Connect with us

Hot Sellers

This Retailer Sold $9,000 in Dog Boots (Plus More Hot Sellers in January and February)

Find out what did well at independent pet stores and with service providers as the weather stayed cold.

mm

Published

on

Ultra-Paws-Boots

We sold over $9,000 dollars in dog boots! Close to 250 sets! We are in a mountain resort town and have a sign on the street saying that we have them. Dog boots and coats are a thing we are known for, and people will drive long distances to get a fitting! We sell mainly ULTRA PAW boots (above), but also RUFFWEAR and MUTTLUKS. The prices for the boots range from $25 to $100 a set. — Sarah Terrill, A&A Pet Supply, Frisco, CO

Products

  • VICTOR dog food. We’re one of two indie pet businesses in the Southeast who can offer the frequent-buyer program, and we promoted that for several weeks. — Pamela Modica, Lazy Creek Pet Food Center, Lexington, SC
  • We brought in GOOBY fleece sweaters. We stuck with the Autumn colors in the stretchy fleece (Pumpkin, Burgundy and Hunter Green), and they’ve been selling very well. I’m sure they sold well because of the decrease in temperatures, but they also have a good variety of affordable sweaters ($15 to $22) and a quality product that consumers keep coming back. We even sold a few to a customer for Alpacas! — Adrian Pannell, Bill’s Pet Shop, Havelock, NC
  • MYFAMILY PET ID tags for all the new animals our customers acquired over the holidays. — Susannna Furlone, The Wishbone Pet Company, Freedom, CA
  • PETSAFE Ice Melt purchased wholesale through a local landscaping company. It is also appropriate for hardscapes and landscaping. We doubled our ice melt customer base, attracting those that didn’t even necessarily have pets but rather had cured concrete and evergreen shrubs to consider. $29.99 for 50 pounds! — Rebecca Martino, Stately Pet Supply, Clarks Summit, PA
  • BELLCATE SCHOOL dog treats! A high-quality treat made in Vermont. They support education and employment of special education students. — Jack Carey, Food for Pets, Manchester, NH
  • ULTRA OIL. Traditionally a big seller for us when heating systems go on, fireplaces fire up, and the air is dry. — Andrea Demmons, The TailGait Market, Asheville, NC
  • We sold a ton of RUFFWEAR Gnawt-a-Rock enrichment toys. It’s such a fun way to stimulate your pup mentally, especially during the cold winter months! — Johnna Devereaux, Fetch RI, Richmond, RI
  • BARKWORTHIES collagen chews were a big hit for us in January. They last longer than a bully stick and do not smell when chewed. We retail them for anywhere from $6.49 for the single six-inch sticks to $17.99 for the three packs. — Diane Marcin, Benny’s Pet Depot, Mechanicsburg, PA
  • STEVE’S REAL FOOD bulk boxes. We ran a promo on it and got a lot more people to try feeding raw. $99.99 per box, and we gave $10 off for the promo. — Angie Scavone, Sniffany’s Pet Boutique, Albany, OR
  • CHILLY DOG coats — great price and beautiful patterns. The cost is very reasonable for a well-made coat. — Pennye Jones-Napier, The Big Bad Woof, Washington, DC
  • Gold Paw fleece sweaters. Well made, perfect fit, machine washable, and lasts over several winter seasons. — Denise Strong, Pawz On Main, Cottonwood, AZ
  • Fromm Remedies Digestive Support Chicken canned food. It is a good base food for dogs with digestive issues. We did not promote it, and I am unsure why so many of our customers were needing digestive care. — Deana Deitchler, Dogs Paw, Park Rapids, MN
  • Our “Celebration Station” was a hot spot in January, with the celebration cookie box leading in sales for January. We bake our cookies and package a set of seven to celebrate Birthdays & Gotcha Days, selling the set for $15. Almost every person who comes to us for the cookies also buys other items to celebrate the big day, increasing the ticket AOV in this category. We had 29 sales in the month of January of our Celebration Cookie Boxes with a total AOV on those tickets of $37. — Teresa Hogge, Belly Rubs Pet Care, LLC, Ashburn, VA
  • Bixbi Pocket Trainers bacon flavor. Lots of dogs in training right now it seems like, so these are a hit! — Kendra Martin, Woof & Whiskers, Omaha, NE
