PPM Dec/Jan by Pet Product Marketing

Fo r i n d e p e n d e n t p e t r e t a i l e r s

w w w. p e t p r o d u c t m a r k e t i n g . c o. u k

December/January 2023

Pet Product Marketing Pet health

special! Products at the heart of a wellness revolution

Moving with the market

Four pages of new products

How to respond to trends Behind the brand:

Vitalin

GREAT. VALUE. supremepetfoods.com CONNECT WITH OUR FANS @supremepetfoods

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NEW! W When you’re small, every nibble matters. That’s why Tiny Friends Farm loves to bring you the more w wholesome things in life – like great taste and nutrition. w And it’s great value too, so stock up today and help A your customers feed their small pets happiness. y

Tiny Friends Farm. Feed them happiness T

Scan to watch our video and Ѓˡ˗ ˢ˨˧ ˠˢ˥˘

09/11/2023 13:21

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09/11/2023 11:29

WELCOME t’s that time of year again…the Pet Product Marketing double issue! This copy is the December/ January edition so that means the content will keep you going until the next issue comes out in January. Pet Product Marketing has 10 issues per year with two double issues. I like this for December time, as I know so many of you will be rushed off your feet with the run up to Christmas. So we bring you a packed issue just before Storm Christmas fully hits and reconvene once you’ve recovered and can look forward to your exciting plans for 2024. This issue is the Health and Wellness Special — we look at the types of products that owners want to improve the wellbeing of their pets. The demand is huge and I think that is driven by a shift in how we see our pets as family and want to deliver a much better standard of living. Elsewhere, we have lots of exciting new products, including some that

Contents

4 News The latest news from the pet industry. 12 New products Exciting new products hitting the market. 13 First Look …at the Call of Nature — an eco-friendly cat litter. 16 Behind the Brand We look at the history of dog food brand Vitalin. 20 On the shop ﬂoor We visit a pet shop that was set up for a brilliant reason.

Special 23 Health and wellness special 24 Making health a priority How consumers want products to improve their pets well-being. 32 Types of health and wellness products Inspiration for what to stock!

could really give Christmas sales a boost, from Christmas recipes and treats, to pet gift sets. We go Behind the Brand at Vitalin and get a First Look at an exciting new cat litter exclusively available from SuBridge Pet Supplies. Plus, we have our interview with an independent pet shop owner, a great insight into responding to marketing trends, pet advice, and business features — I said it was packed! On a personal note, I want to wish you all a Happy Christmas and the very best for 2024. I really hope that whatever your exciting plans are for the new year that Pet Product Marketing continues to be a valuable tool to your business. I can assure you that we have some great ideas of how to make Pet Product Marketing even more useful to you! Happy Christmas!

Our email: editorial@petproductmarketing.co.uk Our address: Pet Product Marketing, Warners Group Publications, The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, Lincolnshire, PE10 9PH Michael Hallam, editor (for news and product releases, contact Michael on michael.hallam@warnersgroup.co.uk) For advertising queries please contact Stephen Tanner on 01778 392404 Ellis O’Connell, marketing exec

Nigel Fish, design and production manager Stephen Tanner, key account manager (advertising Pet Product Marketing)

Mike Mike Hallam - Editor, PPM.

Andrea Walters, key account manager (advertising Your Dog/Your Cat) Kay Cotterill, classiﬁed sales (all titles)

36 The beneﬁts of workplace diversity Business beneﬁts of a varied team. 38 The worry of greenwashing How to avoid it! 40 Moving with the market How to respond to buyer trends. 42 How far can we go as a hobby? John looks to the future for reptile keepers and businesses. 44 Caring for house rabbits A guide to optimal well-being. 46 Dog advice 10 ways to get your dog to listen to you. 50 Cat advice Cat care Q&As. 51 Cat Christmas How to keep the festive season stress free for felines. 54 PPM Puzzles! A mental workout for your coffee break!

Printed by Warners Midlands plc James Buzzel, publisher

Subscriptions and back issues Pet Product Marketing is available free to people who qualify for our controlled terms of circulation. If you’d like to register for a free subscription, please visit www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

Pet Product Marketing is published 10 times a year by Warners Group Publications. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in any form in whole or in part, without the prior permission of Warners Group Publications. All material published remains the copyright of Warners and we reserve the right to copy or edit any material submitted to the magazine without further consent. The submission of material (manuscripts or images etc) to Warners Group Publications whether unsolicited or requested, is taken as permission to publish that material in the magazine, on the associated website, any apps or social media pages afﬁliated to the magazine, and any editions of the magazine published by our licensees elsewhere in the world. By submitting any material to us you are conﬁrming that the material is your own original work or that you have permission from the copyright owner to use the material and to authorise Warners Group Publications to use it as described in this paragraph. You also promise that you have permission from anyone featured or referred to in the submitted material to it being used by Warners Group Publications. If Warners Group Publications receives a claim from a copyright owner or a person featured in any material you have sent us, we will inform that person that you have granted us permission to use the relevant material and you will be responsible for paying any amounts due to the copyright owner. We cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, images, or materials lost or damaged in the post. While every reasonable care is taken to ensure accuracy, the publisher is not responsible for any errors or omissions, nor do we accept any liability for any loss or damage, however caused, resulting from the use of the magazine.

See videos of the latest products and trade news

www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

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14/11/2023 11:25

NEWS

PPM News

D e c e m b e r / Ja n u a r y 2 0 2 3

Peckish Wins GIMA Award for Sustainable Packaging 4

Nutramax and ADM Expand International Distribution Partnership Nutramax and ADM’s trusted probiotic supplements brand, ADM Protexin, are pleased to announce the expansion of their longstanding partnership that will allow ADM Protexin to manage certain Nutramax brands in Europe and a number of APAC markets, with the aim to expand further internationally. This agreement builds upon the existing successful collaboration between the two organisations. Under the enhanced partnership, ADM Protexin will manage the distribution of select Nutramax brands, including Cosequin®, Dasuquin®, and Denamarin® in various international markets. The partnership will allow ADM Protexin to leverage its capabilities in Europe to better service existing distribution channels and further expand the global reach of Nutramax brands to make the products more widely available to veterinarians and consumers around the globe.

