Throughout my three decades with dogs, I’ve tried A LOT of different products. Some great, some not so great. We learn as we go, through trial and error. Today, I’m sharing 7 popular dog products I personally don’t buy for my pups (and why).
1. Rawhide Bones
Give that good dog a bone! But wait … what kind? Sure, the image of a dog happily gnawing on a bright white rawhide bone may pop into your mind. But, think twice before tossing your dog a rawhide bone. First things first: These bones are loaded with chemicals, dyes, and glues. According to Dogs Naturally Magazine, “Once rawhide chews have been made, they’re preserved with various chemicals, which may include formaldehyde or chromium salts. When rawhide chews have been tested, they’ve shown things like lead, arsenic, mercury and other toxic metals as well.” Along with the chemicals, rawhides are linked to choking, airway obstruction, esophageal blockages, and intestinal blockages.
2. Deer Antlers
In search of rawhide bone alternatives, many pet parents turn to deer antlers. They’ve become quite popular over the years because they’re natural and last a long time. Plus, they’re often touted as a great teeth cleaner since they scrape against the teeth, knocking off plaque and tartar. But they do pose one big risk: Tooth fractures. (Ironic, right? Cleaning yet breaking teeth at the same time.) Deer antlers are incredibly tough, making it easy for an aggressive chewer to firmly bite down and break their tooth on one. Tooth fractures are painful for our pups (and our wallets).
3. Certain Store-Bought Treats
Red-flag preservatives, questionable by-products, and cheap fillers … oh my! Have you ever read through the ingredient label of your store-bought dog treats? Many popular treats contain questionable ingredients. I will never buy Milk Bones, Snausages, Beggin Strips, Pup-Peroni, Canine Carry Outs, and the list goes on. I share more about this topic in THIS post. While I typically make homemade treats, if I do buy storebought, I look for high-quality, single ingredient options.
4. Automatic Kibble Feeder
I’ve been feeding my dogs The Farmer’s Dog (a fresh food subscription service) for a little over three years. But, throughout my dogs’ youth, they ate kibble. And, at one point, I thought it would be a great idea to buy an automatic kibble feeder. I would fill that thing to the brim and let the kibble sit out for multiple days, refilling once I noticed the kibble running low. Well, after learning more about proper kibble storage and understanding what happens to kibble as it sits out, I would never recommend an automatic feeder.
Once air and oxygen hit the kibble, the oxidation process begins. Oxidation is where a chain of chemical reactions oxidizes the fats and turns them rancid. Rancid fats decrease the nutritional quality of the kibble, as well as make the food potentially toxic.
Instead of free feeding out of an automatic feeder, I recommend portioning out your pup’s food and serving the proper amount at designated mealtimes.
5. Retractable Leash
Retractable leashes cause a pretty hot debate amongst dog parents. Some love the freedom they offer, while others say they’re downright dangerous. Me personally? I used them many years ago, but have traded them in for traditional leashes. The issues I have with retractible leashes:
- Too Much Freedom Isn’t Always a Good Thing – With many extending upwards of 25 feet, dogs can easily get far enough away from their humans where a situation can quickly turn dangerous.
- Sudden Stops Can Cause Injury To Your Dog – Oftentimes, people will hit the lock button after their dog jolts off and is full speed ahead chasing a squirrel, running after a biker, or any other scenario you may think of. This sudden jolt can put a strain on your dog’s neck, trachea, and spine.
- Teaches Bad Leash Manners – Instead of walking right next to you in a heel position (achieving that desired loose leash), the long lead teaches your dog: “Pulling gains me more freedom!”
- They Can Break – Over the years, I’ve had three retractable leashes break on me! If a powerful dog takes off at full speed, that thin cord has been known to snap.
- They Can Burn People – I can tell you from personal experience that it’s pretty easy to get tangled up in that thin cord. My little guys love to run around my legs, and I’ve dealt with my fair share of burns as a result.
6. Shock Collar
This is another very hot-button topic in the dog parenting world. But, when it comes to dog training, I’m a huge advocate for positive reinforcement. With that said, I do not believe in choke collars, prong collars, or shock collars.
Since dogs can make associations between actions and results, the idea behind a shock collar is that a dog will associate an unwanted behavior with an unpleasant sensation (i.e. a vibration or shock). While you’ll likely see results, dog trainer Victoria Stillwell says, “Just because the behavior has stopped in that moment does not necessarily mean the behavior has improved or will improve long-term. The shock suppresses the behavior in that moment but does not address the behavior’s root cause.”
Plus, those results are at what cost? Aside from causing physical discomfort to your dog, shock collars can also hurt your dog psychologically. Shocks have been known to heighten a dog’s anxiety, stress, and fear.
While my dogs are by no means perfect, I prefer to reward good behaviors and spend time teaching desired actions (versus punishing undesired actions).
7. Flimsy Rubber Toys
If you walk through the toy aisles of your local pet store, I’m sure you’ll find plenty of rubber toys. While some are thick and durable (like the KONG), many are thin and flimsy. There are plenty of thin rubber balls and trendy-looking squeaky toys that strong chewers can easily rip through. Once torn, some large pieces may get lodged in the throat and cause choking, or get lodged in the intestines and cause a blockage. While us pet parents should always monitor our dogs during playtime (no matter what toy they’re playing with), I’ve just leaned away from the flimsy rubber toys as they make me too nervous. Plus, these toys often have a strong rubber odor that makes you question the quality.
Are there any popular dog products you’ve tried and decided weren’t a great fit for you/your dog? Drop a comment below!
