Guide to bestselling pet items

For some people, their pet’s gear is an extension of their own style. This is especially true for Gen-Z, who according to a 2023 Zillow study, would prioritize their “fur babies” over partners and kids when buying a home. But no matter your age, shopping for pet products can be challenging when you want to turn heads at the park — basic colorways, shoddy designs and kitschy accessories are all too common on store shelves.

Thankfully, Wild One is disrupting the humdrum pet space with its functional and display-worthy dog products. The brand is an NBC Select Pet Award winner across multiple categories and a bonafide favorite of several NBC Select editors who use their products daily.

If you don’t want to sacrifice flair for utility while shopping for your dog, here’s everything you should know about Wild One, including the products NBC Select editors use and love.

Wild One is a dog lifestyle brand and a one-stop shop for new pet parents, especially those who crave bold style outside and inside their homes. Its core products include chic basics like harnesses, leashes and carriers, add-ons like sleek, camera-ready chew toys and pumpkin spice-flavored treats.

Plus, the brand prioritizes functionality by working with labs to meet performance, chemical and mechanical reliability standards for pet gear, even replicating a dog bite for toy strength testing.

Co-founders Veronica Becchetti, Adam Danker-Feldman, Minali Chatani and Bill Wells launched Wild One in 2018 with more than 72 items and colorways across five product categories, an unusual move for a new direct-to-consumer brand.

Today, Wild One is sitting pretty in stores like Petco, Target, Chewy and Nordstrom and online, where its swanky garb is admired by over 186,000 Instagram followers and 500,000 email subscribers.

Below, I compiled Wild One products NBC Select editors have tried and loved and NBC Select Pet Award winners. All items on this list are highly rated and options our editors regularly use for their pets.

The Walk Kit

The Walk Kit is the start of Wild One’s mainstream success and has been the brand’s most popular product since its launch, according to Wild One. The monochrome set includes everything you need to take your dog on the go: your choice of collar or harness, a leash and a color-matched poop bag carrier with pre-loaded bags.

The brand was also very intentional about the materials and functionality — the collar and leash are dirt- and odor-resistant, for example, and the harness is cushioned and lightweight, according to Wild One. The Walk Kit comes in a dozen sleek colors with mix-and-match options.

Wild One Everyday Carrier

One of our favorite dog travel carriers, this commuter-friendly tote can be used on walks, on the train or on other forms of transportation. In fact, it won the NBC Select Pet Award for best overall dog carrier based on multiple of our staff’s experiences. Shari Uyehara, former NBC Select manager of editorial operations, uses this carrier to travel with her 2-year-old cavalier King Charles spaniel, Loki, on walks and subway rides. Uyehara says she values its stability: “I love that Loki’s weight remains balanced in the carrier, but he still has room to move around,” she says.

Designed for dogs weighing up to 20 pounds, the carrier has a small dip that lets your dog see their surroundings. It has two carrying straps: one to hold like a shoulder bag and the other to carry by hand. It also comes with a machine-washable mat on the inside and three exterior pockets to hold pet essentials like poop bags, treats and toys. A safety clip attaches to your dog’s harness, ensuring they won’t jump out (but never connect this clip to their collar since it poses a choking hazard, experts say). The carrier comes in two classic colors, lilac and black, and a seasonal cocoa shade.

If you’re looking for an airline-friendly pet carrier, the Wild One Travel Carrier is one I’ve used for years. It’s breathable and has comfortable soft-sided panels. It folds down for easier storage and molds to fit underneath a plane’s seat.

Wild One Treat Pouch

Another NBC Select Pet Award winner, this Wild One Treat Bag was described as “life-changing” by several NBC Select staffers. “If you have this, you can keep your hands free and just hold your pet leash or carrier or an umbrella if it’s rainy and you have to take your dog out,” says Zoe Malin, NBC Select associate updates editor.

The pouch has a magnetic opening that makes it easy to grab dog treats quickly without battling a zipper. I use it on long walks with my 6-year-old Havanese and bichon frise mix, Bella, and love having easy access to treats while still being able to use my hands. It comes in three classic colors—lilac, black and moss—and five seasonal colorways, including orchid (a hot pink) and spruce (dark green).

Wild One Harness

Part of Wild One’s popular Walk Kit, the brand’s harness is expert-recommended and a favorite among our staff. Uyehara’s dog Loki wears this harness every day, and she loves that it’s stylish, fits well and comes in several trendy colors.

You can attach a leash in three spots — the neck, lower back and chest — and it’s made from polyester and nylon designed to provide a stretchy, soft fit, according to the brand. However, remember that it has to be slipped over your dog’s head rather than clipped around their body like most other harnesses. “It takes a little wiggling at first, but it’s easy to slip on and off once you do it a couple times,” says Uyehara.

Wild One Leash

The brand’s leash is a favorite of former NBC page Mihkaila Archer, who says she loves the durable, buttery soft material of this leash. “I like how easy it is to wipe clean, as opposed to having to wash a fabric option,” she says. The customizable elements are also a top feature for Archer: The leash has snap hooks at both ends that adjust the length, so you can easily use it for controlled tandem walks, quick tie-ups and more. 

Wild One Rinseless Shampoo

In addition to pet gear, Wild One offers a variety of pet grooming essentials, including a starter kit with a conditioning shampoo and wipes. One of our favorite dog shampoos, this hypoallergenic, rinse-free spray is designed for use in between washes so that it won’t irritate your dog’s sensitive skin, according to the brand. NBC Select social commerce editor Sadhana Daruvuri sprays this shampoo on her 2-year-old maltipoo Bandit to keep him smelling fresh in between baths. You can purchase the dry shampoo individually or bundle two or three bottles for a discounted price, and you can subscribe to receive it automatically every four, six or eight weeks.

Wild One Toy Kit

The Toy Kit comes with three chew toys made of durable, pet-safe rubber for average chewers, according to the brand. The kit includes the brand’s Triangle Tug, Bolt Bite and Twist Toss, and you can choose between a standard size and a smaller size for dogs under 20 pounds. My dog Bella is an avid chewer, so I usually need to invest in very durable toys that she won’t break — the toys in this kit look great, but they’ve also held up to hours of chewing. Bella especially likes the triangle-shaped tug toy, which helps her get out all of her aggression for the day. The Bolt Bite and Twist Toss both include openings that let you place your dog’s favorite snack inside, like peanut butter or kibble, and they’re dishwasher-safe to make clean-up simple, too. 

Wild One has been an NBC Select staff-favorite brand for years, and we tried more than a dozen products for our Pet Awards during a five-week trial period. Like all other pet brands, we look at the balance between price, ingredients (if applicable) and overall quality and effectiveness. Though Wild One is a pricier pet brand, its smart design and style are worth the costs.

I am an updates editor at NBC Select, where I cover various pet topics, including dog food, shampoos and treats. For this article, I rounded up NBC Select editor-favorite products from the brand, as well as NBC Select Pet Award winners.