Episode 10: Turning Your Pet Passion into a Business

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00:00:00:01 - 00:00:14:00
Chris (Voice Over)
Pets Add LifeYour guide to the latest in pet trends, products and the joy of the human animal bond, with Kristin Levine and Chris Bonifati powered by the American Pet Products Association and Dog TV.

00:00:14:02 - 00:00:25:08
Kristen
Greetings pet lovers! This is the Pets Add Life podcast brought to you by dog TV and the American Pet Products Association. That's a mouthful, Chris.

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Chris
It's tough sometimes. That's why we just say APPA. But then people get us confused with the flying bison from Avatar The Last Airbender. So then we have to say the American Pet Products Association. Shout out to all my nerds out there. I'm Chris, here with my my good, my pal, Kristen on the Pal podcast where we're going to give you two stories, interview two guests, recommend two products, and answer two questions from our audience.

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Chris
But first, Kristen, let me know, how are you feeling today?

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Kristen
I'm doing good. I'm doing good. I'm actually doing the show from, Safety Harbor, Florida today. Okay. My dog tulip and I are in town to, do a TV segment tomorrow. We're going to be talking about, ear care and eye care as part of your grooming routine. So there we go. We're getting ready for that.

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Chris
Yeah, just a couple of regular celebrities over there. And here I am in beautiful Stamford, Connecticut, where it took me an hour and 15 minutes to commute ten miles. Live living the dream.

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Kristen
Oh my goodness. How often can you work from home?

00:01:25:17 - 00:01:38:18
Chris
I can, but then people wouldn't be able to see all my friends that I've gathered. That's true. So I guess so I come in, for, for for that sort of fan experience because I care about our YouTube viewers.

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Kristen
Yes. Just making sacrifices.

00:01:40:13 - 00:01:48:20
Chris
Yeah, that's. I truly am. so without further adieu, why don't we go ahead and get into our stories?

00:01:48:22 - 00:01:53:12
Chris (Voice Over)
Kristen and Chris present story time.

00:01:53:13 - 00:02:17:08
Kristen
This is less of a story, more of an announcement or a reminder for folks. So if you have a pet and you shop on Amazon, Amazon Pet Day is coming up on May 7th and eighth. It's a 40 out, 48 hour window, where special pet deals are going to be offered. And I read on their website that they actually have some, some early savings offers that start this week.

00:02:17:11 - 00:02:46:15
Kristen
So if you've been meaning to purchase, you know, some more pet food or toys or treats or whatever, pet Day would be a great day to do that. And I also read, you know, Amazon loves pets. They started Pet Day. I think it was I don't know if it was last year or the year before, but, they actually allow pets in a lot of their offices, and they I read that they have 14,000 registered dogs at over 130 Amazon offices across the US and Canada.

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Chris
The talk about dog friendly. Wow.

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Kristen
Yeah, exactly. So yeah. So you can catch some savings on Amazon May 7th and eighth. And you do not have to be a Prime member to get the deals.

00:02:58:06 - 00:03:04:04
Chris
So I love saving money. So count me in okay. That's right up my alley.

00:03:04:06 - 00:03:06:13
Kristen
So that's my news flash. What's your story. Yeah.

00:03:06:13 - 00:03:42:02
Chris
Yeah I've also kind of got a news news flash here. at the time you're listening to this World Veterinarian Day will have been, last Saturday. It's April 27th, so, this is a really important day, because the industry is struggling to replace retiring veterinarians. So the world vet Association, really focuses on trying to uplift and award some of the best achievements in the veterinarian industry.

00:03:42:04 - 00:04:11:20
Chris
So I'm hoping that by the time you're listening to this, you could go to the VA website, which is World vet.org, and see some of the winners, and some of these amazing, veterinary professionals. They give awards for things like student of the year, medicine, stewardship, animal welfare, and there are cash prizes, which is amazing because I've won some awards and they just hand me a trophy, shake my hand, take a picture, and, you know, Bob's your uncle.

00:04:12:01 - 00:04:38:12
Chris
So some some great cash prizes for some amazing vets. And we're kind of in that mode over here. We're going to be talking a bit about an upcoming dog TV show. that's A to Z, I believe it is called and we're going to be hearing from dog TV's CEO, Beke in just a few minutes, we're going to talk about all things dog TV.

00:04:38:14 - 00:04:59:10
Chris
but I want to remind people to check out that show. There's going to be all sorts of amazing veterinarian professionals on there. you've heard from Doctor Courtney Campbell and Doctor Jeff Gerber on this show. but we'll also turn you on to some new veterinarian personalities who will both entertain and inform the best kind of streaming content out there.

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Chris
So be sure to check that out.

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Kristen
Yeah, and I believe that by the time this show airs, that show will have launched. So definitely check it out on dog TV. And like you said, lots of, veterinarians, with great content, everything from allergies to behavior issues to cancer to dental health emergencies, etc. like I got the list in front of me, and there's at least ten things on here that I want to check out for.

