Working professionally with dogs of different types across different contexts every single day, I end up buying and testing out a TON of equipment. Browse this page to see which of the equipment that I’ve tried and tested I now love and recommend, and to find writeups and links for each. Although I’m not sharing these recommendations for personal financial gain, I have taken the opportunity to partner with a few of the brands listed - this is marked clearly, and in each case you can also benefit from discounts by using my codes should you chose to!

Click on the images below to visit the website / vendor page for each product, and click the dropdown menu below to see my writeups on what they are, why I like them, and how much you can expect to spend.

Recommended Equipment

Safety Equipment

  • These ID tags are durable and scratchproof (yes, truly!), and feature bold colours and designs that have yet to fade. ID tags in general are undervalued and very often misunderstood by the majority of dog owners - few seem to realise that not only are tags required to be worn on a dog’s collar by law when out in public, but that the information included on the tag is also dictated by law. Helpfully, Pawsome Pet Tags make it super clear on their website exactly what you need to include, and offer a range of cute and funny designs to match your pet’s style and personality.

  • I recommend these because they’re really sturdy and well-made. In fact, almost too sturdy and well-made, as I had them made up with my previous logo and now although I changed my branding months ago can’t quite bring myself to replace them as they’re all still in such good condition! I’ve been putting these tags through their paces for the past year, and they’ve exceeded all expectations. They get worn by different dogs each day, some on harnesses and some on collars, some going crashing through branches and brambles and some scraping them along rocks and pavement or dipping them in mud and water. After all that, plus a lot of rain, snow, and even some sun, they look just as good as when I first got them. The materials used and method of making preserves the design inside, so none of the colours seem to have faded over the last year, and there are no scratches visible on any of the tags. They do accumulate dirt after a while, but I’ve found it easy enough to clean this off with a damp cloth or cleaning wipe. So, if you’re looking for a long-lasting tag with a unique design then these absolutely have to be my recommendation.

  • £9.99 - £13.99

  • The Muzzle Movement are creating lightweight, comfortable muzzles that allow for easy feeding, drinking, and with plenty of room for your dog to pant. They offer them in a range of colours and with lots of customisation available!

  • The Muzzle Movement are dedicated to rewards-based training methods, and advocate for ethical practice within the dog industry. They're working hard to destigmatise muzzles on dogs, and provide lots of great resources for owners and professionals alike.

    These muzzles are high-quality, comfortable, and have your dog's needs at the forefront - they're made to be a great fit that won't be uncomfortable for your dog in any way.

  • Their muzzles range from £48-55 depending on the size.

    My code TOBYDUNCANDOGS gives you 10% off your purchase!

  • Training lines are a great intermediate step between walking on-lead and walking off-lead, and are especially handy when you’re working on your dog’s recall! I use them multiple times a week when walking professionally, and these lines by Snoot are the best I’ve used. These lines come in lengths of 5 and 10m, and attach to your dog’s harness via a small and fairly lightweight clip, although I have to note that in the last few years of regular use this clip is still going strong despite it’s small size!

  • Unlike the uncoated soft fabric-type lines you generally see, these are coated with TPU which gives the lines a solid surface, kind of like the soft plastic material biothane which often gets used for collars and leads for similar reasons - it makes the equipment waterproof and easy to clean, as well as extremely durable and sturdy. These lines have been in near-constant use for the last few years, and are still showing no signs of wear and tear! I find that the friction you get when treading on these lines is also better than what you can get with uncoated fabric, particularly in wet weather. You’ll also find that uncoated fabric lines absorb a lot of water and become heavier in wet weather, which also doesn’t happen for these lines. Finally, just look at those bright colours! Natural fabric colours often used like black can easily blend into the ground, particulalry when they start to get wet and muddy. These lines don’t lose their colour, and the super hi-vis yellow and pink are ideal for keeping an eye on the line, plus the dog on the end of it!

