‘Hold My Drink While I Pet This Dog’ Trucker Hats, Plus More Hot Sellers in March

We started carrying distressed trucker hats with pet-related sayings. The back webbing is soft cloth instead of old school plastic. The company is VINTAGE LIFE on Faire. Selling for $26.99. Top seller is “My Dog and I Talk Shit About You.” Second is “Hold My Drink While I Pet This Dog.” — Cindy Samartino, Wiggle Butt & Whiskers, Leesburg, VA

Products

• Toys have been a great category for us. TALL TAILS put a special in the last PETS+ Sample Box, and we put together a great toy section. — Jennifer Baker, Grateful Dog Bakery, North Ridgeville, OH
• Sales of the GLACIER PEAK HOLISTICS Pet Wellness Life Stress Scans have skyrocketed for us. We have sold these for a few years, but lately (through word-of-mouth) folks have been coming to us to help them with their dogs’ allergy/sensitivity issues. We sell the kit for $114.99. When they get the results, they forward them to us so we can do research for them. We give them options of what foods and treats would work best. If we don’t have it on our shelf, we will see what other brands may work. We then special order it, and if it’s a success, we keep it in stock. We give them a detailed report that includes: raw, dehydrated/freeze-dried, wet, kibble, etc., with feeding guidelines for each brand as well as cost so they can take their budgets into consideration. These folks become lifetime customers. — Kimberly Gatto, The Wagging Tail, Las Vegas, NV
• Thanks to PETS+, we learned of MACFARLANE FARMS, and the frozen pheasant heads are a HUGE hit! — Johnna Devereaux, Fetch RI, Richmond, RI
• Large aquariums were a big seller for us! We saw a big increase in people interested in 125-gallon or larger aquariums. We sell AQUEON and give a great discount (15 to 25% off) if they purchase the aquarium, stand and glass top together. Plus, when they’re purchasing the aquarium, they need lots of products to fill it up, like filters, decoration and fish! — Nicole Olesen Woofs & Waves, Sioux Falls, SD
• Cat cans as a whole were up. I attribute this to the grocery stores being out. We brought in SCRUMPTIOUS FROM SCRATCH to help stay around the grocery price point, and the line seems to be taking off. Pricing is either $0.95 a can for the tuna line and $1.45 a can for the chicken line. — Diane Marcin, Benny’s Pet Depot, Mechanicsburg, PA
• Our kibble sales went up 52% because of our Kibble Swap Promotion. For anyone not feeding one of our foods, they could bring in their kibble to swap, and we gave them a free 4-pound bag to try. We donated all swapped food. For existing food customers, we gave them a $10 store credit to use for every referral they sent to us! Almost all of our kibble brands participated by giving us 4-pound bags of food to give as well as store credit. Overall, It was a huge success! — Elaina Stanley, Three Happy Hounds, Fernley, NV
• Collar flowers by DARCY’S CANINE DESIGNS. Price $10 to $12. Thirty-three arrived on Mar. 15. Sold 24 by the end of March. This is a new brand line for me, so I only placed a small initial order. — Susan Nagel-Rees, Winky’s Pet Boutique, Chester, NJ
• We did really well with the new PRIMAL Freeze Dried Cupboard Cuts. It’s a new item, and our customers responded really well to us bringing it in! — Kristen Watson, The Hipster Hound, Savannah, GA
• KOHA cans. We brought them on recently and had them at 30% off. We sold almost 1,000 cans during March. — Kat Forry, A1 Pet Emporium, Oklahoma City, OK
• JW toys all around seemed to be a hot seller. Customers are happy with a quality toy that squeaks and will last longer than the average toy. Plus it is a great price point, ranging from $4.99 to $13.99. — Dylan Giampaolo, Woof Woof Pet Boutique & Biscuit Bar, New Bedford, MA
• DARFORD Bulk Biscuits were a big hit. With the rising costs of pet supplies across the board, people are looking for less expensive ways to give their dogs healthy treats. No promotions. Retails for .50 cents an ounce. Sold 40% more than normal. — Julie Johannes, Powder Hounds Pet Supply, Bigfork, MT