00:05:22:15 - 00:05:44:18
Kristen
Yeah, to learn more about for my pet care. So, so dog tv.com. I don't know the slash whatever, but I'm sure if you go there, you can find the show. And in the meantime, I sat down with Becky Lubitsch, the CEO at dog TV. at a industry event several months ago, and she told me all about dog TV, the the innovation behind it, the science behind it.

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Kristen
And let's take a listen.

00:05:46:14 - 00:05:51:16
Chris (Voice Over)
Beyond the leash exploring the untold stories of pet passion and professionalism.

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Kristen
Okay, you guys are going to love this next interview. I'm here with Becky Lubitsch. She is the CEO of dog TV. Becky, what is dog TV?

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Beke
Just what exactly TV for dog.

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Kristen
That sounds too good to be true.

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Beke
Yeah. We, developed dog TV. Oh, gosh. It's been like 12 years now. And 12 years ago we started to do the research. We wanted to understand, you know, what dogs enjoyed seeing what they liked. You know, to hear what would relax them, what would stimulate them. and all these different things. We worked with the animal behavioral team at Tufts University and some other leading veterinarians and trainers, and came up with content for dogs.

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Kristen
So this is science based content. This is not just, you know, squirrels running across the road.

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Beke
And no, no, no, no, it is it is the real dog TV.

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Kristen
The real doctor.

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Beke
Yeah. Our marketing folks would get really upset with me, but this is the real dog TV. There's a lot of copycats out there now, and I guess you have to.

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Kristen
Look, it's at a it's not a pun copycat.

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Beke
Cats like dog TV too.

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Kristen
Oh, interesting.

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Beke
Yes they do.

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Kristen
Before we get too far into this, I want you to tell me about your dogs, cause I know it's your favorite subject.

00:07:04:20 - 00:07:23:17
Beke
You're my favorite subject. I actually have three dogs. it's kind of unique to have them live in Arizona, And, Walter is a pit bull terrier. Yeah. And Peyton, his little brother, who is actually older than him, is a Jack Russell.

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Kristen
Makes a very unique combination. And they live with your mom, right?

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Beke
I live with my mom now in Arizona. I go out every month. I don't disregard them. I make sure that they're fed and that they're healthy and that they're groomed and all that good stuff and that.

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Kristen
They're watching dog TV, of course. Right.

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Beke
And then I also have a dog in California that I accidentally brought home was trying to put dog TV in the shelter, and they were kind of overrun with didn't have space in this little tiny, itty bitty pitty I call her was sitting there looking at me. She had just had her. I removed and she had a broken wrist and like, okay, I'll bring her home for a couple of weeks.

00:08:03:15 - 00:08:07:07
Beke
And it's been 14 months now, so it's either the longest.

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Kristen
This is either the longest foster, situation or you've officially adopted her now.

00:08:12:02 - 00:08:13:03
Beke
Yeah, I think I have.

00:08:13:03 - 00:08:24:21
Kristen
Okay, well, she is a lucky girl. Okay. so, dog TV has recently partnered with the American Pet Products Association to bring you all this podcast. Why did you do that?

00:08:24:23 - 00:08:48:10
Beke
You know, there's so much that we realize that pet parents need to know. And yes, we're dog TV, but we also, you know, know everybody has multiple pets and not everybody. But lots of people have multiple pets in the home. And, there's so much that they need to know about this industry. And there's so much that's going on in this industry.

00:08:48:11 - 00:09:09:00
Beke
I don't think people realize how much it's grown. When I started in the pet industry, and that was only like 12 years ago. It was about a, I want to say, a $45 billion industry. Yeah. This year, from what the American Pet Products Association is telling me, we're going to get close to $140 billion at the end of 2023.

00:09:09:04 - 00:09:10:08
Beke
That's a lot of bucks.

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Kristen
And it's growing and it's growing with it's.

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Beke
Yeah. And there's so much within the industry, from product to services to veterinary health to, advocacy and research. And there's so much that people need to know and want to know that. With that, let's let's partner up. We've got a great platform with parents already and let's educate people.

00:09:35:06 - 00:09:49:12
Kristen
It's a perfect partnership. And, and in the past, our the pet industry hasn't been great about educating pet owners like us on what they were doing to make life better for our animals and for us. So I think this is going to be a really great partnership.

00:09:49:14 - 00:09:53:10
Beke
Yeah, absolutely. I love the name Pets Add Life, of course.

00:09:53:12 - 00:10:04:04
Kristen
Because they do. Okay, let's get back to dog TV for a second. I want to talk about enrichment and talk to us about how dog TV provides much needed enrichment for dogs.

