From time to time, our readers have asked us for our favorite cool things for doggies. Kristen and I both have dogs, mine being the most fearsome brute known to the western edge of Brooklyn as Emily. A.K.A. That dog who’s always making that poor woman with those two girls drag her across the street. You can read about Kristen’s doggie here.

I think it’s so fabulous for my children to grow up in the company of pets, learning compassion, responsibility, respect for animals, and the physical ability to beat a hasty retreat from the room when Emily passes gas that could kill a rhino.

Portrait of Emily as a younger, but no less smelly, dog

But let’s be honest – a lot of dog things are, well, not as cool as we’d hope. So here we turn a critical eye on the world of dog items, and offer up some of the coolest things we’ve seen for some of our favorite four-legged family members. Big hat tip to Phetched and Barkability, my favorite design blogs for all things pooch. –Liz

I love the Mimi
Green dog collars, at top, which look like something one of our
favorite Etsians might have made. Another cool option, from an actual
Etsian, is this custom
flower dog collar. The different flower
bits handmade by Pecan Pie Pups can snap on and off, so you can swap forget-me-nots for sunflowers as
the seasons change.

A dog
duvet is such a brilliant idea – you can stuff it with old towels
and blankets, and it’s far easier to wash the cover than a whole big foam
thing. This one from Molly Mutt is too adorable.

Etsy is a great source for handmade
dog id tags. I really like this one from Megan Bauerle, which isn’t too
blingy or overdone. Probably best for smaller breeds.

Maybe if you customize
your dog’s squeaky ball with his name, he won’t confuse it with
your baby’s toys. Probably not, but worth a shot. This one is made from
recycled denim by Smiling Frog Pets. (And I love Leo as a dog name!)

From a design standpoint, I think a dog bowl
is as important as your own dishes. Maybe even more so; it’s out every
minute of every day. This one from PupLife.com is one of the more
beautiful ones I’ve seen, sleek and clean in every way.

These hand-dyed, hemp
dog leashes from The Modern Pet, are as cool as they are
eco-friendly. Attention Berkley dogs!

Fuzzy Nation is a website with everything from breed
totes to wristlets shaped like dogs, to coin purses with your own dog’s
photo put right on it, and they make adorable tween gifts.

This series has been sponsored by our wonderful sponsor Milk-Bone. We hope you’ll check out Milk-Bone’s
Canine Assistants program which does wonderful things to help people with disabilities.

You
can also get involved by sharing photos of your own doggie on the  Milk-Bone Flickr stream .