• Top seller by far was our bulk dog treats from POUND BAKERY that we bag and sell. Customers love them because they are made in the USA, and we have many people say their dogs don’t seem to have any allergies or sensitivities to these treats. Pamela Campbell, Bonediggity Barkery & Gifts, Gatlinburg, TN
• JUNKYARD BONES topped our list for units sold, between three sizes of smoked marrow bones. At almost 550 individual bones sold, they beat our cookie and raw bar sales! The bones retail from $3 to $9, depending on length. — Stephanie Wright, Bend Pet Express, Bend, OR
• VITAL ESSENTIALS freeze-dried duck hearts. Dogs LOVE them and some have been using it to put pills in. We sell them for .69 and sold 356 last month. — Dorothy Vetrovec, Nature’s Feed, Spring Grove, IL
• BARKING BUDDHA cheek rolls, cheek chips and peanut butter cow ears have been a hit in March. Chews in general are a huge category for us (in fact, sales of chews have surpassed dog food sales), so I’m always on the lookout for the next thing our customers will love. — Cory Giles, The General Store, Collinsville, IL
• FIRSTMATE Skoki! Retail is $44.99 for a 40-pound bag. It has a lot of meat protein and higher calories for a lower price. No promos. — Theresa Moreno, For Healthy Pets, Montgomery, AL
• We sold a ton of PUREVITA and NUTRISOURCE wet food, as we did a “March Madness” kind of promotion where each can/TetraPak was just $1. Our NUTRISOURCE rep is fantastic and suggested this promo to us as a way to increase brand recognition and reward customers for feeding wet food. All together, we sold nearly 1,500 units! — Shane Somerville, Paddywack, Mill Creek, WA
• This year we had some fun in March and set up a St. Paddy display and decorated around the entrance with green and leprechauns, etc. As a result, we sold way more holiday toys and handmade bandanas. The toys were from LULUBELLE and the bandanas were locally made from a retired seamstress in our city who enjoys making them for our store. — Becci Scott, Fetching Dog, Scottsdale AZ
• FIELDCREST large buffalo horns! We brought them in after a rep left me a sample, and they sold well for us from the get-go. All stores are being restocked this month. I think the price is good ($6.99), and they are very durable. I like how they sort of flake apart, rather than coming off in chips like calf hooves. — Cassie Nilsson, The Mill Stores, Whiteford, MD
• We had manufacturer-supported sales on OPEN FARM gently cooked that resulted in a reimbursement from the rep for over $550. Yay! Jodi Etienne, Razzle Dazzle Doggie Bowtique, Bradley, IL
• SKOUT’S HONOR Probiotic Shampoo/Conditioner ($21.99) paired with the KONG Zoom Groom ($11.99) is what your dog needs for spring deshedding! This combo really helps release the dead undercoat, moisturizes the skin and makes the top coat silky. The fresh honeysuckle scent is what we sell most, followed by the Unscented but they also have a Lavender that we just love. We go through a case a week of each in our self-service dog wash (and we wish they would package individual portions for this service!). — Patricia Boden, Animal Connection, Charlottesville, VA
• BEAR’S BITES single-ingredient beef liver dog treats. Dogs can’t get enough of it. — Samantha Hutchison, Bear’s Boutique, Peoria Heights IL
• New PET RELEAF Sentesa — great synergistic CBD effect product Took my ISO discount and passed on to customers. — Rachel McGinnis, Leo&Lucky’s, Parrish, FL
• Yak treats! I buy bulk bags from HIMAL and sell approximately 100 yaks per month. XL are $13.50 (115% markup), and the medium are $7 (same profit margin). — Helen Bennett, The Grooming Place Pet Shop, Chester, MD
• INJOYA snuffle mats. Our customers love the different shapes and styles! Great enrichment tools for our dogs and cats! Keeps our pets engaged and using their brain cells! Carol Will, Lola & Penelope’s, St. Louis, MO
