Dog Products: The Good and The Bad

There are so many products for your dog on the market. How can you know which ones are good and bad? I’ve had a lot of experience with many dog products. Here’s a few of my favorite dog products and some I prefer to avoid.

Before we continue, I would like to express that none of the items I mention in this article are sponsored. I am mentioning them because of my personal experiences with them.

Flat collars:

My favorite type of flat collar is a biothane buckle collar. I love metal buckle collars because they are near impossible to break when compared to collars that have a clip. These clip collars are usually made of plastic and break easily when dogs pull hard on the leash. The thing that I love about a buckle over a clip is that buckle collars never loosen overtime.

If you have a dog that pulls a lot, a clip collar is always loosening overtime which can lead them to slipping out of their collars. The biggest reason that I love buckle collars versus clip collars is because it provides more safety for your dog. And isn't that most important?

This is a collar sold by Regal Dog Products on amazon for a reasonable price. I've bought this for my dog and I love it.

Tags:

I personally dislike the basic dog tags that are attached to the ring on the collar. One small reason why I don’t like these tags is because when dogs drink from their bowls, the tag hits the bowl. I know of many dogs who get scared when their tags tap their bowls. A larger concern is that it’s very easy to accidentally hook the leash onto the tag ring instead of the collar ring. When the dog begins to pull on the leash, the tag ring gets pulled apart and

unhooks from the leash or collar. At this point, the dog is no longer hooked to the leash and is capable of running away. I have experienced this with both clients and friends. Make sure

you are hooking the leash to the D ring on your collars to keep your dog safe.

My favorite kind of tag is where it is hooked onto the band of the collar and is flush with the collar. You can even go a step further and just engrave the information onto the color itself which would eliminate the need for a tag.

This is the tag that I bought for my dog. It is sold on amazon by GoTag.

Treats:

My favorite treats are Busy Bones, bully sticks and Minties. Busy Bones are sold by Purina. It depends on how tough of a chewer your dog is but it lasts longer than most treats. Bully sticks are very similar to rawhides but they are easily digestible. One thing to watch out for is that they smell really bad but for me, it is worth it. I just recommend giving it to the on hardwood or tile and NOT on the carpet. Finally, I love to use Minties for the dental chews for my dogs. My dogs are obsessed with them and they’re cheaper (without losing quality) but still as great as other name brands such as Greenies. Remember to supervise your dog while they are eating these treats as they can be a choking hazard.

STAY AWAY FROM RAWHIDES, BONES AND ANTLERS! I cannot overstate this. Rawhides are very hard for your dog to digest even if it says, "easily digestible." Bones and antlers are very hard to chew and grind away or break teeth. I like to stay safe and avoid these "treats".

Now for training treats. The best training treats that I have found are Zuke‘s Training Treats or. They're the perfect size and have great ingredients. As a bonus, these treats are an average price.

Make sure to look at the ingredients and preservatives that are in the treats that you buy for your dogs. Most dog treats have a lot of sugar in them. This shouldn’t be a problem unless you’re giving your dog too many treats. A good rule for all treats is that the super cheap treats are usually not good for your pup. I enjoy finding a deal but some things aren't worth the lower quality.