  • RedBarn puffed and braided collagen sticks. They’ve been a really fast seller. It’s a large chew for a really reasonable price. There was also an Astro sale on them, which I’m sure helps, but even without it they sell really well! — Nicole Olesen, Woofs & Waves, Sioux Falls, SD
  • Pig ears were our No. 1 seller besides feeders. They were $1.99 each or “Buy 12 Get 2 Free,” so it helps sell a bunch of them. I just went up to $2.39. I try to have the biggest ones I can find. They are from Chewmax. — Rachael Creech, Adventure Pets,Mandeville, LA
  • Ice melt. We stocked up ahead of the storms and ended up being one of the last places with any in stock. We had a bunch of people who normally wouldn’t have come to us, and they learned about how harmful salt can be to dogs’ paws. They were pleased with the knowledge and returned to us even though they don’t own pets themselves. Felt like a win for the neighborhood! — Annabell Bivens, The Dog Store, Alexandria, VA
  • We brought in the Rawz canned cat food, and it has been a big success for us. The quality of their food and their story has made them an easy sale for us. — Keith Henline, Asheville Pet Supply, Asheville, NC
  • K9 Kravings Duck feet continue to be our bestseller. I just recently increased the price by 10 cents. It doesn’t seem like a lot, but if you add it up just based on last month’s sales, it’s an additional $8,000 a year. And last month was so slow due to having to close several days due to the snow. — Nancy Guinn, Dog Krazy, Fredericksburg, VA
  • Best selling by volume: Lucky Premium Treats. Bestselling single Item by gross sales: Musher’s Secret. $26. — Gary Albert, Ruff Life Pet Outfitters, Petoskey, MI
  • Skinz, our private label 100% collagen dog chew in different sizes and flavors. Running a promotion of buy “5 Get 1 Free.” Dr. Marty’s freeze-dried dog food. $5 off 6-ounce bags and $10 off the 48-ounce size bags. Wild Spirit LID 28-pound bags of turkey and chicken formulas. BOGO. Like shooting fish in a barrel! — Frank Frattini, The Hungry Pupppy, Farmingdale, NJ
  • Gold Paws fleece sweaters. $24-$39. Cold weather and snow has everyone picking them up and checking them out. — Cathy Dervalis, Dog Day Afternoon, Belleville, IL
  • The Worthy Dog fleece, sherpa and weather-resistant coats were good winter sellers in January. — Kaye Busse-Kleber, Bark On Mulford LLC, Rockford, IL
  • Chili dog sweaters and coats! We had some cold weather. — Anna Woodcock, Brown Dog Bakery, Ankeny, IA
  • The Wild Meadow Farm new toy lines were great sellers. The are fun and different. — Ben Huber, Petagogy, Jeannette, PA
  • Amazingly enough, raw is our product that is on the rise every month. We did nothing to promote (seemingly have to do nothing). I think with people being home more and books like Dr. Becker‘s coming out, they are just more involved with what they are feeding. — Ruth Sturgis, Dog Daze, North Syracuse, NY
  • Enrichment/food delivery toys! We did a sale just before a predicted snow storm! — Kim Sykes K9 Manners & More, Broken Arrow, OK
  • Pet Safe Ice Melt has been flying off the shelf. I had been purchasing Pestell Paw Thaw from Phillips. I just went to reorder and it looks like they aren’t carrying it anymore. I just ordered some Organic Ice Melt from Fauna Foods, and I’m hoping it does well. The price point is better on the Organic brand. — Anna Fortini, Croton Pet Station, Croton-on-Hudson, NY
  • Gooby Fleece. Lots and lots of Gooby Fleece. We weren’t having a promo but we did get 11 inches of snow mid-month which is really unusual for us. — Laura Backus, Purrrfect Bark, Columbus, NC
  • Paw Safe Ice Melt. Weather related, but we sold more this year than ever. — Beth Staley, Happy Dog Barkery, Downers Grove, IL
  • Weruva cans have seen a spike in sales in January. No promotion, no specials. — Gina Swansburg, Gone to the Dogs, Wakefield, MA
  • Our raw food category is our top seller. We have added larger freezers that enable us to stock more bulk boxes, and we watch them fly out the door. It’s fantastic! — Becci Scott, Fetching Dog, Scottsdale, AZ
