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1. A Snuggle Puppy that's basically a miracle solution to helping ease your pup's loneliness and separation anxiety. It's especially perfect for those crate-training their furry bbs.
Back in 2020, my family made a wonderful decision to get an adorable Havanese puppy named Bailey (pictured left as a puppy in 2020, pictured right in December 2023). He slept like an absolute angel the first night we brought him home so when he kept us up for six.whole.hours the night after and wouldn't stop crying the next day, we knew we needed to try something fast. A family friend recommended the Snuggle Puppy. Within a half hour of putting the little heart ticker into the stuffed toy and putting it in Bailey's crate, he was quiet and fast asleep while cuddling up to his new toy.
Almost four years later, the Snuggle Puppy is still Bailey's favorite toy — we just don't keep the heart ticker in there anymore. He has an entire crate of toys he BARELY touches solely because he loves the Snuggle Puppy so much. It is on the pricey side for a dog toy and he's currently on his fourth Snuggle Puppy because he's chewed off the ears and noses on the other ones, but seeing how attached he is to the puppy and how happy it makes him, it's 100% worth it. Truly cannot recommend this enough.
Get it from Amazon for $39.95 (available in six colors).
2. A pee pad made of real grass you'll be so very thankful for on snowy/rainy/freezing cold days where taking your dog out for potty breaks is simply not happening. See also the inopportune moments your dog lets you know it's time to go out (i.e., as you're about to hop on a work meeting, sit down to watch a show/movie, take a nap, etc.)
Doggie Lawn is a small biz founded by dog lovers looking for a convenient and eco-friendly alternative to other indoor potties.
"I live on the sixth floor of an NYC walk-up, so when my partner and I made the decision to get a dog we knew the bathroom situation was something we had to consider carefully. We settled on Doggie Lawn as the best balance of convenience and price, without the environmental concerns I had with relying on disposable pee pads. Our dog took to it immediately, but you can purchase a training spray to help attract more skeptical dogs. It is a live plant, so by the time our next shipment is due to arrive the grass is matted and browning (surprise, surprise, it doesn't stay cute forever), but we've had zero issues with bugs or weird smells. I have asked every human who walks into my apartment if I've gone nose blind to the scent, and they assure me they don't smell a thing. And when we're done, we take the grass to our nearest compost drop-off — something you could never do with the synthetic lawns. Doggie Lawn has been such a lifesaver for us and we'll be regular customers for the foreseeable future." —Danielle Healy, BuzzFeed Editor
Get it from Doggie Lawn for $33.95+ (available in four sizes).
3. An interactive toy featuring an interlocking design (you can attach to other toys if you choose to buy more than one) that's bound to keep your baby nice and busy. You can place food or treats inside for them to try to get out and when they're done, they can enjoy chewing on the toy, too!
"My dog is completely obsessed with this toy! It doesn't have as much space for soft food as a traditional Kong toy, and it's kind of hard to get kibble out of the bottom hole, but it keeps my dog busy for a good long time. I'm not sure why — maybe it's something about the shape or texture — but this toy has captured my dog's heart. He does a little happy dance whenever he sees it, and even chews on it long after all the food is gone." —Bek O'Connell, BuzzFeed Contributor
Get it from Amazon and Fable for $23 (available in nine colors, all of which dogs can actually see!).
4. A portable water bottle for ensuring your pup can stay hydrated on the go. All you have to do is press a button on the bottle to dispense the water and then let your doggo enjoy their drink!
"When I knew I was bringing home a puppy, this was one of the first things I bought and it is 100% absolutely worth it. I carry this water bottle on almost every single walk and to the dog park — so much so that other people's pups come up to me for hydration, LOL! My puppy has even learned to come up and ask for water when he sees me with this. It's also great for having on hand in the car. It's easy enough to use, you just press the button to dispense water and if your pup doesn't drink it all, you can press the button to recycle it back inside." —Negesti Kaudo, BuzzFeed Editor
Get it from Amazon for $16.99+ (available in three sizes and four colors).
5. A soft-sided pet carrier that'll make travel a seamless experience for both you and your smol buddy. Looking down at your feet to see your adorable BFF accompanying you on your adventures? Heck yeah.
Reviewers also say this is a great option for traveling home with a new puppy! It can hold pups up to 15 pounds, 16 inches in length, and 10 inches in height! Mr. Peanut's is a small biz creating high-quality and safe pet care products that simultaneously gives back to at-risk animals and donates supplies to shelters across the USA.