00:10:04:04 - 00:10:41:04
Beke
Absolutely. So there's three different types of content that was developed for the dogs. We break it down into relaxation, into stimulation, which is what you might think a little higher, energy, faster movement on the screen, more upbeat music as opposed to the relaxation, which is very calm and relaxing. And then finally there's exposure. And a lot of dogs don't get exposed to things like babies or, the doorbell or traffic or fireworks and a really big one.

00:10:41:06 - 00:10:50:12
Beke
So when we expose dogs to these things on the TV, then they're able to okay in their minds, like, oh, I've seen that before. It's not so scary, right?

00:10:50:14 - 00:10:51:23
Kristen
So,

00:10:52:01 - 00:10:58:10
Beke
Anyway, that's really what we, what the channel is about and why we've created that.

00:10:58:10 - 00:11:02:22
Kristen
But you also have created programing for people, for humans, for pets.

00:11:03:00 - 00:11:34:23
Beke
So we've started to do a whole lot of that. we actually have another podcast called The Dog Moms. Yeah. Where we have two dog trainers that will sit and talk to you all day long about their dogs and your dogs and everything having to do with dogs. and, a lot of other content. We're starting to work with veterinarians and really try to help people, better be better prepared and more knowledgeable about what they need to do to get their dogs their best life possible.

00:11:35:00 - 00:11:51:19
Beke
And breaking news. We're also partnering. I can't tell you with who yet, but you have to stay tuned. some additional, companies and organizations like, AOPA, to bring you more content, not just ours, but there's as well. So it's exciting.

00:11:52:01 - 00:12:15:00
Kristen
And it's great because you can literally sit in your living room, watch TV, and learn about a lot of different things you need to know or how to overcome that, how to solve problems, overcome challenges. as opposed to, you know, having to search online and talk to friends and, you know, not not to say that you're not going to go to your other, you know, professionals for help, but, it's a really great resource for both you and your dog.

00:12:15:02 - 00:12:17:03
Kristen
So where can people find our TV?

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Beke
So dog TV can be found a few places. we traditionally launched on cable and satellite. So in the U.S you can find us on, Comcast and on, DirecTV, dish, Cox, RC and and media comm. But that really great place and that's all great content. But the place that I personally love is our new app. Well it's like a Netflix for for dogs and we love apps.

00:12:46:16 - 00:12:47:08
Kristen
I love our.

00:12:47:08 - 00:12:54:02
Beke
Apps because it has not only the live stream for the dogs, but all those on demand content for dogs and more people.

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Kristen
Fantastic. And they can find that in the App Store.

00:12:56:14 - 00:13:06:20
Beke
Absolutely. Apple, app store, Google Play store, you can find it on your Roku. You can find it on your Apple TV. Any person. So what are you waiting for?

00:13:07:01 - 00:13:07:20
Kristen
Yeah.

00:13:07:22 - 00:13:09:19
Beke
Join us.

00:13:09:21 - 00:13:14:01
Kristen
Becky, thanks so much for taking the time with us today. And we love what you're doing for for dogs and.

00:13:14:01 - 00:13:14:22
Beke
For.

00:13:15:00 - 00:13:22:22
Kristen
All of our pets dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, fish, guinea pigs. I could go on and on and on, but I won't. But thanks again for joining us.

00:13:23:03 - 00:13:24:10
Beke
Thank you for having me.

00:13:24:12 - 00:13:25:10
Kristen
See you later.

00:13:25:12 - 00:13:27:18
Chris (Voice Over)
Pets Add Life.

00:13:27:20 - 00:13:49:14
Chris
That was so interesting to hear. always, always great to hear from Becky. It was awesome meeting her at Global Pet Expo after kind of sorting out a lot of these things with the podcast with her. remember, dog TV's a co-producer in their show, so, you could find our beautiful faces on the platform or the YouTube platform and that new show I was teasing out before.

00:13:49:16 - 00:13:54:08
Chris
that's A to Z, so be sure to go on and check it out.

00:13:54:10 - 00:13:59:22
Kristen
Yes. Now, Chris, do you know Candace and Danielle?

00:14:00:00 - 00:14:15:17
Chris
I do. I she she's been speaking at Global Pet Expo I mean since I've been around. So yeah, I'm very familiar with, it just again, one of those people are going to bring out of the pod that makes us look like idiots because so wildly intelligent.

00:14:15:17 - 00:14:35:11
Kristen
She is. She's amazing. She is, she is the pet boss. And if you're wondering what a pet boss is or if you are in the if you work in the pet industry, or maybe you have a job at a pet retailer, or groomer or anything like that. You definitely want to hear this next interview that I did with her.

00:14:35:13 - 00:14:46:21
Kristen
We're here at the Pet Industry Leadership Summit, and I have a fantastic guest for you to meet. Her name is Candace Dangelo. And Candace, you are with Pet Boss Nation and we go way back.

00:14:47:00 - 00:14:47:22
Candace
Way, way back.

