It physically pains me to recommend a $50 water bowl. But before I got it, I probably spent that much on mats and stands to try to keep cheaper water bowls from being kicked, stepped in, and splashed all over the kitchen. Yeti's bowl is capacious and heavy enough to not get kicked over if you walk too close to it. It holds 8 cups of water and has a nonslip base. You can also throw it in the dishwasher when it gets grody.

Getting a dog bed from a mattress company may sound like Too Much, but investing in their care and comfort helps keep them happy and healthy. I got the Casper Dog Bed for my 25-pound French bulldog in 2018, and he absolutely loves it. The foam is supportive without adding much height to the bed. It's perfect for any dog, but especially those with little legs and those with arthritis or other joint and muscular issues. Lisa Mausbach, a licensed veterinarian, says, “Stepping onto a bed that’s high isn’t necessarily great for an arthritic dog who can’t necessarily get in and out of those very easily.”

The Casper Dog Bed comes in three sizes (small, medium, and large) and colors (blue, sand, and gray). The foam inserts are fully removable, so you can easily toss the cover into a washing machine. The downside? There are five foam inserts, which can be frustrating to fit back into the cover at times.

We tried and love the well-known Furbo dog camera, but the Petcube Bites 2 edges it out. It has many of the same features. You can connect it to a companion app on your phone to peer at your pup through a 1080p camera with a 160-degree viewing angle, night vision, and the ability to zoom in. Like the Furbo, you can shoot out treats to your pup to keep them entertained when you're away from home, but you'll definitely want to practice in their presence first.

It's wall-mountable and Alexa-enabled, meaning it can double as an Alexa speaker. It has a 4-microphone array and speaker bar to let you and your dog "talk" to each other. Bonus features like pet detection and smart alerts require a monthly subscription fee, which starts at $4 per month.

This Instagram-famous backpack (8/10, WIRED Recommends) hails from the owner of Instagram-famous Maxine the Fluffy Corgi. It comes in two sizes, the smaller of which worked best for WIRED editor Julian Chokkattu's 17-pound dog. Loading your pet into it can be tricky—your pup will need some coaxing and encouragement—but once they're in, they'll be securely affixed to your back. That frees up your arms to carry groceries (or, let's be real, a latte). Be prepared for the sudden increase in attention from passersby. 

This backpack won't work for every dog. (Talk to your vet if you're concerned.) If your dog is 35 pounds or more, you likely don't want all that weight on your back. Little Chonk also recommends limiting the amount of time your dog is in the bag to 50 minutes. In our testing, we found the backpack arm straps were hard to tighten, and one of the straps started to fray. The company says it's making tweaks to fix these issues. 

★ A Shoulder Bag: If a backpack won't work for your pup, the easier option is a shoulder bag. WIRED editor Julian Chokkattu has good things to say about Roverlund's Out-and-About Pet Tote ($149), which he's been using for close to a year. (It comes in two sizes). There's plenty of room for his pup, and the base is stable and soft. The straps are thick and stay on your shoulders better than most bags, though you'll still want to hold them in place for extra security. His only gripe is the abnormally tiny pocket on the side. You can fit some extra poop bags or treats and not much else. There is a built-in carabiner—handy for attaching a dog leash.

For longer trips, you'll likely need a larger carrier like this one from Roverlund. WIRED editor Julian Chokkattu says it has plenty of room so his dog fits comfortably, and its fleece-lined removable bed is so soft he caught his pup napping. It comes in two sizes: Small for dogs up to 6 pounds and Large for dogs up to 25 pounds. (He tested the latter for his 17-pound dog.) You can open it on one of the sides if you want to nudge your dog in rather than plop them in from the zippable top. On the other end is an oversize pocket for all your doggie doodads. It's made of water-resistant polyurethane with a mesh design on three sides for better airflow. The strap, made of mountain climbing rope, also converts to a leash. Most important, it's in-cabin-compliant for most major US airlines and fits well under the seat.

