Vet Tested and Approved – Top Pet 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, we attended 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 – Pets 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 pet owners just like you and we really love it. Bottom line, this product works. Zero Odor can eliminate those nasty odors for good.

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.

3. Drinkwell Pet Fountains – It is important that all pets drink enough water, but this is especially true for cats. 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. It is recommended for cats, multi-pet households and dogs weighing less than 50 pounds. This is a great quality fountain with filtered streaming water. Pets prefer fresh running water. If I were to offer a pet water in a bowl vs. the fountain, they go to the 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.

6. Cat-Man-Doo Extra Large Bonito Cat Treats – Bonito Flakes are plump, all-natural fish flakes that cats really crave. In fact, cats love them so much, they’ll do just about anything to get them. Some cat owners have even taught their cats to sit up and beg for them. I’ve tested them on several cats that generally don’t like treats and they really loved these!

7. 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.

8. 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 cats, dogs (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.

9. Undercover Mouse or Hot Pursuit. The Undercover Mouse is my favorite cat toy (however it went off market but there are replacement versions). Do you know how some cats like to play the finger game? This is basically the same thing … but better. The toy has a piece of fabric with a rotating arm underneath that moves in random motions to entice cats to chase and play. The cats I’ve tested it on just LOVE it. And it’s so funny to watch!

10. Fling-ama-String – This is my second favorite cat toy . Cats love to play with strings, and Fling-ama-String is the ultimate string toy. It attaches to any doorknob. The toy’s rotating band tosses out a string as it hangs on the door … and cats just LOVE it. The biggest complaint that we get from cat owners is that they go through a lot of batteries because their cats love it so much!

11. FURminator – The FURminator is simply the best deshedding comb we’ve ever seen. This tool really works. It can reduce shedding by as much as 90%. In fact, we did a survey of vet techs and this was their favorite cat-grooming product. It is amazing to see the amount of hair this tool can remove from a pet!

12. Kissable Toothbrush/Toothpaste Set – The Kissable Toothbrush set is the perfect way to fight doggy breath. We looked high and low to find the perfect toothbrush and tooth paste 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.

12. Dragon by Go Dog- This adorable limed 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 be a little rough.

13. The BOLT laser toy – This automated laser toy is really a blast. It will really keep your cat entertained, even when you don’t have time to play along. Just set the timer and BOLT will run an automated 15-minute chase program. Cats just love to chase things, and BOLT is the ultimate chase toy. It’s a great way to keep your cat active, happy and fit.

14.Paw Plunger – The Paw Plunger looks like an oversized travel mug with brushes on the inside. But you don’t drink out of it you use it to quickly clean your dog’s paws just before he comes back inside. It’s easy to use. Just fill it with water and gently plunge each paw a couple of times. Paw Plunger is the perfect way to keep your dog from tracking dirt on your floors, furniture, bedding and clothing.

15.Bissell ShedAway – This innovative grooming tool is the quick and easy way to safely remove loose hair from your dog … BEFORE it winds up on your floors, furniture and clothes. It’s mess-free because it sucks the loose hair right into your vacuum. With its universal adapter, the ShedAway will fit most every vacuum. It’s a simple solution to your shedding problems.

16. Gentle Paws Nail Grinder – This durable and easy-to-use nail grinder is a safe yet effective way to groom your dog’s nails. This grooming tool will not hurt your dog, because it files away the nail in thin layers … it doesn’t cut.

We really enjoyed testing these new pet products and we hope you will enjoy learning about them, too! They are our all-time favorites, and we think they’ll be your favorites, too. Enjoy!.