These Kibble Puzzle Games Are the Best Mental Exercise for Your Pup
Fable
$23.00
This Stylish Dog Accessory Makes Picking Up After Your Pooch So Much Easier
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.
When you’re a pet parent, doody happens. That’s just the price of love. But nothing’s worse than struggling to get a single poop bag out of the holder while also trying to hold onto the leash. Sometimes you stand there for way too long trying to find the perforation between bags, and other times the entire roll goes flying while you’re fumbling around in the dark, in the rain, or in the snow (the worst!). Thankfully, Fable just came out with a sleek solution that makes picking up after your fur baby quicker, easier, and far less cumbersome.
Fable’s stylish Waste Bag Holder has silicone straps and a lightweight hard plastic shell that accommodates rolls of 45 bags, while the cap twists off so you can reload bags when empty. It also secures the roll inside the holder, so you don’t have to go digging around to fish out the last bag. Dual attachment points secure it snugly to any leash, D-ring, or Fable’s Magic Link, so the holder won’t bounce all over the place on vigorous walks or runs. And if it needs a cleaning, simply use a damp cloth.
But here’s where it gets better: “The holder has a built-in perforation tab, which allows me to separate individual bags with one hand while holding on to my (very energetic) pitty Jet’s leash in the other hand,” says commerce editor Danielle St. Pierre, who tested the Fable Waste Bag holder. “The straps make it easy to sling over my wrist or attach directly to Jet’s leash without adding a ton of extra weight to our walks.” Although it is compatible with any poop bags, Fable waste bags makes cleanup even easier.
Fable’s Waste Bag Holder retails for $35 and is available in five neutral (and super cute) colorways: Slate, Green, Blush, Light Blue, and Black. Who knew picking up dog poop could look so chic?
Buy: Fable Waste Bag Holder, $35
This Hybrid Dog Bowl-Water Bottle Is Perfect for On-the-Go Pet Parents
I Love These Portraits So Much I Bought Two of Them for My Gallery Wall
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.
In observance of National Dog Day, it’s only right that I put you onto my favorite pieces of art that I own: my dog portraits from West & Willow. As a proud pet parent and an even prouder dog mom, I love finding ways to incorporate my little guys into my decor in a stylish way. I was working with a big empty living room wall that I decided to fill with a gallery of art, but I didn’t want to limit myself to generic, store-bought framed pieces. It took a while to find things that were good-looking and meaningful enough to hang in such a high-traffic area. Little did I know, part of the answer here was right under my nose — and laying in my lap.
I have two dogs — Jax, a Pomeranian, and Charlie, a Goldendoodle — that I take tons of pictures of every day. Unlike family photos, though, I never print them or have them framed. When I came across West & Willow, that all changed. This DTC company specializes in translating your pet photos into life-like art prints (or phone cases). I was excited to give each dog a permanent place in my home, so I submitted two of the cutest pictures I could find of each dog and then let the company work its magic, creating the ready to hang prints you see in my gallery wall below.
What really stood out to me with these pet portraits is how accurate and clear they are. When I received mine in the mail, I was pleasantly surprised by how the artist nailed each dog’s fur coloring and facial details from the photos I uploaded (the company provides guidance so you submit suitable shots). I also appreciate the prints’ minimalist, modern presentation. The simple white backgrounds, clean typeface pet names, and the black frames are as high quality as they look, and the color palette blends in perfectly with my existing decor. I chose to have each of my dogs rendered separately, but you can also commission a group portrait, too, as shown below, for up to three different pets.
West & Willow also offers custom backgrounds and different options for framing if you want to get more creative with your portraits. They even have seasonal and holiday themes! Whether it’s for you or another pet parent you know, these portraits make great keepsakes as well as gifts, and prices range from $60 for one pet to $120 for three pets.
If you want to keep your options open though, a number of other companies also create custom pet-inspired art for your walls. Minted artists can turn your pet photos into custom watercolor-inspired framed prints, if you’re looking for something with a little more color. If you want a kinda quirky and funny piece though, then you may want to check out Crown & Paw. They have fun themes for their portraits where you can have your pet portrayed as royalty, an Avenger, or even as an astronaut. No matter which company you ultimately choose, you won’t regret having a custom portrait of your pet. Hands-down, this is my favorite piece of art hanging on my walls.
