Episode 14: Celebrating with Pets: Puppy Parties and Retail Innovations

Disclaimer: Our podcast is produced as an audio resource. Transcripts are generated using speech recognition software and human editing and may contain errors. Before republishing quotes, we ask that you reference the audio.

00:00:00:02 - 00:00:14:01
Chris (Voice Over)
Pets Add Life. Your 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.

00:00:14:03 - 00:00:16:15
Kristen
So, Chris, have you ever fostered a pet?

00:00:16:17 - 00:00:18:04
Chris
I have not. No.

00:00:18:06 - 00:00:35:22
Kristen
No. Okay, well, June is National Foster a pet month? June's coming up. So, I just thought I bring up the topic because I think it's a great way to, up for sure obtain a pet. We actually fostered tulip back during the pandemic, thinking we were just going to keep her for a few months, but.

00:00:36:00 - 00:00:37:07
Chris
Classic foster story.

00:00:37:08 - 00:00:38:08
Kristen
Classic foster.

00:00:38:08 - 00:01:01:16
Chris
Vintage foster story. Oh, wait. Hold on. I think we're live and we've got our friends here with us. Thanks for joining us. This is the Pets Add Life podcast where weekly we give you two great stories, interview two amazing guests, recommend two products for you and your pet, and then answer two questions from the audience. Christine, are you excited about the show we have today?

00:01:01:18 - 00:01:06:01
Kristen
I am, I'm always excited about the show. You keep me on my toes too. Oh, that's.

00:01:06:01 - 00:01:24:00
Chris
That's literally that's the only reason they keep me around is just for the for the toe catching and for the impromptu, non-sequitur, ridiculous statements that everybody is known to. really appreciate that. Thank you for calling attention to that. I think it's time for us to go ahead and get started out.

00:01:24:02 - 00:01:28:07
Chris (Voice Over)
Kristen and Chris present story time.

00:01:28:09 - 00:01:58:06
Chris
So my story this week, Christine, involves something that kind of doesn't happen too often. if you're not aware, it's a cicada year. Yeah. So there will actually be two separate broods of cicadas that will start populating, the surface world here. starting in the spring and into summer. And that brings a lot of concern with, pet owners as far as how their animals are going to interact with cicadas.

00:01:58:06 - 00:02:25:03
Chris
So there's some good news, people. Cicadas are a very minimal risk to your animals. So those who may not be from an area of the country that have cicadas, they're these giant instincts that spend like 7 to 10 years burrowed and then come out to, reproduce, and die, essentially. and it's it's crazy. It's like, locust plague in, in some places.

00:02:25:08 - 00:02:43:19
Chris
And so for people who may live in a place where this doesn't happen and then they move and it's their first time, it could be, nerve wracking. but veterinarians agree that cicadas prove minimal risk to your animals. They don't bite. They don't sting. They are rather annoying. but there are a couple of things to look out for.

00:02:43:23 - 00:02:59:00
Chris
The first being the way they molt. They will leave behind these carcasses of on trees. they're really cool. They're fun to look at. It's not recommended to let your dog eat those because we know how dogs are. They'll see something. They'll smell it. They'll be like, oh, yeah, it's new wonder.

00:02:59:00 - 00:03:00:03
Kristen
Delicious.

00:03:00:05 - 00:03:20:18
Chris
It's not poisonous or anything, but it has been known to cause some upset tummies. So just keep them on a tight leash. this summer, if you, tend to unleash your dog in the backyard. Veterinarians recommend cleaning up the cicada maltings. anywhere that the dog might be able to reach. But other than that, they're just kind of annoying and out there.

00:03:20:20 - 00:03:21:18
Chris
so they're here.

00:03:21:18 - 00:03:28:07
Kristen
I can hear it. Not, you know, like, come, dusk. I hear them making those. They're the ones that make that noise, right? That. Yeah.

00:03:28:07 - 00:03:42:21
Chris
They're loud. they're very, very loud. I haven't quite popped up here yet. but they tend to be more of a late summer thing up here in in the northeast. so I'm just getting ready to fall asleep to their chattering.

00:03:42:23 - 00:04:14:11
Kristen
Well, I will be on the lookout for the molting carcasses to clean them up. Okay, so I have a story. And this. I came across this because it is I mentioned earlier, it's, national foster pet foster month. Yeah. And, there's this growing body of research that that shows that caring for pets has long term benefits for kids, specifically, caring for an animal in childhood, leads to a more, more secure human relationships throughout their life.

00:04:14:11 - 00:04:41:05
Kristen
And also better quality of life, healthier, and reduced aggression, they say even. but the problem is, what if your family is not yet ready for a permanent pet in the home, or, you know, is unable to make, you know, this long term commitment or financial commitment? And I know we've had this discussion with our producer for the past few weeks about, you know, his son wants a puppy, but now is not the best time for that because he and his wife are very busy.

