An independent dog-product publication

All the stuff your dog does not actually need.

We test the internet's most unnecessary dog products, then Pickles and Bear deliver the only verdicts that matter.

Real testsHonest verdictsPickles & Bear supervised
Dog interest8.7
Dog Hand Massager shown in a dog product review photographDog Hand Massager
Issue No. 001Dog Hand MassagerAnnoyingly delightful
Need scoreAbsolutely not
Viral gadgetsQuestionable fashionSurprisingly useful thingsProducts your dog will judge
02

The unnecessary index

Products, judged.

Showing 58 verdicts
Pickles, a black-and-tan French bulldog, and Bear, a blue-and-tan French bulldog, testing a dog pool floatDog Pool Float
01
Completely unnecessaryPoolside royalty

Dog Pool Float

A claw-friendly floating hammock that gives your dog a suspiciously premium poolside lifestyle.

A cream Chow Chow beside a small glass dog-fur keepsake vial held in an owner's handFur Keepsake Vial
02
Completely unnecessarySaved one hair. Missed 40,000.

Fur Keepsake Vial

A tiny glass keychain vial for preserving one carefully selected tuft from the endless renewable resource on your rug.

A golden retriever being brushed with a white grooming vacuum while loose fur collects in its clear canisterGrooming Vacuum
03
Actually usefulSalon, but with suction

Grooming Vacuum

A brush, clipper and dryer system that pulls loose hair into a canister instead of distributing it across three rooms.

Frozen Pupsicle shown in a dog product review photographFrozen Pupsicle
04
Dog approvedActually earned it

Frozen Pupsicle

A fill-and-freeze enrichment toy that buys you thirty peaceful minutes and one very focused dog.

Brindle Boxer holding a translucent amber rectangular bone-broth chew between its paws on a living-room rugGnü Bone Broth Chew
05
Actually usefulSoup, but structurally confident

Gnü Bone Broth Chew

A firm, slow-softening chew made with bone broth, collagen and a short ingredient list—part treat, part occupation, part tiny edible engineering project.

Pickles, a black-and-tan French bulldog, and Bear, a blue-and-tan French bulldog, testing talking dog buttonsTalking Buttons
07
TikTok made me buy itCreated a tiny union

Talking Buttons

Recordable buttons arranged on a colorful mat so your dog can press requests instead of staring into your soul.

A fawn Whippet on a sidewalk attached to a modular retractable leash carrying a waste-bag dispenser, collapsible bowl and keysEverything Leash
08
Actually usefulThe leash has pockets now

Everything Leash

A modular leash handle with attachment points for the tiny household inventory that somehow accompanies every trip around the block.

A white standard poodle being safely misted beside the shoulder with an unbranded dog cologneDog Cologne
10
Completely unnecessarySmelled expensive. Rolled in grass.

Dog Cologne

A light pet-formulated fragrance mist designed to bridge the awkward social period between baths.

A black Standard Poodle sitting beside a white pet air purifier in a warm modern living roomPet Air Purifier
11
Actually usefulYour dog's atmosphere has a budget now

Pet Air Purifier

A HEPA air purifier designed around pet hair, dander and the delicate household fragrance known as wet Labrador.

A white Samoyed beside a front-loading washer, a fur-covered dark dog blanket and unbranded pet-hair laundry sheetsFur Laundry System
12
Actually usefulBecause the washer was redistributing him

Fur Laundry System

A pet-focused laundry system aimed at fur, dander and that stubborn fragrance known professionally as damp retriever.

A tricolor beagle drinking from the fold-out trough on a teal retractable leash with a built-in water reservoirHydration Leash
13
Actually usefulThe leash has cupholders now

Hydration Leash

A retractable leash handle with its own water reservoir and fold-out trough for one-handed hydration stops.

A fawn pug wearing a soft grey granny costume wig and tiny round spectacles in a vintage chairGranny Wig
14
Completely unnecessaryFashion crime, solved

Granny Wig

A lightweight curly costume wig and round glasses that instantly turn one judgmental dog into your aunt from Boca.

Pickles, a black-and-tan French bulldog, and Bear, a blue-and-tan French bulldog, testing a treat-tossing dog cameraTreat Camera
16
Actually usefulRemote bribery works

Treat Camera

A rotating pet camera with two-way audio and a remote treat launcher for check-ins from anywhere.

A brown-and-white whippet on a wooded trail wearing a black GPS tracker on a green collar beside a phone mapCanine Fitbit
17
Actually usefulFind My Dog, now with cardio

Canine Fitbit

A collar-mounted GPS and activity tracker that turns walks, naps and escape attempts into app notifications.

Senior chocolate Labrador beside a compact at-home tick test kit on a bright mudroom table after a woodland walkAt-Home Tick Test
18
Actually usefulFor when the souvenir from your hike has eight legs

At-Home Tick Test

A rapid kit designed to check a removed tick for the bacteria associated with Lyme disease in about ten minutes—useful information, not a diagnosis.

