18 Gift Ideas for Dogs and Their Owners (Mostly The Owners)

Once fetch begins, when it ends isn't really up to you. With this automated tosser ($115), it can go on as long as your pup wants; she just has to drop the ball in the bucket and watch it launch out the other end. You can even adjust its throwing power to keep the ball-throwing to an inside distance. There's a model that throws standard tennis balls, and one for small pups that tosses miniature ones.

When you get a dog, everyone's like, "you're going to have hair everywhere." You think, whatever, it'll be fine, they're just exaggerating. Then two weeks in, everything you own is covered in a thick coat just like the dog's. You can avoid it all with this groomer. It snaps onto Dyson vacuums and goes straight to the source, sucking all the loose hair off the pup without yanking on anything that's still attached. $48.50

Sometimes the dog needs to roam the neighborhood, but you can't be bothered to move. Hop on your hoverboard instead, and just roll along while Doobie does his thing. Or, better yet, tie leash to Segway and remote-control the walk from the comfort of your couch. It's a lot cheaper than paying some stranger 30 bucks to run the pooch around. $599

You've seen Marnie, right? That dog made a mint taking silly pictures on social media. And she's far from the only one. Think of this book as an inspirational tool, a guidebook for how to make your dog Insta-famous. Take notes on the lighting, the beauty tips, the silly hats. Soon enough, you'll be quitting your job and hanging with the puppers full-time. Which is the very definition of living the dream. $13.10

Your little guy should always be trying new stuff, exploring worlds beyond their own. And that doesn't just mean sniffing a lot of other dogs' butts. This monthly box-o'-goodies is a treasure trove of toys, treats, hilarious props, and more. Like all good things, it's partly for your dog and partly for you. And it'll make your dog love the mailman, guaranteed. $20 and up

Every pooch likes to explore, and odds are at some point yours is going to get a whiff of something good and wind up just a little too far from home. This pod ($190) straps onto your any collar and provides constant, super-accurate location tracking from anywhere. Plus, former Apple exec Robert Brunner co-founded the company, so you can trust the design cred.

OK, so maybe you'll never get fully in your dog's head, but you can at least see the world through her eyes. Drop your GoPro in the $40 Fetch mount, strap the harness around their midsection, and you'll get to see what it's like to be on the other end of the tug-of-war or in full romp on the beach. It's the next best thing to knowing what in the world they're smelling on the sidewalk.

Long road trips, day hikes, unexpected squirrel chases: you never know when you might be away from home with a pooped pup on your hands. Make sure you keep this 9.5-ounce water bottle in the car or in your bag. Its lid screws off and becomes a bowl, so you can refuel from anywhere. $14

You pad outside, slippers on, for the dog's morning constitutional. Coffee in one hand, your phone in the other, your leash awkwardly wrapped around two fingers. The dog yanks a little too hard, and you fling your coffee all over yourself. Forget all that. Use a hands-free leash like this one. It wraps around your waist so you can run, bike, or just amble around the front yard with both hands still free. $20

You're playing fetch with only your arms? You're doing it wrong. This simple $6 contraption turns you into a ball-throwing monster. One flick of your wrist hucks a tennis ball hundreds of feet instead of dozens. You'll go from playing fetch in the backyard to sending your dog up and down a football field. And trust us: your dog will be stoked about your newfound fastball.

The only way to improve on the standard tennis ball is to make one you won't lose in the tall grass or a pile of leaves. This ball glows in the dark, so you can play day or night. And even if your pup won't give it back, you'll at least be able to find it again when the sun goes down. You can dig, Finn, but you can't hide. $5.59

Your dog will eat as much food as you put in front of it, no questions asked. If this isn't true of your dog, congratulations: you have a cat. And dogs have this innate adorableness that just makes you want to feed them all the time. With the PetNet feeder ($129), you can automate the whole process: just tell it when and how much. Then say sorry, Bruno, it's not up to me how much food you get. It's the robot's decision.

When I adopted my dog, the shelter said he was a pinscher-terrier mix. But you look at him, and he's obviously a chihuahua. Now, everyone has a theory about what he is, and they're all different. This kit is the way to know for sure. Just swab the pup's cheek, send in the sample, and in a few weeks you'll know so much more about your dog's history. It helps you to take better care of them, know more about their medical history (and future), and maybe even explain their insane fear of the bathtub. Maybe. $75

Don't let your tiny dog turn into one of those hoity-toity fashion accessories Paris Hilton used to carry around. Toss it into this heavy-duty canvas tote instead, which is both better-looking than your mesh carrier and not nearly as eye roll-inducing as a purse. There's even a cutout on the side, so Finn can stick his head out without getting caught in the zipper. $160

It's OK that your dog sleeps in bed with you every night, and it's OK that you don't sleep as well without the little guy snuggling at your feet. This pup-sized sleeping bag ($99) zips into just about whatever human-sized model you own and lets you bring the closeness into the wilderness. You each get your own space, with plenty of cuddle room in there too.

Between the water, the poop bags, and the treats, hiking with your dog involves a lot of extra equipment. Why should you have to carry it? Strap this pack around their midsection, and you've got yourself a mini pack-mule. You can even combine the pack with a life jacket, in case your adventures are more seafaring than landlocked. $35