  • 5m - £13.99 10m - £21.99

  • GPS trackers are devices that allow you to monitor and follow the live location of the wearer, and in this case, the wearer is your dog! The technology has developed massively over the last 5-10 years, and these trackers are now extremely compact and lightweight, and perform well. Tractive’s standard dog tracker (the Dog 4) weighs just 35g, has a battery than can last for up to 10 days between charges depending on usage, and when in live tracking mode, can deliver location updates every 2-3 seconds. Tractive also offer a lighter model, the Cat Mini, weighing just 25g. Although it’s marketed towards cat owners, in reality it has the exact same functionality as the Dog 4, just in a lighter casing; and I should know, I’ve been using a cat and dog tracker from Tractive side-by-side for the last few years and seen no differences between them!

  • Although I always advise that you work on getting a nice reliable recall with your dog before walking fully off-lead, it’s also fair to say that whilst out in a public and natural environment, we can never be 100% in control of what may happen - who we might encounter (people, other dogs, other animals), what we might see (wildlife, livestock, something new and scary), what we might hear (thunder, vehicles, children), and so overall the things we experience are somewhat out of our hands. There are steps we can take to control what we expose our dogs to and how they might react to certain stimuli, but I think it’s also important to take precautions to cover ourselves in case they were to get spooked or go running off after something exciting like a fox or deer, and that’s where I feel a tracker can be such an invaluable piece of equipment. Obviously at the end of the day nobody wants to think about losing their dog in the first place, but if the worst were to happen, a GPS tracker could be the difference between a dog being lost vs. a dog being on the loose. For me, using my Tractive trackers when walking professionally gives me massive peace of mind, although thankfully I’ve never had to fall back on them yet!

  • Tracker units

    Tractive Dog 4 (for dogs 4kg+): £44.99

    Tractive Dog XL (bigger battery life for dogs 18kg+): £59.99

    Tractive Cat Mini (for cats or dogs under 5kg): £44.99

    Subscription plans

    Basic: cheapest at £108 billed every 2 years, = £4.50 pm

    Premium: cheapest at £240 billed every 5 years = £4 pm

    NB...

    Tractive very often have sales on their tracker units of up to 30-40% off, so keep an eye out for these!

    Tractive also have a second tracker unit free offer to help you cover a second pet, which gets emailed through to you after your first purchase - No guarantees as I’m not affiliated with the company so can’t tell you for sure if you will receive this offer, but it’s something to keep in mind!

Training & Enrichment

  • Tug-E-Nuff make a range of toys aimed at training and enrichment that tap into dogs’ natural instincts and behaviours. The common link between the majority of their toys is tapping into ‘tug-type’ play, although they have toys that include balls, and some which lean into use of food within training and play as well. They use both natural and synthetic materials, and some products are made from sheepskin and rabbitskin which can further add to the interest dogs have in the toy.

  • Positive reinforcement in training and in life doesn’t just have to come in the form of food - one of the many other ways of offering positive reinforcement is through play, and Tug-E-Nuff give you plenty of options to find the right toys for your dog, and for whatever activities you may wish to do together and what behaviours you might want to reinforce in this way. For example, they have resources on their website discussing how their toys can play a part in a nice reliable recall. Training aside, just being able to play and have fun with your dogs is obviously great and something we should all be looking to do, and the range of toys here give you loads of choice in terms of types of games you could play together, and tailoring things to your dog's individual needs and preferences as well.

  • Check the website for individual item pricing, click the image above to shop or use the code TOBYDUNCAN to get 10% off your purchase!

  • K9 Connectables create modular enrichment toys that allow for a different experience each time you use them. Sold in packs of different types of toy or as individual components, there are loads of possible combinations to make your dog's enrichment sessions more or less challenging, and mentally stimulating in a variety of ways to suit their needs.

  • Enrichment is a key part of any dog's daily life, and these toys offer a fun and unique way to offer this without too much hassle on our end - just mix up the combinations to give your dog a unique experience each time!

  • Prices vary per toy or pack, but for instance the Tech Bone an Dentist toys together would be £22 - this is just one combination of many.

    Use the code TOBYDUNCANDOGS10 for 10% off your purchase!