What’s worse: your stinky dog or your dog’s stink eye? If your answer is both, then you’ll like the Aquapaw Pet Bathing Tool. It can connect to your showerhead via an included adapter (or to a garden hose). The showerhead adapter has a blue and black button to divert water from your showerhead to the tool—blue means the water will come out of the Aquapaw, and black means it'll come out of your showerhead. When it's time to bathe your dog, just clip the sprayer-scrubber to your palm and press the On button. It cuts bath time down significantly and isn't as wasteful. My dog Winston wasn’t doing his sad shiver, since there was a constant stream of water keeping him warm. (Plus, now he smells great!)

My Frenchies have next to no neck, making it tough for them to reach a regular bowl on the ground. A dog bowl that has some elevation and helps alleviate strain on the neck, allowing them to safely eat and digest their food. Laura Robinson, a veterinarian at Antonio Animal Hospital in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, says, “If you think about the anatomy of their mouth going down into their esophagus and then into their stomach, [a raised bowl] makes more sense.” 

I’ve used JWPC Bulldog Bowls with my pups, Winston and Parmesan, for a little over two years now, and have had zero issues. We’ve used them for everything from kibble and fresh food to the ever-so-elegant boiled-chicken-and-rice meals. They’re just high enough off the ground for the dogs to comfortably reach them, they have a slim profile, and they’re dishwasher-safe.

Your dog may have a fur coat, but that can only do so much when it's blisteringly cold outside or pouring rain. Ruffwear's Stumptown Quilted jacket quickly became WIRED editor Julian Chokkattu's go-to for his dog. You'll need to measure your pet to buy the right size. It's made of 300 denier polyester ripstop with a DWR finish to make it water-repellant, and the inside is recycled polyester insulation for warmth. It's not a hassle to secure at all, taking only a few seconds with the side-release buckles. Some extras include a reflective trim for extra visibility and a little cutout on the back to hook your leash to a harness underneath. When it gets dirty, just toss it in the washing machine.

I also wrangled Ruffwear's Cloud Chaser jacket over my dog, and he didn't seem to mind it. It fits snugly, with the fleece-lined lower half trapping heat in and the upper protecting him from rain (and eventually, snow).

WIRED associate editor Adrienne So's dog, Roux, is a good dog. A really good dog. But like many pooches, she lacks impulse control. A squirrel or cat running away can send her into a frenzy, and she’s strong and not small. The Front Range harness is secure and padded, and it has two attachment points for the leash—one on the back for when Roux is in low-traffic areas, and another for the front of the chest for when you're cautiously walking down Cat Alley. If she pulls, the front attachment means Roux will spin herself around backward to look at Adrienne, confused. It also has reflective strips for walking at night. She's had it since 2020 and has thrown it into the wash a few times, and it looks none the worse for wear.

snow and ice are definitely cause for paw-related concerns, but so is hot pavement. Licensed veterinarian Lisa Mausbach says that “if the pavement is too hot for your bare feet, your dog shouldn’t walk on it.” Dogs also sweat through their paws, so finding protection that won’t inhibit temperature regulation can be difficult. The WagWear WagWellies Mojave are basically little crocs for your pups. The rubber keeps their paws from burning, and the holes in the top keep them breezy. These come in seven sizes, and the straps around the ankles help the shoe fit better. My dogs haven’t figured out how to walk in shoes in general, but these actually stayed on their oddly-shaped paws.

If your dog sheds, a robot vacuum to chase down all those fuzzies is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. We have plenty of recommendations in our Best Robot Vacuums guide, but this Eufy’s vacuum has twin turbines that suck up twice as much dirt and dog hair as other robot vacuums. An absolute win for those of us who can’t ever seem to keep up with all the hair that accumulates.

Even with the most indestructible dog toys, fluff always finds a way out. The Kong Pet Stix, however, stood the test of time and teeth. It’s been through many games of tug, has sat out in the rain, and has taken several tumbles in the washer and dryer. No matter what I throw at it, or how many times I throw it, the Pet Stix really does last.

These beef liver treats have just three ingredients—beef liver, potato starch, and aniseed—but they've been dried into smooth strips that are nearly odorless, and you can break them into smaller pieces. They don't make my hands, pockets, or dog's breath stink, and my dog loves them so much that she'll even obey my 2-year-old when he's holding them.