  • Chews! But they’re always hot! We did celebrate our 3rd Grand Opening Anniversary at the end of the month and saw our biggest weekend ever! — Carly Patryluk, House of Paws Pet Boutique, Regina, SK
  • A Pup Above lightly cooked food for dogs (frozen) has been insanely well received. We sold out of our ISO in just 10 days. It’s a wonderful product, not raw, not canned. The ISO and other deals have allowed us to price this very competitively and their 1-pound samples, provided for FREE to us, have been the key. Not one refusal by the 100 people we’ve given samples to! — Karen Conell, The Bark Market LLC, Delavan, WI
  • Hero Chuckles! We brought them in as part of the PFX Show, and they’ve sold very well for us. We also brought in Nothin’ to Hide chews in January to replace No Hide sticks, and they have sold great. Customers really like the size. — Cassie Nilsson, The Mill Stores, Whiteford, MD
  • Northwest Natural freeze-dried nuggets. No promo, even with the price increase, still selling. We use these as our store treats when dogs come in. — Robin Jerdee, Beast Buffet, Monroe, WI
  • Fluff & Tuff dog toys. They are always one of our top sellers. Great product and company. — Jenny DuBrock, Don’t 4 Get About Me, Pingree Grove, IL
  • Raw! Northwest Naturals bulk boxes in particular are becoming increasingly popular as all meat prices go up. Raw nuggets are such a staple in so many of our customer’s freezers, larger bulk quantities have become a must-have. Extra freezer space has also become a must-have for us, as we find ourselves bringing in new flavors and new brand options for our raw enthusiasts! — Jennifer Flanagan, Nature’s Pet Market Sherwood, Sherwood, OR
  • Small Batch Bulk Boxes exploded in January. We got a new freezer and were able to display the bulk boxes instead of hiding them in the back. For whatever reason that did the trick for people. — Brianna Swanberg, Mutts + Meows Natural Pet Market, Mt Juliet, TN
  • Healthy Dogma dehydrated food! With so many SKU’s unavailable from The Honest Kitchen AND so many people leaning toward getting off kibble, Healthy Dogma has been a great answer to many! — Lauren O’Hanlon, Ruff House, Fort Lauderdale, FL
  • Gooby Fleeces. It was a cold month! They are a perfect base layer and cozy to wear inside. — Caroline Gunther, Wag! A Unique Pet Boutique,Hendersonville, NC
  • Body parts and chews of all types because we are COLD right now. When it’s -30, people aren’t taking their dogs out so they’re trying to keep them entertained indoors. Our puzzle toys and snuffle mats have also been quite a hit this month for the same reason. — Kelly Hilzendager, Treat Play Love, Grand Forks, ND
  • Puppy Scoops. — Roncy Roehm, Canyon Pet Lodge, Puyallup, WA
  • We are doing very well in our toy section. P.L.A.Y. and Tall Tails are two of our bestsellers. — Jennifer Baker, Grateful Dog Bakery, North Ridgeville, OH
  • Chip’s Naturals Chicken Chips are always a big seller in all sizes, but especially the 16-ounce size. We’re working on our orders to accommodate their very long production lead times. — Jeff Jensen, Four Muddy Paws, St Louis, MO
  • Red Barn collagen braids and Health Extension cheek chews sold like crazy. They’re both new and decent lasting healthy alternatives to rawhide. My customers love new safe long-lasting natural chews. — Brett Foreman, Eupawria, Owego, NY
  • My Perfect Pet food has really taken off, and is leading the category for lightly cooked food in my store. — Diana Farrar, Fifi & Fidos Pet Boutique,San Antonio, TX
  • Our bully bar continues to knock it out of the park! All-natural minimally processed chews for the win!! — Janet Cesarini, Pupology, Georgetown, TX
  • The West Paw Rumbl and the Planet Dog Snoop toys were flying off the hooks in January. We have a floor model toy that we fill up with Dr. Marty‘s freeze dried food or Vital Essentials turkey giblet treats, and we let puppies and energetic dogs play with them while their people shop. Most dogs and puppies are obsessed, and it turns into a sale 98% of the time. We have a few floor models so that we can clean and sanitize the toys after each dog has played with them. It is a lot of fun for everyone to watch puppies playing and learning how to get the treats to come out and the customer can tell that this is a great babysitter for bored pups. — Victoria Park, Park Pet Supply, Atlanta, GA
