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Pet Products for Dogs . . . What’s the Latest and Newest?

What age demographic in this country are the biggest dog lovers? It’s Millennials by a slim margin, with 82% owning at least one dog. Gen Z-ers come in a close second at an impressive 81%, followed by Gen X-ers lagging behind in third at 74%. And, surprisingly, only 67% of Baby Boomers own a dog.

So overall US dog ownership is pretty impressive. A full 50% of US households include at least one dog, which works out to 63.4 million households with a dog. And that means a lot of people spend a lot of money on pet gifts and dog accessories.

“Dog owners,” according to Parade, “love to shower their dogs with treats and presents. In fact, 73 percent of dog owners say that they buy their dog a gift regularly. The top times during a dog’s year when they’re buying gifts? Christmas (40 percent) and the dog’s birthday (31 percent). Sometimes dog owners by themselves a pet-themed gift, but not very often.”

Let’s take a look then at what these people are buying in pet products – that is, what’s trending in dog toys, dog accessories, and dog food.

2018’s Trends in Pet Products and Dog Gifts

The year 2018 is not that far behind us, and what was trending in that year is still going strong today, for example…

Digging Toys

We all know how hard (often impossible) it is to get a dog to stop digging. Now you don’t have to, though. You can redirect your pet’s uncontrollable digging impulse along less destructive avenues with specially designed digging toys.

The iDig by iFetch is touted as the very first ever digging toy for dogs. This toy, according to one reputable review, “provides hours of positive physical and mental stimulation by encouraging the dog’s natural digging behavior through play. Owners just load the flaps of the iDig with their dog’s favorite toys or treats and watch them dig away to find the treasure.”

You can make your dog happy and save your lawn at the same time.

New Pet-Hair Removers

Dogs shed, some of them a lot, and that’s just something dog owners have to deal with. For most of us, it’s no biggie – until that is, that hair gets stuck in our good clothes and we don’t notice it till we’re already at the wedding or whatever. But now you have a truly effective way to remove that stubborn dog hair.

One of the most recent dog-hair-removal devices is called the FurZapper. “Simply put the FurZapper in the washing machine with your laundry, and the tacky surfaces pull pet hair out of clothes, but don’t stick to the clothes itself. During the rinse cycle, the water washes the pet hair off the FurZapper and down the drain. It’s safe to use in the dryer too. No more pet hair on your clean clothes.”

Healthy Dog Treats

Pet treats in general and dog treats, in particular, are now paralleling the trends in human food. You can now purchase healthy, gourmet dog treats that are organic and gluten-free and dairy-free – whatever best fits your pet’s health and metabolic needs. Examples of such treats are the Doggie Express treats, which come in several healthy, “baked fresh daily” options.

2019’s Continuing Dog Accessory Trends for Pet Products

Last year saw several new developments in pet products that are still trending today, such as . . .

Better, Stronger Leashes and Leads

Most of the time, when we wanted a long leash to give our pups some roaming room on long walks, we had to settle for those flimsy, spring-load retractable leashes. They weren’t very strong and didn’t last long. Now, though, we have a lot more and better options, in particular the Brahma Lead XS.

This durable lead from Bold Lead Designs – which comes in three widths and nine length options – is “made of a man-made, leather-like material that wipes clean and dries immediately. It’s super flexible and soft enough to comfortably handle with bare hands.

“This is an important feature when you’re handling a long line. Nothing stings like a nylon leash sliding through your hands! The Brahma also has sturdy hardware (your choice of stainless steel or solid brass) – not the cheap stuff that falls apart in cold temperatures – secured with rivets.”

Health-Promoting Pet Beds

No longer does your pup have to make do with a thin foam mat or bed that compresses over time and becomes nothing more than a thick blanket. Nope, we now have products like the Posture Pedic Pet Mat, which has been called “super comfortable” and “virtually indestructible.”

Posture Pedic Pet Mats consist of a durable Cordura cover over a closed-cell memory-foam insert designed to provide the support necessary for comfort and health. These mats will stand up to repeated washings and dryings. They also come in different sizes designed to fit snugly inside various standard pet crates.

