Pet gear that survives a Mastiff, a shop full of barn cats, and the Mojave.
I’m Gunner. I spent years building off-road trucks in Henderson, Nevada, and the strays that wandered into the shop became my family. I have broken more pet gear than most people have bought. These are the ones that held.
Start with the big guides
Each one is a full buying guide: the types, the sizing, and my picks for every budget. Pick your problem.
Dog Grooming Supplies: The Best At-Home Kit and How to Use It
The at-home kit that replaces most groomer visits: brushes, shampoo, nail grinders, clippers.
Read the guide →Dog Beds: The Complete Guide by How Your Dog Sleeps
Curler, sprawler, old dog or hot dog. Buy the bed for how your dog actually sleeps.
Read the guide →Dog Carrier Guide: Backpack, Airline, Sling, Wheels, Car
Backpacks, airline bags, slings, car seats and strollers, sized by the dog and the trip.
Read the guide →Cat Litter Box Guide: Types, Sizes, Robots and Litter
Types, sizes, placement and the litter that goes in it. Self-cleaning to stainless.
Read the guide →Cat Trees: The Complete Guide by Cat Size and Space
Height is the product. Trees for big cats, multi-cat homes, small rooms and walls.
Read the guide →Fresh from the garage
The latest guides, every product owned, broken, or researched until I was sure.
Bark in the Park 2026: The Complete MLB Schedule and Rules Guide
Bark in the Park is the name most fans use for the day their favorite MLB team lets dogs into the ballpark....
Read the guide →Apartment Pet Policy Template: 12 Essential Clauses
A free apartment pet policy template you can copy, plus the 12 essential clauses every policy needs and where to check your state on pet rent and deposits.
Read the guide →How to Pet Proof Your Apartment: 10 Easy Room by Room Steps
How to pet proof your apartment room by room, including the balcony most guides skip. Toxic plants and foods linked to the ASPCA, swallowable items to the FDA.
Read the guide →Pet Rental Laws by State: 10 Easy Rules for Renters
What state statutes actually say about pet deposits, pet rent and breed limits, each line linked to the government page. Seattle's 25 percent cap included.
Read the guide →Dog Friendly Backyard Ideas: 12 Easy Wins That Last
Twelve dog friendly backyard ideas that survive a real dog, including the budget versions, a no grass yard that still looks like a yard, and the plants the ASPCA lists as toxic.
Read the guide →Can You Put Dog Bowls in the Dishwasher? 4 Easy Rules
Yes, if the bowl is marked dishwasher safe. What that means for stainless, ceramic, plastic and silicone, why bowls go slimy, and how often the FDA says to wash them.
Read the guide →How a Pet Approves review works
Same three steps for every product on this site. No press releases, no “top sellers” copied from a store page.
Owned it
I have owned five to eight of every product type I review. Leashes that snapped, grinders that died on the charger, bowls that cracked in the desert heat. The failures are the education.
Broke it
My mechanic brain reads a product like a truck part: the motor, the battery, the stitching, what gives first. If a toy lasts a month with my Mastiff, it earns the stamp.
Researched it
When one dies I spend a full day on everything available right now: the listings, the photos, the features, and every review, five-star and one-star. Then I rank them and tell you why.
Dog guides
Grooming, beds, carriers, food and feeding, calm and safety.
Bark in the Park 2026: The Complete MLB Schedule and Rules Guide
Bark in the Park is the name most fans use for the day their favorite MLB team lets dogs into the ballpark....
Read the guide →Dog Birthday Party Ideas: 8 Easy Ones That Work
Themes, cake and treat ideas, games, venues and the foods to keep off the table, from a day of research and the ASPCA list.
Read the guide →Best Airline Approved Dog Carrier 2026: My 10 Picks After Owning Several
Ten airline approved dog carriers I would fly with, plus the under-seat size every airline actually prints. 18 by 11 by 11 inches is not the universal answer.
Read the guide →Cat guides
Litter boxes, cat trees, outdoor houses, kittens.
Best Stainless Steel Cat Litter Box 2026: My 10 Picks After Owning Several
Barn cats, a shop full of plastic boxes that held the smell, and several steel boxes over the years. Ten stainless steel cat litter boxes ranked for lids, high sides and big cats, with a feature check table, the truth about rust and scratches, and my top three by price.
Read the guide →New Kitten Checklist 2026: The 11 Things I Buy Before a Kitten Comes Home
Barn cats, fostered kittens and starter kits that were half junk, then a full research day. Eleven kitten supplies, one for every job a kitten hands you, with a need based feature table, a printable new kitten checklist and the three I would buy first.
Read the guide →Best Cat Tree for Multiple Cats 2026: My 11 Picks After Owning Several
Barn cats, several trees that tipped, cracked or shed their carpet, then a full research day. Eleven cat trees for multiple cats ranked by stated weight rating, base width and how many places to be, with a feature check table nobody else prints and my top three.
Read the guide →
Behind the leash
A giant English Mastiff, a crew of barn cats, two rescue rabbits and a desert tortoise, all of them found their way into an off-road shop in Henderson. I built their first beds out of shop metal and canvas. Then I started testing the store-bought stuff the same way. That is how Pet Approves started.
Pet Approves earns a commission when you buy through links on this site. It costs you nothing and it is what pays for the research days. Prices change hourly, so click through and check.