Peckish, the leading wild bird food brand by Westland Horticulture, is thrilled to announce that its Natural Balance Local Seed Mix was crowned the winner in the Best Sustainable Product Packaging category at this year’s Garden Industry Manufacturer’s Association Awards (GIMA). The GIMA Awards celebrate product and marketing innovation in the garden industry. The judges commented that the Peckish Natural Balance Local Seed Mix is a “great bit of sustainable packaging design without losing the strong brand identity.” The mix also picked up the category’s Sustainability Champion accolade. Peckish is committed to a sustainable future, and continually invests in sourcing the best local ingredients and reducing plastic packaging throughout its range. 100% of the ingredients used in the Natural Balance Seed Mix are sourced from UK and Irish farms and are rich in nutrients to help birds thrive all year round. Rachael McWilliam, Head of Category & Brand, for Peckish, commented: “Winning the GIMA award for Best Sustainable Packaging really cements to us that we’re on the right path as a brand that’s always looking for ways to improve our environmental impact. At Peckish, we have a mission to support nature, with initiatives such as our ‘ﬁeld to beak’ strategy, which strives to reduce waste, offset carbon emissions by reducing miles, and continued innovation into sustainable products.” To ﬁnd out more about Peckish, visit www.peckishbirdfood.com

Henry Bell scores supplier hat trick Henry Bell & Co, a long-established name in the animal feeds industry, has secured a 12-month primary supplier contract for its wild bird food and accessories range with the Tillington Group for a third year running. The move will see the entire Henry Bell Wild Bird Care Collection, with its 200plus products, on sale throughout 41 nationwide garden centres belonging to Tillington’s 10 independent member companies. “It’s great news that we are the group’s primary wild bird care supplier once again,” said Henry Bell managing director Thomas Lee. “As a family business ourselves, we are always keen to support fellow independents and our relationship with the Tillington Group continues to go from strength to strength.” www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

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10/11/2023 09:15

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08/11/2023 13:29

NEWS

Mars appoints Najoh Tita-Reid as new Chief Brand & Experience Ofﬁcer

Najoh Tita-Reid has joined Mars, Incorporated as Chief Brand & Experience Officer (CBExO) for the Petcare segment. The newly created role will see Tita-Reid lead the growth agenda, helping create a seamless brand and consumer experience across the Mars Petcare portfolio of brands and services, reporting Najoh to Leonid Sudakov, President Tita-Reid. Growth, Digital & Platforms. Tita-Reid brings leadership experience from some of the world’s largest companies across the technology, health care, pharmaceutical and consumer-packaged-goods sectors, including Bayer, Merck, GlobalHue, P&G, and most recently Logitech. As Global Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Logitech, she was responsible for worldwide marketing, brand equity, creative, branded and direct-to-consumer e-commerce sites, and marketing transformation across 120 countries. Leonid Sudakov President Growth, Digital & Platforms, Mars Petcare said: “I’m delighted to welcome Najoh to the team. She is an exceptional marketer and globally recognised leader, known for building strong, diverse, and inclusive teams. She will bring her broad and impressive experience across tech, health care and consumer goods to help us scale our impact and accelerate our digital transformation, allowing us to better meet the needs of pet owners and transform the experience of pet ownership.’” On joining Mars Petcare, Najoh Tita-Reid commented: “I am thrilled to join Mars Petcare at such a pivotal moment, to help lead the next phase of growth.”

UK Pet Food releases two new resources UK Pet Food has expanded its range of expert-written, free resources about pet nutrition to include a useful Parrot Feeding Guide Poster and vibrant Fish Nutrition Factsheet. Both visuals are available for display by pet retailers, vets, and other pet professionals to be shared with owners. UK Pet Food’s Parrot Feeding Guide Poster is an educational resource that details the dietary requirements and foraging behaviours of pet parrots. The poster features colourful illustrations, essential information, and links to other parrot

PATS Telford 2023 breaks attendance records PATS has smashed records with the two-day show at Telford in 2023 attracting its highest ever attendance ﬁgures since the event was launched in 2009. A total of 2,332 retailers and buyers came through the doors of

Mars appoints Christoph Heyn as new Chief Digital Ofﬁcer

Christoph Heyn has joined Mars, Incorporated as Chief Digital Officer (CDO) for the Petcare segment. In this newly created role, he will lead the deﬁnition and global scaling of signature digital products, and the development of key areas of digital capabilities across the organisation, Christoph strengthening the ability to Heyn. respond to the needs of pet owners across its multiple business models. In his new role he will report to Leonid Sudakov, President Growth, Digital & Platforms. Christoph brings an impressive track-record of digital transformation at scale across retail, hospitality and ﬁnancial services industries. He has held leadership positions at RitzCarlton & Marriott International, Capital One and most recently IKEA, where he led the digital customer experience and tech platform transformation. During this time, he played a key role in the transformation of IKEA from a store-based retail model into an omni-channel business, with a platform visited by billions of customers annually. Leonid Sudakov, President Growth, Digital & Platforms, Mars Petcare said: “Christoph’s unique leadership experience in consumer facing technology, across a variety of relevant industries, will bring huge value to both our business and pet owners. We are on a journey to accelerate the transformation of our digital products and services, and I’m thrilled to have Christoph join us.”

resources. The Fish Nutrition Factsheet is a vital and comprehensive guide to the art of ﬁsh nutrition. It explains the wide range of nutritional requirements and feeding strategies, in addition to explaining the connection between food and water quality. Both the Parrot Poster and Fish Factsheet are available to download for free on the UK Pet Food website (www.ukpetfood.org)

the Telford International Centre, which was 7% higher than the previous record set at PATS Telford last year. As well as a record number of exhibitors — more than 260 in total — the New Product Showcase attracted the highest-ever entry of nearly 400. In 2024, the PATS Sandown and Telford shows will merge into a three-day event at Telford (Sunday, 29th September – Tuesday, 1st October 2024). The news about the larger scale event has been met by widespread approval as PATS looks to reach the next level. Visit www.patshow.co.uk to ﬁnd out more

www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

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10/11/2023 09:16

HugglePets welcome two new team members

HugglePets, an independent pet retailer and wholesaler in Wolverhampton, has welcomed two new members to their team. Fran Marshall joins as the new Online Marketplace and Data Supervisor, and Tom Gwilliam has become the Sales and Marketing Director. A project soon furthered by Fran is HugglePets’ brand new product range Tom. for dogs that includes both walking and grooming accessories. This follows such products as the bestselling HugglePets Fabric Crate Foldable Pet Carrier, launched in 2019, and the dog superfood range, Skye & Murphy, launched in 2022. With a seasoned background in product and graphic design, Tom is the ideal candidate for assisting the company in their latest endeavour: stretching their paws into even more ranges developed under the HugglePets brand. Fran.

GWF Nutrition Appoints New Operations Manager Wiltshire based feed and supplements manufacturer GWF Nutrition has welcomed Wesley Larner to its head office team as Operations Manager. The newly created role comes alongside some significant investment in mill production facilities as part of the company’s growth and consolidation plans. Wesley joins the company with experience in a variety of roles at Duffields in Yeovil and more recently as Production Manager with multi species feed mill Forfarmers. He also has project management and HACCP qualifications. He said: “I’m really pleased to be joining such a prestigious and well-respected brand. It’s a growing team with a very exciting future where I can utilise my experience to make a difference.” Founded in 1971, GWF Nutrition manufactures a range of high specification feeds and supplements for the pet, equine, and camelid markets, including joint supplement Joint Aid for Dogs and the first ever UK horse feed balancer Equilibra. Wes Larner.

