Life with dogs used to be open the door in the morning, feed them, then let them wander until dinnertime. In the States, dogs have become a more integral part of the family, living more indoor lives. It keeps them safer for sure! And it also limits giving themselves things to do for exercise, mental enrichment, and socializing. Now we have curated playdates, daycares, private and group exercise; anything you can think of for kids there’s probably a dog version for it.
In addition to finding great professionals in your area to help fill in knowledge gaps, there’s tons of wonderful products and programs out there to help your whole family live your best life, including your pups. Many of these products are linked to their company’s website so you can buy directly from them whenever possible. Please note! A few of these items may have affiliate links, and I may receive a fee when you use said link. Some have special discount codes!
Just want a list? Greatest hits:
- Treats! Red Barn Meat Rolls, available on Chewy
- Poop Bags! Earth-rated Bags with Handles, available on Chewy
- Body Language Book! Lili Chin’s Doggie Language: A Dog Lover’s Guide to Understanding Your Best Friend, available directly from Lili herself or on Amazon
- Metal Tags by Tough Tags
- Collars by The Chic Pooch Boutique
- Convertible leash by High Tail Hikes code: GS10
- Custom Muzzles by Trust Your Dog
- Flagline Harness with Handle by Ruffwear
- Backcountry Day (Treat) Bag by Ollydog
- Warning Leash Wraps from Patience and Love 143
- Pressure Mounted Metal Gate by MidWest Home for Pets
- OllyBottle by Ollydog
- Slow Water Bowl by Upsky
- Slow Feeder Bowls by Sodapup
- Puzzle Feeding Toppl Toy by West Paw
- Cooling Gel Bed by SafeHaven
- Sound Masking Machine by SNOOZ
Reading Book List
- The Doggie Language Book by Lili Chin
- Canine Enrichment for the Real World by Emily Strong and Allie Bender
- The Stress Factor in Dogs: Unlocking Resilinecy and Enhancing Well-being by Kristina Spaulding
- How Many Dogs?! Using Positive Reinforcement Training to Manage a Multiple Dog Household by Debby McMullen
- Don’t Shoot the Dog; The Art of Teaching and Training by Karen Pryor
Safety and Identification
A collar is the easiest way to keep your dog’s identification on them; after all, they can’t talk to us with words. Having a collar with your phone number (and even email address) is the easiest way to help your dog get back to you if they get lost. Beyond that, you can get fun, creative tags that attach to D-rings or jingle-free slide-ons that are less likely to fall off during play or adventure. Our picks:
Tough Tags dog tag IDs
Tough Tags have been the tags we’ve used for years for our playgroup dogs. They’ve stood the test of time for our rough and tumblers, standing up to chewing, sand and surf, and anything else the elements have thrown at them. These tags are the only choice when it comes to seriously intense dogs and elements. Plus, they’re handy for suitcases and other gear!
Tag4MyPet (available in Canada) slide on tags
Useful for our “indoor” collars by completely eliminating the dingle sound and keeping name, contact info, and allergies listed on our pups. Based in Canada with a lightning fast turnaround, I’ve been a repeat customer for years until the recent tariffs cut off the ability to deliver to the US. I’m still recommending them because they’re great, dammit!
GoTags Nylon Personalized Dog Collars
I got collars similar to these ones when I got dogs in playgroups who have food allergies. They were helpful in preventing snacks from other friendly park-goers while keeping my phone number on them. These collars are also useful for people who have handshy or people reactive dogs who can’t be touched by strangers. Even with a limit on characters, you can fit most relevant info like DO NOT PET, ALLERGIES, or FEARFUL with a phone number instead of your dog’s name. Choose a collar and thread color combination that are complimentary, like yellow and purple or blue and orange to make the words stand out from a distance. That prevents humans from needing to get too close to read info.
Adorable Fabric Collars by The Chic Pooch Boutique
https://thechicpoochboutique.com/
Handmade, soft, and durable, I’ve gotten dozens of collars, bows, and fabric flowers from ethical breeder and professional crafter Tiffany! Based in the US, Tiff uses cute design fabric as well as making her own patterns with themes that make you smile. Buy from Tiffany directly on her website or on etsy. She also offers a subscription service where you get a new collar seasonally or monthly, available only on her website.
Customized Biothane Muzzles by Trust Your Dog
Available in a rainbow of colors and with options for fully-enclosed clear vinyl or reinforced with steel, I’ve used and recommended Trust Your Dog muzzles without hesitation. With options for dogs with “weird” face or muzzle shapes, these muzzles have allowed dogs who otherwise couldn’t be around humans or dogs be able to practice being around their triggers (at distance at first!) while keeping everyone safe. Dogs can play with these muzzles. Useful for dogs who are scavengers while out on hikes or walks, these muzzles work well for pica and opportunists. Owner Amy has measuring guides on how to choose what muzzle works for your dog and needs, and you can even set up virtual appointments with her to fine tune your selections. Our link has a discount code built in so you can save 15% on your purchase.
Plastic Basket Muzzles by Company of Animals
The Baskerville is the quintessential basket muzzle most start out with their muzzle desensization process. Now with an option for wide-faced dogs, they’re accessible to more people looking to find a muzzle that fits their pup that needs some extra help. Great to keep in your emergency go-bag or first aid kit, these muzzles can be molded after boiling to better fit your dog’s face.
Baskerville available on Amazon and Chewy
Biothane Leashes by High Tail Hikes
Keep your dog attached to you while enjoying the great outdoors, be it walking down the street, at a park, or the wilderness with a variety of leashes make out of an easy-to-clean plastic that can last for years with basic upkeep. Convertible leashes allow for a handsfree walk experience, and long line drop leashes allow your dog more freedom in open areas while still staying physically connected as needed. Use our code GS10 at checkout to receive a discount on your purchase!