00:14:48:02 - 00:14:51:04
Kristen
Yeah. We were just reminiscing that it was about ten years ago.

00:14:51:06 - 00:14:53:07
Candace
Maybe even more. My gosh, hard to believe.

00:14:53:07 - 00:14:58:01
Kristen
Yes, yes. In Chicago we did a very similar interview. Your pups were with us.

00:14:58:01 - 00:15:07:12
Candace
They were I had I guess I was recently divorced at that time and we talked. I think about how my pets impacted that journey of my life to kind of finding who I was, you know?

00:15:07:12 - 00:15:09:14
Kristen
And you found you. Found you. Yeah.

00:15:09:14 - 00:15:10:15
Candace
That's right.

00:15:10:17 - 00:15:13:03
Kristen
Tell us a little bit about pet fascination.

00:15:13:05 - 00:15:41:06
Candace
At Pet Fascination, we are a professional development company. I like what I like to say, but really we're more a business coaching resource for brick and mortar businesses, small businesses, in their local communities. So think your pet groomers, dog daycares, pet sitters, pet boutiques, those, mom and pop businesses who just are so passionate about their pets and really want to bring great nutrition or training or care to the pet parents out there.

00:15:41:06 - 00:15:45:13
Candace
So I help them with like sales and marketing and leadership so that they can stay in business.

00:15:45:13 - 00:15:49:04
Kristen
And you're the perfect person to help them because you've done all this before.

00:15:49:05 - 00:16:03:08
Candace
Yes, as I had my own pet boutiques and the doggy daycare and dog walking business in Chicago and, I loved it. And then I ended up selling, one of the businesses to Bentley's pet stuff. And then I sold my doggy daycare as well.

00:16:03:12 - 00:16:11:19
Kristen
Okay, great. So, and I know we were talking earlier about how many people are interested in getting into this type of work, right?

00:16:11:19 - 00:16:39:20
Candace
Yeah. So especially with the pandemic, like, I feel like the pandemic really showed people, well, one too many people got pets and they spent more time with their pets and then maybe had to think about career changes and even wanting more fulfillment from their life and what they could do. And so we've just seen this resurgence of people who are, interested and taking something that they love about the pet industry or a piece of even their own skill set, whether it's baking treats or, sewing dog collars.

00:16:39:20 - 00:17:05:21
Candace
Or maybe they want to become an animal trainer, you know, getting into the industry and what's so interesting about this right now, too, is that a lot of people are ready to exit their businesses. They've been doing this like for a few decades, like I was, and they're thinking about their retirement. So for any pet parent out there, really, whether you want to open your own or consider, you know, acquiring one that's maybe ready to retire in their local communities, I think there's a huge opportunity for people to come into the pet industry.

00:17:05:21 - 00:17:12:10
Kristen
Yeah. And most people, you know would love to work with pets. So we we're very fortunate that we've we've been.

00:17:12:10 - 00:17:13:12
Candace
Able to make careers.

00:17:13:12 - 00:17:14:19
Kristen
Out of years. Out of it.

00:17:14:21 - 00:17:16:01
Candace
Yes.

00:17:16:03 - 00:17:23:23
Kristen
so you know, I know would you say the majority of the people that you coach own local brick and mortar experts?

00:17:24:03 - 00:17:39:20
Candace
Yeah. Well, so in our, client base, I have a program called the Pet Box Club, and that has almost 400 small businesses across the US and Canada, and I'd say 50% of them are retailers, pet supply stores. And the other 50% make up the pet care providers. Okay.

00:17:39:22 - 00:17:41:21
Kristen
How you've been doing this now.

00:17:41:21 - 00:17:43:00
Candace
For seven years?

00:17:43:00 - 00:17:56:12
Kristen
Seven years. Wow. how have you seen things change and evolve? with the increase in online shopping and more people using, you know, phone apps for these types of services, how has that impacted your your clients?

00:17:56:12 - 00:18:14:20
Candace
Yeah. Well, and, for the small businesses, they've really had to they've kind of been forced in some sense to adapt to some of the technology. Yeah. Now technology can be very scary for a lot of people. And just because it's it's the unknowns, it's the fear of, you know, even being on camera themselves or, figuring out the tech that has to integrate with things.

00:18:14:22 - 00:18:35:06
Candace
And so it can feel very overwhelming and daunting. And I'm really proud of the small business community again, maybe forced because of Covid to really look at how can they be more convenient and think of other ways that they can sell and do business with people. And so they were able to get their online stores. Bill, have curbside service, you know, do delivery.

00:18:35:08 - 00:18:41:19
Candace
And a lot of them, I think, are also playing around with marketing. Right. I think they've realized that, like, social media is not going anywhere.

00:18:41:21 - 00:18:42:03
Kristen
They.