Henry Bell appoints new National Sales Manager Leading pet and wild bird food producer Henry Bell & Co has appointed Andrew Mellowes as National Sales Manager to support the company’s growth in the garden centre sector. He will work alongside an extensive network of sales agents to consolidate and develop customer relationships. Andrew Andrew, with vast experience of the Mellowes. gardening trade, has held a variety of positions over the past 20 years. He worked at Gardman, where he became Commercial Support Director, and was General Manager of Woodlodge Products, a supplier of garden and indoor pots and accessories. Before joining Henry Bell, Andrew was Commercial Director of Burpee Europe, a wholesale supplier of vegetable and ﬂower seed to the UK’s home garden seed market. “I am really looking forward to working with the Henry Bell team to build on the company’s signiﬁcant success and to reengage with customers and colleagues across the garden centre industry,” Andrew said.

Peter Brame Appointed Group Trading Director for Paramount Retail Group Peter Brame.

Paramount Retail Group has appointed Peter Brame as the Group Trading Director. Peter will oversee trading operations for the entire group, including Vital Pet Products. Having worked in various capacities within buying and merchandising for over two decades, his extensive experience within the pet trade makes him uniquely qualiﬁed to address the challenges and opportunities

in this dynamic sector. “I am very happy to have joined the Paramount Retail Group team and be taking on the role of Group Trading Director,” said Peter Brame. “Vital Pet Products has a storied history and I am looking forward to contributing to its resurgence among both suppliers and pet trade customers. Working alongside our hardworking and dedicated teams, I’m sure we will achieve our goals.” “We are delighted to welcome Peter Brame to the Paramount Retail Group family,” said Sunny Sharma, Director at Paramount Retail Group. “Peter’s leadership will be instrumental in reestablishing Vital Pet Products as a trusted and respected name among suppliers and pet trade customers.”

www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

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10/11/2023 09:17

NEWS

UK Pet Food Introduces Innovative Dog Obesity Tool In response to the alarming rise in pet obesity, UK Pet Food has launched an interactive and educational tool designed to empower dog owners with the knowledge and resources to combat this pressing issue. In the UK, an estimated 50% of dogs are considered as overweight or obese by vets. The tool, developed in collaboration with renowned human psychologist Professor Thomas Webb from the University of Sheffield, aims to create healthier lives for our canine companions. The ﬁrst part of this initiative is a quiz titled: “Who’s in charge when it comes to feeding your dog?” The quiz delves into the

dynamics of feeding habits and offers dog owners insights into their roles in their pet’s dietary regimen. After completing the quiz, participants are provided with a personalised help sheet tailored to their unique circumstances, enabling them to address challenging scenarios where overfeeding or overtreating their dogs may be a risk. The tool incorporates Professor Thomas Webb’s extensive knowledge in behaviour change to help dog owners: ● Identify triggers that lead to overfeeding and overtreating. ● Establish practical strategies to create healthier feeding routines. ● Make informed choices when selecting pet food products. ● Promote a balanced diet that meets their dog’s nutritional needs. This new dog obesity tool, along with the range of existing body condition charts and other obesity resources, is poised to make an impact on improving the lives of pet dogs and strengthening the bond between pets and their owners. For more information about UK Pet Food’s dog obesity tool and to take the quiz, visit www.ukpetfood.org

Vet survey from Supreme reveals top rabbit health issues 8

The three most common rabbit health issues are dental disease, gastrointestinal stasis and obesity, Supreme Petfoods’ recent survey of UK veterinary surgeons has revealed. These conditions are intrinsically linked to the feeding of poor-quality diets and despite substantial improvements in nutritional knowledge among rabbit owners, 57 percent of rabbits are still being fed inappropriately. Dental disease was seen most frequently, with 75 percent of vets reporting that they see affected rabbits regularly. Dental and other diet-related conditions occur partly because owners do not understand their pets’ dietary requirements, in particular the importance of high fibre nutrition with no added sugar. Nearly 90 percent of vets said that rabbits often received inadequate quantities of hay, and the survey also revealed that feeding poor-quality concentrate foods, with low fibre and added sugary ingredients, is commonplace. Claire Hamblion, Supreme’s Marketing Director, explains that educating customers is crucial, saying: “Owners want to do the right thing, but all too often lack of awareness about nutrition leads to poor health and wellbeing. The great news is that progress is being made. 79 percent of vets say that nutritional knowledge among rabbit owners has significantly improved in the last ten years, which is in part due to the invaluable expertise shared by pet retailers. We’re keen to build on this and are proud to offer not just high-quality species-specific nutrition but a range of educational materials and free samples to help retailers engage with their rabbit-owning customers”. A high-quality, species-appropriate diet should include unlimited hay, a carefully measured portion of high fibre nuggets

every morning and evening and a handful of fresh leafy greens. Recommended by over 90 percent of vets in the survey, Supreme’s Science Selective rabbit lifestage diets are high in fibre, and rich in natural ingredients with no added sugar. When fed alongside unlimited hay, Science Selective supports dental and digestive health and the maintenance of a healthy weight and helps to reduce the risk of diet-related disease. The survey also revealed that for rabbits requiring critical care nutrition, Supreme’s Science Selective Recovery Plus, is the number one choice among vets for syringe feeding. With a high crude fibre content (25%) to support digestive health, Recovery Plus has added vitamin C and is rich in natural forage and herbs to stimulate appetite. Supreme provides a selection of educational materials, from care guides to educational blogs and free food samples, to support retailers in communicating with customers. Supreme is committed to working with retailers as well as veterinary teams to improve owners’ knowledge around rabbit nutrition, helping rabbits to live longer, happier, and healthier lives. To find out more, email experts@supremepetfoods.com or visit supremepetfoods.com

Want to share your news? Got a story or new product? Pet Product Marketing share your stories and new product launches for free! Simply email Michael.hallam@warnersgroup.co.uk For all the latest news and new products, head to www.petproductmarketing.co.uk www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

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10/11/2023 09:18

I N T E R NAT I O NA L

C E N T R E

• Free entry & parking • Free show catalogue • Major brands and exhibitors • 100’s of new launches • Thousands of products

Major brands & exhibitors all under one roof

Where the pet industry meet to do business

T E L F O R D

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08/11/2023 12:50

NEWS

Walker & Drake secure distribution deal with Pedigree Wholesale Barnsley-based pet food company Walker & Drake has recently secured a nationwide distribution deal with Pedigree Wholesale. Tim Matthews, Director, who founded the business with fellow Directors, David Taylor and Richard Grant, said: “Walker & Drake was formed with the clear intention of producing a British made, complete nutritional dog food made using the ‘minimal processing’ Cold Pressed technique, and good quality ingredients. “At Walker & Drake, we have developed great products with clear nutritional advantages, we strive to create a culture of integrity, to communicate clearly and honestly with our

customers, and to educate and support our stockists. “The shelves are full of too much of the same type of packaging with mixed and confusing messaging. We’re on a mission to change that with big, bold, playful and colourful branding. “We are looking forward to furthering our relationship with Pedigree Wholesale and to see where this will take the brand as we now have nationwide distribution.” For further information, visit: www.walkeranddrake.com

We are currently looking for a

MERCHANDISING REP as a Consultant in the UNITED KINGDOM R E T R A C TA B L E L E A D S

MADE IN GERMANY

to play a pivotal role in enhancing our brand presence and sales performance in the UK market.

