Every year at Global Pet Expo, the world’s largest pet industry trade show, my team works together to round up our favorite new pet products. This year, we have two veterinarians, two award-winning pet retailers and an animal trainer collaborating on our “Becker’s Best.” And we think we found some really fantastic stuff!
Click through the photos to see the 10 products that stood out amongst the thousands being displayed this year — and why we loved them.
Starmark Pro-Training Treat Pouch and Quicker Clicker
The Starmark Quicker-Clicker design makes reaching for the clicker easy and fast, and the Pro-Training Treat Pouch allows easy access
to treats (but keeps them safe from your dog's inquiring nose). Clip the clicker right onto the treat pouch for the ultimate training system.
We loved everything about this do-it-yourself cat furniture: It’s attractive, and its price point is one many can afford. I'm a huge fan of cat products that provide denning and resting areas for felines, and these DIY pieces are miles beyond anything I ever built on my own. I also really liked Sauder's do-it-yourself dog homes, particularly their indoor dog houses, which are
are exceptionally nice looking and easy to assemble.
This ball-holding rubber toy can be used like a food puzzle: Instead of stuffing it with food, though, you fill it with a tennis ball and your dog uses his mouth to work the ball out. This will go over well with tennis ball-crazy hounds like our beloved Shakira or fetching fools like my daughter’s dog, Bruce. The KONG Tennis Pal can also be used as a toy on its own — but be careful not to leave your dog alone with it: He could chew off pieces and swallow them.
The Cat H2O drinking system is an affordable, well-designed product that incorporates the best aspects of other cat fountains currently on the market. Cats tend to love running water, and this is the type of
product I am happy to recommend to my clients.
Available soon at Amazon.com for $29.99.
Cynjo Foobler
The Foobler has a timer that releases treats at different intervals (from 15 to 90 minutes). It can be programmed to offer as many as six feedings (so total feeding time can run from 1½ to 8 hours) and can hold up to two cups of food. We spoke with a woman here at the Expo who used it to keep her dog occupied while she was recovering from surgery. She reported that the Foobler kept her affection-demanding dog happily entertained while she was resting. The Foobler can be used for both meals and treats, depending upon your pet’s needs.
If you're already a fan of pheromones (like I am), then give these a try. They are many times stronger than the Feliway you may have already used. This product has
been tremendously successful in helping to solve intercat aggression in
the home, which is a big issue in many multicat homes. Use this diffuser in combination with other behavior
modification tactics supervised by your veterinarian.
Leanlix looks like a giant Chapstick tube filled with a lickable treat. Dog trainers absolutely adore this product because it offers a clean, easy way to deliver rewards on the go. And if you're watching your dog's waistline, Leanlix contains only five calories per 40 licks, so you can treat your dog without worrying that you're overfeeding him.
Our entire team loved these aesthetically-pleasing and
practical products — we're certain they are going to benefit
countless cats by providing more perching and hiding areas in the home. In designs that will blend with your decor, the new Vesper line offers a variety of places for felines to hang out and relax.
Available at nationwide retailers ranging from $72 to $159.
SwiPets
In my house, we treat our pets like family members, but I don’t like the fact that our couch and chairs can look like furniture. SwiPets is a great way to remove excess hair from upholstery, pet bedding and clothing with the sweep of a glove. I was amazed by how attracted the hair was to the glove, even after multiple uses. I’m going to use this product at home!
This new Chuckit! toy reminds me of games my kids and I used to play with Nerf guns: The slingshot releases arrow-shaped toys for your pooch to fetch. The arrows are available in different types of material, depending on your pet’s specific preference. The Chuckit! Ultra Sling is ideal for medium- to large-sized dogs, as the pieces are a little too big for small dogs.
Available at Petco, PetSmart and other retailers by May 2015 from $8.99 to $18.99.