"After my parents loved a similar carrier by the same brand, I picked one up for my dog, Pinto, before our first flight with him and I couldn't be happier with it. It looks great, the quality feels amazing, and it's really thoughtfully designed for both car and flight travel. The front zip window is the detail I never knew I needed. Not only was it nice to have easy access to Pinto for some reassuring pets, but we also found that Pinto loved sticking his head out to look around while we navigated the airport. We had zero issues with airport security and the carrier fit comfortably under the seat as promised." —Danielle Healy, BuzzFeed Editor
Get it from Amazon for $84 (available in five colors).
6. A quiet nail trimmer to help ease the task of filing your sweet angel's nails. They don't like it, you don't like it, but that's because you haven't met this trimmer. You can thank us later.
"The first time we tried it out, which entirely lacks photo evidence, it took three of us, myself, my partner, and his brother, just to get Bowie to sit still. This wasn't the nail grinder's fault, but more so a problem of Bowie truly hating for his paws to be touched, like, ever. Slowly but surely, we started doing regular nail trims and he got much more comfortable. The sound of the nail grinder is super minimal and doesn't bother Bowie at all, and the grinder has a little light to help illuminate the nail as you go so you can avoid cutting too short. And as long as he is getting lots of attention, Bowie puts up with the paw-holding. Now we do regular nail-trimming sessions, and the difference may be subtle to the eye, but to my unscratched skin and floors, it's everything." —Danica Creahan, BuzzFeed Contributor
Read the rest of Danica's review of the Rexipets pet nail grinder!
Get it from Amazon for $24.99.
7. A dog DNA kit so you can learn more about your favorite family member (sorry to all of your other family members). Think about how cool it'll be to get a detailed report on your pup's breed, ancestry, and even potential conditions to look out for.
"When I adopted my dog back in June, the rescue didn't know much about her history so they had her listed as a 'Catahoula Leopard Dog' mix. Of course, I did not know if that was true or not but basically every time I took her for a walk or she met someone new, they always asked what kind of dog she was. I was really interested in finding out her DNA makeup because she does have such a unique look. So I was so excited to try the Embark test. And it was super easy to use. I just swabbed her cheeks and sent the sample off to the lab. I got email updates every step of the way, and it only took a couple of weeks before I had her results. And it was so cool to see her makeup. I was shocked that she was mostly 'big dog' breeds, even though she is only about 25 lbs herself. So whatever mix of 'super mutt' has to be something smaller. I loved that I was able to learn more about her and her history since she came to me as such a mystery. I highly recommend this is a gift for anyone who has a rescue dog." —Abby Kass, BuzzFeed Editor
Get it from Amazon for $159.
8. A genius dog leash that's designed to be worn around your torso so you can walk them hands-free — this means you have room to carry more treats!
"This leash is such a lifesaver. My dog is very anxious and has a tendency to bolt. I'm talking 0 to 100, dead sprint. I was so scared that he would catch me off guard and the leash would fly out of my hands. Being able to loop this over my head (I wear it cross-body) has given me total peace of mind. Best of all, I can have both hands free while navigating various walking obstacles. The ease of being able to dig around in your bag while keeping your dog attached to your hip is truly priceless. Bonus: It comes in colors your dog can actually see." —Bek O'Connell, BuzzFeed Contributor
Get it from Amazon and Fable for $65 (available in two sizes and seven colors).
9. A chew toy built with a reinforced center to provide two elbows for your pupparoni to grip while enjoying some engaging paw play and chewing their little heart out.
"This was one of my dog's Christmas presents, and he has loved it from the second we gave it to him. We didn't even have to show him how to hold the bolt with his paws for him to bite it — he started doing it all on his own about one minute in (as shown in the picture above!) Even though he has a history of destroying many a toy, this is holding up really well and only has a few small tooth marks, which is to be expected. I swear — he loves it so much, he almost always falls asleep with it under his paw now. Also: We haven't done it yet, but the company suggests putting peanut butter in the hollow center and freezing it for a super yummy treat that will keep them occupied for ages!" —Ciera Velarde, Former BuzzFeed Editor
Get it from Amazon for $20.99+ (available in two colors) and Wild One for $12+ (available in two sizes and six colors).
