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2022-09-02 23:21:57 By : Mr. Aaron Li

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Pets: They’re our furry babies, our cuddly best friends — and our homes wouldn’t be the same without them. So just as we’d do for any family member, a lot of thought goes into what we buy for our dogs and cats, from food with the right ingredients to safe, durable toys to carriers with the necessary visibility and comfort.

At Select, we love our pets, too. To help pet owners find the best for their animals, we’ve talked with veterinarians about everything from dog treats and cat food to dog toys and nail trimmers. And since we shop for a living, we’ve also tried numerous products — treats, toys, harnesses, beds — both as editors and as pet parents.

Below, we rounded up some of the pet products our own cats and dogs love the most, and we hope your pets might love them, too.

These are some of our favorite pet products for dogs and cats, ranging from harnesses and carriers to pet cameras and treats. Every pet is different, so we highlighted each pet’s approximate size and temperament to give you a better sense of the products’ benefits and limitations.

Loki, a 10-month-old, 17-pound cavalier King Charles spaniel who belongs to editorial operations manager Shari Uyehara, wears this harness from Wild One. Uyehara loves that the harness is both stylish and fits well. And it comes in several trendy colors — including lilac, blush and navy. You can also upgrade to a Walk Kit with a matching leash and poop bag carrier. But there’s one thing to note, according to Uyehara: The harness has to be slipped over the dog’s head instead of clipped around their body. “It takes a little wiggling at first, but it’s easy to slip on and off once you do it a couple times, in my opinion,” she said.

Select senior editor Morgan Greenwald has tried several harnesses for her 1-year-old dog Suzie. The Easy Walk Harness helps Greenwald keep her 57-pound pit bull mix under control. “Suzie is very strong and sometimes it feels like she’s walking me — with the Easy Walk Harness, it’s much easier to steer her in the right direction when she starts pulling,” Greenwald said.

Greenwald’s Suzie gets every meal in this snuffle mat. “Not only does it keep her mentally stimulated, but it also prevents her from eating her food too quickly (which she will do otherwise),” Greenwald said. “Both my vet and trainer recommended a snuffle mat, and we’ve had no issues getting Suzie to eat from it.”

This travel carrier is another Select staffer favorite from Wild One — associate reporter Mili Godio uses it to take Bella, her 4-year-old 16-pound Havanese/Bichon mix, on the plane when they visit Godio’s family in Florida. The carrier has breathable mesh panels, so Bella can see what’s going on around her, and the shoulder strap detaches to use as a leash. “It also has a thick cushion on the inside so it can double as a dog bed when we’re waiting at the airport or traveling in the car,” Godio said. The carrier is suitable for dogs up to 16 pounds, according to the brand.

Whenever Uyehara takes Loki with her on trips, it’s always in this Sherpa Pet Carrier. Mesh windows allow ventilation and visibility, and the faux lambskin liner is removable and machine-washable, according to the brand. “It meets airplane guidelines and comes with zippers at the front and top of the bag, so we can easily let him out while going through security, or give him a little water or a treat on the plane,” Uyehara said. The carrier is available in three sizes, the largest of which is suited for dogs up to 22 pounds, the brand says.

Several Select staffers use a Furbo camera to keep an eye on their dog when they’re not home. Greenwald is currently working with a trainer on Suzie’s separation anxiety, and the Furbo has allowed Greenwald to not only watch Suzie’s reaction after she leaves the apartment but also to record it for the trainer to see later. “It’s been a complete game changer for us,” Greenwald said. “When we get to a point where we can leave the house for longer periods, I’ll have peace of mind knowing I can check in on her at any time.” In addition to its video capabilities, you can also talk to your dog and dispense treats via the Furbo.

Suzie has destroyed every tennis ball she’s ever gotten her paws on, according to Greenwald, but these rubber balls from Chuckit! have withstood hours of throwing and chewing. They’re designed for outdoor use and can float (in case your dog likes to fetch in water), the brand says. Greenwald also uses the Chuckit! Launcher to throw the balls at the park — you can use the launcher to grab the ball and carry it around, too, which means you won’t have to get your hands dirty with slobber and dirt, she said.

Godio’s favorite treats for training, these Pet Botanics Bacon-Flavored Dog Treats are just 3 calories each and made with real pork liver, according to the brand. “These treats have worked so well when teaching [Bella] new commands and rewarding good behavior — she loves the bacon flavor and they come as super small, low-calorie pellets, so I can give her multiple at a time without worry and can carry them around in a little Ziploc bag,” Godio said.

Godio’s Bella has little legs, so Bella uses these dog stairs to climb into bed with Godio at night. “I love them because they’re super lightweight and they fold, so I can store them away easily when they’re not in use,” Godio said. “They also have non-slip pads on each step.” The stairs can accommodate a dog weighing up to 50 pounds, according to the brand.

Select social editor Sadhana Daruvuri uses this crate with her 6-month-old, 8-pound maltipoo Bandit and he “took to it immediately,” she said. “It lets in a good amount of light so Bandit can still see, but it’s dark enough that it feels more like a den.” Daruvuri also noted that the crate is easy to break down and rebuild if you ever need to travel with it.

Select production coordinator Rebecca Rodriguez’s 2-year-old short hair cats Enzo and Luna — 14 pounds and 8 pounds, respectively — love this tower from Necoichi. “It’s not an eyesore like most cat scratchers and towers tend to be, so it works perfectly in our room,” Rodriguez said. The cardboard panels on each level of the tower are reversible as well as replaceable — with two cats, Rodriguez noted she’s made good use out of the replacement pads.

Izzy, Select managing editor Leah Ginsberg’s 1-and-a-half-year-old, 10-pound tortie, loves to both scratch and sleep on this cardboard lounger. “I wanted a cardboard scratcher/lounger that’s not horribly ugly, but the attractive ones can be expensive. This one is around $35 for two pieces,” Ginsberg said. Though Izzy is “a tiny menace who destroys everything,” according to Ginsberg, the bed has held up well since she bought it in October. “Izzy’s lucky she’s cute,” Ginsberg added.

Junior designer Vivian Le has gone through several carriers with Lola, her 4-year-old, 10-pound domestic short-hair cat, and said this is the only one that hasn’t broken after she traveled with it. Recommended for dogs and cats up to 15 pounds, the mesh carrier is TSA-approved and has doors on the front, sides and top for multiple points of entry, according to the brand.

Tortie Izzy “loves to play” — however, she also tends to tear apart her toys, so Ginsberg prefers not to spend a lot of money on them. These Skitter Critters are less than $2 for a pack of three and Izzy loves them so much that Ginsberg has them on “Subscribe and Save” on Amazon. “Izzy makes me play fetch with them every night,” Ginsberg said.

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