Pet Trends: What’s Worth the Hype?

Furbo treat-tossing two-way cameras and microphones, calming beds, automatic feeders, and litter robots, oh my! There are tons of trendy—and rather splurge-y—pet fads out there these days. Is the latest pet thing you saw in an influencer’s post or Insta ad worth the hype? Is it worth setting up a literal pet savings fund to be able to invest in expensive “must-haves?” We’ve done a little bit of an eval for you on pet trends like mobile grooming, human-grade pet food, luxury pet resorts, subscription boxes, and mommy-and-me looks. Check out which ones we think are worth the hype!

Mobile Grooming

Depending on your lifestyle, the convenience alone of this one might make it worth the hype. If your pet is anxiety-prone, having a mobile groomer come to you means you don’t have to load them in the car, take them for a drive, wait in a crowded lobby with other people and animals, and be around multiple loud machines grooming other pets.

Mobile grooming means your pet just has to make the short walk from your front door into the groomer’s vehicle, and even if they’re anxious, they’ve got just a little time to endure before they can zip right back into their home. There will also be more one-on-one care for your dog without the distractions of tons of other dogs churning through. You can check out a price-comparison site like Thumbtack to see price estimates in your area. On average, it costs $10-$20 more per dog than conventional grooming.

Worth the hype? Our vote: Yes!

Human-Grade Pet Food

This can be very expensive, especially for a big animal, like a large-breed dog. But many say it’s worth it, to know they’re feeding their pet ingredients they wouldn’t be afraid to feed their kids or eat themselves. These recipes contain ingredients you’d recognize and can pronounce. But they usually come in bulky shipments that can be hard to keep fresh and are on average priced between 25 cents and $2 per ounce. If you can afford it and feeding your pet this way is important to you, go for it. But there are plenty of just-as-healthy and much-more-affordable pet food options out there that have been fueling pets for long, healthy lives for years, making our vote, in general…

Worth the hype? Our vote: No.

Luxury Pet Resorts

Going on a trip that your beloved pet can’t come on? Depending on where you live, a little something called a luxury pet resort might be an option. Far more than your typical boarding facility, these are literal five-star lodging centers just for pets. For a base price of around $30-$40 per night, your little one can be a VIP guest. And most places also offer tons of add-ons, like extra exercise sessions, private cuddle sessions, and even ice cream. It might make we humans feel better about leaving our pet behind to know that they’re staying somewhere luxurious, and if you can afford it and think your pet would truly enjoy it, go for it. But good old-fashioned boarding gets the job done, or having a sitter come over to stay at your house or just check in on your pet might go over better, if your home is where your pet is most comfortable.

Worth the hype? Our vote: No.

Subscription Boxes

These have had staying power for the last couple of years and the novelty of new stuff each month can be fun if your pet gets bored with treats and toys quickly.

But one reviewer says you really need to know your pet’s likes and dislikes to get bang for your buck and get things they’ll actually use. She said, “at the end of the day, short-lived toys and questionable treats were all I paid for in most cases.” But if your pet isn’t destructive with toys, and they can eat anything, a subscription can be a fun way to spoil them. But, practically speaking, it’s more cost-effective to find some old standbys—toys that will withstand your pet’s play, and treats they have a track record of loving.

Worth the hype? Our vote: Maybe.

Mommy-and-Me Looks

Matching bandanas and outfits for you and your pet can be cute and Instagrammable, but expensive and impractical. A quick perusal of Amazon or Etsy will yield everything from matching crocheted caps to matching family pajama sets that include a suit for pets, to matching t-shirts and scarves, running the gamut of prices from $20-$50. But most of these things are more for you than your pet and will probably be uncomfortable and unnatural to your pet. But something that’s an actual everyday use item for them—like a collar that you could get a matching friendship bracelet with—might be more worth your while. But in general, our take is…

Worth the hype? Our vote: No.

Stay the course! Run a lean, mean toy and treat operation with your pet, based upon a few things you know they genuinely love, rather than feeling pressure to spend big money on every trend that comes your way. A better way to spend your pet money is on affordable pet insurance! Bivvy’s costs is less than $1 a day —that’s less than a subscription box or a matching outfit set!

Pet parents think we’re the best pet insurance around because it works for their budget and covers any cat or dog.

They say things like:

• They feel “fully protected”
• “Claims are really easy to file and Bivvy is fast at reviewing them”
• “All I had to do was send Bivvy a photo of my receipt from our [vet] visit and I was finished. Within a day of filing my claim, I received a message saying it was accepted, and my reimbursement was on its way”

Now that’s a pet trend worth the hype!