• One of our best sellers in March was THE WORTHY DOG collars! These collars are always a mainstay for us, but in springtime the sales always shoot up. Our customers love the florals, Easter themed, and especially their bow-tie collar. We sold 15 collars last month at prices ranging from $14.99 to $17.99. Our customers love the price point of these collars and how cute they are! — Carra Smith, Dog Days Barkery, Mobile, AL
• CANOPHERA coffee wood chews. No promos, but we have had it since November and people are buying again after their first purchase. It has an attractive display, and most dogs who like to chew like this product. It is a single item in four sizes, and we have easily sold $800 to $1,000 per month since we brought it in to our little store. — Dani Edgerton, Paws on Main, Columbiana, OH
• Our biggest seller was the SCOOCHIE Jumbo Bully Sticks. We sell them for $11.99 a piece or in bundles of 10 for $89.99. Most sales were for the bundles. It was still a great profit margin. — Michele Saharic, Barkley’s Marketplace, Flemington, NJ
• With Spring comes plenty of dog washes in the South. We sell A LOT of dog wash packages. We sell a four-pack of dog washes, and the package works out to “Buy 3 Get 1 Free.” — Terri Nichols, CityDog Market, Atlanta, GA
• Baths! We have added a bunch of baths to our boarding and day-care reservations lately, especially baths with deshed packages (‘Tis the season!). — Natalie Bosch Albany Pet Hotel, Albany, OR
• Overnight pet–sitting in the client’s home is way up. The ability to travel safely again coupled with pets who have become accustomed to having humans with them all the time has definitely influenced this shift from drop-in visits. No promotions, we never discount. Service is up about 30%. — Tiffany Manson, Dallas Professional Pet Care, Dallas, TX
• PRODEN Plaque Off dental chews. SODAPUP & MESSY MUTTS lick mats. We can hardly keep these items in stock. Nothing super secret about why we sell them. We just engage and educate. — Janet Cesarini, Pupology, GeorgetownTX
• HONEST PAWS. It’s currently the only CBD line we carry, and it’s a great solution for customers wanting that type of product. — Jenny DuBrock, Don’t 4 Get About Me, Pingree, IL
• EARTH ANIMAL No Hide chews and AB Bully Sticks. Weather has been quite rainy, and dogs were looking for a good chew to pass the time. Various sizes and prices. — Heather Campbell, Bow Wow & Woofs, Blaine, WA
• EARTH ANIMAL No Hides are always a top seller, but this month their Twists took off! Not entirely sure why they were such a hot potato. Venison was the top flavor, followed by chicken. — Katherine Ostiguy, Crossbones, Providence, RI
• EARTH ANIMAL No Hides were our biggest seller. We didn’t offer any promotions, but did bring in a new floor display that was placed right in the front of the store! — Jennifer Frankavitz, Four Leggers Pet Supplies & Services, Beverly, MA
• EARTH ANIMAL No Hide Stix! When they finally became available in the supply chain again and we announced we had them in the store, on the day they came off the delivery truck, we had clients lined up to buy them. We had to place a reorder the next day to restock. — Teresa Hogge, Belly Rubs Pet Care, Ashburn, VA
• Continues to be the EARTH ANIMAL No Hide sticks — all sizes and all flavors, although the small thin sticks are the most popular. We do not do any promotions. — Laurie Wilson, Teca Tu-A Pawsworthy Pet Emporium, Santa Fe, NM
• EARTH ANIMAL allergy tincture and DEXAS MudBuster paw washers! It’s spring time for itchy and muddy. — Anna Woodcock, Brown Dog Bakery, Ankeny, IA
• CANINE NATURALS Hide Free Sticks! The small 5-inch versions have been a HUGE hit. All three flavors have been flying out of here. The large 40-count package of the smalls went first. They are dense and chewy, and don’t crumble or break. Only downside, everyone is out of them now. — Melisa Wynn, Paws & Fins Pet Shop, Bainbridge Island, WA
• Our bestselling food in March was 30-pound FROMM adult gold. It is $54.99. We do not run promos on this food but for some reason it is flying out the doors this month, and I’m not promoting it whatsoever! — Kendra Martin, Woof & Whiskers, Omaha, NE