00:04:41:05 - 00:05:02:08
Kristen
So, there are this particular article I read in The Seattle Child is all about fostering with your local shelter. and this particular one's called the Progressive Animal Welfare Society. But this family, they got involved because the daughter wanted a pet and they now are on like their fifth round of pets they've fostered. And they just are loving it.

00:05:02:14 - 00:05:23:11
Kristen
And they can it's, you know, it's more flexible than, than actually having a pet because you can decide when you want to foster, when you want to take a break. you have a lot of support from the shelter with, they usually they provide the food and the veterinary care. and I know for a fact that shelters and rescues all over the country offer similar foster programs.

00:05:23:16 - 00:05:36:00
Kristen
So if you're at that point where your child has started begging for a pet, but for one of a variety of reasons, it's not the right time yet. You might want to look into fostering.

00:05:36:02 - 00:05:57:18
Chris
That's amazing. I it's never something that I've considered because I've pretty much always had a pet when I've lived in a place that allows for it. but for those of you who may not want a permanent commitment or, are looking to sort of try on animal husbandry for size before really committing, it's a great way to get involved.

00:05:57:19 - 00:06:03:02
Chris
It is a service you're doing for your community. And who knows, maybe you'll fall in love just like Kristen did.

00:06:03:04 - 00:06:26:11
Kristen
Yeah, exactly. I think it's important to go into it, though, not expecting to adopt. I mean, the idea is if you're not ready, then you're not ready. but just look at it as you're you're caring for this animal during a very important time in their life as they're transitioning to their forever home. And then when you do have to part with that animal, it's more of a, you know, I'm sure it's going to be a little difficult, but it's more of a celebration because they're moving on to their forever home.

00:06:26:13 - 00:06:28:17
Chris
So that's a great way to put it. Well put. Give it.

00:06:28:17 - 00:06:44:12
Kristen
A try. Okay. So our first guest today is David Dietz. he has got the best job ever. And I told him that, too. so, I'm not even going to tell you what it is, but it has sailors here. All right, I was going to give the the p word tease.

00:06:44:13 - 00:06:45:02
Chris
No.

00:06:45:04 - 00:06:46:00
Kristen
Okay. All right.

00:06:46:02 - 00:06:47:13
Chris
Here are no spoilers.

00:06:47:15 - 00:06:48:07
Kristen
All right. Here it is.

00:06:48:08 - 00:06:52:23
Chris (Voice Over)
Beyond the leash. Exploring the untold stories of pet passion and professionalism.

00:06:53:01 - 00:06:57:11
Chris
So we're joined today by David David. Hello. How are you doing?

00:06:57:13 - 00:06:59:11
David
I'm doing fantastic. Thank you. Chris.

00:06:59:11 - 00:07:21:20
Chris
It's it's great to have you. So David is, the pioneering spirit behind Puppy Party. And puppy Party is an innovative service that brings joyful, cuddly puppies to all kinds of parties, turning ordinary gatherings into extraordinary events filled with puppy love. That sounds amazing. Just saying. Those sounds like.

00:07:21:20 - 00:07:23:17
Kristen
The the best job ever.

00:07:23:18 - 00:07:30:22
Chris
Yes, yes, exactly. So, how long have you been doing this for? I heard it's been a while.

00:07:31:00 - 00:07:39:16
David
yeah, it's approximately about 30 something years. So since about, 1989. So you're starting it.

00:07:39:18 - 00:07:43:15
Chris
So from before I was born. And somehow I've never heard of this.

00:07:43:15 - 00:07:44:03
Kristen
Rub it in.

00:07:44:04 - 00:08:00:08
Chris
I'm so upset with my parents for never booking me a puppy party. they're going to be. They're going to be getting a phone call from me shortly. so why don't why don't you talk a little bit about, the service and what exactly a puppy party is and the type of joy it can bring to people.

00:08:00:10 - 00:08:38:04
David
Fantastic. Chris. So you haven't heard about it because we're the only ones in the entire world that have started it and are doing it. People have started copying us around the country and even in Asia. I visited there recently. They are doing puppy parties, pigeon parties, rabbit parties. But here in the United States, puppy parties have been, dominating, events because, you know, kids get tired, parents get tired of the clowns face paintings, magicians and all those other children's activities that they do.

00:08:38:04 - 00:09:04:17
David
They want something different. They want something memorable. They want something that leaves a lasting impression that their children will really enjoy. And besides the kids, everybody is inclusive. They all get to play at the same time. They don't have to wait. And it's a very loving event. Remember, everybody is the secret to this is they are in the need and want most.

00:09:04:19 - 00:09:33:23
David
All right. They need love and, fun. Okay. And so what do they want? Something that supplies that that which would be puppies or gameboys or some other activities. So this is a great way for parents to get the kids away from the gaming. And, just the self inclusion for themselves, events and something that's more broad minded, give them more exercise and more fun and different physical activities.

