essentials

We've seen our share of feeders and bowls on the site, but honestly there are few that I could see myself actually picking up. This Artisan Feeder from PDX Dog, which I caught in the newest edition of City Dog, might be one that I would spend my hard-earned money on. Coming in three sizes — six-, 12-, and 18-inch heights — and a number of cool modern colors, I can confidently say that any of these would look great in my apartment.

North already has a set of designer bowls, but if I were shopping for a replacement, the Artisan Feeder could make it on my short list. And since these are all hand-crafted from maple wood, the price tag of $80-$275 doesn't seem all that bad. At least you would know they were unique!

Remember those Italian charm bracelets that were all the rage for a while? Well, now you can relive those moments of indecisiveness through your pooch with the PupPup collars and charms. But what's better than the old charm bracelets for humans is that these leather customizable collars are reversible – two collars in one! For only $35 dollars, that's a great deal!

Once you decide on the collar color (trust me, it's a tough decision), you can pick and choose which bling to add on: letters, charms, artsy buttons, or words (around $5 each). It's all up to you. But remember, this is for your pet, not you!

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I happen to like Karim Rashid's designs, especially his line of products you can find at Target (one of my favorite stores)! But, did you know he also produced a nicely modern, yet functional pet bowl?

The white version made a big splash when it first hit the shelves and, when I spotted the Karim Rashid-designed chocolate, pink, and green Yum Bowls over at Cheengoo, I decided that I like them even more than the originals! Thankfully, the designer dishes are not as expensive as you might think – the large bowls come in at $45 dollars, while the smaller set is only $36 dollars – totally doable for something that will be part of your decor, as well as help to fortify your pooch or feline!

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Although I normally browse my local Ikea for home furnishings and accent pieces, recently I've been dropping some goodies in my yellow bag for North as well. Surprisingly, this shop has a pretty good selection of quirky pet products to pamper your pals – and protect your wallet, too! Since it's easy to find stuff I absolutely love for my apartment at a great price, I guess saving a few bucks on beds and accessories for North is a no brainer! I even bought this Cat Tent ($7) for my kitty doggie on a recent trip. He seems to enjoy it even though he has trouble getting out without dragging the whole thing behind him across the floor. Hey, could I put a price tag on that kind of entertainment?!

Check out more of my Ikea pet faves when you read more

What dog doesn't like the after-bath towel massage? I know North looooves it, almost as if it's the reward for being good during bath time. But, as much as he likes getting pampered, the brush can get confused for a chew toy and doesn't quite cut it like the whole towel thing. The good news for him is that I found the Brush Buddy ($30), a brush that stimulates your pup's coat and replicates those soothing towel rubdowns that come after baths. I'm seriously considering a purchase, not only cause North would dig it for the massage, but because his sanity would dig it, too! To see why, just read more

As the name most surely implies, when your cat plays, this toy squeaks. All Play-n-Squeak products include the electronic "RealMouse" sound module that quite convincingly mimics the real thing. The company recently redesigned and relaunched their popular cat toys for last month's Global Pet Expo and now offer a wider variety for all types of frisky kitties to use that instinct to hunt, stalk, and pounce on prey. They've got interactive cat-only toys like Batting Practice and Thrill of the Chase, in addition to Shake y'r Tail Feather and DangleMouse for you to get in on the action. I can't wait 'til these toys make it into my local pet shop – in the meantime, check out all their playtime offerings (or contact them for store locations) before their retail website is up and running!

Sometimes I think North has box cutters for teeth. The rate at which he destroys toys surely must put him within the top five percentile of pups. Because of his "habit," I'm always looking for gear that will stand up to his chompers. Trust me, these toys are called Tuffie's for good reason! Most of the products are on the larger size (some even rivaling his size), but North still likes to drag them around with him. They don't come cheap but they last with tough chewers and even float, too.

For those squeak lovers, mine doesn't include one . . . but that's just because it's too sturdy to squeak. Tuffie's are made with two layers of industrial grade nylon, covered with a soft fleece outside for snuggling. Those layers are each sewed together, then the toy is sealed shut with two more layers of stitching and then an additional piece of trim covers it, with three more linear stitches on top. Count 'em – that's seven seams in all! Check out their barnyard animals, sea life, plus dinosaurs when you read more

Since I've already shared my love for harnesses, check out some common types below – it's possible to find ones that have several features all in one!

• Soft harnesses. Like the Puppia harness seen above, these feature a comfy air-mesh material providing support and ventilation for active pooches.
• Step-in harnesses. For dogs that hate the over-the-head process, hold these harnesses flat and put one front paw in each hole – easy on, easy off!
• Harness Vests. If you don't want to dress up a dog, but still want to give him a festive look, harness vests are, as the name implies, a combo of a harness and a decorative vest.
• K-Style harnesses. These soft harnesses (often microsuede or velvet) are secured with Velcro making them easy to wrap up small pooches that don't tug too much.
• Easy-walk harnesses. Often with a leash ring in the front (not on top of his back), these harnesses rest on the breastbone away from the neck entirely. They're good for training pups not to pull, but require attention to make sure the lead doesn't twist around his head.

To see a widget of these harness types read more