• Dog toys in general. P.L.A.Y., FLUFF & TUFF, SPUNKY PUP, HAUTE DIGGITY DOG are all good sellers for us. We’ve also sold a good amount of people clothing, mainly sweatshirts and long-sleeve tees. Some we design in-house and produce locally or have printed through Bonfire. — Kaye Busse-Kleber, Bark On Mulford LLC, Rockford, IL
• NULO Dog Pouch Chicken & Green Beans 2.8 ounces. We sold 49 of them at $1.99. — Jennifer Marshall Northwoods Pets, Rhinelander, WI
• Our bestselling item in March was the EARTH ANIMAL No-Hide. We worked with our rep to sponsor a “Buy 3 Get 1” sale, and it was a huge hit. We sold $4k worth of No-Hides! — Danny Offenbacher, City of Paws Petcare, Philadelphia, PA
• We sold a decent amount of apparel and toys compared to other months. People like to dress their dogs up for St. Patty’s Day. We rarely if ever run promos, but we moved our store around and switched where the toys are so perhaps that did increase sales. — Krysta Fox Bruce & Willy’s Natural Pet Source, Geneva, IL
• PRIMAL CBD. BOCCE’S treats. Allergy products. — Sue Fitzgerald, The Scottish Dog Pet Supplies, Metuchen, NJ
• PET RELEAF Calming chews, SUPER SNOUTS Chill Out chews. Our area was plagued by many severe thunderstorms in March! — Holly Elassaad, Pet Nation, Navarre, FL
• Our Dog Egg Hunt Baskets were released in late March, so they were a new addition in our top six sellers. — Colleen O’Fallon, Sweet Paws Bakery, Gainesville, FL
• PRIMAL goat milk and STEVE’S REAL FOOD bulk boxes were our standout sellers in March. We were not offering a promotional price on either, but my team loves to educate customers with food solutions to common ailments. — Victoria Park, Park Pet Supply, Atlanta, GA
• 2 HOUNDS DESIGN Freedom No-Pull Harness was a best seller during March. We did not have a promotion going on for these, but the arrival of beautiful spring weather gets everyone outside, and those pups need a nice new harness that we fit for them. BARK APPEAL harnesses also sold well for the smaller crowd, and overall our harness sales were 142% above the monthly average. — Laura Backus, Purrrfect Bark, Columbus, NC
• We ran a promotion for our least popular A PUP ABOVE flavors, mostly to get our existing partially cooked customers to try a new bag. We have many FARMER’S DOG customers looking for comparable formulas, and some vets in our area have been recommending gently cooked as an “alternative” to raw. We have offered gently cooked food for years, but more and more people are coming by asking for it by name. As for toys, we have brought in new lines like FLUFF & TUFF and KATIE’S BUMPERS, which have done predictably very well. We are trying our best to find our “winners” as far as toys go! — Jennifer Flanagan, Nature’s Pet Market Sherwood, Sherwood, OR
• In terms of quantity sold, 14-ounce. WERUVA Dog Paw Lickin chicken. As far as profit, 16-ounce Chicken Chips as usual. — Cindy McConnell, A Natural Pet Pantry, Osprey, FL
• SMALLBATCH pork raw dog food cases are definitely gaining in popularity. We sell by the case or half case. Our case prices are $113.29 and half cases are $56.65. We sold a total of $736.40 in cases and half cases in March. For a small store, I’m thrilled with that amount! SMALLBATCH raw dog food holds our top three spots for March. — Beth Kidd, Dogs By Design, Irwin, PA
• TALL TAILS leathers were extremely popular! SNUGAROOZ plush (all!) did very well. It is the first time we carried them! — Gloria VonZech, The Principled Pet, Collingswood, NJ
• KRADLE Quick Calm Melts. — Roncy Roehm, Canyon Pet Lodge, Puyallup, WA
• Raw parts. No promo, but our raw bar was hit! — Samantha Youngblood, Youngblood’s Natural Animal Care Center and Massage, Wilkinson IN