Key Responsibilities: • Conduct store checks. • Provide valuable insights and solutions to optimize product placement. • Optimize product assortment and placement to maximize sales and profitability. • Analyze sales data and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to make data-driven recommendations. • Develop and maintain strong relationships with suppliers and vendors. • Provide training and support to sales teams on product knowledge and merchandising techniques. • Participation to trade shows. Our success story began on April 1st, 1973 as Manfred Bogdahn invented the retractable lead. Today, more than 350 employees work for the flexi brand and produce in Germany tens of thousands high-quality retractable dog leads a day, which are exported to over 90 countries.

flexi – Bogdahn International GmbH & Co. KG Carl-Benz-Weg 13 • 22941 Bargteheide Germany phone: +49 4532 4044-0 email: jobs@flexi.de www.flexi.de/en

Qualifications: • Proven experience as a Merchandising Consultant or similar role in the pet industry. • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. • Ability to work independently and as part of a team. • Knowledge of UK retail market trends and regulations.

What We Offer: • An attractive consultant fee. • A collaborative and supportive work environment. • A challenging and diverse range of tasks. • Good development opportunities. • Flat hierarchies and short decision-making paths. How to Apply: If you find yourself in our offer, we should get to know each other. Mrs. Grevenkamp is looking forward to receiving your meaningful application, preferably by email.

www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

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10/11/2023 09:13

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Now Available

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08/11/2023 12:55

NEW PRODUCTS

Pet Qwerks BarkBone Range Pedigree Wholesale has launched the new look Pet Qwerks nylon dog chews which feature brand new flavours and impactful new packaging. Pet Qwerks nylon chews are designed to satisfy a dog’s natural instinct to chew while appealing to their senses of smell and taste. Chewing prevents boredom, helps relieve stress, and provides both mental and dental health benefits for dogs. The nylon chews stand up to even the most aggressive chewers due to their high durability, making them long-lasting! The chews are made using a propriety moulding process in the USA, which gives each product a unique, realistic texture and rugged shape. They contain irresistible flavours infused to the core, which are released alongside their scents as the dog chews.

BarkBone Original — is available in a Bacon flavour and comes in medium and large sizes and is perfect for tough chewers; the classic bone shape is curved for easier paw grip. The Pet Qwerks BarkBone range offers above average retailer margins and is exclusively available now through Pedigree Wholesale, with RRPs starting at just £9.99. Key features: ● Dental health benefits. ● Durability. ● Appealing flavours.

BarkBone Stick — is made with nylon, comes in Peanut Butter ter and Mint flavours, and is available in small, medium, and extra-large ge sizes. It is designed with four extended knobbles that give dogs a good od grip, giving multiple chew textures that really let dogs get stuck k in. The Mint flavour is infused with human-grade ingredients that help promote dental health and freshen breath, while the Peanut Butter tter flavour is one that dogs know and love. Dinosaur BarkBone — is available in three mouth-watering flavours: Peanut Butter, Bacon and Steak; all are available in small, l, medium, and large sizes. They are made with real wood, perfect for or moderate to gentle chewers who don’t like to chew on nylon boness but still love the chewing experience. The bones’ natural look and texture are so close to the real thing!

For trade enquiries, visit www.petproducts.co.uk or call 0115 982 3900. Contact the friendly Customer Services team or your Business Development Manager to ﬁnd out more and place an order.

New Products Natures Deli Treat Pastes Natures Deli have launched their brand-new treat pastes range for dogs. Available in four tasty flavours, each recipe is grain-free, gluten-free, hypoallergenic, and has added vitamins and minerals to support dog health. The new treat pastes range consists of Chicken, Peanut Butter, Liver, and a vegetarian Sweet Potato recipe. Made with natural ingredients, the pastes are easily digestible and suitable for dogs and puppies over six months, so there is something to entice every dog. Each paste is made with five ingredients or less. The Chicken paste contains added Chicory known to support healthy digestion, while the Peanut Butter paste is high in protein and healthy fats and contains Glucosamine to aid joint health. The Liver paste is rich in amino acids and contains fish oil to support joints and biotin to encourage a healthy coat and skin. The Sweet Potato paste is made with a highly digestible carbohydrate and includes Chamomile, which has calming properties. Each treat is super easy to use and is great to squeeze onto dry kibble, inside toys to encourage playtime, on feeding mats, or on their own to train and reward. They are resealable and can be stored in the fridge for up to 7 days for multiple uses. Each flavour comes in shelf-ready packaging of 10 pouches so retailers can launch the range with impact in-store and wow their customers. Offering above average retailer margins, the pastes are competitively priced at an affordable RRP of £3.49. These pastes suit a wide net of shoppers and their pets’ needs, and they were highly

commended in the Product of the Year award in the Food/Treats category in the PetQuip Awards 2023. Sold in 100g pouches in cases of 10, Natures Deli Pastes are available now through Pedigree Wholesale and are exclusively available to the specialist pet trade. Key features: ● Exclusively available to specialist pet trade. ● Contain health boosting ingredients. ● Above average margins.

For trade enquiries, visit www.petproducts. co.uk or call 0115 982 3900.

www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

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13/11/2023 12:02

FIRST LOOK

ntroducing Call of Nature, the new cat litter which is both gentle on the paws and gentle on the planet. In the ever-evolving world of pet care, cat owners are constantly seeking innovative solutions to help them live a more sustainable lifestyle while also enhancing both theirs and their feline friends’ lives. And the new Call of Nature cat litter aims to do just that, by keeping homes fresh and tidy without adding more waste to landﬁll. Call of Nature brings a whole new meaning to waste not want not. Taking a waste product, turning it into a product for waste, and being home compostable, means it creates less waste pilling up in landﬁll. But is it too good to be true? Let’s explore what makes Call of Nature the new item on cat owners shopping lists:

Answering the call impact of pet waste disposal.

Cleaner Homes, Happy Cats: Cat owners will know the pain of the dust cloud on cat litter change day caused by traditional litter types. So too the pain of coming from a busy day to be greeted by a trail of litter leading from the tray around the home. With Call of Nature, owners can say goodbye to the endless sweeping and hoovering — it’s low-dust formula keeps homes mess-free, while its reduced tracking feature ensures no litter trail meaning more time instead for quality cat cuddles — cat permitting that is… Odour Control Beyond Compare: Every cat owner knows the importance of managing those pet odours; we like our cats to be seen and not smelled by visiting guests. With premium absorbency, Call of Nature ensures all bad odours are kept locked in and under control, leaving homes smelling as they should.