00:18:42:03 - 00:19:04:20
Candace
Think they like kind of avoided it for long. And now, you know, they're they're getting more comfortable with TikTok or trying reels or realizing the power of email marketing, you know, those kinds of things so that they can stay in touch with the pet parents because the big box businesses do it, you know, they they send the emails, they run the ads, they do direct mail and pet parents, are, you know, they have bigger budgets, I think, like the big businesses have the bigger budgets to stay in touch.

00:19:04:20 - 00:19:09:20
Candace
And so small businesses really have to think about how they can, you know, continue to share to stay connected to them.

00:19:09:21 - 00:19:12:12
Kristen
So so they're they're adapting.

00:19:12:12 - 00:19:13:14
Candace
Yeah. They are decreasing.

00:19:13:14 - 00:19:17:21
Kristen
Technology and and without technology you couldn't even do what you do. What do.

00:19:17:21 - 00:19:18:06
Beke
You do.

00:19:18:06 - 00:19:20:14
Candace
Yeah, yeah, yeah I was doing zoom before it was popular.

00:19:20:16 - 00:19:44:04
Kristen
That's right. Yeah. So let's just talk a little bit about trends and in products if we can, for a minute. obviously, you know, younger generations especially are very concerned about sustainability and eco friendly options. I mean, most of us are, but we really see it, demand for that in the younger generations too. How are, how are things changing?

00:19:44:06 - 00:19:52:14
Kristen
so that retailers in this example, you know, know, know how to educate the consumer on making the right choices?

00:19:52:16 - 00:20:19:21
Candace
well, I think for a lot of our clients, they also are wanting to talk about nutrition. And so we've we've really seen an increase in raw diets. our clients are adding more freezer space to their storefronts, taking shots. either other vendors out of their shops to allow for, their frozen raw foods. However, more even immediately recently is the growth of gently cooked foods and the fresh foods.

00:20:19:23 - 00:20:36:23
Candace
And that could be that big brand advertising that's gone on the market now. I think it was at the Super Bowl last year. There were commercials about jelly cooked foods. And so that raises awareness. And then, you know, questions. They come to their local pet stores for advice, but it's just so important that they continue to support their local pet store.

00:20:37:01 - 00:20:57:09
Candace
And so the the raw foods been a huge category of gently cooked. I think what's interesting, too, about the younger, pet parents is that they are coming in much more knowledgeable. They they've done their research, they come in, they have, you know, they might even be more knowledgeable sometimes then the sales associate there. But, that's an opportunity.

00:20:57:11 - 00:21:15:04
Candace
Just learn about all the types of products that are out there and how they can care, whether it's supplements or even training classes that the business might have. so I think overall it's about, for the, for the younger generations is how the pets fit into their lifestyles. Right? And they really want to find solutions that are convenient.

00:21:15:06 - 00:21:25:20
Candace
And while, yes, sustainability is important or some other features of products, but I still feel like cost and convenience kind of really drive some decisions.

00:21:25:22 - 00:21:38:07
Kristen
Speaking of convenience, obviously more and more of us are shopping online. How has this, how has this forced, the local retailers to make changes? And there was.

00:21:38:08 - 00:21:57:14
Candace
Some, some who, you know, maybe had to change their point of sale system. So the software that they're showing up at the time, you know, scanning the barcodes on the packages, that system, some of them maybe didn't have online integrations for their online stores or they did, but they didn't talk to each other. So they had to make those changes.

00:21:57:16 - 00:22:16:13
Candace
even thinking about the hours of operation or how they handle the influx, like we have some clients that are just now so busy that, like, they can't even host events anymore because like their, let's say, pictures of Santa or a big sale gets like a line out the door. And then there's just too many people, like really, really crowd control.

00:22:16:13 - 00:22:39:20
Candace
Sometimes. So thinking about how can you again become more efficient and check out processes or answering questions. And so a lot of the businesses will end up offering like appointments for consults. So like before, you might just think you could walk into a store and talk to somebody about dog nutrition or their diet, which you can do. But a lot of them now I'm like, well, start offering appointments for that because so many people care about it.

00:22:39:20 - 00:22:41:04
Candace
Sure, sure, and want to learn more.

00:22:41:05 - 00:22:44:16
Kristen
And if you offer appointments, then I would imagine it. Actually, it helps the demand.

00:22:44:16 - 00:22:45:07
Candace
Yeah, right.

00:22:45:07 - 00:22:46:01
Kristen
You know, it elevates.

00:22:46:06 - 00:22:49:16
Candace
Customer session making a point. Yeah, exactly. Go make your appointment for your doctor.

00:22:49:17 - 00:22:56:19
Kristen
Yeah okay. This why is it so important for us to support our local pet service providers, retailers. And. That's right.