• A PUP ABOVE lightly cooked food for dogs wins again! We initially had a great intro sale on it, and even though it’s off sale, people are returning again and again to buy. APA is providing free 1-pound trial sizes of each flavor, and that has been the key. People take it home and return immediately because their dogs are bonkers over it! We’ve won over MANY who currently subscribe to “fresh food” services. There is also a frequent-buyer program on Astro. Great for those not keen on raw or their dogs can’t have raw, those looking to feed minimally processed. It’s cooked “sous vide” in water, so very gently. We’ve had tremendous support from our rep too. Shout out to Angie!! She’s the best! — Karen Conell, The Bark Market LLC, Delavan WI
• We continue to sell a lot of birthday items, especially Happy Birthday bone-shaped treats from GIGGY BITES for $3.99 each. — Barbara Clemmens, Aardvark Pet Supplies, Inc., Thornwood, NY
• Our HEAVENLY HOUNDS Calming Bites always do well, particularly as we’re heading into Spring Storm season. We keep right by the checkout as a last-minute reminder and also in our calming section of the shops. Dogs love them, and our customers love them because they’re very effective. — Jeff Jensen, Four Muddy Paws LLC, St. Louis, MO
• ANSWERS Detailed 4-pound was our No. 1 seller last month, regardless of the hoohaw surrounding Answers. People still want it, and the dogs and cats are thriving on it. — Diana Farrar, Fifi & Fidos Pet Boutique, San AntonioTX
• HIMAL DOG TREAT yak chews. People love these for their dogs! KODA PET Papa Psuka has also started gaining momentum. Himals range from $4.99 to $19.99 based on size. Papa Psuka, ranging from $8.99 for small and $39.99 for our big bags. — Stephanie Steelman, Wings Wags and Whiskers, AmarilloTX
• Coral from exotic suppliers. — Bob Bianchi, Blue Ribbon Koi & Marine, Catharpin, VA
• OPEN FARM dog food is our bestselling food, but the $10 off a big bag Astro deal definitely had people buying more than one! We also had a great month with all of the HEALTHY BUD single-ingredient treats!! Mud season in NH equates to lots of treats for the pups! — Penny Murano Unleashed, New London, NH
• A PUP ABOVE has taken off. The lightly cooked industry is growing exponentially and this particular brand is, by far, our best seller. The package is appealing, the food looks fresh and it feeds well. I expect A Pup Above to continue to grow. — Julie Sterling, Julz Animal Houz, Marysville, WA
• A PUP ABOVE (gently cooked food) is really taking off for us. We’re not running any specials on it right now and we can barely keep it in stock. The recipes have fun names, they offer transparency on their sourcing and also their testing results for each lot code, and the dogs are loving it. And they are on Astro! — Jennifer Guevin Holistic for Pets, SarasotaFL
• SQUARE PET food continues to grow, with the VFS line seeing the most growth. — Jennifer Larsen, Firehouse Pet Shop, Wenatchee, WA
• Quantity wise, crickets are always a top seller. Spring brings kittens! Canned kitten food was up, WELLNESS 3-ounce and Weruva 2.8-ounce cans. Also our beef jerky strips (also from NE RAWHIDE) which sell for $1.49 each were a big hit at #3. — Shelly Nicastro Essex Bird & Pet Supply, Essex, MA
• FARMINA continues to grow for us beyond our wildest dreams. As the only seller of it within 7–plus [urban] miles, it’s a phenomenal brand and a wonderful way to create return customers! — Adina Silberstein, Queenie’s Pets, Philadelphia PA
• We didn’t have any promotions for the whole month. It was the week of St. Patty’s Day. Customers could spin a wheel to win a prize. The prizes ranged from 5% off to a $50 gift certificate and little prizes like candy. We had a zhuzh up your pet’s food contest. Customers took a picture of their pets bowl after they zhuzh’d it up, and then they had to have family and friends “like” their picture. The one with the most likes won. First place was $200, second place $100, and third was $50. The zhuzh contest was for all pets. It increased our sales of food toppers. — Paula Gorman, Pet Supplies ‘N’ More, MuskegoWI
• We brought in SASSY WOOF harnesses, and our customers are loving them! We posted photos on social media and that got them noticed. Not only are they a quality harness, but the fun prints add personality. — Barb Morris, Treats On A Leash, Ames, IA