00:09:34:01 - 00:09:36:05
David
The kids love it. You know, it's love it.

00:09:36:07 - 00:09:41:04
Chris
Yeah. I mean, if you're a parent and you're booking a clown in this day and age over puppies, you're going to jail.

00:09:41:06 - 00:09:44:11
Kristen
I'm saying clowns are creepy.

00:09:44:13 - 00:09:49:05
Chris
I I've seen it, all right? I've seen it. I would much rather have the puppies.

00:09:49:07 - 00:09:58:21
Kristen
David. I'm wondering. I'm wondering about the logistics of a puppy party. Like, where do the puppies come from? Who takes care of them when they're not partying, and all that good stuff?

00:09:58:23 - 00:10:28:07
David
Absolutely. Great question. And and the answers are that we are now highly certified by three different federal agencies. The Department of Health, the Department of Agriculture and USDA. We do get inspections about once a month, and where our puppies come from could be Connecticut, Long Island, Florida, Pennsylvania, some of the breeders that we were working with, because we've been doing this for almost 50 years.

00:10:28:09 - 00:10:51:03
David
I started this when I was ten years old. And so, we are have a great relationship with the breeders. We know who's quality and we know what, the customers want and what the government regulators want. So we're highly certified. We even have a service license. We have to have a driver's license for traveling, permit with animals.

00:10:51:05 - 00:11:01:21
David
So we are regulated up the kazoo and, all the puppies get everything that they need to, provide the best events possible. Yep.

00:11:01:23 - 00:11:20:04
Kristen
So that's good to hear. That's good to hear. now do some, are there are there occasions where the puppies actually get adopted at a party or as a result of a party or purchased, or if they're, they're from a reader?

00:11:20:06 - 00:11:43:08
David
that's a, always happens, where the people really, they want to have a puppy come to their house. Now, where in the United States? And I've been doing this for a long time. Nobody I know does this. Nobody where the, pet store owners will allow people to play with a dog for a while and then bring the dog back.

00:11:43:10 - 00:12:05:13
David
Nobody does this. We do this. I don't know why they don't want to do it. I, I have an idea. And we found a lot of success that the people love. They get to introduce the dog to the family, the children get to experience it. The parents get to see whether they have a good feeling about the dog, if they're allergic, if the dog gets along in the house, if they have that bonding, that goes with that.

00:12:05:15 - 00:12:28:04
David
And so by having events and parties, this satisfies that event. And then they could decide maybe they want the dog today. Maybe they want it next week. It doesn't matter. We always get homes. All the puppies get homes within a six week period. And the best thing about the puppy parties is that the dogs get trained to socialize during these parties.

00:12:28:04 - 00:12:51:06
David
Yeah, puppies are like babies. They don't know what to do. They have to experience it and see it from other puppies, and then they get involved. When they see the puppies playing, they're not as shy anymore. When they see the puppies eating food, they could eat that type of food. When they see the puppies playing with children or toys, they then compete with other puppies to do the same activities that are fun.

00:12:51:08 - 00:13:01:04
David
And so the puppies actually get home faster after a puppy party than they do when they never had a socialized event. Yeah, it's really interesting.

00:13:01:06 - 00:13:16:12
Chris
And it's got to be great marketing too, because, I mean, I'll walk into a pet store and hold a puppy and instantly my heart melts and I want to take them home. I could only imagine if the puppy was allowed to prance around my home for a little bit with a bunch of other, animals and see my house, and I can.

00:13:16:17 - 00:13:39:06
Chris
Now I'm picturing what my life would be like with this animal. that makes a lot of sense to me. so I was on. I was on your website. The website, folks, is Puppy party.com, and I was looking through the FAQs, and I wanted to you up with the question, what what, what is the highest number of puppies that was ever booked for a party?

00:13:39:07 - 00:13:41:12
Chris
What was what was that number, like.

00:13:41:14 - 00:13:42:15
David
24 puppies?

00:13:42:17 - 00:13:47:09
Chris
24. Can you. So what what type of party was that? Was that a kid's birthday?

00:13:47:11 - 00:14:11:22
David
Yes. So we had, he wouldn't tell me his background or the name the father, but he was somebody that was some secret something or a government agent or whatever. And he wanted the best party for his child. He says, I don't care. How many can you bring? I said, well, we have 25 puppies available. 24 can go.

00:14:12:00 - 00:14:25:02
David
I want them all. And you could see that on the website. That's actually one of the videos that we do pool and they are everywhere, the puppies. So 24 puppies.

00:14:25:04 - 00:14:38:19
Kristen
That is that's a lot of puppies. And that that's probably a lot of puddles too. So what kind of, what kind of crew? Human crew attends the puppy parties and does the cleanup and all that stuff?