00:22:56:20 - 00:23:20:08
Candace
Yeah. So when you support your local businesses, more money stays in your local communities. I think this is just something around like $68 of every $100 spent will stay in that local community. And so what that means is that these are the people who are donating to your charity, is donating to the school fundraisers in the churches, like that's who you're going to tap into when what you care about means money, right?

00:23:20:08 - 00:23:37:14
Candace
And they, also employ people in your local community and they want to be able to pay those those workers more as well. And so it is really, really important. I feel like for consumers, I think there's understanding that they're seeing that trend because they don't want to see their local businesses close, whether it's pet or shoes. Women.

00:23:37:17 - 00:23:55:04
Candace
I know in my small town there's nowhere to buy men's clothing. Yeah. And that works at Walmart, you know, and it's and that's sad. And there used to be even 10 or 15 years ago there might have been six stores that you could do that. And so, I think now that people understand, they're like, okay. Yeah, that's right, I have I can make a choice of where I spend my money.

00:23:55:04 - 00:24:01:08
Candace
And so when all of us choose to spend money locally, more of it stays in our communities and benefits.

00:24:01:08 - 00:24:01:14
Kristen
Yeah.

00:24:01:14 - 00:24:03:02
Candace
Where we live.

00:24:03:04 - 00:24:11:19
Kristen
And then last question for for those watching or listening who are interested, have always wanted to work in a pet business or on a pet business, what would you tell them?

00:24:11:21 - 00:24:19:21
Candace
Oh my gosh. So I think a lot of it depends on what your, desire is, because it's not just about playing with puppies all day.

00:24:19:23 - 00:24:21:08
Kristen
It's not one.

00:24:21:10 - 00:24:37:13
Candace
I mean, even in a doggy daycare, it is like playing with puppies all day. But you deal with a lot of other things, right? And so I think understanding, I would give this advice to anybody wanting to open their own business, but it's like thinking about what hours do you want to work? how much money do you have to invest in that business?

00:24:37:13 - 00:25:00:15
Candace
Like some businesses, like opening a retail store, have, more upfront money investment to buy all that inventory. Right. But if you wanted to get certified as a as a grooming assistant or a bathing assistant, you know, you can take some courses online and then start working immediately. Right. And getting tips right away and utilize another businesses, tubs and tools for that and really build a career out of it.

00:25:00:15 - 00:25:08:14
Candace
So I think just to think about what is you want to do, how you want to spend your time and the initial investment that you can make great.

00:25:08:16 - 00:25:16:02
Kristen
Well, thank you for all you do in the pet industry. And, let's do this again in ten more years. Yeah.

00:25:16:04 - 00:25:16:10
Beke
No.

00:25:16:12 - 00:25:18:07
Candace
Yeah, let's do that. Let's do that.

00:25:18:07 - 00:25:22:12
Kristen
Let's do that. Yeah. Okay. Candice on yellow from Pet Box Nation. Oh. What's your website?

00:25:22:16 - 00:25:29:08
Candace
Oh, they can just go to Pet boss.com. I have a podcast, blog and lots of resources for people that work in the pet industry.

00:25:29:10 - 00:25:30:02
Kristen
Thanks for joining.

00:25:30:02 - 00:25:32:20
Candace
Us today for having me.

00:25:32:22 - 00:25:48:23
Chris
it's always a pleasure to hear from Candice, truly just one of the smartest people that the pet industry has to offer and really dedicated to helping those independent pet retailers maximize their business potential. so what an interesting conversation.

00:25:49:00 - 00:25:51:04
Chris (Voice Over)
The product of the week.

00:25:51:06 - 00:26:22:03
Kristen
You know, in a couple of weeks on the show, we're going to hear from, Todd Whitman with Indie Pet. Oh, yeah. He's going to talk about the benefits of shopping local at your local independent pet retailer. and not only do you get better service typically there, but product innovation happens within those stores. And I bring that up because my product today that I wanted to talk about is a new innovation from a company that's been around for like 20, over 20 years.

00:26:22:03 - 00:26:45:04
Kristen
I think it's called Angel's Eyes. I'm sure you've heard of him, Chris. Angels became famous for their tear stained, products for dogs and cats that get those little tear stains on their eyes from their eyes, straining. And they recently expanded their line to include additional grooming care. So they've got ear wash and eyewash and ear cleansing wipes.

00:26:45:10 - 00:27:11:00
Kristen
And I'm actually I think I mentioned this a few minutes ago. Tulip and I are in Tampa today because we're doing a TV segment on the importance of ear care and eye care, and I think that it's springtime now and we're getting more active with our pets. We're spending more time outdoors. And if you think about it, pets, depending on their size, of course, if they're smaller or, you know, lower to the ground, then they're almost like little Swiffer, like those little Swiffer pads.

00:27:11:02 - 00:27:24:07
Kristen
They pick up pollens and dust and dirt. So much more than we do. Because, you know, obviously we're not down that low to the ground unless we're crawling, which hopefully you're not. You know, you're not crawling home from the barn.