  • Baydog Saginaw jackets. Fleece lined and weather resistant. Awesome color options, sizing and reasonably priced. — Jocelyn Turner, Woof Woof Pet Boutique and Biscuit Bar, Bristol, RI
  • Pet Releaf products. Also good success with Autstin & Kat CBD formula for cats. People are moving to holistics to treat their pets. — April Meier, Pawsitively Scrumptious LLC, Crestview, FL
  • We had a tie as far as bestselling products in January with a promotion. It was between Fromm (they put all “chicken” on sale) and the Stella & Chewy’s Essentials line with a discounted price. Bestselling without a promotion was treats lots and lots of treat -— bulk being our biggest seller at $7.49 a pound. — Paula Gorman, Pet Supplies ‘N’ More, Muskego, WI
  • Cans of dog food… seems like customers have realized that there is a shortage and stocked up. — George Beebe , Pawki’s, Eastsound, WA
  • Frozen fish food, LRS. — Bob Bianchi, Blue Ribbon Koi & Marine, Catharpin, VA
  • Enrichment mats and puzzle toys. Again. I think we have a lot of COVID pups coming of age, and pet parents are looking for supplies to keep them busy. 🙂 — Scott Tripp, Wagabōnz, Galveston TX
  • We made awesome Football Playoff Snack Packs! A barkeuterie box filled with chews, snacks… like Himalayan “Barkeetos” and Chasing Our Tails “Crinkle Chips” — all things to keep the dogs occupied while the humans were watching football playoffs! We’re doing Super Bowl Snack Packs too, since we have three customers with dogs appearing in the Puppy Bowl! Our “barkery” counter was popular! We baked mittens, snowmen, squirrels wearing scarves and boots, snowflakes, polar bears and funny little groundhogs for Groundhog Day! — Pattie Zeller, Animal Connection LLC,Charlottesville, VA
  • We had all our CBD products on sale in January as a promo for the month. We were able to gain new guests trying some products for various reasons to help their dog increase their overall health. — Lisa Kirschner, Sit, Stay, ‘N Play, Inc., Stroudsburg, PA
  • Doggy daycare was our No. 1 service and No. 1 in sales. One product that we saw more units sold was Whimzee chews. With Earth Animal sticks being back-ordered, customers went with Whimzees as an alternative. — Colleen O’Fallon, Sweet Paws Bakery, Gainesville, FL
  • Jack & Pup XL bully sticks were a great seller for the month. — Michele Saharic, Barkley’s Marketplace, Flemington, NJ
  • The Worthy Dog coats — ALL varieties. These coats are durable and adorable… and always a great seller! We carry almost the full line of coats that they make because it is always so hard to decide between the cute designs. — Alison Schwartz, All Pets Considered, Greensboro NC
  • Always Preppy Puppy Cookies! No sale or anything, our customers just love the cookies! — Tasha Hermanson, Woofta, LLC Dickinson
  • Bosco & Roxy‘s dog cookies were a hot seller along with our bulk Barkery treats! — Diedra Giles, Reeses Barkery and Pawtique, McHenry, IL
  • Natural Pet Company Yak Chews. No promotion for them, just educated customers regarding ingredients, natural and benefits. Price varies depending on size. $7.99-$21.99. — Annette Jones, Paws & Purrs Barkery & Boutique, Rutherfordton, NC
  • Wildbird Food. It’s the season! — Melissa Sturm , Agri Feed Pet Supply, Knoxville, TN
  • The Wholesomes Treats from Sportmix. Our customers LOVE the value at 9.99 for 3lb! — Trace Menchaca, Modern Pet Foods, Houston, TX
  • Southwestern blanket coats by Chili Dog and Weatherbeeta insulated and water-resistant coats. No specials. We started having very cold weather, always sends people looking for doggy coats. — Shelly Nicastro, Essex Bird & Pet Supply, Essex, MA
  • Sweaters and boredom busters! Snow weather gear! — Comora Tolliver, Barkers Anonymous, Hendersonville, NC
  • Fromm Classic Adult is still our best seller, but we sold more 20-pound Steve’s Frozen Bulk Prey (in beef) than usual. No promos, but we have been chatting it up to our customers that purchase a lot of raw. The 20-pound boxes of 8-ounce patties are neatly packaged in 10-pound bags, and the wax paper between the patties make it easy to remove what you need without thawing/mushing up the rest of the patties. Retail $103. — Theresa Moreno, For Healthy Pets, Montgomery AL
