Jake Mercer is a former veterinary technician and pet gear reviewer based in Denver, Colorado. He has tested dog gear hands-on for over 11 years. Furthermore, every harness, food brand, bed, and training tool on this site gets physically tested with his Belgian Malinois Dax and Labrador Scout before receiving a recommendation. Because dog gear failures have real consequences, Jake Mercer applies evidence-based evaluation to every product he reviews.
In addition, Jake Mercer documents the exact failure mode of every product that underperforms — regardless of brand or price point. Therefore, readers get the specific information that actually protects their dogs. Moreover, all reviews are conducted independently with no paid placements or manufacturer relationships influencing the outcome. However, affiliate relationships are disclosed transparently on every page.
For breed-specific health and gear guidance, Jake Mercer references the American Kennel Club and the American Veterinary Medical Association. Furthermore, these authoritative sources inform his evaluation criteria when assessing harness fit, nutritional standards, and safety claims.
================================================================ CUSTOM HTML BLOCK ONLY Paste this into the Custom HTML block BELOW your native Paragraph and Heading blocks ================================================================Former Veterinary Technician · Denver, Colorado · 11+ Years Testing Dog Gear
Jake Mercer tests every product he recommends on Dax — his 4-year-old Belgian Malinois — and Scout, his 7-year-old Labrador Retriever. If it cannot hold up on a Colorado trail with those two dogs, it does not get recommended on this site.
Credentials
- 🩺 Former Certified Veterinary Technician
- 🏔️ 11+ Years on Colorado Trails
- 📋 200+ Products Independently Tested
- 🐾 Specialist in Working & High-Drive Breeds
- ✓ No Paid Placements or Sponsored Reviews
The Test Dogs
Dax — Belgian Malinois, Age 4
High drive, muscular build, destroys low-quality gear fast. Primary tester for harnesses, leashes, and toys.
Scout — Labrador Retriever, Age 7
Broader frame, aging joints. Primary tester for orthopedic beds, food quality, and joint supplements.
Testing Methodology
Every product gets a minimum 30-day testing period under real conditions. Harnesses get worn on 200+ miles of Colorado trail including technical terrain at altitude. Food brands get fed as the primary diet for 8 weeks minimum, with coat, energy, and stool quality monitored throughout. Beds get used every night for at least 6 weeks before a word gets written.
When something breaks, the exact failure mode gets documented — how it failed, when it failed, and under what conditions. When a food causes digestive issues, the timeline gets noted. When a harness causes shoulder restriction, that gets reported directly regardless of how well the product scores on every other metric.
The background as a vet tech means clinical observation habits get applied to every evaluation. The goal is to find the specific failure mode — because that is the information that actually protects your dog.
Why This Site Exists
Most pet gear review sites are written by content teams who have never put a harness on a 65-pound Belgian Malinois hitting 25mph after a squirrel. They copy manufacturer specs, paste in affiliate links, and call it a review.
Pet Gear Reviews was built because the same bad products kept appearing in recommendation lists — harnesses that cause shoulder impingement, foods with ingredient panels that do not match the marketing claims, beds that lose orthopedic support after 60 days. As a former vet tech, those failures have a clinical consequence. This site exists to tell the truth about them.
Every recommendation on this site is a product that would get purchased again with personal money for Dax and Scout. If it would not go on these dogs, it does not make the list.
Editorial Standards
Never
- Accept payment for a positive review
- Review products not physically tested
- Hide failure points for an affiliate
- Recommend gear not used on Dax or Scout
Always
- Disclose affiliate relationships clearly
- Test minimum 30 days before reviewing
- Document every product failure mode
- Reference AKC and AVMA where relevant
Get in Touch
Questions About a Product or Review?
Product questions, gear recommendations, or feedback on a review — every message gets read.
Contact Jake →