A black-and-white border collie walking on a compact canine treadmill with safety rails in a bright home gymDog Treadmill
19
Actually usefulPeloton, but nobody asked the dog

Dog Treadmill

A purpose-built treadmill with a dog-length deck and safety rails for controlled indoor exercise when weather, mobility or schedules refuse to cooperate.

A red dachshund beside a small unbranded bottle and shallow bowl of dog-safe bone-broth drinkPawsecco
20
Completely unnecessaryA toast to poor judgment

Pawsecco

A non-alcoholic, dog-safe broth drink in a tiny celebratory bottle for birthdays, holidays and deeply unserious brunches.

A senior chocolate Labrador eating from a white automatic dog feeder with a visible camera and kibble hopperCamera Smart Feeder
24
Actually usefulA meal schedule with surveillance

Camera Smart Feeder

An app-controlled kibble dispenser with scheduled portions, two-way audio and a camera pointed directly at the scene of the meal.

A tricolor Pembroke Welsh Corgi wearing a compact black pet smartphone module on its collar in a sunny urban parkPetPhone Collar
25
Completely unnecessaryFinally, a phone they still will not answer

PetPhone Collar

A collar-mounted voice, music and location gadget for owners who felt a regular tracker lacked sufficient telecommunications drama.

A tricolor corgi waiting in front of a small dog-safe birthday cake with an unlit candleBirthday Cake Mix
26
Completely unnecessaryNine seconds of culture

Birthday Cake Mix

A dog-friendly cake mix and icing packet that turns one mixing bowl into a full-scale canine birthday production.

Apricot toy poodle watching a hand offer pale freeze-dried dog ice-cream bites in a sunny kitchenWiggle Whip
27
Completely unnecessaryIce cream without the melting, bowl or dignity

Wiggle Whip

Goat-milk-and-fruit dog treats freeze-dried into crunchy little bites, because scooping dessert was apparently the bottleneck.

A curious brindle mixed-breed dog beside a generic canine cheek-swab DNA test kit on a kitchen tableDog DNA Test
28
Human approvedAncestry dot com for the sock thief

Dog DNA Test

Swab the cheek, mail the sample and wait for a breed reveal, relative matches and health-risk information that will immediately become dinner-party material.

Dog Crocs shown in a dog product review photographDog Crocs
29
Completely unnecessaryFashion crime

Dog Crocs

Four miniature foam shoes for the dog who has never once asked to coordinate an outfit.

Black-and-white Border Collie wearing a pale blue pastel donut-print harness at a colorful café patioDonut Harness
30
Completely unnecessaryFor walks that require sprinkles

Donut Harness

A lightweight over-the-head harness covered in pastel donuts, proving restraint systems can also look ready for brunch.

A red smooth-haired dachshund walking under a transparent dog umbrella with a built-in leash on a rainy city sidewalkDog Umbrella
31
Completely unnecessaryMary Poppins, six inches off the ground

Dog Umbrella

A clear upside-down umbrella attached to a leash, designed to hover above a small dog who has rejected both weather and ordinary dignity.

White-and-tan Jack Russell wearing four black outdoor dog booties on a wet autumn sidewalkTigerToes Booties
32
Actually usefulTiny hiking shoes, zero shoelaces

TigerToes Booties

Flexible neoprene booties with wraparound rubber protection, reflective stripes and double straps for wet sidewalks, rough trails and suspicious autumn puddles.

Pickles, a black-and-tan French bulldog, and Bear, a blue-and-tan French bulldog, making art with a mess-free dog painting kitDog Painting Kit
33
TikTok made me buy itEntered his blue period

Dog Painting Kit

A sealed canvas, a few paint colors and a lickable top layer that turns snack time into abstract art.

A brindle Great Dane lounging across a miniature upholstered sofa-style dog bedDog Sofa Bed
34
Completely unnecessaryPurchased furniture. Lost sofa.

Dog Sofa Bed

A miniature upholstered loveseat with bolsters, cushions and the ambitious promise of reclaiming your human furniture.

A red-merle Miniature Australian Shepherd puppy riding securely in a ventilated backpack on a park trailDog Carrier Backpack
37
TikTok made me buy itHiking, minus the hiking

Dog Carrier Backpack

A structured, mesh-sided backpack that lets a small dog commute at shoulder height while you perform all available cardio.

A happy senior golden retriever secured inside a blue enclosed dog bicycle trailer on a sunny park pathDog Bike Trailer
38
Dog approvedTour de Sniff

Dog Bike Trailer

A roomy, ventilated trailer that lets senior, small or endurance-optional dogs join bike outings without pretending they signed up for cardio.

A senior tricolor beagle watching calm squirrel footage on a living-room televisionDOGTV
39
Completely unnecessaryThe squirrel got renewed

DOGTV

Streaming programs built around dog-friendly colors, sounds and pacing for enrichment while the human controls the remote.