00:27:24:09 - 00:27:26:06
Chris
We're to judge you. We're not here to judge.

00:27:26:06 - 00:27:44:01
Kristen
No, we're not here to judge. But when you think of it that way, you realize how much dirt and debris and bacterial and harmful, harmful things can get into our pets ears and eyes. So I'm going to be, talking about these products on the show tomorrow, a TV show tomorrow. but I just thought it was a good time to bring it up here.

00:27:44:07 - 00:28:03:18
Kristen
and look for angels eyes. They have ear cleansing wipes, zinc, orthotic ear relief. If your pet does have an ear infection, this will be very calming and soothing. And then there's also a multi-purpose, sterile eyewash to kind of rinse out those, you know, pollens, allergens. I know tulip in the springtime. Her eyes water a lot more than normal.

00:28:03:20 - 00:28:13:05
Kristen
and I'm sure that's due to allergies. So, you know, we rinse her eyes out maybe once or twice a week, and, Yeah, it's just it's a good thing to add into your normal grooming routine for your for you.

00:28:13:05 - 00:28:55:00
Chris
Absolutely. Can you imagine, you know, when, people feel it, too, with the pollen and all the allergies and a mad. Imagine having something, not being able to have the autonomy to take allergy medicine yourself. So do your dog a favor and give him a helping hand. This high pollen season. my product of the week. My product of the week, is kind of in a similar vein where I was speaking with somebody about, digestive health in, in Dogs and Animals, and the issue they were experiencing was their, their dog's food was making them sick sometimes.

00:28:55:00 - 00:29:15:18
Chris
And I mean, sick, as in, you know, number two kind of sick, very loose stools and things like that. And that's just a mess. Nobody really wants that. And they tried switching foods, to something that the vet had recommended that would be better for their digestive track. And the dog just wouldn't eat it. Right. The dog wanted the junk food, right.

00:29:15:20 - 00:29:36:14
Chris
so it becomes the question of, well, what? What do I do? So so the product I want to talk about is it's a whole line of products from a brand called Under the Weather, that makes food additives and supplements that can help, tighten things up. so this this is, this is a solution that will allow your dog to continue eating their same foods.

00:29:36:18 - 00:29:58:15
Chris
They make toppers, they make the little squirty syringes, they make a, like a little liquid that you can mix into the food. There's all sorts of different ways to deliver these supplements. So it's really a great opportunity to look at this brand, look at the entire line, decide what's best for your dog. Because let's face it, with dogs, you gotta trick them into taking their medicine, right?

00:29:58:17 - 00:30:19:00
Chris
So they have all sorts of creative solutions there. under the weather is not the only brand to be doing things like that. You know, I try to stay a little brand agnostic here. They're just an excellent example of a full line of products that offers a creative solution for your specific animal's needs. They have some cat products too, though.

00:30:19:00 - 00:30:33:22
Chris
I've found that cats don't have this issue as much as dogs, so they really do have a really well fleshed out line of dog products. So, you could check them out. I, went to their website at Under the Weather Pets.com, but they are also available at your independent retailer.

00:30:33:23 - 00:30:52:13
Kristen
Awesome. Yeah, that's a great shout out, because I don't think a lot of pet parents know that there are products like that. And I've heard they're also good for like post-op. If you're if your pet had surgery, you know, when they're not, they don't have their appetite back. I've heard that that, under the weather can also kind of encourage that, you know, getting them eating again after surgery.

00:30:52:15 - 00:31:12:18
Chris
Yeah. Yeah. Not it's so hard to deal with a, a picky animal that just wants to eat the, the one thing or people food like most most does is beg for people food. So be sure to check it out. and in the meantime, I think we're, we're right at the end. So it's time to answer some questions.

00:31:12:18 - 00:31:15:06
Chris (Voice Over)
Q&As.

00:31:15:07 - 00:31:33:03
Kristen
For this first question that I wanted to share is actually kind of in line with what you were just talking about. So I'm going to I'm going to let you take the first stab at it. Okay? Okay. This is from Connor. Connor's in Richmond, Virginia, and Connor says my dog has started to become very picky with his food.

00:31:33:05 - 00:31:37:23
Kristen
What can I do to make his meals more appealing without compromising nutrition?

00:31:38:00 - 00:32:09:04
Chris
Oh, great question. Connor, was it you I was speaking with? You know, in my little intro there. so obviously the product I was talking about is really a health care product, but there's if, if you're just trying to get a dog to eat something, there's all sorts of toppers and things like that. I've seen, you know, at the, at your independent store, at your grocery store, in the pet aisle, you might see some refrigerators nowadays, and that dog food, because you can get some, not quite raw.