  • Hound & Gatos canned food for dogs and cats. It’s a consistent best seller. Like everyone else, they have experienced production issues and they have handled it well by adding new products and managing expectations by communicating well. Prices vary, on par with higher end canned foods. — Shawn Kombogiannis, Pet Wants, Austin, TX
  • Ruffwear Polartrex boots. Due to supply chain issues, they delayed the rollout of these boots, so when they finally showed up, we sold out of them in a week. — Julie Johannes Powder Hounds Pet Supply, Bigfork, MT
  • Jackets and fleece because it finally got “cold” in South Florida. — Jennifer Guevin, Holistic for Pets, Bradenton, FL
  • We are seeing continued growth in our lightly cooked section, with A Pup Above being the bestseller at the moment. — Julie Sterling, Julz Animal Houz, Marysville, WA
  • Paw Thaw is always a big seller when we start to see snow. I get it from Bradley Caldwell and had gotten a deal on a whole pallet in the fall. No specific promo, but I keep a low margin on it. — Paige Elder, Buzz n’ B’s Pet Shop, Erie, PA
  • Uccello Heat and Serve. A new product that was released, and it was a HUGE hit with the customers and the birds! Inexpensive price point made it easy to move lots of units. — Sal Salafia, Exotic Pet Birds Inc, Webster, NY
  • We started a Kong of the Month as a day-care add-on treat and a Smell of the Month in grooming as an add on to a basic bath. It’s been well received, and I have made my recipes and found my scents for the rest of the year. Good for a person like me who flies by the seat of her pants to have a plan. — Angela Pantalone, Wag Central, Stratford, CT
  • Balanced Life Wild Boar, Venison and Kangaroo Sausages. I was able to get a deal through my distributor and did a promo of buy one get one free. — Jennifer Hall, All Things Pawssible, Charlottesville, VA
  • Holistic Hound CBD and CBG chews were a HOT ITEM for our stores. As most people began going back to work, they noticed that their pets began to show some signs of separation anxiety. To better help their pets cope, they came to us in search of something natural to help them. Holistic Hound has quickly become one of our favorite brands to recommend for these types of issues. Our customers REALLY love the Duck chews at both of our locations. These treats range between $19.99 and $65.99. — Heather Persinger, Aristopets, Lewisville, NC
  • Icelandic+ lamb horns in both sizes (small and large) sold like hotcakes this month, and I have absolutely no idea why! Same location on the shelf, same price, flying out of here. Small $7, large $15. — Katherine Ostiguy, Crossbones, Providence, RI
  • We recently started carrying pig ears again and they have been a huge hit! I started noticing a lot of our boarding dogs were coming in with pig ears that we would add as a bedtime snack with their dinner. An assortment of clients have been buying pig ears, whether it’s to add to their dog’s boarding stay, for a day-care lunchtime snack, or on their way out from their dog getting a nail trim done with us. — Natalie Bosch, Albany Pet Hotel, Albany, OR
  • January was slow, so promotions for Acana were helpful — using our local rep. — Mary Kenkel, Whole Dogz, Alexandria, VA
  • Puzzle toys and snuffle mats. We brought in a bunch of new options, and they have been selling really well. It is FREEZING in North Dakota this winter, so these pups need something to keep them entertained. — Michelle Smith, Natural Pet Center, Fargo, ND
  • Boots because it’s cold! Ultra Paws brand seems to be a hit. $40-50. — Jamie Parent, A Place for Fido, Duluth, MN
  • Grooming and treats are typically our bestsellers, and they were again in January. But the sweaters were our top seller out of the norm. It is cold here in Kansas. — Julie Breault The Hairy Sofa, Wichita, KS
  • Our bulk cookies did really well this month. Honestly, we didn’t do anything different than normal, so I’m not 100% sure what the change was. — Elaina Stanley, Three Happy Hounds, Fernley, NV