00:14:38:21 - 00:14:59:14
David
Yeah. So we have, a few people that work with us. and when the puppies do piddle or they go to the bathroom, we clean up right away. It's part of the agenda. Sometimes moms kick in because they use of changing diapers. Of course, they'll help out sometimes, but it's generally very fast and very quick. We've been doing it so long, it's like a mom changing a diaper.

00:14:59:15 - 00:15:17:15
David
They're like, you know, in, out, you know, father changing the diaper. It's like 30 minutes. What am I doing? You know, we know what you did. It works very well. It's no problem with cleanup. And sometimes we'll put down a tarp or we'll put down a covering. We'll put down a pet gate that keeps the puppies contained to a certain room.

00:15:17:18 - 00:15:36:05
David
It depends on what the needs are for the particular house or the agency or the hotel or the, corporate event. it's very easy to do, and everybody loves it. And it's we have a great time doing it as well. And I think the puppies have a better time than us, and.

00:15:36:05 - 00:15:48:01
Kristen
Probably everybody has time. And I noticed on the website that you do, you know, kids parties, corporate events, what else is there just any kind of party you think of?

00:15:48:07 - 00:15:58:13
Chris
I saw adult parties, and I just like to all of all the people in my life listening. My birthday's in September. Look that out there floating that information out there.

00:15:58:15 - 00:16:07:06
Kristen
David, what is what is the most unusual party the puppies have attended?

00:16:07:08 - 00:16:08:01
David
so we have a can.

00:16:08:01 - 00:16:10:15
Kristen
You talk about them?

00:16:10:17 - 00:16:12:20
David
well, yes or no.

00:16:12:22 - 00:16:14:05
Chris
So.

00:16:14:06 - 00:16:44:16
David
I'll let me explain. So, theme parties where the, people that, do have a large sums of money, they want to have a grander event. they've booked in, floral places to make it like a jungle. Their apartment. or apparently it was a studio, and they would the puppies would be running around, like, a whole entire, garden with trees and flowers and bushes and and everything.

00:16:44:16 - 00:17:08:21
David
And they would convert that into a gorgeous scenic area. I mean, it was on the seventh floor by Manhattan, overlooking the ocean, gorgeous gorge. So we have pictures of that as well. The other events that were, unusual or crazy are, are, events for the movie stars. So like a Khloe Kardashian, Kim Kardashian did that? they do that.

00:17:08:21 - 00:17:17:07
David
And where they are having a change of wardrobe right in the middle of doing the puppies and the change of wardrobe is just.

00:17:17:07 - 00:17:19:00
Kristen
What it sounds like in there.

00:17:19:02 - 00:17:42:04
David
Nothing whatsoever. And also, we did, events for Elon Musk, and that was an event at 3:00 in the morning. And, you know, we couldn't get too close to Elon, but he got the Dodge dog to promote his coin. Dogecoin. yeah, yeah, yeah. And and besides that, we have a lot of, interesting people that ask for the event.

00:17:42:04 - 00:17:47:03
David
The last event we did was for Mark Rafael. that's the Hulk.

00:17:47:05 - 00:17:48:07
Chris
Oh, nice.

00:17:48:08 - 00:18:06:11
David
And it was very interesting. Really nice guy. He wouldn't let me take the dogs from him when we. When he was going home. He's just. I'm carrying the dogs to the car, and now he is with us for. And I'm going, wow. You know, it's like a movie star. That's that's like hands on all the way.

00:18:06:13 - 00:18:10:14
Chris
Yeah, well, he may be the Hulk, but he's a big softy at heart.

00:18:10:16 - 00:18:12:11
Kristen
Obviously.

00:18:12:13 - 00:18:14:12
David
Well, life is interesting.

00:18:14:14 - 00:18:27:08
Kristen
David. Congratulations on such a fantastic, party concept. I just can't think of anything better. Chris, I'm going to get hold of your wife. We're going to start planning your birthday in September with the puppies.

00:18:27:10 - 00:18:47:06
Chris
Amazing. I can't wait. I'll pretend to be. I'll like, oh my goodness, how do you know? so, folks, if you're interested in a puppy party, head on over to Puppy Party Icon. We'll put that link in the show notes as well. David, thanks again for sharing some of these stories with us. This was a really fun one.

00:18:47:08 - 00:18:50:01
David
Thank you. And, see you again soon.

00:18:50:03 - 00:18:51:13
Kristen
All right. Take care.

00:18:51:15 - 00:18:53:20
Chris
Pets Add Life

00:18:53:22 - 00:19:12:07
Chris
Kristen, I'm very serious about this whole thing. I've always had this dream in my mind of just, like, laying down in some beautiful summer grass and just letting 20 plus puppies surround me with their love and cuddles. And. And now there is an avenue.

00:19:12:07 - 00:19:13:01
Kristen
Possible.

00:19:13:01 - 00:19:14:02
Chris
That is possible.

