8 Controversial and Strange Pet Products

By Dan Blackwell

Think doggy beer and dog poop catchers are bad? Wait ’til you get a load of these weird and controversial pet products.

1 / 8

1. Dog Pedometer

It’s great to keep your pet’s health in mind (pet obesity is certainly a growing problem). But measuring your pup’s steps is perhaps going a little too far. Really, it’s not like they are trying to slim down for bathing suit season. As long as Rex is eating right and exercising you should be ok.

2 / 8

2. Pet Facebook

Dogs on Facebook? Yes, it’s a real thing. For pet owners plugged into the web, creating your own dog or cat Facebook page is all the rage. Our tip? Skip the custom puppy profile and post dog photos to your own profile page.

3 / 8

3. Dog Treadmill

In case it’s the bottom of the ninth, game six of the World Series, and the Jays have bases loaded (we can always dream, right?), this handy tool will keep your pup content while you watch history unfold on television. Or, if you’re like us and hate cold weather, you can always plop your pup on the treadmill in January and watch him walk himself. Of course, maybe you could save a couple hundred dollars and just take him for a walk.

4 / 8

4. Goldfish Walker

Neighbourhood cats, rejoice! Your meals-on-wheels has arrived. This device serves no practical service, but for fish fans it’s a new accessory that might fit into their exercise routine. Just watch those felines, ok?

5 / 8

5. Dog Poop Catcher

Quit farting around and get the scoop on next generation dog poop paraphernalia. Dog poop catchers are all the rage for truly lazy pet owners, but stoop and scoop still works fine for most of us.

6 / 8

6. Dog Strollers

While a dog treadmill may make pet owners lazy, a dog stroller will definitely make your pup lazy. In some cases a dog stroller may make sense, like when your pup is injured, but otherwise they’re just kind of creepy. Dogs aren’t babies, no matter how much you pretend, folks.

7 / 8

7. Dog Washing Machine

While many variations of these machines exist around the world, few have made their way to Canada. Dog washing machines tend to come in all shapes and forms, usually costing thousands of dollars (some are coin operated), and most tend to look like terrifying doggy deathtraps. Our suggestion? Save your pet the trauma of being locked in one of these things, and give them a bath the old-fashioned way.

8 / 8

8. Dog Beer

Even though this dog beer lacks alcohol and carbonation (two big no-no’s for pets), it still poses an interesting dilemma. Do you really want your dog drinking beer? What happens if they start acting like drunks, and run amok? Do you really want to run into a German Shepherd pumped full of beer?