A fawn Italian Greyhound standing on a white smart self-cleaning dog potty in a bright apartment laundry roomRobot Dog Toilet
40
Completely unnecessaryThe bathroom has firmware

Robot Dog Toilet

An indoor potty platform that rolls away used pads so apartment dogs can outsource one more chore.

Dog Sunglasses shown in a dog product review photographDog Sunglasses
41
Completely unnecessaryNo notes. Iconic.

Dog Sunglasses

Strapped goggles that make every dog look like they have somewhere more important to be.

A red Australian Cattle Dog looking through a clear acrylic bubble window securely installed in a wooden backyard fenceFence Bubble Window
42
Completely unnecessaryNeighborhood surveillance, upgraded

Fence Bubble Window

A clear acrylic dome mounted in a wooden fence so your dog can monitor the sidewalk without developing a suspiciously long neck.

Pickles, a black-and-tan French bulldog, and Bear, a blue-and-tan French bulldog, testing a back-seat dog extenderBack-Seat Extender
44
Actually usefulThe back seat is a suite

Back-Seat Extender

A padded bridge over the rear footwell that creates a broad, stable platform for two compact passengers.

A white West Highland terrier walking through a modern app-controlled automatic dog door in a bright mudroomSmart Dog Door
45
Actually usefulThe bouncer has Wi-Fi

Smart Dog Door

A collar-triggered pet door with schedules, remote controls and notifications for anyone who felt a flap of plastic lacked software.

A black Great Dane wearing a bright cyan LED glow collar on a safe twilight walkLED Glow Collar
46
Actually usefulNight walks, now with nightclub energy

LED Glow Collar

A rechargeable light-up collar that makes a dark-coated dog dramatically easier to see after sunset.

A black-and-white Border Collie crouching playfully near a self-moving robotic bone toyRobotic Bone
47
TikTok made me buy itOutsourced fetch

Robotic Bone

A rechargeable interactive bone that rolls, wiggles and changes direction whenever the room becomes too peaceful.

Dog Splash Pad shown in a dog product review photographDog Splash Pad
48
Dog approvedSummer has a winner

Dog Splash Pad

A shallow mat with perimeter sprinklers that turns a garden hose into a canine resort.

Pickles, a black-and-tan French bulldog, and Bear, a blue-and-tan French bulldog, wearing evaporative cooling vestsCooling Vest
49
Actually usefulUseful, with supervision

Cooling Vest

A soak-and-wear vest that uses evaporative cooling to add a little relief on warm, dry days.

A black Standard Poodle wearing a fitted black-and-white zebra-striped mosquito-protection onesie on a garden path at duskMosquito Onesie
50
Actually usefulSafari pajamas with a job

Mosquito Onesie

A full-body striped dog suit made with treated fabric and enough visual confidence to turn evening yard time into a wildlife documentary.

A black Labrador using a teal textured silicone lick mat in a kitchenLick Mat
52
Dog approvedSilence, legally purchased

Lick Mat

A textured silicone mat that turns a thin smear of dog-safe food into a surprisingly long and peaceful appointment.

A calm tan-and-white mixed-breed dog having one front nail gently shortened with a guarded pet nail grinderNail Grinder
54
Actually usefulLess guillotine, more dentist

Nail Grinder

A guarded rotary grinder that shortens nails gradually instead of making one dramatic clip and hoping for the best.

A damp white bichon frise sitting calmly in a pale blue hands-free drying wrap connected to a pet dryerDog Drying Bag
55
TikTok made me buy itTumble dry, minus the tumbling

Dog Drying Bag

A soft zippered wrap that connects to a low-temperature pet dryer and contains the post-bath weather event.

Pickles, a black-and-tan French bulldog, and Bear, a blue-and-tan French bulldog, playing in an indoor dog ball pitDog Ball Pit
56
Dog approvedLiving room surrendered

Dog Ball Pit

A soft-sided pit filled with lightweight balls and the exact amount of chaos your home was missing.

A black-and-white border collie beside a dog-safe barkcuterie board and open pet snack cookbookBarkcuterie Book
57
Completely unnecessaryCharcuterie, derogatory

Barkcuterie Book

A recipe book devoted to arranging dog-safe treats on tiny, photogenic snack boards with absolutely unnecessary ceremony.

A wet grey-and-white Siberian Husky being washed safely with a blue hose-connected silicone bathing gloveBathing Glove
58
Actually usefulBath time lost one argument

Bathing Glove

A silicone scrubber glove connected to the hose so water, massage and rinsing happen with the same hand.

03

Our highly scientific process

We buy it. Pickles and Bear try it. Dignity is lost.

Every product earns four scores and one brutally simple verdict. We reward joy, usefulness and a respectable amount of chaos.

  1. 1
    Internet makes a claim

    Usually in all caps. Frequently with dramatic music.

  2. 2
    We spend actual money

    No mystery five-star rating from a dog named “verified buyer.”

  3. 3
    Pickles and Bear decide

    One sniff can end a product's entire marketing campaign.