10. A super cool (and smart) pet toy that's made to be deconstructed! The outer layer features tough, shreddable fur, and the interior is made of a durable rubber core with grooved bristles they'll love sinking their teeth into (you can even add some peanut butter for some extra joy)!
"This little guy has a fluffy exterior, durable rubber interior, and a squeaker so difficult to access I genuinely forget it's there most of the time. It's the holy grail of dog toys, IMHO. It's designed to be destroyed, which I LOVE. After those first few play sessions with the Hare Raiser, the cutesy cover started to fall apart, and I was admittedly bummed (mainly because I only ~skimmed~ the packaging when I first purchased this bad boy, and didn't understand)." —Danica Creahan, BuzzFeed Contributer
Read the rest of Danica's review of the Bark Super Chewer Hare Raiser toy here!
Get it from Target for $15.99.
11. A bag of rawhide-free chomp treats to fill your dog with excitement the second they sense you opening the package. They're gonna love chomping away on bacon-flavored goodness and you're gonna love seeing them so happy — a win-win.
My dog LOVES his treats and I honestly could devote an entire roundup to just foods he enjoys eating (but I'll save that for another day). If my dog had a ranking of his favorite treats, these would most likely be at the top of the list. He has a sensitive tummy so we really try to save these for "special" occasions, but then again, look at how cute my dog is — every occasion is special when he has that adorable face.
Anyway, special occasion to us is defined as post bath, when we have guests over for a holiday, his birthday, etc. Bailey literally knows now which shelf of the pantry these are kept on because as soon as he sees/hears me taking them out, he starts jumping and running around like his life depends on this bone. The best part is after I give it to him, he runs off to another room of the house so he can enjoy alone time with his bone like it's a sacred ritual. It's both hilarious and so stinking cute.
If you want to witness pure puppy joy, I highly recommend these treats.
Get a pack of 30 from Amazon for $6.91.
12. And if you're looking for more treats to spoil your sweetie, these chicken crisps formulated with sweet potato, apple, and parsley are bound to make them drool. Is it weird for a human to think this sounds delicious? Asking for a friend.
We first bought a bag of these for Bailey as a gift for his first birthday. We took him on a trip to an adorable dog bakery on Long Island and spoiled him extra because he deserves it, damnit!
One thing you should know about my dog is he LOVES chicken — he pretty much only likes chicken-flavored dog food, and chicken-flavored treats, and we literally feed him chicken and rice for dinner every night (again, my dog is spoiled, but look at that ridiculously delicious face...) Anyway, the employees at the bakery gave him samples of these treats which he devoured IMMEDIATELY (which was huge at the time because he used to be a picky eater). We bought a bag and years later, this is still one of his favorites. Again, this is more of a "special occasion" treat than an every day treat. For every day treats, we use Zuke's Mini Naturals, but the excitement Bailey has when we take the South Fork treats out of the pantry...truly one of my favorite reactions in the world.
Get it from South Fork Pet Company for $17.99.
13. A chip stack squeak toy that's reminiscent of a Pringles can. Imagine the following perfect afternoon: eating your favorite flavor Pringles as you watch your cutest friend enjoy their new toy!
"My dog is truly obsessed with this toy. I fill the bottom of it with treats and then shove the chip part back into the "can." Digging the treats out is a fun challenge, but I find that he plays with it loooong after all the treats have been retrieved. The crinkling just really excites him, I guess!" —Bek O'Connell, BuzzFeed Contributor
Get it from Target for $9.99.
14. And on the subject of food toys, a hilarious avocado toast plush they can "chow" down on as you enjoy the real thing for brekkie. The hilarious brunch collection has other options if avo toast doesn't strike your fancy including chicken and waffles, a croissant, eggs benny, and a Bloody Mary.
"My parents adopted a sweet lab mix puppy recently, and I am already spoiling her. (I mean, just look at that face!) Did she absolutely need an avocado toast toy? No. But could I pass it up when I saw it at a local shop? Absolutely not. I think she gives it a stamp of approval, as well. The avocado slices crinkle, and the toast has a squeaker inside, so it really does keep her occupied for a while. Plus, it costs less than the average avocado toast on any menu in NYC." —Abby Kass, BuzzFeed Editor
Get it from P.L.A.Y. for $7.90+ (available in two sizes, four other brunch items, and a brunch set).
Reviews in this post have been edited for length and clarity.