00:19:14:06 - 00:19:20:06
Kristen
Your dream. Your dream will come true, and I. I'm serious. I'm going to try and make it happen for your birthday.

00:19:20:08 - 00:19:50:22
Chris
It's amazing. Well it was it was great to hear, from David. Our next guest is, Todd Dickman, who is, an expert in the independent pet space. and he's got a very interesting story here. and we'll hear more from him now. So let's go ahead and listen to what Todd has to say to. We are joined by Todd Dickman of Indie Pet Todd.

00:19:50:22 - 00:19:52:11
Chris
Welcome to the podcast.

00:19:52:13 - 00:19:54:13
Todd
Thank you very much. Happy to be here.

00:19:54:15 - 00:20:04:15
Chris
So let's start, for all the pet parents at home, they probably have no idea what indie pet is. So why don't you give us a brief introduction to, the concept?

00:20:04:17 - 00:20:40:22
Todd
Sure. any pet is a trade association that represents the, independent and neighborhood pet stores. what our mission is, is to give all of the independence a unified voice, to be able to tell their story on how they give an enhanced customer pet owner experience to all those folks who go into an independent store. you know, a few years ago, with all of the changes in technology and changes in demographics and how people shop, you know, there was the story of the independent, pet owner stores where it was getting lost.

00:20:40:22 - 00:20:51:21
Todd
So, you know, the founders really wanted to unify their voice and be able to tell the story and explain why you get a better experience when you go to, independent neighborhood pet store. Yeah.

00:20:51:23 - 00:21:14:21
Chris
Let's let's dive into that a little bit. you know, most people, they get their, their pet supplies from either chewy or their grocery store. PetSmart. Petco. sell us what what's what is the benefit truly, of going to I know what it is. Being in the pet industry. Everybody at home. what? What is the answer? What's the secret sauce that makes these independent stores so special?

00:21:14:23 - 00:21:37:05
Todd
Well, I would think the first thing is innovation. you know, all of the the big brands out there know that when they come out with a new product, you know, they have to go through the, the independents, the independents are the ones who really, save the room for it, learn how to use the products, get better training on the product and, and are able to explain the benefits to the customers.

00:21:37:06 - 00:21:57:10
Todd
in person. the other thing is, you know, the staff training the staff, whenever a pet owner comes into a retailer, they have questions. They want to know what's best for their pets. you know, pet owners, care about their animals. They care about their pets, and they want to know about nutrition. They want to know about what are the ingredients.

00:21:57:10 - 00:22:23:00
Todd
They want to know about, you know, what's the best toy? things like that. So, so it's that staff interaction, that experience. And, you know, the is also, predominantly offer services that online, retailers can't do, services like grooming or, you know, whatever it might be. So, that that experience is, is really what it's all about.

00:22:23:02 - 00:22:45:21
Kristen
Yeah, I can say personally, I love our, our independent store in downtown Waynesville, North Carolina, because when I walk in with tulip, they say, hi, tulip, I, they know me, they know tulip. And she gets, you know, they'll point out new products that are available. And I got help, fitting her with a harness last week. So the service is incomparable to going to a big box store.

00:22:45:23 - 00:23:12:04
Todd
Yeah. And and, you know, it's, it's been a challenge for the Indies to to keep up as far as with the, the ability to tell the same story that all of the, the big box, segments have in the online segments. You know, there's a lot of money there. So, you know, our our mission to unify that voice and provide, the story to the, to the consumers.

00:23:12:06 - 00:23:35:12
Todd
is has been a very popular one, I would say, as we're building this association, we've been around, for about five years now, and we've grown, pretty, healthily, I guess is the word over, over the last five years just by getting the word out, just, by people understanding who we are, what we're doing, it's been it's been a great experience so far.

00:23:35:14 - 00:23:46:11
Kristen
So talk tell us about Neighborhood Pet Store Day. I heard an interview that you did at Global Pet. So. And I heard you talking about it. Can you tell us a little bit about when that is and what it means for parents?

00:23:46:17 - 00:24:14:00
Todd
Yes. Neighborhood Pet Store Day is really, a reason to go celebrate the experience you get at a retailer, at an independent neighborhood pet store. So it's it's our consumer facing, initiative. It's shop small, just like, American Express shop small day. It's a day to go and really celebrate at your neighborhood stores. It's every last Saturday of and for Saturday of September.

00:24:14:02 - 00:24:37:06
Todd
And we but we celebrate it all year long. We, you know, partner with our brands, who also sponsor the program for the, the, the, retailers. And you don't have to be a member to participate in this. you just go to neighborhood pet store datacom. And, if you're if you're a retailer, you can put your, your store right on the map and register for it.

00:24:37:12 - 00:25:07:18
Todd
And, and we supply, you know, tools for them to, you know, tell the story. You know, you go to a retailer for the reasons that we have already, you know, kind of discuss for better variety of products, for healthy nutritional products, for better staff education, for, you know, just an enhanced experience altogether. But, you know, that is kind of excuse me, that is kind of our Super Bowl, if you will, is the first Saturday of every September and we celebrate it at the trade shows.