• GRANDMA MAE’S Rawternative dog food is still a hit! The air-dried food is not as hard as other air-dried foods from other companies, so it can be broken into smaller pieces to be used as treats for small dogs. We use this for a high-value treat in classes too! — Sandy House, Paws N Effect, Hamden, CT
• Chew! Puppies are among us! Lots of glorious puppies! All of them are teething and driving up extra chew sales. Training is booked out until fall as of today! Training classes are booking with no end in sight. Warmer weather means outdoor time walking and hiking. Everyone is getting fitted for new harnesses and leashes along with water bottles and pop-up bowls. Raw food just keeps growing every month. Lots of health-conscious pet guardians are shopping for better diets. — Comora Tolliver, Hendersonville, NC
• TALL TAILS has been, and continues to be, a big seller, and March was no different. Their designs and displays attract people’s attention. Same with P.L.A.Y. RUFF DAWG‘s Dawg Nut was a big mover as well, thanks to staff testimonials that they’re “indestructible” and the Lifetime Guarantee. — Steve Vorpagel, Ruff Life Pet Outfitter, Petoskey, MI
• We saw an increase in our raw sales, specifically STEVE’S REAL FOOD. Our team did a great job educating our guests on the benefits of adding whole foods to the bowl, and guests made the decision to just add some raw. — Lisa Kirschner, Sit, Stay, ‘N Play, Stroudsburg, PA
• HEALTH EXTENSION Cheek Chews at $3.99 are doing really really well. A fairly long-lasting alternative to rawhide, dogs are going nuts for them and pet parents are happy to pick them up. Sales are up 65% from the previous month. — Brett Foreman, Eupawria, Owego, NY
• KOHA cat and dog cans. We recently brought on the brand because they seem to have less issues with out of stocks than some others. We had them at 30% off as an introductory price and sold a ton of cans because of it. — Kat Forry, A1 Pet Emporium, Oklahoma City, OK
• In the past, it’s been our barkery treats. We started carrying BOSCO & ROXY’S, and I’ve had to order five times in 6 weeks!! — Diedra Giles, Reeses Barkery and Pawtique, McHenry, IL
• FLUFF & TUFF toys. So durable, wash great, and so cute. We have sold over 50 toys in March and had to reorder over 100 to get ready for Easter present buying. They sell from $10.99 to $29.99. — Christine McCoy, The Natural Pet Enrichment Center, North Royalton, OH
• TALL TAILS. They are too stinkin’ cute! — Keri Torgerson, Mac’s Pet Depot Barkery, Milwaukee, WI
• DOGGIE DESIGN American River Step-in/Choke-Free Harnesses. Not sure why it was such a hit other than our weather is (finally) becoming warmer and most customers have indicated that they are out walking with their pets more than they have been in previous months. We sell these for $24.99. — Annette Jones, Paws & Purrs Barkery & Boutique, Rutherfordton, NC
• BAILEY’S Soft CBD chews. It’s a great product with a great value — only $34.99 a bag. Our customers like the ability to break the chew in half. We order 32 bags every three weeks. — Danielle Wilson, Bath & Biscuits Granville, OH
• I wish I could say exciting stuff but food, specifically Steve’s Raw Bulk, is always top of list. — Janelle Pitula, Wags to Whiskers, Plainfield, IL
• CANOPHERA wood chews. It is new to the store and was a huge hit last month. They outsold antlers! — Shawn Kombogiannis, Pet Wants, Lakeway, TX
• KOMODO jelly pots 1.29. Sold 60 and didn’t think it was bad for the first time ordering it. — Dorothy Stewart, Dorothy’s Pet Shop, Junction City, KS
• Treats, training treats in particular, were very popular for March. We sold and couldn’t keep in stock Tricky Trainers from CLOUD STAR. We also sold a bunch of BOCCE’S training treats since customers want variety. The prices average about $13.99 for the most popular large bag size of Tricky Trainers. We had a hard time keeping items in stock with everyone getting new dogs or training puppies — good problem to have as far as we are concerned. — April Wright, The Dog and Cat, Essex Jct & Stowe, VT