These 8 Are the Space-Saving Cat Items I Swear By
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.
I’ve always been a cat gal. So when I adopted my social, slightly neurotic gray cat, Ollie, I was thrilled to bring him home to my spacious old school Chicago apartment, which I shared with a good friend from college. The place was pretty ancient and included all of the classic city staples you’d imagine — bright tiled bathroom, creaky floors, no dishwasher — but there was also plenty of space for my new fur baby to get those nightly zoomies out.
Fast-forward two years later, and I found myself making a move for work and transitioning into my first solo apartment, downsizing to a 600-square-foot apartment in the downtown district of a popular suburb. Even though this place is the perfect size for a single cat mama, space is still at a premium, especially when it comes to big, bulky pet supplies. I’ve taken this new chapter as a challenge to purge old, oversized items and create a home that not only incorporates my style but also maximizes every inch of square footage while still providing Ollie the entertainment and enrichment he deserves. For any cat owners looking to do the same, these must-have cat supplies made the cut in my new apartment and will earn their keep in yours, too.
Begone, hideous, carpeted cat tree, because I’ve found a chicer, cheaper version, and I can personally vouch for its amazingness. Not only is this mid-century-inspired model small, sitting perfectly level with my living room window, my fat, 13-pound cat also loves it for clawing and birdwatching.
Buy: 31″ Gorham Wooden Cat Tree, $83.45 from Wayfair
Perhaps one of the bulkiest items for a small apartment is a hard-shell pet carrier. Unless you have proper storage, finding a place to stash a crate can be a pain — and take up half of your closet. This duffle bag-esque alternative comes with a washable sherpa fleece base and easily folds down so that you can stash it away until your next vet visit. Talk about a win-win, for under $30 no less.
Fancy cat scratchers can be extremely pricey, so when I want to treat my kitty to a fresh toy, I dish out the $6 to keep replacing this basic scratcher pad. It either lives in the corner of my living room or can easily be stowed under the sofa or my bed when guests are over.
Buy: Basic Cat Scratcher, $5.99 from Target
This fluffy bed may be one of the best purchases I’ve made for my cat. He spends about 50 percent of his life on this thing, and it’s made of a very trendy, comfy material! Pro tip: Choose a color that matches your furniture like I did; that way, it blends in better with its surroundings.
Buy: Awolf Marshmallow Pet Bed, $18.99 for a 20-inch size from Amazon
Anti-Slip Ceramic Cat Bowl
Consider Happy & Polly to be like an Anthropologie for pet supplies. They create colorful and unique toys, supplies, and cat scratchers. This petite ceramic bowl looks great in my kitchen, hardly takes up any space, and actually promotes cat posture and spine health while feeding with its elevated design.
Buy: Elevated Anti-Slip Ceramic Cat Bowl, $33.99 from Happy & Polly
Peach Shaped Cat Litter Mat
If you own a cat, you know how essential a sturdy litter-catching mat can be when placed at the base of the litter box. Rather than settling for a boring, standard style, this fruity design looks cute enough to be left out in the open. In my household, this is about the only thing that keeps me from vacuuming every hour of every day, so do yourself a favor and get one now.
For less than $20, this cat-sized hammock can be attached to your window to provide your feline friend with a comfy, space-saving “bed” to bask in the sun. Worried about your bigger cat taking this thing down? Even a delicate hammock like this one can hold up to 40 pounds! What are you waiting for?
Buy: Cat Window Hammock, $16.98 from Amazon
Earthtone Wand Mouse Teaser
This Earthtone cat teaser, available in a pack of three, is a personal favorite — not just for me but for Ollie, too. Its muted colors and little woven mouse make for a stylish, minimalist addition to your cat toy collection.
Buy: Wand Mouse Teaser Cat Toy, $12.97 $11.93 from Chewy