  • The Toppl by West Paw is an awesome and easy enrichment feeder toy. It’s designed to hold all sorts of goodies - wet, dry, a combo, whatever you like! You can feed entire meals in it, you can use it for enrichment and fun, it’s dishwasher safe, it floats, it’s recyclable(?!), it does it all! Toppls come in 3 sizes, and you can interlock two adjacent sizes to increase the challenge.

  • This has been the answer to my dogs’ speedy-eating issues, and I love to recommend it for dogs who maybe find other enrichment options such as the classic Kong to be a little too challenging, or just boring! The Toppl is easy to fill for us (and easy to clean), and easy for dogs to get started with. My two are older rescues and so fairly new to all this enrichment stuff, and they’ve taken to the Toppls with ease. I was able to begin feeding their dinner in their new Toppls right away and they were able to enjoy it immediately!

  • Standard colours:

    Small = £21.99 Large = £27.99 XL = £38.99

    Limited edition colours are usually more pricey! It’s not the cheapest toy around, but it’s already gotten more use and provided more enjoyment than any of the others I’ve used so far, so my own view is that it’s worth every penny.

Grooming, Washing, & Wearables

  • The Groomi is a brush/comb that works on all sorts of animals, including dogs, cats, and horses! It’s made up of a small metal comb housed inside a large plastic grip, which makes holding the Groomi comfortable for the user. It works by dragging out the dead hair at the base of the coat and removing it before it can shed, and having used it on many different dogs I can say that it definitely works amazingly well. I tried it out on Noodle the Golden Retriever (pictured above) immediately after purchase, and was converted right away - just look at the hair that came off with just 15-20 mins of grooming! The very best thing about the Groomi, however, is how pleasant it is for the dogs. Many dogs don’t enjoy being brushed, and there are plenty of brushes and combs that can tug and tangle their fur, but the Groomi’s design means that it always glides smoothly through the coat and as it drags up that dead hair plus any dust, dirt, and other debris, it must be quite an enjoyable sensation for the dog! It seems almost like being stroked, and so far I’ve found that even dogs who don’t usually care for being brushed have quite enjoyed being Groomi-d.

  • What more need I say really - it’s effective (again, just check out that hair clump!), it’s easy to use, dogs actually enjoy being brushed with it, all round for me it’s a win-win-win. If you’re wondering whether it’s suitable for your dog’s coat type, I’d recommend having a look through their Facebook reviews, as plenty of people post reviews with images of their pets and this can give you an idea of coat types that have had success with the Groomi - this is how I ascertained that it was a good buy for my two, and that has certainly worked out well!

  • £23.99

  • Equafleece make a wide variety of different dog coats, tankies, and body suits for different weather conditions. They also somehow manage to make them in all different possible sizes and shapes, which is no mean feat considering how many different breeds and crossbreeds are out there! The offer a Dog Suit (full body and all 4 legs), Jumper (front legs and toso), and Tankie (torso only) in their signature Polartec fleece fabric - these fleece suits are great for keeping dogs warm in the colder months, and are rainproof so will keep them dry as well. They offer a Summer Suit (full body and all 4 legs) which is a lighter fabric designed for use in milder months, and this fabric can repel light rain as well as keep ticks and grass seeds away from your dog’s skin, so can be handy in the spring and early autumn especially! Finally, they offer a T-shirt Suit and T-shirt Tankie in a t-shirt-style fabric, which is the lightest option of all. The T-shirt options are useful for post-op recovery as well as providing some protection for dogs suffering with allergies.what you need to include, and offer a range of cute and funny designs to match your pet’s style and personality.

  • I’ve written a whole blog post on the topic of dog coats which you can read here, so to keep it as brief as possible, there are many potential benefits to using a dog coat or suit for your pet and these depend entirely on your dog and your lifestyle. Dogs that are very young or very old, breeds with naturally thinner fur, skin, or body fat, dogs who have issues with being constantly washed, dried, and brushed, dogs suffering from conditions like arthritis or recovering from an injury or surgery, or dogs with sensitive skin or allergies could all benefit from the products on offer from Equafleece. As you can see from the image gallery above, lots of my dogs have Equafleeces, some multiple styles for different conditions or times of the year! My own two dogs have lovely fleece Tankies which are perfect as they don’t restrict their legs at all but help to keep them warm and also clean and dry in the winter. An added bonus is that MooMoo’s hi-vis yellow Tankie helps us to spot her on the forest floor, something we struggle with at other times of the year.