The Green Revolution: In an age where environmental concerns are paramount, Call of Nature leads the way. This cat litter not only promotes a cleaner home but a cleaner planet too. It’s testament to transforming waste into something useful. And, when it’s time to dispose of the litter, there’s no need to contribute to landﬁlls – simply add it to the compost pile, reducing the environmental

for pets. With natural and non-toxic ingredients, it’s a wise choice for the well-being of beloved feline companions, especially younger kitties who risk ingesting litter, especially while still feeding from mum.

Stylish Shelf Presence: Not only is it a planet-friendly option, but Call of Nature’s earthy-toned, clean packaging stands out on the shelf. This modern design will undoubtedly appeal to cat owners seeking both style and substance. In today’s pet care landscape, it’s essential to offer products that resonate with pet owners’ values, from convenience to sustainability. Call of Nature provides the best of both worlds — a cat litter that simpliﬁes daily life and actively contributes to a greener, cleaner planet. Available in two sizes: 7L: RRP £6.39 & 28L: RRP £18.19.

Paw-Perfect Comfort: Cats can be particular about their litter. Call of Nature, made from natural paper, is gentle on their delicate paws. It’s an ideal choice for young or indoor cats who need that extra bit of comfort. Safety First: Call of Nature isn’t just environmentally friendly; it’s also safe

Embrace a greener, more pawsitive future with Call of Nature. Exclusively Available through Su-Bridge Pet Supplies: www.su-bridge.co.uk. www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

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NEW PRODUCTS

Toy ranges from PetLove Specialist dog toy brand PetLove has made puppy play the focus of its two latest product launches. Aptly named Puppy Plushies and Puppy Tuffers, the new ranges are designed to provide safe, durable toys that encourage constructive and positive play habits.

CSJ Fat2Fin low-calorie dog food

Puppy Plushies The Puppy Plushies collection comprises cuddly friends: Howie, Suzy, Sylvia, Kelvin, in, and Jimbo. Made from recycled plastic bottles, these fun, colourful toys feature strong multi-layered, double stitched materials, and contain a natural rubber squeaker. The Puppy Plushies are supplied ed with multi-lingual recycled packaging and nd can themselves be recycled when they have ave been outgrown.

Puppy Tuffers Designed to withstand the rigours of tough ugh play and puppy mouthing, the Puppy Tuffers range includes a Baby Dragon, Fish, ish, Fox, and Elephant characters, each of which hich has been created from vibrant nylex with h nylon taped edges, and a recycled poly-ﬁ bre ﬁbre inner. Key features: These safe, non-toxic materials have been een ● Designed for puppies. double stitched to ensure durability. Thee ● Colourful and attention grabbing toys. new toys come with minimal recyled, multilingual packaging. Puppy Plushies and Puppy Tuffers are available to order now via Interpet’s trade website www.trade.interpet.co.uk

Buddy & Lola Super Shrooms Buddy & Lola is thrilled to introduce Super Shrooms, a revolutionary meal topper designed to boost your dog’s health in ways you’ve never seen before. They harness the power of ﬁve potent mushroom extracts — Maitake, Reishi, Turkey Tail, Shiitake, and Chaga. Here’s why Super Shrooms are excellent for canine health: ● Maitake: This anti-cancer powerhouse bolsters your dog’s immune system and promotes healthy cell growth. ● Reishi: Known for its stress-combatting properties, this natural adaptogen supports liver function and boosts overall well-being. ● Turkey Tail: This remarkable mushroom enriches your dog’s immunity and gut health with its powerful antioxidants and prebiotics. ● Shiitake: Fosters heart health and circulation, providing essential vitamins and minerals for optimal vitality.

● Chaga: This secret weapon against inflammation promotes mobility and alleviates discomfort in your furry companion. “The Super Shrooms meal topper is a testament to our commitment to providing the very best for your dogs,” says Harriette, the Co-Founder of Buddy & Lola. “We’ve seen firsthand the amazing benefits these mushrooms can offer, and we’re excited to share this ancient wisdom with dog owners everywhere.”

CSJ’s ‘Fat2Fin’ is rich in white fish and rice can be used as part of an effective weight loss plan without compromising on taste and dogs’ enjoyment. Ideal for overweight or greedy dogs, as well as dogs who love their food and put on weight a bit too easily, Fat2Fin’s kibble is big enough that greedy dogs can’t just ‘woof ’ it up and small enough so little mouths can crunch it up easily. Fat2Fin was created by CSJ’s expert nutritionists to give dogs a real meal treat by putting the fun back into weight control — while slimming down owners’ dog food budget too! Like all CSJ food and supplements, Fat2Fin has only natural ingredients and in this case, a carefully balanced diet which includes rice, white fish meal, duck meal, salmon oil, turmeric, and blackcurrant. CSJ’s founder and owner says: “All dogs metabolise food differently and it can be so easy for some to gain excess weight. Our aim was to help owners who struggle to keep their dog’s figure without the dog losing out on a highlight of their day.” Key features: ● Aimed at dogs looking to lose weight. ● Many health benefits of fish.

To ﬁnd out more about CSJ products, visit www.csjk9.com or for trade enquiries, call 01745710470.

Key features: ● Suitable for ALL breeds, sizes and dogs over 12 weeks. ● Easy to sprinkle the recommended amount onto a dog’s food daily. ● Boosts dogs’ health and well-being.

Visit www.buddyandlola.co.uk to ﬁnd out more

www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

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13/11/2023 12:50

Natural Cornish Pet fish-based range Natural Cornish Pet are reminding dog owners that is the time to think about conditioning their dogs for the winter. This is particularly true when it comes to older dogs who start to feel the effects of the cold weather on their joints and coat and skin. Specialising in natural pet foods, treats and quality pet accessories, Natural Cornish Pet based in St Erth, Cornwall has a tasty range of fish-based toppers and treats to reward your dog with, as well as a cold-pressed food range that contains fish. The fish treat range includes bags of natural dried sprats, fish finger chews, salmon potato cookies, white fish cookies, and white fish cubes. All are available to buy in a range of bag sizes from small treat

pouch size up to 1kg bags. Natural Cornish Pet’s Boost and Nourish range consists of meal toppers in Cornish Salmon, Cornish Whitefish and Cornish Redfish varieties. These are ideal for adding that fishy goodness to any meal. Fish is a great source of Omega 3 which is an essential fatty acid. It has anti-inflammatory properties which help to condition the coat and skin and aid in joint mobility and cardiac health. The omega oils contained in fish are also great for brain development. Key features: ● Good for joint health. ● Texture of fish treats encourages dogs to chew and removes tartar. ● Can aid digestion and coat health.

