This year's Global Pet Expo marked its 15th year and was the biggest event to date. In fact, with just over 352,300 square feet of exhibiting space,1173 manufacturer booths, 1000 new products, and over 30-plus hours of free educational seminars it has just about everything you need to learn and grow your pet retail business. We did the math, and with a total of 29 hours of showtime and approximately 1173 booths to explore that would give the average person roughly 1 minute and 28 seconds respectively at each booth. That is with no breaks at all. No lunch, no sitting, just one booth to the next. It's almost hard to comprehend!

If you’re a pet retailer, you know how confusing the world of pet food can be for your customers. Should they buy canned food, dry food, or fresh food? What about grain-free foods? Should they go raw? The list goes on. You have to keep your finger on the pulse of new pet trends so you can stay ahead of the curve and be the “go to” source for your customers. In the ever-expanding area of pet food, it’s never been more important. According to industry publication, PetFood Industry, we’ll continue to see the humanization of pet food in the coming year. Probiotics, PCR, and preventive foods are just some of the crossover trends that have gone from the human market to the pet market.

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.

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. 

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.

Summer is officially over, but that doesn’t mean flea season has ended. There is a common misconception that fleas and ticks are exclusively a seasonal concern; they come out in the warmer weather and die off in the colder seasons. We look forward to that first drop in temperature that signals the pests are heading south for the fall/winter months, but are they? Many aren't aware that the dropping temperatures can make the perfect environment for the flea population to surge.

It's official, CBD products are here to stay. Google the term “CBD”, and you’ll find that it’s projected to be a $2.1 Billion industry by 2020, an astronomical jump compared to last year's CBD market of around $202 million. When it comes to CBD brands and their products, it can feel like you’re swimming in a sea of options. With so many brands coming out with their own CBD line and making claims about their product being the most effective and the best priced on the market it can feel overwhelming to know exactly what to stock your shelves with.

Let’s face it: despite the high quality food brands you sell at your store, many pets could benefit from supplements. Pets experiencing symptoms like lack of energy, dull coat, upset stomach, bad breath, and even cancer can benefit from the right supplement recommendation. Even better, you have the opportunity for an add-on sale for nearly every customer that walks through your door.