One of the biggest threats to a pet's health is dental disease. This common issue among pets can have a very serious impact on their well being. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), 80% of dogs and 70% of cats will develop some form of oral disease by age three. Untreated oral disease can lead to serious conditions such as kidney disease, lung disease, and heart disease. In order to bring awareness to the dental health of our pets, February has been named National Pet Dental Month. Now is your chance to help pet parents improve their pet’s dental health and create good habits for year-round care. 

While it’s not necessary for dogs to perform circus tricks, having good manners is always appreciated. Dogs have to be taught that you don’t want them jumping on people, that the couch isn’t a chew toy, and that sitting in place will earn them praise. Despite what many think, you CAN teach an old dog new tricks, whether the dog is 10 weeks old or 10 years old it is never too late to start training. This is why the Association of Professional Dog Trainers dedicates the month of January to educating pet owners on why dog training is important. Now is the time to be prepared for customers looking for all the tools they need to train their four-legged family members.

The New Year is almost here and as we all settle in for winter, with our own resolutions, why not throw one in for our pets? It’s easy in the pet food industry to forget that fresh is best when it comes to nutrition for ourselves and for our pets. We make resolutions to eat more salads, grab more greens, ditch fast food but what about our companions? Integrating raw foods into dogs and cats’ diets can make a huge difference in their health. Treating the freezer section of your store as an exclusive space, only for those committed to a 100% raw diet is the wrong approach.

Not every small business has the resources or marketing budget that bigger companies have. In fact, I find that most pet retailers are not even sure where to start when it comes to building their brand and telling their story. Even if you have a wealth of ideas you might not have the team to help put things into motion. Because of this, marketing can fall by the wayside as you tend to the more important tasks in your store. Maybe the answer to your marketing troubles is thinking smaller. Besides, sometimes it is the simple things in life that have the biggest impact. 

As we all know the pet industry continues to grow with pet parents spending $69.5 billion on their pets in the U.S. just last year. For many people, their pets are like their children and therefore pet parents now more than ever truly care about what they are feeding their animals. Research shows that 55% of American pet owners are concerned about filler ingredients in pet food, such as grains and meat-by-products which often are not found in alternative pet diets. This concern has made a huge impact on the growth of the alternative pet food market. 

Across the country the frenzy of Black Friday has taken over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. As a small business owner it can often be difficult to compete with big box stores and online retail giants on these days. In response to this, small business owners have joined together to claim a day of their own. Nestled between Black Friday and Cyber Monday there is now Small Business Saturday. The movement has grown into a holiday shopping staple aiming to support small businesses just like you.

Pet Food Experts is pleased to announce that we have acquired Monarch Pet Products. Monarch Pet Products located in Denver, CO has been servicing independent pet retailers in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Wyoming since 2009. This acquisition means we will be gaining over 365 new independent pet retail partners in the Mountain Region and expanding our distribution footprint from 29 states to 32 states.

As the temperatures outside steadily drops and the sun sets earlier in the evening sky it's a sure sign that winter is creeping up on us. Humans are not alone in suffering from the harsh effects of winter; our four-legged friends are also feeling the effects. Make sure your furry friends are safe and warm this winter. From apparel all the way to diet you can find ways to help your customers' pets survive the winter and make your store thrive.

Email marketing gets a bad reputation, some even say the practice is a form of antiquated marketing with little return on investment. Well I am here to tell you this just is not true. In actuality, research supports that people do read most of their emails and don't mind them from companies they do business with as long as they are interesting and relevant. In fact, with the proper strategy any business can succeed with email marketing, even pet retailers.

Halloween isn’t the only thing to celebrate this month! The American Humane Society established the month of October as National Adopt-a-Shelter-Dog Month in 1981. Since then, pet lovers everywhere have celebrated shelter dogs and rescues during this month. Each year, there is an estimated 3-4 million animals in shelters looking for their forever home. Join in the celebration by observing Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month in you store this October.