00:25:07:18 - 00:25:34:00
Todd
We were at global and, you know, all of our sponsors really helped us promote it and get the word out to the retailers. and, we'll do the same at, at Super Zoo last year, we had about 750 stores register for it, and it was a huge hit. we were able to measure increased traffic and increased sales in all categories for for the whole category.

00:25:34:01 - 00:25:49:16
Todd
I'm sorry for the whole segment. so we know that this is, the word is getting out to the consumers and it's driving, it's effective. So, we were really happy with those results this year. I hope they're going to be a lot bigger, and we're just going to keep building on that.

00:25:49:18 - 00:26:14:06
Chris
Awesome. Absolutely. And one thing I'll add a, we've had a lot of, brands on on this podcast. We had a Best in show, Global Pet Expo special episode, and if you are a close listener and listening carefully, you when we ask people where they could find these new and exciting products, the answer was almost always at your local independent pet retailer.

00:26:14:08 - 00:26:35:14
Chris
so if you're listening to this podcast and wondering, why we keep talking about the pet industry being so innovative and you're buying your stuff at the grocery store, and it hasn't changed in the past ten years. the mix of products. Well, you're not you're just not looking hard enough. So, it on your indie pet website, do you guys have a list of your members?

00:26:35:16 - 00:26:41:06
Chris
Can somebody is there an easy way for somebody to go find a, a local shop?

00:26:41:08 - 00:27:16:23
Todd
yeah. We don't have the addresses necessarily, but we do have, a directory of all of the suppliers as well as the retailers on there. And you can reach out to them through the directories on our website. It's on the, Indy pet.org. And that's I and I pet.org. and yeah, it, you know, there's a lot of resources on there for our members and, you know, some information for folks who are looking for a blog or just general information about nutrition or, new products or what's going on in the independent segment.

00:27:17:01 - 00:27:45:04
Chris
Great. Sounds like an amazing resource. So, go ahead and check it out. That's Indy pet.org for those of you who know how to spell, that's independent org. Todd, I think that's just about all the time we have today. thank you so much for joining us. It's always, a pleasure to speak to a fellow association professional and, looking forward to celebrating, that that was national local pet store Day.

00:27:45:06 - 00:27:46:23
Todd
Neighborhood pet store day.

00:27:47:01 - 00:27:57:14
Chris
National neighborhood pet store day. I love that last day of September. I'm certainly going to be celebrating, my cat. Could you always use some new interesting treats?

00:27:57:16 - 00:28:01:06
Todd
That's great. Well, I appreciate the the time. And thanks for having me.

00:28:01:08 - 00:28:01:18
Chris
Absolutely.

00:28:01:23 - 00:28:02:19
Kristen
Keep up the great work.

00:28:03:00 - 00:28:05:01
Chris (Voice Over)
Pets Add life.

00:28:05:03 - 00:28:23:03
Kristen
I really learned a lot from that interview with Todd. and it just makes me love my independent pet store even more. We have a cute little place here in the mountains. in Waynesville. It's called the Smokey Mountain Dog Bakery, but they have so much more than a bakery. We go in there just to, you know, shop around, say hello to other dogs and, yeah.

00:28:23:03 - 00:28:36:08
Kristen
So it's just another reminder of how important our local, pet supply stores are. Support local. and not to mention they, they have very innovative products there because that's often where new product innovation starts is in.

00:28:36:08 - 00:28:55:18
Chris
Your local new products, experts who really care. These these are people who, you know, the stores, their livelihood, not just a part time job in most cases. So, I mean, it's great to know that there's folks out there, like Todd who are helping these businesses thrive because they're enormously important part of the pet care community,

00:28:55:23 - 00:29:00:13
Chris (Voice Over)
the product of the week

00:29:00:15 - 00:29:28:09
Chris
My product a product of the week. I'm kind of continuing on my theme here from last week of summer fun with your pets, and we've had a lot of questions come in from people taking care of or interested in owning small animals. and one problem that comes up with small animals is they're typically and historically have been sequestered to being indoor pets, which kind of stinks during the summer when things are nice.

00:29:28:14 - 00:29:49:15
Chris
These are animals. They exist outside I Tulalip, they exist outside. So I have found that there are a bunch of companies out there who are manufacturing and producing pop up playpens for your backyard, side yard, courtyard, whatever you may have, whatever outdoor space.

00:29:49:17 - 00:29:50:17
Kristen
She's a fan.