  • Prices vary depending on style and size - visit the Equafleece website for further information and to learn about sizing and ordering.

  • There are loads of different styles of harnesses out there, but it’s been demonstrated that certain styles can actually cause damage to a dog’s shoulders and neck by placing pressure on these areas when the harness is being pulled on in whatever context. The best option for your dog’s comfort and safety is the style pictured above, which focuses any pressure onto the chest, and avoids pressing on those fragile areas of the throat and shoulder joints. A harness is a good choice in many situations, as it takes additional strain off the neck by not using the collar, and provides an additional grab-point for you should you need one. If you’re going to be using a long training line at all, you definitely need to pair it with a harness, as otherwise you risk sudden jolts to the neck which could cause serious discomfort or even injury.

  • Rabbitgoo make this style of harness affordable, even in the largest sizes. I bought the one pictured above to be worn by Fernando on his walks with me as I like to have him on the long line, and over the last couple of years it has held up extremely well despite the low price-point. The materials and manufacturing are good quality, and the harness is comfortable and Fernando is very happy to wear it. There are loads of colours to choose from which makes it easy to match your dog’s other accessories and personality, so really you can’t go wrong in my view!

  • XS - £19.99 S - £21.99 M - £21.99 L - £22.99 XL - 24.99

  • These coats/robes come in 4 sizes, and are a quick and easy way to dry your dog and keep them warm after a wet winter walk. These coats have 2 layers, one which absorbs moisture from the body, and the second which lifts that moisture away and allows as much as possible to be soaked up. The material is also good at removing residual dirt left after a wash. They go on easily over the dog’s head, and can fasten up around the ears to ensure as much drying takes place as possible, or be left open at the collar for a bit more freedom of movement.

  • For me, washing and drying up to 4 dogs after a walk can take up a lot of time, and that can therefore mean that whoever is left til last is standing around soggy and getting chilly whilst waiting! These coats allow me to quickly ensure that all of the dogs are starting to dry off and warm up whilst I get on with any foot / tummy washing and drying that needs to be done. These coats also make getting back into the car quicker and easier - I don’t need to towel off their torsos in order to start drop-off, as they’ll be drying off inside the coats, and by the time I get them all home they’re always ready to step inside without being damp. For anyone with one or two dogs, I still think this is such a handy piece of kit! If you’re driving to your walk, you can just bung them straight into the car when you get back once the robe is on, and then attend to their feet knowing that at least the majority of them will be drying off already (and not all over the interior of your car!). Even if you’re taking them straight back home, using a drying coat can help to save time and energy, which trust me, after a couple of weeks of solid rain and mud sounds pretty good!

  • XS - £12.98 S - £14.98 M - £17.98 L - £19.98 XL - 21.98

  • Paw washers are a cool little invention that help to simplify and speed up the process of washing your dog’s feet after a muddy walk. Previously I used to use a basin filled with water and this would involve a lot of extra handling to get the dogs positioned correctly and to dip each foot in and wash them manually. Paw washers allow you to simply dip your dog’s foot into the washer and give it a few movements up and down in order to let the water and soft silicone bristles remove the dirt and debris, and then you’re done!

  • These things save me a ton of time (not to mention water) when I’m cleaning 4 dogs after a super muddy walk, and for anyone walking their dogs in similar conditions they could also be of great benefit. Dexas’ medium and large size washers also now come with lidded options, which are amazing for portability, eg. taking it in the car on a walk for use afterwards, and also for keeping the water warm on a cold day. I can fill one up with hot water before the start of a walk, leave it outside with the lid on, and by the time we get back just over an hour later the water is the perfect temperature for washing, and right there ready to use! These things are extremely sturdy too - one time I was carrying a my lidded size large washer, full of hot water, when I slipped on a patch of ice on the pavement. The washer went flying up into the air, crashed down hard onto the road, and skidded a couple of meters before stopping in the gutter. I was certain I was going to be completely soaked as I fell, but when I got up and retrieved it, there was barely a scratch on it and not a drop of water had spilled! So I think you can certainly rest easy chucking this into the back of your car or into a bag when full.

