Top 10 Favorite Items
A fixed page that compiles only the tools we've continued to use, with usage tips and precautions.
Last reviewed: 2026-05-16
The Premise of This Ranking
We've filtered based on whether items remained in daily life, not satisfaction right after opening.
What's lined up here are not items that looked good, but tools that retained their role in our life with Dory.
Ranking is determined not by price, but by range of uses, low failure rate, and ease of explanation. Conversely, items that were only cute with reduced use, and items with overly limited applications, have been excluded.
For example, on 2022-05-30 (Day 17) the difference in timing of letting out was greater than toilet success rate, and on 2022-06-28 (Day 46) even though Kong brought calm, barking happened after eating was done. In other words, we're looking at whether tools remained relevant in the flow rather than the tool itself.
Three questions before buying
Fix the use case before looking at product names.
Use case
Where in the daily routine will it be used?
If you cannot name the moment, such as before walks, alone time, tooth brushing, or bedtime, it may not last.
Check
Can failure be diagnosed?
Prefer items that help separate product mismatch from placement, timing, or training issues.
Route
Can you return to the issue flow?
If buying does not change the problem, return to the issue checklist instead of adding more items.
10 Items Worth Checking First
Arranged in order of being easy to not regret with initial investment and still easy to explain.
No.1
Chewing management/Entertainment
Kong (Kong) Dog Toy Kong S
From before leaving alone, switching after eating, to buying time on days when we want to use our mouth—it had the widest range of uses. Even on 2022-06-28 (Day 46), we were using it to refocus after getting fussy.
Why it stayed in rotation: By changing what we stuff inside, we can adjust difficulty, and it was easy to use for quick settling moments like on 2022-07-28 (Day 76).
Watch-outs: Smaller sizes have swallowing risks, so it's necessary to confirm the size matches body type.
No.2
Toilet base
Richell Training Step Tray Regular
It was difficult to break the initial toilet flow, and it was easy to reduce sheet slipping and edge leakage. It remained as a tool that provided a foundation for accumulating initial success.
Why it stayed in rotation: Even on days like 2022-05-30 (Day 17) where 'it works if calm', failures made it easier to separate tool factors from other causes, reducing floor cleaning hassle.
Watch-outs: Unstable placement makes environmental factors more impactful than the device itself.
No.3
Chewing habit support
Bitter Apple (Bitter Apple) Dog Spray
Rather than a tool to perfectly prevent furniture and cord chewing, it remained as a supplement to communicate prioritization of what we don't want bitten.
Why it stayed in rotation: Making it difficult on the environmental side first was more reproducible than increasing scolding.
Watch-outs: There are individual differences in aversion levels, so it needs to be used with the premise that spray alone won't solve the problem.
No.4
Hospital visits/Transport
Richell Camping Carry Double Door S
Easy to use across hospital visits, transport, and disaster evacuation in one item—it's valuable to get accustomed to it from the start.
Why it stayed in rotation: We avoided having to use separate tools for each trip, making it easy to incorporate practice before vet visits into daily routine.
Watch-outs: Buying with unclear size sense causes cramped space after growth, so margin confirmation is necessary.
No.5
Walking foundation
PUPPIA (Puppia) Soft Vest Harness S
Load isn't concentrated at the neck, making it easy to stabilize the start of walks. It was a harness that worked well.
Why it stayed in rotation: Even with small dog body types, fitting failures rarely occurred, making it easy to handle in initial outdoor walks.
Watch-outs: Fit changes with coat density and body type, so checking for chafing is essential.
No.6
Teeth brushing introduction
Virbac (Virbac) Dog Teeth Cleaning Paste Chicken Flavor
It remained as a care product—an entry point to make tooth brushing habits not just a dreaded task.
Why it stayed in rotation: It was easy to use alongside practice touching around the mouth, making it easy to complete care in short time.
Watch-outs: Taste compatibility creates big differences in response, so it's safer to start with small amounts when introducing.
No.7
Shedding care
FURminator Small Dog S Short Hair Type
Easy to suppress the peak of shedding in short time, and easy to reduce brushing burden all at once.
Why it stayed in rotation: Hair processing didn't get pushed back, and seasonal transitions showed clear differences.
Watch-outs: Applying too much force causes skin stress, so prioritizing gentleness over frequency is better.
No.8
Heat countermeasure
Petio (Petio) Cool Aluminum Gel Mat S
Not a universal solution we'd recommend for everyone in midsummer, but it was very practical as one mat to increase escape options.
Why it stayed in rotation: We could create escape options where Dory could choose the location, not relying only on air conditioning.
Watch-outs: To prevent overcooling, it's safer to place as an option rather than for constant use.
No.9
Creating a rest spot
Marukan Fluffy Bed S
It increased sleeping spot options and made it easy to create a comfortable fixed location. Initially there were many days of sleeping on toilet mats, and this finally remained.
Why it stayed in rotation: It had high mention frequency in the daily log, and continued to be used even after the chewing and dragging phase, so we could determine it remained as a 'rest spot'.
Watch-outs: Preferences change by season, so it's better not to fix to just one bed year-round.
No.10
Tug play
Petio (Petio) Dog Toy Rope
Convenient for switching moods with short play sessions—a simple, easy-to-handle toy.
Why it stayed in rotation: Easy to end play clearly, and the role didn't overlap too much with Kong-type toys.
Watch-outs: Replace promptly when fraying appears, and avoid leaving as a permanent toy.
Selection Criteria—Only 3 Points
We've filtered based on whether items remain in daily life, not on whether they're famous.
Operations
Does it fit naturally into daily flow?
Only items that fit smoothly into walks, rest time, eating, or care routines were kept.
Testing
Is it easy to isolate failure reasons?
We prioritize items where it's easy to tell if the problem is the tool itself, placement, or habit-related.
Reproducibility
Is it easy to swap for alternatives?
We favor standard items that are easy to transition to in different sizes, seasons, or flavors.
Scenes Where Tools Had Limits
The more convenient an item, the better to know ahead of time when it didn't work—so expectations aren't wrong.
Usage timing
Kong alone doesn't determine nighttime settling
Even in the 2022-06-28 (Day 46) record, there were nights where Dory would return calm after Kong, but bark with a 'this isn't it' feeling after finishing eating. It's useful, but not a universal solution.
Rest spot
Bedding didn't become a fixed spot from day one
Initially, Dory preferred sleeping on toilet mats or sheets, and would chew or drag the bed. The daily log didn't show an 'if we place it, they'll use it' progression.
Operations
Toilet timing wins over toilet tools on some days
On 2022-05-30 (Day 17), taking out right after feeding caused accidents more, while waiting slightly for settling resulted in more success on some days. It's a difference the tool alone can't bridge.