Relaxed Reading
Summer has been busy, busy, busy! No complaints here! I love PETS+ for relaxed reading, and I loved the one PETS+ Live! webinar I was able to attend. — Deana Deitchler, Dogs Paw, Park Rapids, MN
Nice Goes So Far
Summer is going good! I’ve decided to be the alpha bitch of the shop and not let my employees run all over me. Nice only goes so far, then I become unstoppable. It’s turned into a total paint/floor/new equipment binge. — Rachel Diller, The Poodle Shop, Littleton, CO
Extra Change
Summer has brought one of the best years we have ever had. It seems customers have a little extra change to spend on their pets. — Randy Tolbert, Hillside Boarding and Kennel, Mitchell, IN
Long Days
This summer, I have noticed slower weekends due to local festivals. Since in the summer we have longer days, customers seem to be more accepting of late-afternoon or early-evening appointments rather than in the shorter winter days. — Rachel Malmfeldt, Pampered Pups Grooming, Joliet, IL
Summer Slowdown
Summer is always hard on my business. As a dog-walking company, I need to remain flexible with how the customer schedules, but we see such a decrease as a result. Aside from summer travel causing brief service cancellations, many of our school teachers or administrators drop off entirely, while other offices close early or cut their hours. It has a small ripple effect on the business over these hot months. Things slowly recover by fall, thankfully. — Julia Rohan, Rover-Time Dog Walking & Pet Sitting, Chicago, IL
Sales Up
Our pet food sales are a bit down, but overall sales are up over 25 percent. We plan a big sidewalk sale to get rid of stagnant inventory. — Danielle Wilson, Bath & Biscuits, Granville, OH
Adding Balance
After reading each issue, I come away with many ideas for our stores. I appreciated your Family Business article in the April 2018 issue. It’s easy to let the business run your life. Thanks for helping to add balance. — Donna Trilli, Healthy Pets NW, Portland, OR
New Ideas
I really, really enjoy your magazine. I always get new ideas from reading it, and all the stories are very inspiring. Thank you, thank you! — Lisa Keppers, Sauk Centre Country Store, Sauk Centre, MN