For further information, visit www.naturalcornishpet.co.uk or for trade enquiries, visit www.naturalpetwholesale.co.uk

Animology New Sprays and Grooming Gift Sets Animology have expanded their range of pet care products with three exciting new sprays and a range of grooming gift sets! Sprays The three new spray products consist of Pre-Wash Fox Poo Spray, Derma Dog No Rinse Shampoo, and Glossy Dog Conditioning Spray. Pre-Wash Fox Poo Spray is a fast-acting deodoriser designed to break down the odour of nasty smells like fox poo before you’re able to get the dog in the bath. Derma Dog No Rinse Shampoo is a fragrance free no rinse shampoo designed for use on dogs with sensitive skin so that their coat can be well cleansed without the need for a bath. Glossy Dog Conditioning Spray is a leavein conditioner designed to condition and add shine to a dog’s coat. Gifts sets Animology have also launched four stylish gift sets that create the perfect gift for pet parents for the festive season and occasions all year round, presented in a sleek gift box with open display windows for easy shopping by the customer. The My First Puppy Pack is perfect for new puppy parents packed with customer

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favourites Puppy Love Shampoo, Mucky Pup No Rinse Shampoo Spray, and Puppy Powder Fragrance Spray, with an RRP of £15.50. The Stink Buster Gift Set is a duo set containing Deep Clean Shampoo and Stink Bomb Deodorising Spray, the ideal gift to leave a dog super clean and smelling amazing at an RRP £10.50. Another duo gift set is the Paws & Relax Gift Set, designed to pamper and calm pooches with Spa Day Shampoo and Paws & Relax Aromatherapy Spray — the perfect gift for those looking to give their pooch a spa like experience at an RRP £10.50. The ﬁnal gift set in the range is Grooming

Good, containing the grooming essentials to keep a dog in tip top shape from top to toe, this set contains Paws & Nose Balm, Clean Ears, and Tear Stain Remover, at an RRP £14.50. Julie Butcher, Marketing Director at Animology comments: “We’re delighted to bring these new products to market, the three new sprays were created on the back of customer feedback exploring what products they’d love to see in the range, so we’re really pleased to be able to ﬁll the gaps for what our customers are looking for.”

To ﬁnd out more, visit www.animology.co.uk and for trade enquiries, visit www.animology.co.uk/pages/about-tradeaccounts or email info@animology.co.uk

13/11/2023 14:52

BEHIND THE BRAND

1960s italin has a strong heritage dating back to the 1950s when the first product ‘Vitalin Original’ was made by Arthur Mills in Ripon, Yorkshire. The success was immediate! It was one of the first commercially produced complete dry dog foods in the UK, which then led to the production of other traditional muesli-style foods. Quite a few years later in 2010, Vitalin moved to South Leverton on the Lincolnshire- Nottinghamshire border, and in 2016 they moved to their current home, Lodge Farm, just a few miles away in Lincolnshire. Since then, they have gone from strength to strength, bringing out new recipes and continuing to use locally sourced ingredients, and now it’s time to bring Vitalin to the next generation. They have been mindful of their legacy when creating their new recipes, Vitalin still has vitality at its very core, as has been the case since 1953. Since the first bag of Vitalin Original rolled out of the mill, generations of dogs have enjoyed Vitalin. After all, great health starts with great nutrition!

Following the success of Vitalin Original and Vitalin Original with Gravy, we made Vitalin Royale.

1950s It all began at Kennel Nutrition in Ripon where our ﬁrst product, Vitalin Original, was cooked up. A few years later Vitalin Original with Gravy followed.

1970s Vitalin Gold Menu u was introduced to o the muesli range..

1990s The Vitalin Natural Range was formulated to cater for dogs of all ages.

1980s Vitalin developed 25kg bags of Vitalin Bitch Diet for breeders.

2010 The Vitalin brand became part of the Grove Pet Foods business.

2016 Vitalin moved to a more spacious home at Lodge Farm.

2015 Vitalin Natural as we knew it was born.

2021 We are continuing with our mission to combine years of know-how with local ingredients to ensure your dog has a tasty and nutritious diet that you can trust.

2022 The Vitalin brand became part of the Cranswick Pet Products family.

2023 Vitalin undergoes a refresh for a new generation.

www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

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NEW PRODUCTS

Edgard and Cooper limited edition Christmas recipes for cats and dogs Premium ethical pet food brand Edgard and Cooper have released limited edition packs so pets won’t miss out on all the Christmas trimmings this festive season. These will be available in various independent speciality stores:

Cat christmas Festive Venison — Chunks in Sauce for Cats Festive Venison Feast with sage and cranberries It’ll be hard for any feline to resist slurping down these fresh pieces of venison in mouth-watering gravy this festive season. There’s no whiff of added sugar or nasties in the complete and balanced chunks and they’re grain free too. Just a seasonal sprinkling of cranberries and sage for more lip licks and blinks. Suitable for all adult and neutered cats

Festive Duck — Paté for Cats Festive Duck Feast with cranberries, sage, and valerian The silky-smooth duck paté, with fresh duck and a delicate texture, will have the fussiest of felines miaowing for more. There’s no whiff of added sugar or nasties in the complete and balanced paté, and it’s grain free too. Plus, there’s a seasonal sprinkling of cranberries for a temptingly tasty bowl of food. Suitable for all adult and neutered cats

Festive Feasts Selection — Chunks in Sauce for Cats Festive Feasts Chunks in Sauce selection, with 2x Venison, 2x Chicken and 2 x Turkey and Chicken This is the ultimate festive feline gift. A selection of the tastiest chunks recipes, all drenched in slurpy sauce. There’s two of each yummy ﬂavour to paw open: Venison x2, Chicken x2, and Turkey and Chicken x2. There’s no added sugar or grains in the complete and balanced chunks, and there isn’t a whiff of any nasties either. Suitable for all adult and neutered cats.

For trade enquiries, contact help@edgardcooper.com

Dog christmas Festive Turkey — Paté Tin for Dogs Festive Turkey Feast with cranberries, pear and pumpkin Delight furry pals with the limited-edition festive turkey feast. A juicy, droolworthy paté, full of fresh turkey. There’s no added sugar or nasties in the complete and balanced paté, and it’s grain free too. Plus, a sprinkling of seasonal cranberries makes it mouth-watering. And a bigger size paté tin means bigger furry friends can get festive too. Festive Turkey — Paté Cup for Dogs Festive Turkey Feast with apple, cranberries and parsley Delight furry pals with the limited-edition festive turkey feast. A juicy, droolworthy paté full of fresh turkey. There’s no added sugar or nasties in the complete and

Purina PRO PLAN Pet Supplements Purina, one of Europe’s leading pet care companies, has launched over-the-counter PRO PLAN Supplements in the UK, following years of research into pet nutrition and understanding pets’ needs. The complementary pet food products have been scientifically designed to help support specific needs in pet mobility (dog), natural defences (cat and dog), vitality (cat and dog), skin and coats (cat and dog), as well as promote relaxation (dog). For many, pets are part of the family and increasingly owners are looking for ways in which they can take more proactive care of their pets’ health. According to a 2021 Pet Supplement Report, 20% of pet owners in the European Union currently give their pets supplements in the form of powders, oils, capsules, tablets, paste or chews. 77% said they would consider pet supplements if they were confident that their pets would benefit from them. Purina PRO PLAN Supplements are an easy way to give pets additional targeted benefits, designed to be served once a day and in addition to usual meals. The range has been created to be highly palatable,

balanced paté, and it’s grain free too. Plus, a sprinkling of seasonal cranberries makes it mouth-watering. Suitable for all adult dogs Festive Turkey and Duck — Biscuits for Dogs Festive Crunchy Turkey and Duck biscuits With fresh, tasty turkey and duck, along with a cracking crunch, your furry friend will want to tuck into these treats at once. There’s no sniff of meat meal, artiﬁcial ﬂavours, or added sugar in the biscuits. They add a seasonal sprinkle of cranberries and pumpkin for lip-smacking yumminess. Key features: ● Ideal for Christmas. ● Simple and tasty recipes, with added nutritional value.

with a very high level of acceptance and enjoyment, ensuring that pets love eating the products. Key features: ● Targeted health beneﬁts. ● A fast-growing market.

