Pet Product News - December 2016

EDUCATING THE CONSUMER

“For some products, education is vital,” said Brad Kriser, founder and CEO of Kriser’s
Natural Pet, which has multiple locations. “Most customers don’t know about things like
whisker fatigue or slow feeding. They just think it’s ‘just how my pet is.’
“We have found, as with anything at Kriser’s, that asking questions and really listening
to our customers enables us to introduce products to people,” he continued. “For us, it’s
never about educating just to sell. We fundamentally believe in learning about the pet and
introducing only what will be best for the pet to live a long and healthy life.”
The education chain of command needs to filter through employees as well as to the
ultimate end user.

“Education is very important,” said Katie Pottenger, owner of Parker’s Holistic Pet
Market in Chicago. “I make sure all of my employees are well versed on what types of
bowls work best for what types of pets. We also utilize signage so consumers can start
learning themselves.”
Jackie Becattini, marketing director at Neater Pet Brands in Malvern, Pa., agreed that
education is important, especially with solution-based feeders.

“When you invent something that is unlike anything on the market, the consumer doesn’t know what it is or how it works,” she said. “It took us multiple packaging configurations, over 50 airings on QVC, and close to $1 million in TV advertising and PR to educate our customers on the benefits of the Neater Feeder. If you have a new product, you must demonstrate it for the consumer if you want it to be successful.”

MERCHANDISING FEEDERS, WATERERS AND BOWLS

Sometimes, merchandising by theme provides the added bonus of serving an educational purpose. For example, during Pet Hydration Month in July, the folks at West Lebanon Feed & Supply in West Lebanon, N.H., created an awareness of pet hydration by building endcaps that featured such products as water dishes, collapsible water bowls for travel and more, said owner Curt Jacques II.

“We also have an ongoing campaign on educating the consumers about pet safety on hot days from hot
pavement issues for the dogs’ pads to the dangers of leaving animals in hot vehicles,” Jacques said. “We also tie in
displays of water toys and life vests for dogs next to this endcap.”
Katie Pottenger, owner of Parker’s Holistic Pet Market in Chicago, said, “We’ve found that keeping bowls near
the treats is the best place to merchandise them in our store. Separating the smaller cat-sized bowls with the cat
supplies better merchandises them for cat owners. Cat owners tend to feel like their cats need different bowls than
dogs.”
The bowl aisle typically is one of the slowest-moving ones in stores, so making it noticeable is key, said Jackie
Becattini, marketing director for Neater Pet Brands in Malvern, Pa.

“By placing a floor display on an endcap or in the food aisle, you can bring innovative products to the consum-
er,” Becattini said. “Videos help merchandise the product along with using an actual Neater Feeder in the pet store
for customers’ dogs; there is nothing better than a live demo from a dog.”
Shannon Supanich, media and public relations manager at Pioneer Pet Products in Cedarburg, Wis., agreed that
seeing some of these products out of the package can help sales.

“We encourage our retailers to place one of the fountains out with water and have it running,” she said. “Once a consumer sees the product in action, it is so much easier for them to understand the benefits.”

JUKA INNOVATIONS’ TubShroom is designed to fit directly inside all standard-size tub drain openings. It is guaranteed to catch every single hair, so it won’t clog drains, the company states. Wet or dry hair will instantly come off, even if pet owners don’t remove the hair right after bathing a pet. Hair will wrap around TubShroom’s mid-cylinder while the water flows freely through the multiple holes strategically located throughout the unit. The BPA-free product is available in blue, orange, white and green. tubshroom.com

SNAPPY SNOOZERS’ inflatable pet beds are considered orthopedic and are great for pets that have incontinence issues as well as arthritis. They are easy to clean, are waterproof and do not harbor fleas or ticks. They are designed with snaps along the inflatable mattress, which is made from PVC. This design makes snapping and removing the quilts easy. Each bed comes in a travel tote and includes two quilts, a mattress and an air pump. The pet beds are made to last and are cus-tomizable with several variations for the replacement quilts. snappysnoozers.com

JASCOR HOUSEWARES’ Messy Mutts Elevated Feeder grows with a pet, thanks to its three sets of legs of varying heights.

The two stainless steel bowls accommodate both food and water, while the raised-edge border and wide lip contain spills. messymutts.ca

RUFFDAWG’S Whipper Snapper Launcher Dog Toy features the SqueakyBall encased in a durable rubber frame with a launching handle. The Whipper Snapper is perfect for all dogs to chase, retrieve and tug— even small dogs can easily grab hold of the handle— and it’s easy to pick up and carry, and easy on teeth and gums. The SqueakyBall is long lasting and durable, and can be swapped out in the launcher frame for a dog’s favorite tennis ball. Whipper Snapper is made entirely in the USA of FDA-approved materials. It is free of latex, phthalates and BPAs. ruffdawg.com

CHEWS HAPPINESS offers

Happiness Hugs handcrafted dog apparel and accessories,

environmentally conscious fashion from yak down that’s luxuriously soft and silky, and warmer than alpaca and cashmere. Yak down is naturally shed and is one of the warmest natural fibers. Consciously handcrafted by women artisans from Bhutan, the apparel and matching leashes and collars sustainably support indigenous peoples and artisans.

chewshappiness.com

ANIPURE PET PRODUCTS’ BendiBrush is the first totally bendable brush on the market for
dogs and cats, according to the company. Designed by a professional groomer in conjunction
with pet owners, the brush has a bendable body and corners that contour to the shape of the
pet’s body. Rounded bristle tips and multiple-size bristles prevent scratching and injury; help to
remove knots, tangles and excess
undercoat; and can be used wet
or dry, the company reports.