JULY

4 Red, white and boom! Well ahead of INDEPENDENCE DAY, put together a display and social media graphics featuring products that lessen the noisy horror of fireworks: CBD in a variety of delivery methods, long-lasting chews, compression shirts and more.

16 According to the Bible, it’s been 4,000 literal years since the Garden of Eden. Our relationship with snakes remains complicated, but what’s not in dispute is how fascinated humans are by reptiles. On WORLD SNAKE DAY, invite local snake enthusiasts to come in and mingle with their scaly friends. It’s sure to draw a crowd.

24 Even before the COVID-19 crisis, one of the few areas where Walmart and other traditional retailers were beating Amazon was with “buy online, pick up in store.” On NATIONAL DRIVE-THRU DAY, offer a small discount to anyone who opts to do business with you this way. Also, spend time considering what you learned during the lockdown and search for ways to improve your curbside pickup game. It’s a convenience Americans can’t get enough of.

24 Stop us if you’ve heard this one: “How do you entertain a bored pharaoh? You sail a boatload of young women dressed only in fishing nets down the Nile and urge him to go catch a fish.” Ba-da-bum! Maybe it was funnier in the original Egyptian, or maybe we’ve gotten funnier as a species, but according to the Smithsonian, that is one of the oldest jokes on record. On NATIONAL TELL AN OLD JOKE DAY, challenge staff to bust out their best pet funnies. It’s summer, and a groan has to be better than a yawn.

AUGUST

1 On this day in 1790, the United States conducted its first census — it tallied 3,929,214 people. The U.S. has changed much since then, but not the need to know basic demographic information. Mark the 230TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST CENSUS with a survey of your market: the number of pet owners, the dollar value of the market, your competitors’ take and your share. Finally, set some realistic goals. We’ll check back in 10 years to see how you’ve done in accomplishing them.

9 A 1995 Teledyne Waterpik survey found that the average American valued their smile at $321,000. A more recent study by Bangor University in Wales said a salesperson who regularly flashes a “genuine” smile — with the presence of tiny wrinkles in the corners of the eyes — reported significantly better sales. Such studies are nothing more than confirmation of what a good business pro already knows: A great smile is one of your best sales tools. During SMILE WEEK, guarantee that your DIY pet wash or some other similar service will put a smile on a customer’s face — or their money back! Just look to images of dogs being bathed to know you can’t lose.

13 Animals aren’t usually as frustrated as humans when it comes to laterality (or “handedness”): They don’t need to play guitars, open cans or use computer mouses, after all. They nevertheless do show a preference for one paw over another, especially when reaching for food. On INTERNATIONAL LEFT-HANDERS DAY, invite pet owners to bring any left-handed pals in for a treat. They’ll have to prove themselves, of course.

26 One of the heartening side effects of the coronavirus outbreak was the unprecedented interest in helping rescue dogs. There’s probably, thus, never been a better time to team up with another local business or community organization to help celebrate NATIONAL DOG DAY, which aims to raise awareness about the number of abandoned dogs who need homes (as well as recognizing dogs general service to mankind). Reach out!