00:32:09:04 - 00:32:36:14
Chris
Sometimes it's raw, but it's I call it closer to raw product, where it just tastes more real. It's less processed, and you can kind of take a slice out of, like, a salami stick, essentially, and crumble that over the food. but if you don't feel like purchasing another product, here's, here's a little secret. When I meal prep for myself and I make either, like, a bunch of chicken, on the in the cast iron or some steak or something like that.

00:32:36:16 - 00:32:56:05
Chris
Save the the juice and put it in a little eyedropper and drip that over the kibble and watch your pet go absolutely insane. Just be careful you're not using too much salt. salt is really, not great for animals. They don't need nearly as much salt as we do. but just a little goes a really long way.

00:32:56:05 - 00:33:02:23
Chris
They'll feel like they're being treated like royalty. But be careful. I cannot be held liable for any addictions that I cause.

00:33:02:23 - 00:33:11:20
Kristen
Yeah, well, you're gonna cause of that because that you're right. That does work. But then they're going to expect that every time. So, yes, whatever you start, make sure you can. You can keep up.

00:33:11:22 - 00:33:29:17
Chris
100%. That's the fine line that you have to combat with is I want to treat my dog well, but I don't I don't want them to grow this expectation that we're eating, you know, we're eating ribeye steaks every night. So, find the product that works for you. There's all sorts of things out there. And take that question to your independent retailer.

00:33:29:17 - 00:33:38:10
Chris
I don't think normally I'd say ask your vet, but I think this is one where you could just walk into a store that has somebody who knows about a bunch of products and find a great solution.

00:33:38:16 - 00:34:02:10
Kristen
Yeah, great. Okay, so our next question is from Maia in Boise, Idaho. She says, I'm thinking about starting agility training with my dog. What are the benefits of agility courses for dogs and how should I get started? I'll take the first, strike at this because I actually did this with my dog Charlie, many years ago. I'm sure he's no longer with us, but we.

00:34:02:12 - 00:34:29:12
Kristen
There was a local dog training facility that had beginner dog agility courses, and we went there together, and it was such a great bonding experience for not only myself and chili, but also it was a great socialization experience for him meeting other dogs and other people. and then of course, there's the exercise and the mental stimulation that dogs, benefit from when they're learning how to do an agility course.

00:34:29:14 - 00:34:54:03
Kristen
a couple of things I would warn against, though, is take it slow, take it easy. Some dogs are, some dog breeds are more are going to be better at this than others. and it's, it's I guess if you're thinking about getting into it competitively, then you'll want to talk to some people that are, that are within the dog agility community so that you can learn, you know, best practices of the best breed type for that.

00:34:54:05 - 00:35:00:16
Kristen
but I think if you're just doing it for exercise and fun and bonding, it's a fantastic thing to do with your dog.

00:35:00:18 - 00:35:25:04
Chris
Yeah. And it gets you outside, right? We talk a lot about this human animal bond and how it's good for our physical health. And having that activity that you do that gets you out of the house. and walking, walking or lightly jogging or at times if the dog gets out of control, dead sprinting. it certainly helps, with your physical and your mental health.

00:35:25:04 - 00:35:48:05
Chris
I'd say, this is a great opportunity to leverage any type of social media you may use to try and find that community, because there is a dedicated community of dog agility trainers, and they are incredibly welcoming people. I have a I have a friend of mine whose mom, agility trains collies, and they're just the nicest woman in the world, right?

00:35:48:05 - 00:36:12:07
Chris
It's absolutely, absolutely the nicest woman in the world. And all the people that we've, we've seen, some of the events and it's just it's fun and it's wholesome and it's competitive, but not in like, a youth hockey parents kind of way. Right? Like the dog parents aren't like the base, but little ball parents, everyone is very chill about it, which is nice because it makes it welcoming to beginners.

00:36:12:07 - 00:36:17:04
Chris
Yeah. so I definitely encourage you to, to seek that community.

00:36:17:06 - 00:36:18:09
Kristen
That's a great point.

00:36:18:11 - 00:36:44:09
Chris
Yeah. Great. Well, thank you, Connor and Maia for those those two questions. And as a reminder, if you'd like your question answered on the Pal podcast, go to Petsaddlife.org/podcast. Go all the way down to the bottom of that page. You'll see a place where you can leave your question. Or if you are feeling mighty brave, you can send us a voice memo and you may hear your voice on this show.

00:36:44:11 - 00:37:02:15
Kristen
That's right, we are. We'd love to play your voice on the show. And, don't forget we're you're still a relatively new podcast. We would love for you to tell your friends about it. Give us a five star review. It's it's located on any podcast app that you use. And you can also find us on dog TV.com empower podcast.

00:37:02:17 - 00:37:15:20
Chris
Absolutely. I think that's the end of our show. Sadly. Yeah. but hey, you know, you'll only you're only going to be sad for a week because we're going to be right back here next Tuesday. So stay tuned and we'll see you next time. Bye bye.