#1- Jolly Ball- Titus' favorite water toy
This toy was originally designed for horses, but now they make smaller sizes as well (just in case your dog is not the size of a small horse!) We love this ball because it floats, has a handle, and is incredibly tough. Titus gets really excited when we get this ball out because it means he'll soon be in the water playing. He can get his mouth around this 10" ball and squeeze it, but it can't be punctured. The handle, on the other hand, can be torn up if chewed on for a long time (a dog we were dogsitting chewed up the the handle on ours, so now it is wrapped in duct tape).
#2- West Paw Zisc - Titus' favorite frisbee (and other products)
This is Titus' all-time favorite frisbee. We've tried several brands and materials, but this one is the best. It's soft for catching but made of durable "zogoflex" material for durability. Again, we don't let Titus sit and chew on this toy, but it has held up to years of playing and we use it nearly every day. It's particularly perfect for snow play since it's easy to see and lands on top of the snow instead of getting lost in it like a ball.
West Paw also makes other toys like the "hurley" and "huck." These are great chew toys and endure tons of gnawing without any tooth marks at all!
#3- The Raquetball - Titus' favorite indoor ball
You would think that raquetballs would be too small for our 97 lb beast, but he absolutely loves them. Again, great for chewers, but I've seen tiny dogs enjoy them as well. We've only had 1 destroyed and that was because it was left out in the sun and rotted. For this reason, we try to keep these as indoor balls (except for when using #13). These are also great because they don't get full of slobber like tennis balls do, they have great bounce, and are easy to clean.
#4 and #5- The Chuckit Ball Launcher and Whistler Balls - Titus' favorite outside balls, my most used launcher
The Chuckit launcher is great for outside play. No more touching slimy, muddy balls! I prefer the shorter version, but we have the longer one as well. The tennis balls that come with the launcher are worthless- Titus chews them in half in a couple of bites. However, the whistler balls are wonderful! They kind of whistle as they fly and are made of durable rubber of some kind. So far Titus has not destroyed them. Warning: after years of using the ball launcher, you may not be able to throw normally ever again. I have such a "girl throw" now. Also, make sure the balls you buy match the size of launcher you have- they come in several sizes.
#6- Elevated dog bowl - Titus' favorite place in the house!
This is a must for tall dogs. There are tons to choose from, but I like the ones with storage. This is the one we have. It can be adjusted to 2 different heights.
#7- Rubbermaid collapsible bowls- Titus' favorite travel bowl
These bowls are great for vacations or day trips. They pack flat, have a lid, and come in a few different sizes. I love them.
#8- Leash saddle - Titus' favorite walking accessory
Most people have never seen one of these. It is a little saddle for your retractable leash that has 2 zippered pockets and 2 velcro pockets. It is the perfect size for your keys, ID, poop bags, etc. Totally a must-have in my book.
#9- The Nylabone - Titus' favorite chew toy
These are great for heavy chewers. Get the size and durability appropriate for your dog. We have 3 different styles and love them all.
#10- The Sunglo collar- Titus' favorite water accessory
This is a must-have for swimming dogs. The nylon is coated with polyurethane which means the water and dirt cannot penetrate. Translation: no stinky collar after swimming!
#11- Rinse Ace pet shower products- Titus' favorite bath accessory
If you don't have a hand held shower head, this is for you. Rinse Ace has several designs to choose from. We have one that quick connects to a junction at our shower head and one that connects to the sink faucet. Either way, I prefer the style with an "easy-lock clip." It's similar to the clip on the nozzle at a gas station and saves much hand fatigue while bathing your favorite pooch.
#12- Baby gate - Titus' least favorite item
Great for containing dogs as well as babies! Yes, Titus could easily jump over the gate, but don't tell him that!
#13- Hyper Dog ball launcher- Titus' favorite sling shot
Ok, this toy is more fun for the owner than the dog- seriously. I like to use raquetballs instead of tennis balls due to the slobber factor. A wet ball just seems dangerous to me, and who wants to sling drool everywhere!?! I also hold the ball instead of the pocket for better control.
#14- Gloves - For me, not Titus!
I wear these anytime I have to touch dirty toys- particularly when playing with #2 and #13. Get them in the winter for $1 at most stores.
#15- Outward Hound dog backpack - Titus' favorite hiking accessory
Yes, we make Titus carry his own food and water when we're backpacking. It's a rough life. There are tons of styles available, but this is the one we have. It has worked well for many years.
So there you have it, my top 15 dog products. Do you have something to add? I would love to hear about your favorite pet finds!
2 comments:
Any suggestions on teaching a dog to chase frisbees and balls? I'm not sure if I told you or not earlier, but we had to put Amos down a while back because his hip wasting and arthritis got so bad he could hardly stand or move. Poor puppy dog. A few months ago we sprung Vinnie from the local dog jail. He is a gentle and goofy mix of border collie and something else. Everyone has a different guess. I think chuck-its or a frisbee would be great for those days that I can't easily manage a long walk or run, but Vinnie just stands there and watches them.
I love your idea of racquetballs instead of tennis balls. Wyatt LOVES balls, but we don't let him have any inside because we only used tennis balls and they got stinky and wet and he would sometimes chew right through them. Maybe for his birthday tomorrow, he can have some new racquetballs.....thanks Amber!
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