For more information about Purina’s over-the-counter PRO PLAN Supplements and their beneﬁts, visit www.purina.co.uk/brands/ pro-plan

www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

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13/11/2023 14:54

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The shop is dedicated to dog owners.

On the shop f loor atalie and Robert Press set up their pet shop in 2021 for a particularly special reason. Their son was diagnosed as autistic and the pair set up a pet store as part of his future. This was despite having no experience in retail or in the pet trade! They are just about to celebrate two years in business and here Natalie gives the inside story on their unique journey…

Tell us about your shop. We are Woof The Yorkshire Dog Shop, based in Oakwood, Leeds; a short walk from Roundhay Park. We are proud of our adopted Yorkshire heritage and so work hard to stock products ﬁrst and foremost from local makers, the whole of the UK, then Europe and further aﬁeld. As dog owners ourselves, we want to stock fantastic quality, well-made products that help you have a great relationship with your dog. The shop has built up a loyal customer base.

Also, we want our customers to ﬁnd the fun in owning a dog, so we have an ice cream sprinkle station, pick and mix, a pawtisserie and Santa’s Grotto and we’ve much more planned! What inspired you to become a pet shop owner? In July 2021, our son received a diagnosis for autism and we wanted to create a future for him. We had this overwhelming feeling that a pet shop would be the way to go as he had an affinity with dogs. We signed the lease to our shop in September 2021 and opened the doors three months later, having no prior experience of retail or the pet industry! Our Mini Schnauzers Buster and Missy were a key factor in our decision too. We were sick of walking into pet shops that where piled high with products where everything felt cramped, shopping wasn’t much fun, and it was often overwhelming for our son — we wanted our store to be the exact opposite of this. Why did you decide to focus on only selling dog products? We originally started off with dog products and a cat corner with a view to expanding to small animals but we found that it was the dog owners who really responded to

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what we were trying to achieve. Rather than compromise on our vision, we decided to focus purely on dogs.

Inside the store.

What are your best-selling products? Without a doubt, long lasting natural treats and yak chews, closely followed by bagged treats and toys. How do you source your stock? A combination of local makers, wholesalers, and direct. We’ve found that many manufacturers are lowering their MOQ which means it’s easier to shop with them. Working with local makers enables us to bring something unique and different to our customers. You run lots of events, such as giving dog advice seminars and ‘pup up shops’ — why do you do these and what are the beneﬁts to the business? The workshops and pup ups are about building the Woof community and helping people have a better relationship with their dog. Sometimes life happens and your dog’s behaviour changes and this is where we can help create awareness and connect owners to people and products that can help. Similarly, we wanted to create a community to support our son long after we retire. All of our customers know our son, they are aware of his journey, and accept him as he is. How often do customers come to you for pet related advice? Daily! We are a hub for the community to stop by for a treat for their dog and then they stop to chat for a while. Being dog

owners ourselves, our customers value the knowledge we have built up over the years and in true Yorkshire style, we are very honest about what has and has not worked for us. What are the most successful ways you market the products you sell? Most of our customers are on Instagram so that’s our main source however, we will be trying out TikTok very soon. What would be your best piece of advice to other independent pet shop owners? Don’t be afraid to stand out from the

Natalie and Robert.

crowd and create a business that represents your vision. We have had to make some tough decisions — not to stock certain brands as they didn’t align with our vision, particularly as they didn’t offer our business the same respect we offer our customers.

Having set up the shop coming up to two years ago — despite having no experience of retail or the pet industry — how do you reflect on the journey so far? Without question, it’s been a rollercoaster. The customers we assumed we would attract are not actually the customers who visit us, so we needed to adapt quickly. As we don’t come with any pretences about the industry, we’ve been able to take risks with our store, our marketing, and our brand. We’ve had to learn very quickly how to respond to the peaks and troughs, find what works for us, and we’ve made many mistakes along the way. However, we broke even in our first financial year (technically, nine months of trading) and have a wonderful selection of regular customers. Hopefully, our second year has built on this and we will be in a strong position going into our third year. Finally, we feel immense pride and tiredness as we both are working in other jobs, as well as running Woof.

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14/11/2023 11:31

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PET HEALTH

Pet health and wellness special! www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

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07/11/2023 11:00

PET HEALTH

ithout a doubt, the biggest trend in the pet industry over recent years has been pet humanisation. Owners are increasingly seeing their pets as family members and caring for their companions to a standard they would look after humans. The term ‘pet parents’ is becoming increasingly popular and it is a fair reﬂection of how owners view themselves and their pets. Even when it comes to treating our pets, we want them to share many of the same experiences as ourselves. Just think how dogs can enjoy an ice cream, cupcakes, and turkey dinners at Christmas! Of all the ways owners are invested in giving their pets better lives, the health sector is a top priority. We’ve all become more aware of how important our own human health is. Think about some of the words that we’re now aware of that likely would have been alien to many of us 20 years ago: probiotics, antioxidants, collagen, macro nutrients, amino acids, botanicals, minerals, multivitamins, and

the list goes on. Unsurprisingly with the pet humanisation trend, this drive to improve health has extended to our pets. Long gone are the days of feeding our animals sub-standard food or scraps of human food that is full of fat or sugar. Many owners want to provide their pets with high quality food that promotes their companions’ wellbeing, use treats that have clear health beneﬁts, and even give dogs supplements to boost everything from digestion and the immune system, to mobility and brain function. UK Pet Food is an association for pet food manufacturers, suppliers, and the wider industry. Their members account for over 90% of the pet food market. The Deputy Chief Executive Nicole Paley explains how improving pet health is at the forefront of the industry, as that is what the customer wants. She said: “The pet food industry is undergoing a signiﬁcant transformation driven by advances in pet nutrition and

technology, increasing awareness of pet health and customer preferences. With a nation of 38 million pets to feed, the industry continues to innovate producing a range of pet foods to suit all preferences and purses which focus on the long-term health and well-being of our pet companions. “Pet owners are increasingly viewing their pets as members of their family, leading to a growing emphasis on health and wellness. This trend has prompted a shift towards premium and specialised pet food options. Ingredients such as probiotics, prebiotics, and functional supplements are being incorporated into pet food formulations to promote better digestion, and support the immune systems and overall well-being. This is a long-standing trend and as new science in animal nutrition emerges, the pet food industry looks at how this can be beneﬁcially included in new product development.”