• K9 GRANOLA FACTORY donuts. Spring is definitely on its way. The super colorful assortments offered by the company seemed to sell themselves and go right along with customers’ moods now that the sun is shining. — Rebecca Martino Stately Pet Supply, Clarks Summit, PA
• FARMINA cat cans. Evidentially the grocery stores are still short on cans. No promotion. Retail Price $1.99. — Andrea Demmons, The TailGait Market, Asheville, NC
• We just brought in Huck & Farmer jerky treats from EDENTHISTLE Dog co. They are a family-run sustainable farm in Chattanooga, TN. Super high quality, nutritious treats that dogs have been loving. Only three ingredients and no hormones! We retail their 4-ounce bag for $11.75. — Keith Henline, Asheville Pet Supply, Asheville, NC
• Quality dog food, especially raw. PRIMAL, SMALL BATCH, A PUP ABOVE. People are more and more interested in finding alternatives to kibble, vet-prescribed foods. We’ve educated ourselves about natural alternatives to RX and kibble based diets, and people have responded. — Pamela Modica, Lazy Creek Pet Food Center, Lexington, SC
• Bulk treats. I sell DARFORD, FIRSTMATE and BASIL & BAXTER. $6.99 a pound. Customers love that they can have a variety. I have added more variety which has increased sales. — Kris Lamoreaux, Healthy Pets Mountain, West Cottonwood Heights, UT
• Our treats by the ounce continue to be the top of the charts for sales and profit, but oddly, though still at the top, the volume did drop by about 10% over both stores in March 2022 vs. March 2021. Not sure why yet! One store was up, the other down. We have about 20 choices by the ounce, they come from a wide variety of sources (PREEN, MEYER COUNTRY FARMS, POLKA DOG, etc), and we rotate them so there’s always the sense that there’s something new to try. Our retail price is $1.99 per ounce. — Kathy Palmer, The Fish & Bone, Portland, ME
• GIBSON’S DOG TREATS jerky did really well in March! We sampled a couple of bags. They break up into treat-size pieces, and dog’s really like them! — Mike Dan, RedRidge Pet Market, Richmond, VA
• We sell a number of supplements, and the natural ones to combat allergies were big sellers as allergy season began early and in earnest this year. Being able to help pups combat allergies and get off drugs like Apoquel is huge! — Mary Kenkel, Whole Dogz, Alexandria, VA
• Raw Frozen Dog Food, mostly STEVE’S REAL FOOD, STELLA & CHEWY’S, PRIMAL and three local brands. March 2022, we sold over 200 units/$5,00-plus. March 2021, we sold just under 100 units/ about $2,000. — Margo Tortorelis, My Natural Pet, Brooklyn, NY

Services

• Our Laundromutt self-serve dog wash was popular. The weather warmed up and got a bit muddier. — Kelly Hilzendager, Treat Play Love, Grand Forks, ND
• Grooming. It’s Spring! Jan Guin, All Pet Supplies, Springfield, MO
• Our bestselling service was of course our grooming! Our groomers have been booked for weeks and weeks, and there is no sign of that slowing down. The amount of “Doodles” in need of constant grooming is skyrocketing. Our bestselling product is our private-label dog kibble, FURRY FRIENDS INC. — Janet Huffor, Furry Friends Inc, Colorado Springs, CO
• 30-minute pop-in visits for weekends. Four-times-a-day visits. — Amber Van Denzen Suarez, Atta Boy! Animal Care Pet Sitting + Dog Walking, Mulberry, FL
• DAYCARE!! Oh man, post-Covid puppy numbers have been NO JOKE!! We actually just raised the prices $2 a day, and we’re looking at having to cap day care for the first time ever. It’s an awesome problem to have! — Annabell Bivens, The Dog Store, AlexandriaVA
• We rolled out a Fitness Camp with a trainer for dogs who could not attend doggie day care. — Molly Taylor, Molly’s Mutt House, Houston, TX
• Pet Sitting: Now that people can safely travel, we’ve been busier than ever as everyone rushes to go visit family and to travel since the shutdown began in 2020! — Ashley Martin, All My Pet Services (AMPS), Austin, TX