Where You Get Your Gear Matters!
I’ve bought more rubbish dog gear than I’d like to admit — leads that fray quicker than cheap jeans, toys that last about 30 seconds, and collars that somehow smell like wet carpet after one walk.
Let’s be honest though — we all love buying stuff for our dogs. It’s almost impossible not to. Like most towns in the UK, Bournemouth’s full of pet shops big and small, and it’s dead easy to walk in, grab something cute off the shelf, and walk out again.
So yeah, I’ve found as I’ve got older, I value quality over convenience every time. Big pet shops are easy, but a lot of their toys and leads last five minutes before they’re in pieces — especially toys. These things are basically dog crack wrapped in disappointment.
We’ve talked before about not leaving toys lying around to be destroyed and instead using them to play and train (see my posts on Toy Selection and Co-operative Play) — but that still leaves the question:
Where should you actually buy your gear from? Let’s take a look.
My Go-To: K9 Corner
Nine times out of ten, I use K9 Corner (www.k9corner.co.uk)
This isn’t a sponsored post — the guys there just happen to have done the same mentorship I did, and they genuinely get it.
Yes, I’m biased. But their gear — from collars and leads to toys — is absolutely spot on for quality. They hook up everyone from dog-sport competitors to home enthusiasts and trainers like me who just need good, solid kit that works.
Because they’re a small business, you get proper customer service “like in the old days” and real conversations if something ever isn’t right. And because they’re actual dog people (not in a creepy werewolf way), they understand and know what they’re selling — so you get honest answers, not standard sales talk.
If you do decide to get anything from here, you can use my discount code ‘foundationk9’ and that will get you 10% off. I don’t get a kick back or anything but it’s cool to have and offer out.
Other Favourites
I also rate CI K9 (www.cik9.uk)
Another small UK business doing cool stuff. I haven’t tried their collars or harnesses, but their toys have been brilliant.
My first sheepskin tug for Sam came from them over a year ago — it’s still my go-to for tapping into her drive to chase, catch, and dissect (though I don’t let her shred all the fur or I’d be broke by Friday).
I will say — the sheepskin tugs, while awesome, really smell like sheep. Don’t do what I did and chuck one straight into a bag of clean clothes you’re about to change into — unless you fancy smelling like a farm all day.
I also find the fleece being so… well, fleecy… makes it tricky for Sam to let go. As much as I love these tugs, I’d probably go for rabbit fur next time.
I personally prefer real fur over faux — the scent adds a bit of extra drive and desire for the item, but, if real fur isn’t your thing that’s cool too.
Quality Over Cute
Reading this back, I do sound like a bit of a fanboy — but honestly, credit where it’s due. These are the places I send my clients when they need to stock up.
It all comes down to this: buy quality, not just cute.
There’s always a time and place for the novelty stuff, but most of us give in to that way too often.
More Sites Worth Checking Out
If you’re up for a little journey of self-discovery, I’d suggest checking the following sites out. Pretty sure none of them require Safe Search to be turned off.
Dobernut (www.dobernut.com)
Dog-Boss (www.bog-boss.co.uk)
Horizon K9 (www.horizon-k9.com)
Sporting Saint (www.sportingsaint.co.uk)
Blue Moon Canine (www.bluemooncanine.co.uk)
K9 Factory (www.k9-factory.co.uk)
So yeah — whether you’re into the heavy-duty working dog stuff or just want gear that lasts longer than a weekend, these sites are worth a look.
Because at the end of the day, the right gear doesn’t just last longer — it makes your life easier, your dog happier, and your bin a lot less full of shredded squeakers.