“I love walking his dog, but I hate carrying around rolls of waste bags. Now my dog can carry his own! With its gently curved shape, raised hoops and embossed Swiss Cross, Doggie Barrel parodies the wooden brandy barrels associated with the famous St. Bernard dog! The loops on the back of the barrel easily attached to a dog’s collar or clip to the leash,” Joel says of his design.

It’s available for purchase in either red or gray on umbra.com.

When it comes to dogs, bandanas are the ultimate accessory. You tie one little piece of fabric around a dog’s neck, and boom, that dog’s ready for a party or for an adventure or for a job (or for gang membership, depending on the bandana’s color and placement). I wish accessorizing were that easy for humans. And now Wildebeest has taken the doggie bandana to a whole ‘nother level with their new XX Bandana Collar, a classy collar/bandana combo released just last week.

You might know Wildebeest for their awesome handmade Meadow Pet Rug. The XX Bandana Collar once again embodies Wildebeest’s dedication to aesthetics and functionality: two-sided, reversible, interchangeable cotton bandanas attach via metal sliders to a webbed polypropylene collar complete with D-ring and Wildebeest tag. Wildebeest has kicked off the XX Bandana Collar with the Chambray Collection, and new bandana styles to fit the XX Collar will be released every 3-4 months, allowing your pup to switch up his style all year long.

Also included in the XX collection are the coordinating XX Leash and Baggie Wrap (waste-bag holder) to complete your pup’s look.

Check out the whole collection, including videos of the XX Bandana Collar in action at Wildebeest!

I love how stylish eco-friendly products have become over the past few years. It certainly makes it easier to go green everyday! On this very happy Earth Day, I wanted to share some of my favorite eco-friendly products around. Every single one of these, including this very cool Go Green Earth Hoodie, will have you and your dog looking great while feeling good about the tiny carbon paw-prints you’re leaving behind.

From top left, clockwise: Lightweight Reknitz Dog Sweaters, Bamboo Dog Bowl, Huck Dog Toy, Business Bags, All-In-One Climbing Rope Lead and Collar, Eco Dog Saving the Earth Buckle Collar

Eco Nap Dog Bed

From top left, clockwise: Planet Dog Wood Chuck with Orbee-Tuff, I’m All Natural Recycled Dog Tee, Olive Spa Gift Set, Elton the Octopus Rope Toy, Solar Powered Pooch Saving the Earth Leash

From top left, clockwise: Eco-Fetcher Fling and Float Fun, The Olly Bone, Favorite Things Canvas Dog Toys, Hugger Dog Back Pack

Bags On Board is probably one of the best known brands for promoting responsible pet ownership through the creation of stylish sanitation bags and dispensers. But did you know that you don’t have to settle for a plain design anymore? That’s right — Bags on Board now has a line of designer dispensers that also includes a design-and-print option!

The variety pack includes a few different dispenser label patters for you to choose from.

The Designer series features a Zebra pattern. Rawr!

And, for those of you who like to be matchy matchy, or just want to reflect your (or your dog’s) very own personal style, there’s the design and print option. The possibilities are endless!

Locate a Bags on Board dealer near you.

Oh, and get this — for the next couple of months, responsible pet owners can send their “naughty neighbors” (you know, those neighbors who “forget” to pick up after their pets) a Bags on Board dispenser in the hopes that they’ll get the message. Oh boy, I wish I had know about this before — I had some naughty neighbors but they just moved out (hooray)!

Click here to send a bag to your naughty neighbor.

Poopy Packs are degradable earth-friendly designer waste bags. They sent me a pack to try out, and here is what I discovered:

Poopy Packs are plastic bags used to pick up dog poo. They do not unroll, open and pick up your dog’s poo by themselves. They do not answer to “Go go gadget poo bag!” They do not make poo smell any better.

They are, however, pretty to look at, big enough to hold a 75-pound dog’s morning present, and fit nicely onto a standard roll holder. Each bag is 9″ x 11″ and there are 20 bags per roll. Poopy Packs are currently available in four fun patterns and solid orange.

To find Poopy Packs, check their site to see where there is a retailer located near you.

Clockwise, from top left: Animal Planet Portable Pet Kennel, Skinneez Stuffing-Free Dog Toys, Pet Can Cover, Pooch Treat Bomb Pet Toy, “Woof!” Bone Square Placemat, Pet Supply Organizer

Of course, there is always going to be the merchandise you’re going to want to skip right over. With larger retailers, you aren’t going to have the benefits of a carefully curated boutique. So long as you know what to look out for, you can create your own collection of boutique-worthy finds. I like to look for items with basic and classic shapes, vibrant color combinations, and expensive-looking materials. When looking for toys, I prefer to pass on fuzzy cartoon characters and focus on plush animals and functional rubber toys with clean lines. I also gravitate towards brands I’m familiar with and are known for their quality like Cesar Millan’s Dog Whisperer Collection. Often times you can find these types of credible brands with larger retailers like Bed Bath and Beyond.

Clockwise, from top left: Animal Planet Pet House, Evri-Pet™ Pet Cleaning Dispenser & Bags, Pet PacSac Quilted Portable Pet Bed, Cesar Millan Dog Whisperer Collapsible Pet Feeder, Mini Black And Cream Paw Scoop, Large Deluxe Pet Carrier

Whatever your reason for wanting to walk past pet boutiques, rest assured that stylish and well-designed products can be found in the most unexpected places. With an editing eye, you can make sure that every product you bring home fits in with the rest of your fabulous finds. Trust me, even the most pampered pooch (or picky partner) won’t know the difference.

Alite Designs is a new San Francisco-based design company. Their goal is to create products that help people get outside and have fun, especially with their dogs. They want to help take the hassle out of walking your dog, so you can just grab your leash and go have fun with your pooch. Plus, they love design and want to step up the design aesthetic for dog products and move beyond traditional fire hydrant and bone decorations. Amen!

So far, they have created the Boa Lite Leash, Kung-Fu Collar, and Boa Pod (pictured respectively). They’re all made with light-weight durable materials and designed with fun pockets or discrete waste bag compartments.

“Turn the less attractive moments in the life of a dog owner into a original happening.” If you’re really design conscious and care about the bags you use to pick up after your dog, then you’ll love these Dog Poo Bags. They’re 100% biodegradable and consciously-designed with silly sayings on them. They come in packages of 16 with eight different designs, for the price of about $17. That’s a ridiculous price.

But the designs are super, and their motto is so cute: “Shit happens — just be prepared.”