a toy? SO. MANY. PET. TOYS. Purple toys. Red Toys (dogs cannot see the color red). Toys to relieve stress. Toys to provide comfort. Toys to provide enrichment. Rope toys. Squeaky toys. Battery operated toys. Outdoor toys. Indoor toys. What should you purchase? First, you will want to purchase safe toys. Then, you will want to purchase toys that provide enrichment and are durable.
- SlingSock is one of our favorite pet items because it has many uses. Tug-A-War, Fetch, or your pup can sling it around for alone play time. We bought ours at Home Goods for $5. It is available in a variety of sizes.
- Our grand-kitties love CatDancer, which can be found on Amazon for $1.99. It is interactive, affordable, and durable.
- Pup parents cannot go wrong with a toy from Rosy’s Choice. We have witnessed the fun our grand-dogs and our own pup have had with the sea horse, octopus, cow and duck. These toys are incredibly durable and washable! They squeak, they crinkle, they provide hours of entertainment, and at 2/$22 they are affordable! Be sure and order the appropriate size for your pup. We cannot say enough positive things about these toys.
Dog / Cat Hair Remover
- One of our favorite pet items is the FurZapper. This is THE BEST for removing pet hair. Simply toss in the washer and dryer with your laundry and… BAM! The Fur Zapper is reusable. We’ve had ours for a year and they’re still PAWtastic!
Social Media Resources
- https://petlifetoday.com/ “Pet Life Today® is a free resource offering expert, researched information on pets. We publish pet care news, tips and pet product buying advice for owners of a wide variety of companion animals, from cats and dogs to hamsters and horses”
- American Red Cross Pet First Aid App
- Videos and step by step help for dog/cat emergencies
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/canineenrichment/ Have a pup with LOTS of energy? This group is for you. Pet Parents share what toys/activities have helped their pups be smarter, healthier, and less bored.
- When Top Dog Pet Sitters needs to know when rain will begin, lightening might strike, or the heat is dangerous, POW Ponder On Weather is our go to source and one of our favorite pet items. POW is on FB and youtube
- https://www.facebook.com/topdogpetsitters/ has helpful pet parent tips, adorable pets, pet events, and pet toys/food recalls pet parents need to know about.
Pet Safety
When travelling in a vehicle, your pet MUST be restrained. A pup riding in your lap…what happens when your air bag goes off? Your fur baby is riding unrestrained and the driver slams on the breaks? Your pet will fly through the windshield or slam into the dashboard. You have a wreck and emergency responders do not know you have a pet in the car. Car doors are opened and your pet escapes. Cats need to be in a carrier. Dogs need to have a dog seat belt. The seat belt attaches to the harness. DO NOT USE A SEAT BELT WITHOUT A HARNESS. A seat belt can be purchased for $6 on Amazon.
Slow Feed Ideas
Does your pup INHALE their food? Bloat often occurs in dogs that eat quickly and is life threatening. How can a pup be encouraged to eat slower?
- A slow feed bowl. Slow feed bowls are just one of our favorite pet items and come in a variety of shapes. Be sure and order the appropriate size for your pup. Slow feed bowls also provide an enrichment activity for your pup.
- The Kong Wobbler also an enrichment activity and great “nose” work. “The KONG-shaped Wobbler is an action-packed treat and food dispensing toy. It sits upright until pushed by a dog’s paw or nose and then periodically dispenses tasty rewards as it wobbles, spins and rolls. The unpredictable movement keeps the toy challenging, even for seasoned Wobbler users. The Wobbler can also be used as an alternative to a dog bowl to help slow and extend mealtime while providing exercise for your dog. Unscrews for easy filling and cleaning.” Be sure and purchase the appropriate size for your pup.
Dog Treat Puzzles
These great toys provide enrichment—working the nose and cognitive thinking. A variety are available. This one is one of our favorite pet items because our own pup loves it. The important thing to remember is that you will need to slowly introduce the puzzle to your pup.
Pet Store
Hollywood Feed wins every time. Both locations in McKinney have a knowledgeable and friendly staff.
Gift Items
Every pet parent needs a pair of socks with their fur baby on them. Pupsocks can print pup and cat photos. The quality is PAWsome and the photo on our socks looks just like our Sasha girl! Another idea–who doesn’t need a custom car window decal of their pet? We have ordered multiple times from My Pet Prints and have never been disappointed. Delivery takes 3 weeks. Both companies offer a quality product, earning a place on our list of favorite pet items.
We hope these items will enrich your life and the life of your furbaby. Do you have a favorite pet item? Then tell us about it!
To learn more about Top Dog Pet Sitters and how we can help your pets, check out our Services page, or use the form on our Contact page, or give us a call at 214 244-1629.