Long Lines
Convertible Hands-free
Custom leashes with traffic handles
Secure Dog Body Harness by Ruffwear
The Flagline Harness with Handle has worked for me with dogs built like bowling balls or sleek greyhound like keel-chested pups. Somewhat limited in sizes that exclude our tiniest and biggest canine friends, they fit most dogs between 10 and 120 lb. Great for when you’re worried about a dog that lunges on leash or has figured out how to back out of most harnesses or collars, this is the harness I recommend for dogs no matter their behavior. i’ve seen this harness get chewed on by tough players during playgroups, and it keeps on going! Bonus: they’re able to send replacement buckles (male piece) if yours gets broken somehow.
This harness has a back D ring attachment and a front reinforced fabric ring on the chest for two points of leash contact. Please note: the top D ring is shaped in such a way that lobster claw clips can unlatch. Make sure to always attach your leash with the curved side down to prevent those accidents.
Harness: Ruffwear Flagline Harness with Lift and Assist Handle on Amazon or directly from Ruffwear
Runner-up Harness: 3-in-1 Body Harness by Petsafe
Padded with neoprene and comes with a seatbelt attachment, the 3-in-1 body harness has chest and back D rings, giving you the option of a front attach harness with less worry of a harness escape. The only reason it’s the runner-up is that the harness does not have the additional row of buckles for security. It’s still an extremely sturdy harness, and I used to use them regularly. They’re great for dogs who do not like to slide their head through collars and harnesses as the neck part can unbuckle! I find them fantastic for sensitive and handshy dogs.
Harness: Petsafe 3-in-1 Reflective Dog Harness with Car Control Strap available on Chewy
Big, but not too big, treat pouch by OllyDog
The Backcountry Day Bag has been my favorite treat pouch for when I’m walking one dog at a time. It’s spacious enough to keep 3 cups of treats and has multiple pockets for keeping different types of treats separated if that’s what you’re into. Room for small aerosols, keys, poop bags, this pouch is complete with a zipper top to keep inquisitive snouts from jackpotting themselves.
Treat pouch: Back Country Day Bag by Ollydog
Pressure Mounted Gate by Midwest Home for Pets
When I tell you this metal gate is tough, I mean it’s been put through the wringer: dug at and jumped on for YEARS by my energetic, bulldozing 70 pound dog, this gate has won my heart over and I will recommend it to anyone looking to set up barriers. It comes with a door that swings both ways and has a height of over three feet and width expanding options. This gate works great for keeping dogs away from the front door or separation needs when the humans aren’t around to monitor.
Pressure Mounted Gate: MidWest Home for Pets Tall Metal Gate on Amazon
Meeting Their Needs
Having reliable water resources, food, and play outlets help your dog feel their best and you sleepign well at night.
Compact water bottle for hikes and walks by OllyDog
This water bottle and bowl combo is a handy way to keep water available for your dog when you’re out and about, available in two sizes, the smaller size fits easily into small backpacks and purses for day use. The larger bottle works great for shorter hikes. While the bowl isn’t big enough for larger dogs who have muzzles on, it works great for keeping your gear together without creating a mess. For dogs who need to wear muzzles, opt for a wider bowl so they can keep their gear on.
Low spill metal water bowl by Upsky
Some dogs drink their water so fast they throw up. Others think digging in their water makes for good fun (it is for them! just not for us humans.) Grab this bowl for your home so your messy bub can have access to water without driving you nuts. “no spill” on Amazon
Slow Feeder Bowls by Sodapup
Diswasher safe and tough enough to handle dogs who think slamming bowls is a fun way to eat, Sodapup bowls has lasted my hard chewers two years and counting, putting up with teeth, abuse, and freezing day after day to keep my dogs busy and slow down their eating time to make it more of an activity they can enjoy instead of a task to get done as fast as possible.
Puzzle Food and Food Stuffing Toppl toy by WestPaw
Made of a durable, rubbery plastic that can be sent to WestPaw to be recycled if torn apart, Toppls come in different sizes and can fit into each other to create more challenging puzzles for your dog to noodle while getting rewarded with peanut butter, yogurt, or whatever you decide to stuff in there. Dishwasher safe (easier to handwash than kongs!) and able to be frozen, Toppls make it easy to give your dog something to do.
Toppl on Amazon and Chewy
The comfiest dog bed approved by clients and personal dogs by FurHaven
My dogs like this bed so much I had three of them at one point. Available in multiple sizes and 3/4 of the sides covered in bolsters, this bed comes with a gel-based foamy stuffing that comes out for when you need to wash the cover. One bed lasted two years of nightly nest-digging by my german shepherd mix before the cover needed repairs. Dogs big and small, round and boney, anxious and chill have all enjoyed these beds. I initially balked at the price, but they’ve been worth it! On their website it’s called Velvet Waves Perfect Comfort, and honestly? That’s a great name for it.
FurHaven’s Cooling Gel Bed with Bolsters on Amazon
The least annoying sound masking machine by SNOOZ
Look, these things are usually not fun sounding to me, to the point of getting nauseous. The Snooz uses a real fan, not a speaker, and it comes with volume control and tone control. With a bluetooth option – nonwifi — you can adjust with your phone or tablet from another part of the home as needed, and there’s also options in the app to set up automatic times for off and on with a choice to customize each day if you like. It’s compact and doesn’t take up a ton of space.
If the pricetag is not for you, a box fan is also a great sound masker.
SNOOZ White Noise Machine (with real fan inside) on Amazon or buy directly from SNOOZ!