Services

  • Pet sitting and dog walking had the biggest increase out of the three segments of our business. It was +46% over January 2021, the other two segments were +24%. People here in New York are starting to travel more and needing care for their pets again. Hooray! — Amy Schiek, Lucky Dogs, Skaneateles, NY
  • We really promoted our $12 self-service tub. We have a tub we use exclusively for large dogs, so it stands empty most of the day. We decided to do a $12 self-service wash and promoted it last month. We more than doubled our usual monthly take for it — the winter months are definitely the prime time for it. — Kris Minkle, Rover Valley Natural Pet, Fort Smith, AR
  • BARK Room reservations. We built a huge room with rubber flooring at our new store for dog training, birthday parties, etc, but we also let people reserve the room so they can play with their dog(s) in a safe, warm place. It’s great for our clients that don’t have a fenced-in yard or have dogs that are fearful or reactive. Our BARK Room has definitely come in handy with January’s cold weather! — Sheila Spitza Wet Nose, Geneva, IL
  • Dog walking due to client referrals and everyone going back to work and traveling. — Jabré Washington, Bark N’ Unity, Chicago, IL
  • Our self-serve pet wash. We started mentioning this service to all of our customers at checkout (even those who have been shopping with us forever) to make sure they knew, or remembered, this was available to them. Washes increased dramatically at both locations. We charge $16 per wash, all supplies provided, and we do the cleaning up post-bath. — Christina Cummings, The Wild Pet LLC, Charleston, SC
  • Our overnight pet sitting was the star of January. At $100 a night, we had four staff members doing in excess of 20 nights each in January. This is usually our slowest month. — Tiffany Manson, Dallas Professional Pet Care, Dallas TX
  • Last-Minute Bookings for pet sitting were huge this month. People are taking advantage of random free time to do short weekends away. We charge +$10 for last-minute bookings (less than 48 hrs prior) . Our January is typically VERY slow post holiday season, and this was our busiest January ever. — Amber Van Denzen Suarez, Atta Boy! Animal Care Pet Sitting + Dog Walking, Mulberry, FL
  • Bath specials including anal gland expression, nail trim, bath, brush and blow-out. Doggie ice cream add-on to all boarders. — Stephanie Cox, Central Animal Inn, Herrin IL

What’s the Brain Squad?

If you’re the owner or top manager of a U.S. pet business serving the public, you’re invited to join the PETS+ Brain Squad. Take one five-minute quiz a month, and you’ll get a free t-shirt, be featured prominently in this magazine, and make your voice heard on key issues affecting the pet industry. Sign up here.

Advertisement

FEATURED VIDEO

Sponsored by Cogent Solutions Group

Reduce Your Pet’s Hip & Joint Discomfort with the Most Researched Hyaluronan on the Market

Nearly 60% of dogs and 90% of cats suffer from joint discomfort. Trixsyn joint supplement contains a patented and proven hyaluronic acid molecule for maximum efficacy to promote joint, bone, soft tissue, and cartilage health, keeping your pet feeling comfortable, for longer. Trixsyn is veterinarian recommended, safe and all-natural, and contains research-proven ingredients. Get your paws on the most-researched hyaluronic acid on the market. Learn more at Trixsyn.com.

Promoted Headlines

Most Popular