Vet Tested and Approved - Top Dog Products We LOVE!

There are thousands of pet products on the market today. Estimated to be a $40 billion a year industry, pet products are big business with manufacturers trying to grab on to as much of the pie as possible.

Interestingly, it seems that the pet industry has not been affected by the recession as severely as businesses in other sectors. Pet owners still seem willing to shell out big bucks for products to pamper their pooches. But this is not surprising when we stop to realize that, for many pet owners, their dogs and cats are members of the family.

A while back, Dr. Jon asked us to attend some pet industry shows to find the very best new products for pet lovers! So we traveled the country, attending more than a half dozen shows from coast to coast, and we have researched hundreds (probably thousands) of pet products.

We have evaluated these pet products in a variety of ways, some more intensely than others.

My friends call it "extreme product testing" because I like to test the product under some very intense conditions. Yes, I'll run over some toys with a car, toss them out a window, throw them in a lake, hit them with a hammer ... you name it and I've probably done it! But I do it for a reason. Most importantly, we want to make sure that the pet products we recommend are safe, durable and appealing to pets.

Here are some of our favorite pet products.

1. Zero Odor. Dogs commonly urinate or make other messes in the house. Vomit, diarrhea and urine are particularly offensive odors that pet owners deal with on a regular basis. There are several products on the market that claim to combat odors, but they just don't work. Some just temporarily mask the smell while others do nothing at all. Zero Odor is different. This product really works. My team and I have tested this product along with dog owners just like you and we really love it. Bottom line, this product works. Zero Odor can eliminate those nasty odors for good. For more information, go to: Zero Odor for Dogs

2. Rapid Bath. Dogs need to be bathed regularly. But when a groomer bathes your dog, it can be quite expensive. We wanted to find a good quality product that lets you quickly and easily bathe your dog at home - and we found it. That product is Rapid Bath. This dog washing system attaches to any faucet, so you can use it to wash your dog in your shower or bathtub, or outside with a garden hose. It requires special shampoo cartridges, and I've been very impressed with the quality of these shampoos that include formulas for soothing, whitening, deep cleaning and allergies. This is a very good product that will bathe your dog in 5 minutes or less. For more information, go to: Rapid Bath.

3. Drinkwell 360. It is important that pets drink enough water, but just like us, many pets don't drink enough water to meet the daily recommendations. (After all, how many of us drink eight full 8-oz glasses of water a day?) It is hard to get pets to drink if they don't want to. But the Drinkwell 360 pet fountain can help them drink more. This is a great quality fountain with filtered streaming water. Pets prefer fresh running water. If I were to offer water in a bowl vs. the fountain, dogs go to the fountain. The Drinkwell 360 is recommended for small to medium size dogs weighing less than 50 lbs. For more information, go to: Drinkwell 360 Pet Fountain.

4. Drinkwell Big Dog Fountain. Big dogs need big fountains, and this one is REALLY big! With a reservoir that holds more than 2-gallons of water, this is the largest capacity pet fountain on the market. The Drinkwell Big Dog Fountain is perfect for larger dogs and multi-pet households. Most dogs don't drink enough water, but this fountain can help your dog drink more. This is a great quality fountain with filtered streaming water. Pets prefer fresh running water. If I were to offer water in a bowl vs. the fountain, dogs go to the fountain. For more information, go to: Drinkwell Big Dog Fountain.

5. Tuffy Ultimate Ring Dog Toy. We were very impressed by the Tuffy Ultimate Ring. This dog toy is extremely DURABLE. It is a super-reinforced ring toy that is fun to play with ... and it's built to last. This toy is not new to the market, but it remains at the top of our list nonetheless because it is a very durable play toy that dogs just love. For more information: Check out our test dog, Sweet Lips, playing with it.

6. Bottle Crunchers. Lots of dogs love to chew on empty water bottles because they love the crunching noise they make. Bottle Crunchers are brightly colored water bottle "safety sleeves" that fit snuggly over a water bottle to protect your dog's teeth from the sharp edges of the broken plastic. Bottle Crunchers come in a package of two, and they look like cute animals. Sometimes my dog Sweet Lips gets her Bottle Cruncher and just goes to town playing with it. For more information: Check out the video on this one.

7. Music My Pet CD. The Music My Pet CD is made by the same people who brought you Disney's Baby Einstein. This beautiful music was designed to help dogs, cats (and pet lovers) relax. The classical music tracks on this CD were created using only those sounds and instruments that have been proven to be soothing to pets. For more information, go to: for DogsMusic My Pet CD]]

8. Kissable Toothbrush/Toothpaste Set . The Kissable toothbrush and toothpaste set is the perfect way to fight doggy breath. We looked high and low to find the perfect toothbrush and toothpaste for dogs, and this is it. This brush has a unique 3D design that brushes all three sides of the tooth at once, which cuts down on brushing time. The toothpaste has a very pleasant vanilla flavor that dogs really seem to enjoy. For more information, go to: Kissable Toothbrush/Toothpaste Set.

9. Go Dog Dragon. This adorable lime color dragon is a plush dog toy that is as durable as it is fun. No toy is indestructible, but this toy is very well made. It uses a technology called "Chew Guard" to stand up to your dog's daily play. This toy is great for cuddlers, but it is also good for dogs that like to play a little rough. For more information, go to: Go Dog Dragon.