Gear We Actually Use
13 posts
Worn Out and Replaced: The Dog Gear That Didn't LastSeptember 3, 2026A chewed leash, a bed that went flat and a harness with frayed straps. What wore out in our house this year and what we bought instead.
Performance Fabric Sofa, Three Years In With a Dog and a CatJuly 27, 2026We bought the gray sofa in 2023 for $1,150. Claws, drool, muddy paws and a lot of naps later, here is how the fabric has held up.
Collapsible Bowls, Water Bottles and Other Summer Walk GearJune 4, 2026What rides in our walk bag from June to August: a collapsible bowl, a squeeze bottle, poop bags and a cooling bandana that actually works.
Dog Seat Covers in a Subaru Outback: Which One Stayed PutApril 26, 2026Hammock, bench style and a cargo liner. What survived a muddy golden mutt, a ramp-only recovery phase and a winter of road salt.
Three No-Pull Harnesses Tested on a Dog Back From Knee SurgeryMarch 17, 2026Fit, chest pressure and how each one handles a lunge at a rabbit: three harnesses we tried as Hank came back to longer walks this March.
Crate Rest Gear That Kept a Bored Dog SaneJanuary 31, 2026Lick mats, a snuffle mat, frozen food toys and a white noise machine. The crate rest gear we used daily in January, and what sat in a drawer.
Paw Balm, Booties and Road Salt: What Holds Up on a Minnesota SidewalkDecember 15, 2025Salted sidewalks crack Hank's pads by January. The paw wax, booties and rinse routine we tried, and the booties he kicked off in one block.
Blaze Orange for the Dog: Our Deer Season Walking SetupNovember 5, 2025Firearms deer opener is November 8. The orange vest, the collar light, the roads we avoid and how our walks change for a couple of weeks.
Halloween Costumes, Sorted by How Long Hank Tolerated ThemOctober 28, 2025A lion mane, a hot dog bun and a plain bandana. Four costumes timed with a phone stopwatch, and the only one we'd actually buy again.
Cat Litter, Ranked by Someone Who Scoops Every MorningSeptember 4, 2025Clay, pine, walnut, paper and crystal: five litters we tried with Mabel, ranked for dust, tracking, smell and what a month really costs.
Packing for a Lake Week With a Dog: What Made the CutJuly 9, 2025Four nights at a lake cabin with a 68-pound dog. What we packed, what never left the car and the towel math that matters for a swimmer.
One Month With a Robot Vacuum in a Two-Shedder HouseMay 12, 2025We bought a $279 robot vacuum on sale in April. What it picks up, where it gets stuck in an old house and whether Mabel has forgiven it.