  • Small - £9.99 Medium - £14.99 (+ Lid - £23.99) Large - £19.99 (+ Lid - £26.99)

    NB: The prices of these fluctuate a lot, you can find them cheaper via independent pet shops online vs. amazon.

Health, Diet, & Wellbeing

  • Biome9 offer comprehensive Gut Microbiome Testing Kits that you can use at home to discover what's really going on in your dog's gut. The microbiome of the gut contributes to so many areas of health and wellbeing, and this test can illuminate problem areas that may be having a wider impact on your dog's health. Biome9 also make supplements to enrich gut health.

  • Gut health can have a huge impact on the function of the body in its entirety - from skin issues to behavioural problems, resolving an imbalance of the gut's key bacteria can often be an important and straightforward step in finding a lasting solution for you and your dog. This tool can also help you to determine the right diet / nutrition for your dog, and can be paired with expert veterinary or behavioural advice.

  • A test kit + health report = £149

    Use my code IMDTDUNCANDOGS for 15% off.

  • Butternut Box is one of the few companies currently offering fresh dog food, meaning that they cook their dog food, freeze it immediately, and then dispatch them out to their customers. Once you’ve got your meals, you can defrost them at home and serve them, eliminating the need for preservatives or anything else. They have a range of tasty recipes that are high enough quality for human consumption (I know people who’ve had a taste themselves just to find out what the fuss is all about!) and their meals are designed to be nutritious, delicious, and great for picky eaters or sensitive stomachs.

  • Let’s face it, choosing the best food for your dog can be a bit of minefield. Today there’s more choice than ever, but sometimes that can only make things harder! Wet, dry, fresh, tinned, raw, making the right choice can feel tricky. I’ve chosen to partner up with Butternut Box after having seen them steadily grow in popularity among my neighbours and clients, and finally trying them out for myself with our two dogs. Although we’re not sticking with them long-term, we were very happy with the products and customer service, and I feel more than good about recommending them to anyone who is interested in trying fresh food, or simply looking for something new for their dog! Butternut Box meals are made using 60% meat (single-source protein), and 40% vegetables & lentils, and all of them are grain free. They’re also taste-tested by humans, so I guess you know it’s got to be tasty! For fussier dogs, you can also microwave the meals to make them even more appealing, which I’ve seen work on dogs who’ve gone from barely touching their food to happily munching a nice aromatic, warmed Butternut Box meal.

    If you’re interested in trying something new, it’s certainly worth a go to see if it works for you and your dog! I found their customer service easy and pleasant to deal with, and it was no trouble at all for me to set up a box for my dogs and to adjust and even cancel it when needed. Particularly if you’ve got a pup who’s fussy or has some health issues, this might be just the thing you’re looking for - just make sure to discuss with your vet if you’re worried about making a change to your dog’s diet.

  • Fill out the forms on their website to receive an estimate for the amount your dog would require.

    My code gives you 50% off your first 2 boxes.

  • This is a 1ltr stainless steel insulated water bottle with an attached bowl on the bottom.

  • Carrying cold water on walks is super important, and in hot weather it’s crucial and could be the difference between your dog staying safe or developing heatstroke. This water bottle works well for me as its large capacity makes it suitable for multiple dogs - I use this bottle for 1hour group walks, and will take my 2ltr bottle on 2-hour walks if it’s especially warm. It’s important that the bottle is insulated, as drinking cool water is one of the main ways in which dogs can cool themselves, so it’s no use if the water is able to heat up to ambient temperature whilst you’re out and about! The detachable bowl on the bottom is really useful, and the handle makes it easy to carry. For anyone with one or two dogs this may be a little large for the every day, but it’s great for summer and especially great for all-day adventures, eg. day trips to the beach!

  • £25