Last week, we walked the floor at the SuperZoo conference in Las Vegas and told you about the best and worst pet products we stumbled upon on the first day of the trip. Come the end of the three-day affair, we were exhausted from gripping, grinning, and collecting business cards and brochures from the hundreds of retailers present — but overall, glad we’d ventured out to see the latest pet product trends firsthand. (If you follow Dogster on Instagram, you got to see some of this in real time. If you missed it, by all means follow us for next time!)
SuperZoo is more of a launching pad for small mom-and-pop brands, one PR gal informed us, while the larger Global Pet Expo is frequented by the more mainstream brands you see at your local Petco. That alone makes us want to return next year. It’s no secret that we at Dogster champion the underdog whenever possible.
Our favorite part of the Vegas expo was the new product section on the floor, where we got to be the first to see items about to hit the market. There were dozens of products making their debut, but a few stood out to us either for the cool or quirky factor, and we’re curious to know which (if any) of these stir your ire or interest.
1. Clickit Dog Seatbelt from the makers of Sleepypod
Sleepypod has long been a Dogster editor favorite for well-crafted small dog carriers (I mentioned them briefly when asked what brands dog lovers should know about in a recent interview) and it’s interesting that the company is offering to help solve the pet seatbelt problem. To be completely honest, this editor has not been a fan of any pet seatbelt to hit the market yet, but I found this version intriguing and definitely worthy of review in the future. Check it out in action and let us know your thoughts:
2. Dog Beds from Sealy
No, Sealy doesn’t count as an underdog, but how clever is the company for dipping a toe into the $53 billion pet industry? We climbed into a blown-up version of the bed at SuperZoo and found it human-bed comfortable (not a surprise because, um, Sealy makes human beds). Aesthetically, it’s a bit wanting, but we’d still be curious to put it to the test with Dogster’s canine reviewer team. It’ll be available in October.
3. Stride from 26 Bars and a Band
The brand actually reached out to us for advice on a price point for this product before it made its SuperZoo debut, so it wasn’t the biggest surprise for us on the floor. But we’re curious to know if this is a product people will buy. Stride is a three-in-one poop bag dispenser, hand sanitizer, and pedometer. It’ll be available come September.
4. Wobble Ball from P.L.A.Y. SF
We’re big fans of P.L.A.Y.’s aesthetic and do a lot of giveaways with the company on Dogster. Its latest product is a cute puzzle treat dispenser (a first for the brand, which is better known for its beds and stuffed toys). We like that it’s pet and dishwater safe, and ridiculously cute, like anything else they make.
5. Doggie Shotz
This product scores points based on packaging alone. But is it something pet parents will buy? (You tell us.) Doggie Shotz is a series of flavored dry food toppings, designed to mix it up for the picky eater in your life. Flavors include bacon cheeseburger, BBQ baby back ribs, and chicken stir fry (among others).
6. Doggles Mustache Toys
Another day, another hipster dog product is born.
7. Burt’s Bees for Dogs
We’re fans of Burt’s Bees for people and are very curious to try the dog edition. It apparently started hitting stores in April, so if you’ve tried any of these items, do let us know if they’re as good as their people products.
8. Calming ThunderToy
From the makers of the well-loved ThunderShirt, comes the ThunderToy, a puzzle feeder that includes a packet of treats infused with chamomile and lavender. The company imagines you’ll break it out to distract your pup during a ferocious thunderstorm or the Fourth of July fireworks.
9. Dog Claw Back Scratcher
Look at this thing in action. Just look at it.
10. Dog Diggin Designs’ Chewy Vuitton Shoes
From the maker of the infamous 50 Shades of Fur dog toy comes this pair of Chewy Vuitton shoes. They round out our list of new products just on the merit of being themselves. Dog Diggin Designs is so kooky, and its products never fail to get a smirk out of us when we run into them at Furry Tales, the pet boutique nearest to the Dogster HQ office.
So, what’s the verdict? Would you guys pick any of these 10 up?
