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.
Best Dog Food Storage Container 2026: My 11 Picks After Owning Several
Several food bins owned, a lid that never sealed, wheels that snapped, one cracked in the desert heat. Eleven pet food storage containers ranked by bag size, from a 6 quart cat bin to a 60 pound vault, with a feature check table and my top three by price.
Read the guide →Best Dog Food for French Bulldogs 2026: My 11 Picks After Years of Fussy Rescues
Years of fussy rescues and bad bags, then a full research day. Eleven dog foods for French Bulldogs ranked for gas, allergies, itchy skin, kibble a flat face can pick up, and puppies, with a feature check table, what Frenchies should not eat, and my top three by price.
Read the guide →Best Dog Food for Chihuahuas 2026: My 11 Picks After Owning Several
Years of feeding very small dogs, then a full research day. Eleven Chihuahua and small breed foods ranked for adults, puppies, seniors with no teeth and picky eaters, with a feature check table, how much to feed and my top three by price.
Read the guide →Best Freeze Dried Dog Food 2026: My 9 Picks After Owning Several
Several bags of freeze dried raw fed over the years, one refused, one turned to dust, then a full research day. Nine freeze dried dog foods ranked for small breeds, large dogs, allergies and picky eaters, with a feature check table, the honest cost per ounce and my top three.
Read the guide →Best Wireless Dog Fence 2026: My 10 Picks After Owning Several
Several wireless fences owned, one that lost its circle in the desert heat and one that drifted, then a full research day. Ten wireless dog fences ranked, radio and GPS, for two dogs, for small dogs and with no subscription, with a feature check table, an honest answer on whether they work, and my top three by price.
Read the guide →Best Service Dog Vest 2026: My 11 Picks After Owning Several
Several vests owned, most of them failures, then a full research day. What the ADA actually says about vests, then eleven service dog vests ranked for small dogs, large dogs, handles, pockets, mesh and training, with a feature check table and my top three by price.
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.
Best Dog Food Storage Container 2026: My 11 Picks After Owning Several
Several food bins owned, a lid that never sealed, wheels that snapped, one cracked in the desert heat. Eleven pet food storage containers ranked by bag size, from a 6 quart cat bin to a 60 pound vault, with a feature check table and my top three by price.
Read the guide →Best Dog Food for French Bulldogs 2026: My 11 Picks After Years of Fussy Rescues
Years of fussy rescues and bad bags, then a full research day. Eleven dog foods for French Bulldogs ranked for gas, allergies, itchy skin, kibble a flat face can pick up, and puppies, with a feature check table, what Frenchies should not eat, and my top three by price.
Read the guide →Best Dog Food for Chihuahuas 2026: My 11 Picks After Owning Several
Years of feeding very small dogs, then a full research day. Eleven Chihuahua and small breed foods ranked for adults, puppies, seniors with no teeth and picky eaters, with a feature check table, how much to feed and my top three by price.
Read the guide →Cat guides
Litter boxes, cat trees, outdoor houses, kittens.
Best Cat Trees for Large Cats 2026: My 11 Picks After Owning Several
Several store-bought cat trees, one collapse, then a full research day. Eleven cat trees for large cats ranked on weight rating, base width and stability. Heavy duty, XXL, Maine Coon and real-tree picks, a feature check table and my top three by price.
Read the guide →Best Heated Outdoor Cat House 2026: My 10 Picks After Owning Several
Ten heated outdoor cat houses ranked after a day of research and years of dead heaters. Wattage, thermostats, safety listings and where to put one.
Read the guide →Best Odor Control Cat Litter 2026: My 11 Picks After Owning Several
Barn cat boxes in a hot garage and several litters that failed, then a full research day. Eleven odor control cat litters ranked from experience and every review: multiple cats, automatic boxes and the Litter-Robot, dust free, low tracking, kittens, a feature check table and my top three by price.
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.
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