00:29:50:19 - 00:30:20:19
Chris
Yeah. She's like, get me outside, get me outside. So if you have a small animal, a rabbit or, gerbil hamsters, and you want them to have some freedom outside, if your kids are playing outside and you want them to be part of that experience, there's all sorts of, playpens. I'm pretty brand agnostic here. I would look around for something that fits you and the type of animal, because some animals like a rabbit, you have to have one of the ones with the overhang a bit so they don't just jump out, especially chinchillas.

00:30:20:19 - 00:30:41:02
Chris
Those guys are surprisingly good at jumping. and then there's some that are more open for things like gerbils that are really just going to stay on the ground. So do some, do some searching on your own. It's a great these things aren't necessarily very expensive. There are some that are more permanent fixtures. There are some that will pop up, pop down if you're more limited on space.

00:30:41:06 - 00:30:47:02
Chris
So find the one that's right for you and enjoy some outdoor time with your with your furry little critter.

00:30:47:04 - 00:31:09:08
Kristen
I love that I forgot those existed, but that is a great way for your indoor pet to get some outside, you know, fresh air, get to see the wildlife, things like that. That's a good one. So my product of the week is, it sounds kind of boring, but we've been talking on previous shows this month about saving money, and this is, it's a vittles vault.

00:31:09:08 - 00:31:41:22
Kristen
It is stackable, pet food storage that I've had this thing for, I don't know, at least ten years. and I love it because I can buy the the giant bag of dog food, like the 12 tulips. Pretty little. so I usually buy, like, a 20 pound bag, and that lasts, lasts quite a while, but I can pour it into the vault and then put the, you know, put the sealed lid on and it stays fresh, which you don't want to do is you don't want your, if it's dry food or kibble of some sort or even like the air dried, raw or freeze dried, right?

00:31:41:22 - 00:32:02:17
Kristen
You don't want it just exposed to the air, right? You want to have it sealed to keep it fresh. So I just love those things. And, they you can get them to stack. So if you, if you have multiple pets and you put different food in different vaults, you just pop them in there. And that way you can save money by buying in bulk as opposed to buying the smaller bags.

00:32:02:18 - 00:32:17:22
Chris
That's a great tip. As somebody with limited space, love me some, right? Love me some stackable. So when I found out you could stack a washer and dryer on top of each other, my life changed my life. My entire life changed.

00:32:18:00 - 00:32:19:01
Kristen
Oh my.

00:32:19:03 - 00:32:31:05
Chris
So be sure to check those out. and now it is time for our favorite segment where we take some questions from you at home and do our best to answer them.

00:32:31:07 - 00:32:33:05
Chris (Voice Over)
Q and As

00:32:33:07 - 00:32:53:17
Kristen
So the first one is from Beatrice. She's in Miami, Florida. She says, I have a senior dog who's starting to slow down, and I want to make sure I'm doing everything I can to extend his quality of life. What are some key lifestyle and dietary changes that I can implement to help keep him healthy and happy in his golden years?

00:32:53:19 - 00:33:09:12
Chris
That's a great question. Great question. And I'm sure that's one on a lot of people's minds. First thing I'd say is Kristen and I are not veterinarians, so I make sure you're taking your aging dog to the vet so that as problems develop their early and they can make great recommendations.

00:33:09:14 - 00:33:31:10
Kristen
Yeah. And oh go ahead. Oh, I was just going to say, and usually dogs become seniors and it depends on their size. Of course. But usually they say like around 7 or 8 is when your dog becomes a senior and really should visit the vet twice a year for a senior wellness panel. and if you think about it, it's because dogs, you know, obviously they don't live as long as we'd like them to.

00:33:31:10 - 00:33:48:01
Kristen
And so they age a lot faster than we do. So it's important to be monitoring, you know, bloodwork work and, you know, physical exam and those sorts of things so you can catch things earlier on because it's always easier to either prevent illness or to be treating something that's in very early stages.

00:33:48:01 - 00:34:18:09
Chris
Absolutely. As far as just some general health recommendations, based on my experience, joint supplements and collagen, is a great way up, that vets are going to recommend. I think I presented us a story about some research about, stimulating your dog late as they age and how that helps their, their brain actually grow while they age rather than shrink, which is one of the the cause, one of the effects of of an aging dog.

00:34:18:11 - 00:34:35:19
Chris
but if you're animals not in good physical health, they won't be capable of playing, and, you know, just like people, they get achy bones in their old age. So a good joint supplement and some collagen could help them remain active, which could lead to a much better final chapter for them.

00:34:35:21 - 00:34:59:05
Kristen
Yeah. And one last tip on the senior dog topic. please, please, please keep your senior dog or any age dogs that are at a healthy weight. Yes. because, you know, overweight and obesity lead to they can exacerbate diseases. They can, expedite diseases. So if your dog's a healthy weight, they're going to live a healthier, longer life.

00:34:59:07 - 00:35:13:10
Chris
Great advice, especially for us Americans out there right? No more, no more. You know, my my, my, my father in law used to get, McNuggets from McDonald's in the drive through for the dog.

