Top-Rated Brands for Dogs and Cats

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Being a new pet owner can be incredibly rewarding — you get the benefit of a new furry friend, and your little friend gets a new home to call their own. But as much as we want to stay home with them and play fetch all day (we know our dogs do), the truth is that we do eventually having to leave home for long periods of time, for work, travel, what have you.

“Dog Adoption is trending during the pandemic,” said Melissa Bacelar, founder of Wagmor Pets and owner of The Wagmor, a luxury pet hotel and spa in Los Angeles. “People line up at 2am to adopt a dog from us!”

But after you adopt your pet and they get used to your space — then start heading out for work or travel — pet experts say it’s important to make sure your dogs and cats receive the same attention and care that them when you are at home with them.

“I’ve had dogs for the past 20 years and as my life has changed I’ve learned to adjust things accordingly so my animals are safe and happy,” Bacelar said. “You have to anticipate things like separation anxiety, leash aggression, shy behavior. You just have to come up with a plan that will benefit all members of the household.”

“Dogs are very adjustable and generally like to please,” Bacelar continued. “So as these things come up, we’re going to have to work on them and work on training and socializing.”

What Are the Top Pet Products?

Whether you want to keep an eye on your pet while you’re away, or keep them calm and comfortable when you’re not around, companies have introduced pet products that can help with everything from home monitoring to pet size. entertainment

Of course, all these products can keep your pets busy for a few hours, but they cannot completely replace human interaction and time spent with them. At the end of the day, Bacelar says, “Pet ownership is for a dog’s life, not a week or a year. These little creatures didn’t ask to be part of your family. But when they become they are part of it they should be there to stay.”

Today’s best pet products range from (smart) cat litter, sofa-style doggy beds and even pet-safe CBD aimed at keeping them calm and cool when you’re away. Below we’ve rounded up a few picks, including trending, top-rated pet products and using pet parents on our team.

1. Furbo Dog Camera

One of the most popular pet products is the Furbo Dog Camera. Designed as a security cam and feeder in one, Furbo delivers a crisp 1080p full HD camera that lets you see your space live. There’s also no need to position it awkwardly somewhere — place it on your floor and get a 360-degree, rotating wide-angle view. Furbo even comes with night vision so you can see your four-legged friends when the lights are off.

The best part? The Furbo unit lets you store bite-sized treats inside, so you can throw Fido or Fritz a treat, either to keep them busy or as a reward for patiently waiting at home for yours. Setting up is as easy as plugging in the power cord and connecting the camera to WiFi.

Don’t just take our word for it — dog owners consistently rate the Furbo Dog Camera as one of the best pet products online, with an average 4.5-star review ( out of five) from nearly 38,000 reviewers online.

2. ThunderShirt Dog Anxiety Jacket

One of the most pressing issues for your pets, Bacelar explains, is “separation anxiety.” Pets can’t always be with their humans 24/7, but it’s important to keep your pets (especially younger ones) calm and relaxed when you leave the house. That’s where an anxiety jacket comes in.

ThunderShirt is one of the top-rated brands for dog anxiety jackets, with a cozy and fitted design that applies gentle and constant pressure around your dog to help “calm anxiety, fear and overexcitement .”

The comfort jacket works a bit like a weighted blanket, using gentle pressure to help your dog stay calm during fireworks, storms, vet visits and when they’re just at home.

3. Boxie Glo Natural Attractions Clumping Clay Litter

One of our favorite pet brands for cats right now is Boxie, which offers trendy litter that literally sparkles. Unlike regular cat litters, Glo Natural Attractions helps cats find their way to the litter box using UV sparkles that only cats can see, so they know “this is the place to go.” Especially since cats love to dig, Glo’s pellets are soft and engineered to mimic the desert of North Africa (where house cats come from), and feature a mild outdoor scent for cat

This is an easy way to get ahead of soiling in the house, and it can help with avoidance or behavioral issues in your cat around the litter box. Of course, Boxie also works great as a litter, eliminating odor instantly and removing excess moisture too, so you’ll never have to smell your cat’s dirty business again.

4. Furhaven Pet Bed

Not all pet beds are created equal. While there’s no shortage of brands that make decent beds and crates for your pet, we love Furhaven’s orthopedic pet beds, which provide a more ergonomic place for your dog or cat to rest.

Designed to mimic a couch or daybed, the sofa-style design provides a thick, soft surface to sleep on, along with supportive side “bolsters” to keep your pet safe and comfortable. Furhaven says its egg crate foam base helps cushion pressure points, while the railings help support the neck, back, hips, and joints.

The velvet fabric is super soft and gentle, yet durable enough to withstand long-term use. A bonus: the cover is fully machine washable.

5. Pet Parents Pawtect Blanket

Our cat loves the sherpa-like feel of this pet blanket, which is 100% waterproof and fully machine washable for easy care. Designed to be super plush and comfortable, Pet Parents says its “Sherpup” fabric features an impermeable barrier that’s slobber, water and urine-proof.

The “Pawtect” blanket is great to throw over your couch or bed when you want to keep your furniture drool free, but it’s also great thrown over your pet’s bed (see above) or crate, to keep warm and they are comfortable. Faux fur material is easy to care for, and lightweight enough to carry around when traveling, or just moving from room to room.

6. Cornbread Hemp CBD for Pets

Much has been written about the effectiveness of CBD in helping you get better sleep, or less anxiety, and now the same benefits of CBD can be applied to your pets. Cornbread Hemp is one of our favorite CBD brands, for their certified USDA organic products made from full-spectrum hemp. Now, the company has applied the same science behind their CBD oils for humans, to a great CBD oil for pets.

Safe for dogs and cats, Cornbread says its CBD oil can help your pet relax, relieve discomfort or melt down (say, after they’ve been too active at the park or if they’ve had a hard time day and they need to calm down). Start with a few drops in your pet’s food or water bowl — the taste of dog corn immediately grabs their attention and is easy to eat. Increase the dose if necessary, or if you have a larger pet. The general rule of thumb for CBD for pets is 2mg pet per 10 pounds of body weight.

6. BarkBox

As your days and weeks get busy — with work, relationships, travel, etc. — sites like BarkBox have been lifesavers for pet owners like us. BarkBox delivers pet toys and food, without having to scroll through endless pages of stuff online you don’t really need. As a monthly subscription, it’s fully customizable to your dog’s unique needs and personality, with treats and chews that can even be tailored to allergies and picky palates. The site’s pet accessories are inspired by a different theme each month (like this month’s “Yee Howl, Nashville!” theme with plushie boots made for making noise).

The toys and treat recipes are all designed in-house, so you can’t find them anywhere else — bottom line? BarkBox has everything you need to keep your pets fed, entertained and cared for while you’re away.

7. Petco Pet Grooming

No time to bathe and groom your puppy? Petco now has an easy online booking service that lets you set up an appointment for a range of services, from baths to haircuts to nail clipping to grooming teeth. What we like: unlike some one-size-fits-all sites, Petco lets you book by breed, so each experience can be customized to your dog’s size, breed and temperament.

8. Rover

One of the best sites for pet care online is still Rover. The site lets you book everything from dog walking to day care to long-term boarding, if you’re not around your pup or cat. Making sure your pet gets some IRL time with someone during the day can help boost their mood and energy levels. Rover lets you choose the type of service you want, duration and location, all from one easy-to-use site and app.