Pet trackers come in all shapes and sizes. If you just want a simple clip to keep track of your pet, I recommend the Jiobit (8/10, WIRED Recommends). But if you want a sturdy, comfortable collar that's easy to use, my favorite is the Fi. The Fi uses a combination of your home Wi-Fi, cellular, and GPS networks to keep track of your dog at home and to pinpoint them if they get lost. It can also track their fitness. There's a built-in light if your dog is off-leash in the dark. The metal device is much classier and easier to charge than the fiddly plastic Whistle. My most memorable experience using it is walking to a neighbor's house, getting an alert that my dog had escaped, and looking up to see her following me down the road. (We have not tested the second-gen version yet, which improves tracking coverage and can track sleep.)

It's surprisingly hard to find good, affordable dog toys, especially if your pet can vaporize most of them in minutes. Tennis balls and tug ropes wear down teeth; small rubber toys break and can choke your dog—or, in one terrible instance, get caught in their anus on the way out. BarkBox designs toys and sends you two of them per month, in addition to two bags of treats and a chewy treat. WIRED editor Julian Chokkattu says his dog loved the toys and treats that came in the BarkBox, but it's important to note that it ends up being a lot of toys and treats.

WIRED associate editor Adrienne So says she rarely goes camping without dog boots after an incident where her husband and she had to carry two 70-pound dogs back to the car after discovering bits of sharp, volcanic glass on a trail in Oregon. Her dog will actually wear Ruffwear's boots instead of flopping around like her paws have been cut off. They're small and easy to slip on and have velcro around the ankle. They have a breathable upper and a grippy Vibram sole. They're also washable and are reflective in low light.

Packing up a wet dog bed after not realizing that a corner of the tent was leaking is a little bit like trying to wrestle a three-week-dead elephant seal into the trunk of your car. Snow Peak's cot suspends your sleeping dog on a cotton canvas bed stretched across a stainless steel frame.

The fabric is removable and washable, and the whole bed folds down for easy transportation and storage. At 24 inches wide, it's too small for a 70-pound dog, but a 30-pound toddler fits in it comfortably enough to take a nap. This definitely isn’t a bed for little dogs or ones with joint issues—it’s pretty high off the ground, so unless you plan on airlifting them in and out every time, it’s just not the best option for them.

WIRED senior writer Scott Gilbertson has a Jack Russell–pit bull mix that's very, very protective of her people. She also doesn't have the best eyesight, which means she barks at everything, even plenty of things that aren't there. But this collar helped curb this behavior.

Unlike electric fence collars, this one doesn't shock your pup. It just sprays a bit of mist up at their nose. Dogs find this mist annoying enough that they will do anything to stop it. Gilbertson's dog barked exactly twice with this collar on. And after a few weeks of wearing it at night, she lost the barking habit. He says he no longer puts it on her, and she still rarely barks at night. It might not work with every dog, but if you have a dog that's keeping you (or worse, your neighbors) up all night, it's worth a try.

Virtual dog fences aren't a replacement for real fences. If your dog needs to be fully restrained, get a real fence. However, if your living situation permits a looser barrier, this wireless fence gives you a hassle-free way to partially restrain your dog. Despite the name, this is not really plug-and-play. The device itself is: Just plug it in, set the perimeter distance, and you're done. But you're still going to have to train your dog to the perimeter and get them used to staying inside the permitted space. Once that's done, this fence works really well. It's portable too, so you can take it to a campground or an Airbnb that permits dogs.

Petsafe also makes a more permanent in-ground electronic fence that we like even better, because it's cheaper and easier to set the perimeter. The trade-off is you have to bury the wire. The key to success is to train your dog to the fence. Don't install it and expect your dog to figure it out.

I thought about picking the “best” toy, but I have not because very, very few have survived longer than a day in our house—even supposedly indestructible ones. That's why for almost 10 years, my dog's favorite toy has been sticks that we find on walks. She loves to have me throw them, and she fetches them! They're also free. If your dog isn't into sticks, or simply loves to play ball, you can try the ChuckIt ($9). WIRED's managing digital producer Kimberly Chua says her dog Rocket adores the little ball, and it has survived many pup pileups at the park.