00:35:13:10 - 00:35:15:14
Kristen
And,

00:35:15:16 - 00:35:24:20
Chris
And, the dog somehow still completely fine. Yeah. Completely fine. And a healthy weight. what a treat. I would not recommend that. I would recommend.

00:35:24:23 - 00:35:29:01
Kristen
Maybe once in a in a while, especially on a patient.

00:35:29:01 - 00:35:51:08
Chris
And every single time you go to the grocery store. okay. So I've got a question here. an interesting question that I think I want to take here from Ted in Sacramento, California, who asks? I've just set up a new freshwater aquarium. What are the best beginner friendly fish species that are both hardy and beautiful to look at?

00:35:51:10 - 00:35:53:16
Chris
and I've got some input here.

00:35:53:22 - 00:35:55:13
Kristen
I'm glad you have input because I.

00:35:55:13 - 00:35:57:17
Chris
Don't ever advanced beyond beginner.

00:35:57:19 - 00:36:00:03
Kristen
I. I've never had more than a goldfish.

00:36:00:05 - 00:36:23:01
Chris
Yeah. So I actually so I actually find goldfish to be a bit finicky and difficult to care for. I point people towards guppies. because guppies have been known, to be very hardy are if you walk into a aquarium hobby shop and say, I need like, this is for my kid, or I'm an idiot and I need the simplest thing they're going to recommend.

00:36:23:01 - 00:36:41:22
Chris
Guppy is the only piece of advice is make sure it's at least, ten gallons. That tank. Which, if you're setting up a fresh water tank, you probably want to go as large as you can to, because the bigger the tank, the healthier the fish, and the more water you could tank. you, the more fish you can actually own.

00:36:42:00 - 00:37:05:23
Chris
and any of these beginner fish, one of the things that's going to happen is they're going to have babies. that is that is part of the beginner process. And they are going to have babies. the other species is known as, platypus and platypus and mollies, and they are known as live bears, which means if they are pregnant, you won't even know.

00:37:05:23 - 00:37:30:08
Chris
You'll have no idea. They show no signs. they reproduce really easily. You could start with just a few mollies or platypus. And before you know it, you're going to have a whole aquarium. they're also quite hardy. it's recommended that you, monitor the pH. when you have these types of fish, make sure that water is close to neutral and again, recommending a tank that is greater than ten gallons.

00:37:30:08 - 00:37:36:16
Chris
So that's just a couple of things I highly recommend. We just talk to Todd, determine these independent pet stores. Yeah.

00:37:36:18 - 00:37:37:17
Kristen
Great resource and and.

00:37:37:19 - 00:37:43:15
Chris
Walk into one and ask that Carrie's fish and ask him the same question. because you're not the only person asking it.

00:37:43:17 - 00:37:50:00
Kristen
I'm impressed with your knowledge for for a guy who claims to not have much, you know, just to be a beginner level fish, a.

00:37:50:00 - 00:38:11:18
Chris
Lot of this is just I've picked up from jeopardy, you know, like, it's just it's just that it's that bar trivia knowledge, where it's like. And. And now for our next question. What level should you be keeping your guppies at? 6.56. At 6.5. so that's. Yes, that's that's why they have me answering these questions is not okay.

00:38:11:18 - 00:38:19:02
Chris
I'm an animal welfare, specialist. It's because I'm a trivia specialist, but I'm what you get. So.

00:38:19:04 - 00:38:38:15
Kristen
your boy. Well, if you have a trivia question for Chris or or a pet question for us for one of our upcoming shows, you can just go to Petsaddlife.org/podcast. Scroll down and pop your question into the little text box and, submit it. Or you can leave us a voice. Question. Is a voice. Yeah. Voice question.

00:38:38:20 - 00:38:39:12
Kristen
Does that make sense?

00:38:39:13 - 00:39:08:05
Chris
Question. Voice memo. Voicemail. Yeah. You might even hear your voice on the show if you do so. So if you've ever had the dream of being on a Pet Parents podcast, we can make that dream come true. So go ahead and submit your questions. Yeah, that brings us to the end of our show. We will be back next week on Tuesday, as always, to bring you some more wonderful stories, products, guests and answer some questions.

00:39:08:05 - 00:39:30:09
Chris
If you liked our show, be sure to like and subscribe! And you know what? This week, tell a friend. Tell a friend that you love two friends. Podcast. Yeah, and you had a blast that this was just this was music to your ears. This was audio entertainment on a sublime level that cannot be surpassed by anything else. That's honestly put that in the comments box to hear those exact words.

00:39:30:11 - 00:39:38:14
Chris
because that's the level of praise I'm anticipating for such a wonderful show. until next time, Kristen. I'll see you on Tuesday.

00:39:38:16 - 00:39:40:14
Kristen
Sounds good.

00:39:40:16 - 00:39:41:12
Chris (Voice Over)
Pets add life.