Per Products and Pet Accessories for Older, Less Mobile Dogs

Just like us, as dogs age, they slow down and lose stamina. But that doesn’t mean they have to be confined to the house all the time, thanks to the Dogger, a unique pet stroller.

The Dogger Stroller was designed “with senior dogs in mind, which is why it is absolutely the most comfortable and sturdy ride for your dog available today. The Dogger is equipped with real rear suspension allowing you to take any bumps, cracks, or obstacles in your path with ease.

“The basket sits higher up than most strollers allowing your dog to have the best view available, which they will LOVE!” This dog stroller cost more than some, but it is well built and rolls so easily you can push it with one finger.

Moving into 2020 Pet Products Trends

Moving through 2019 and into 2020, let’s look now not at just particular pet products, but at some high-tech pet innovations and trends in dog accessories from MarketResearch.com…

Wearable Pet Products

With these high-tech devices, you can know exactly what and how your dog is doing and track activity levels even when you’re not at home.

Typically, these come in the form of monitors that can be clipped onto your pet’s collar and will then “automatically log its distance traveled, sleep, and calories burned through a smartphone app. They also allow you to share information with your veterinarian.

Smart Pet Doors

Pet doors are a great way to allow your dog easy access/egress to/from your home without your having to open and close the door all the time. They’re great, that is, till the neighbor’s dog or cat wanders in or a raccoon sneaks in at night.

But now you can keep such unwanted guests out while still allowing your pets back into the house with a smart pet door like the Microchip Pet Door. It “allows pet owners to control the pet door remotely with the use of a smartphone. The pet door will only open when it reads your pet’s microchip or RFID tag. You can also receive notifications when your pet leaves or enters the house and choose to keep your pet indoors at certain times of the day.”

High-Tech Crates

With so many people adopting dogs from shelters and rescuing them from bad situations, separation anxiety has become a big concern for many dog owners. The innovators at Plug and Play Robotics have come up with a solution in their ZenCrate.

This is a crate specially designed “to relieve your dog’s stress with motion-sensor-activated fans and a calming playlist that turns on when your pet goes inside the crate.”

Smart Pet Toys

And, of course, technology was bound to find its way into the realm of pet products and toys, dog toys in particular. These are high-tech toys aimed primarily at keeping your dogs entertained while you’re away so they won’t want to occupy the time by eating the arm on the couch or scratching up the flooring in the bathroom.

The CleverPet Hub, for example, is one such smart pet toy that dispensed treats while your furry kid plays with it. It has noise-producing, light-up touchpads that will dispense a treat when tapped, keeping your pet mentally and physically engaged.

Smart Bowls and Feeders

This isn’t a new idea, but it has certainly been refined and developed. Now, with this smart technology, you can schedule your dog’s feedings and/or feed your pet any time and from anywhere with your smartphone. You can also keep track of your pet’s food consumption as a way to monitor any unusual changes that might signal danger or a health issue. And more…

Obe’s ProBowl, for instance, “has a smart base that connects to your phone via an app. The app records the amount of food and water your pet consumes and alerts you to unusual changes. You can also sync the app with Amazon to reorder food automatically with home delivery.” And there are plenty more innovations like this on the horizon.

The Very Latest in Pet Products and Dog Accessories

At the most recent Global Pet Expo in Orlando, 1,000 companies showcased their “latest and greatest pet products available for all types of pets including dogs.” Some of the most interesting and standout products and accessories for dogs included:

• Dog pajamas
• Dog-house candles
• Posing Platforms
• Clothes for dogs that hate clothes

And in that last category – “Clothes for dogs that hate clothes” – were some new twists on an old standby. And these were dog bandanas and dog kerchiefs.

This just goes to show that the old in pet products is always (or can be) perennially new. And a great way to get your dog in on this is to get your dog accessories and pet products from a reputable company that offers quality custom printing on bandanas.