We have our hands full walking our dogs these days. We need water, poop bags, a leash, and, now, a cocktail.
Earlier this month, Tito’s Handmade Vodka released its Walktail Capsule Collection. It’s full of useful items, but the highlight is the fanny pack that includes a slot for a 10-ounce YETI Rambler and three pockets for 50-milliliter bottles of Tito’s. While it might seem random for a vodka manufacturer to sell dog products, Tito’s Vodka for Dog People initiative has so far rescued more than 120 dogs and contributes to numerous animal charities.
Few things are better than a nice chilled cocktail while walking your best friend. And all the net proceeds from Walktail sales go to the Bissell Pet Foundation, an animal-welfare nonprofit that encourages adoptions through its Empty the Shelters campaign.
Sounds pretty good. Because I’m a serious journalist, I decided to run this dog-walking kit through a rigorous test: a walk with my future in-laws’ dog. Here’s how it went.
1 p.m. Friday: Getting ready. Tito’s kindly mailed Daily Paws the complete Walktail collection: the fanny pack, the Rambler, a Bissell Pet Foundation leash, a Vodka for Dog People bandana, two hats, and a portable dog water bowl. Everything except the vodka, which I secured myself.
I put my wallet, keys, phone, poop-bag dispenser, notebook, and bandages into the fanny pack, though there’s room for more. Annoyed that I forgot some dog treats, I holster my three little Tito’s bottles.
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1:05 p.m.: Because I’m on the clock and don’t want to break any open-container laws, I craft myself a virgin vodka lemonade in the YETI. (Pardon me, a Virgin Sunny Dog Day.)
Callie, the 5-year-old golden retriever staying with us this weekend, allows me to tie the bandana around her neck. I secure the YETI in its pouch and we’re good to go.
1:15 p.m.: Callie is the perfect dog for this test because a walk with her is much closer to a jog. She’s little for a golden, but her quick, nose-to-the-ground trot has pulled the Bissell leash nearly taught.
The speed and occasional sudden stops for sniffs—always let them do this—has my vodka belt jostling around. Maybe I should’ve tightened the straps. The YETI, however, keeps the lemonade secure and chilled. The only real “issue” is that you need two hands to get it back into its pouch after taking a sip.
I will admit the fanny pack can be a lot. With the portable water bowl attached, I feel a little bit like Samwise Gamgee carrying those pots and pans across Middle Earth.
1:29 p.m.: We stop at a picnic table at a nearby park. Callie lays down to rest and I sip more lemonade. It’s a little hot and I should’ve brought some water. After five minutes, we’re heading back home.
1:41 p.m.: Callie takes a dump, and I quickly reach into the fanny pack to retrieve a poop bag. I faffed around trying to open the plastic bag, but I prefer having the bags in the pack rather than attached to the end of the leash.
Taking my dog-sitting responsibilities seriously, I examined the feces and found them to be normal in color and texture. Good girl, Callie.
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1:55 p.m.: We arrive back home in need of refreshment. I drink some more still-cold lemonade, and pour some water into the portable Tito’s bowl for Callie. She laps it up before spending most of the next two hours napping.
The verdict: Good! You probably don’t need the whole $152 of gear, but the fanny pack offers a ton of storage and it’s nice having a place to put the YETI (or water bottle, alternatively). If you don’t want an on-the-go cocktail, the little vodka pouches can also hold things like hand sanitizer or candy bars.
And if you need a portable water bowl, you can do a lot worse than buying one that supports an animal-welfare charity.
(If you decide to imbibe while on your walk, please drink responsibly and follow the open-container laws in your city.)