Making health a priority The trend for pet health and wellness products is on the surge as owners want to provide the best for their pets.

www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

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07/11/2023 11:02

M A S T D S N I I R N E H C R N E I M A TH KIN A EARS G

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Burns Festive Turkey with all the trimmings From the award-winning natural pet food brand

Contact your local area rep burnspet.co.uk

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09/11/2023 12:22

PET HEALTH

How to to market market pet pet How health products products health Product knowledge — we all know that expertise and sharing knowledge are key reasons for shoppers to head to independent retailers. Getting to know the products, understanding their beneﬁts, and choosing carefully what you stock is absolutely key. Knowing the credentials of products and being able to share this is an accessible way with shoppers will build trust and repeat purchases. When owners come with a question about certain areas of health, be ready to know which products can help.

Pet food brands, for animals of all sizes, are striving to maximise the healthy impact of what we’re putting in our pets’ bowls. Here are some of the ways pet food has evolved to maximise wellbeing of our pets:

● Added ingredients for health — in pet recipes, the vegetables, fruits, and botanicals being included in recipes are for the speciﬁc health beneﬁts. This even includes supplements, with brands adding these into their food recipes.

● High quality ingredients — there is an emphasis on food being made from the best ingredients possible. You’ll notice how often meat in pet diets is referred to as human grade. When it comes to hay, brands are producing better quality hay, such as timothy hay, for the health beneﬁts it brings. Quite simply, brands are using better ingredients.

● Natural recipes and no fillers — brands are increasingly natural, which means they are made without any artificial colours, preservatives, or flavours, and the ingredients come from plants or animals. Gone too are fillers to bulk out foods. Recipes are becoming increasingly simple with a clear list of ingredients, each selected for their nutritional impact.

Eating for health

● Lifestage and tailored diets — from dogs to rabbits, brands are producing lifestage diets. The pet food industry has recognised that the nutritional requirements of animals change throughout their life. They have produced diets where the macronutrients are tweaked to better provide for what the body will need at that age. There are tailored diets for different breeds and lifestyles too. Particularly in the dog food market, diets have been produced to target different lifestyles of dogs, such as working or sporting dogs, or grain free or sensitive recipes, as brands recognise these dogs have very different nutritional needs. As Nicole says: “Any ‘complete’ pet food is designed to provide complete and balanced nutrition in every portion provided. UK Pet

Highlight health benefits — we have seen how important health benefits are to buyers. So, promote these benefits at every opportunity you can, on social media, in newsletters, through conversations, and with point of sale merchandising. Get help from brands — they will want to help you shout about the health benefits of their products. Utilise the opportunity for pos materials, digital assets, graphics on packaging and product training. Share success stories — had a customer who you have supplied a product that has clearly helped their pet? Ask them if you can share their story on your social media. Displays in store — why not set up displays, signage, or info leaflets about relevant health products? You could have displays about certain conditions or of your bestselling health products. Food members formulate their diets in line with nutritional guidelines that are industry best practice. They detail the nutritional needs of pets at the varying life stages from puppies and kittens through to senior years. The guidelines are peer reviewed annually by a team of independent veterinary nutritionists from across Europe. New science is added when it becomes available. Feeding this way is akin to having your diet put together by a nutritionist on a daily basis!” We’re seeing the rise of raw dog food. The idea being that dogs evolved eating raw meat diets and so that is what they will

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07/11/2023 11:05

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PET HEALTH

benefit from now. While at the moment there is not as much scientific study to highlight the benefit of raw feeding, it is growing rapidly with consumers. Owners are reporting great health benefits to dogs on the diet and there’s a rapid increase in the number of raw specialists and the lines they are offering. Pet food keeps advancing to benefit pets’ health. Developments are happening all the time and brands are constantly trying to raise the bar. You can see this on food packaging. Brands want to shout about their nutritional credentials as they know that it is a big motivator for buyers. Food packaging is often featuring graphics highlighting the ingredients and the specific health benefits of the diet.

Treat their health The mission for wellness extends to treats too. The ingredients in treats are higher quality and manufacturers are taking a

variety of steps to make them healthier. Many popular treats are natural, less caloriﬁc per treat, cooked using methods to retain nutritional value, and contain less ingredients that might incite sensitives or allergies. In fact, as well as becoming generally healthier, many brands have gone further to make treats that are designed to have health beneﬁts. Owners can buy treats that will help dental health, improve breath, help keep pets calm, improve energy levels, make the skin less itchy, or aid the health of bodily functions, such as digestion and brain function. Consumers don’t just want their pets to get excited for a treat, they want the treats to improve their wellbeing too.

Supplements for health People are becoming increasingly aware that to function at its best the human body needs the right balance of chemicals and nutrients to maximise biological functions. And if these levels become out

of balance, or a weakness develops, we can top the levels up with supplements. We can improve biological processes by giving them the right supplementary boost. Naturally, this knowledge and expertise has emerged in the pet market. There are supplements for pets of all sizes that are targeted in the same way that human supplements work — they are formulations designed to help improve or maintain biological process in our companion animals. It is a market estimated to be worth over £100m and growing at a substantial rate. Typical supplements include salmon oils, joint care supplements, bone supplements, probiotics, digestion support, calming supplements — the full list is extensive! Brands often market these supplements by the health beneﬁt they provide. So, stockists can easily see how the product helps the pet and pass this knowledge onto buyers. Supplements are being made easier to give to pets too. They are coming in

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07/11/2023 11:05

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ˀ˘˗˜˨ˠʭ ˅˅˃ ˵ʣʡʬʬʟ Display Case of 42 Chews

•

ʿ˔˥˚˘ʭ ˅˅˃ ˵ʤʡʧʬʟ Display Case of 24 Chews

With u nobble nique s to h elp ﬁght tartar !

Introducing the NEW Petello Nobblys Dental Dog Chews! T These tasty vegetarian, grain and gluten-free chews come ˜ˡ ˔ ˙˨ˡ ˔ˡ˗ ˨ˡ˜ˤ˨˘ ˦˛˔ˣ˘ ˪˜˧˛ ˟˜˧˧˟˘ ˡˢ˕˕˟˘˦ ˧ˢ ˛˘˟ˣ Ѓ˚˛˧ tartar build-up and support general dental hygiene. Each chew is made with easy to understand ingredients ˞ˡˢ˪ˡ ˙ˢ˥ ˧˛˘˜˥ ˛˘˔˟˧˛ ˕˘ˡ˘Ѓ˧˦ʡ ˇ˛˘˦˘ ˜ˡ˖˟˨˗˘ ˛˜˚˛ ˣ˥ˢ˧˘˜ˡ peanut butter, Brewer’s Yeast known for its vitamin content and Sweet Potato which is a grain-free, highly digestible carbohydrate. With the current cost of living crisis, these tasty chews are budget-friendly with their affordable price-points for both retailers and customers alike. What’s more, each display case boasts high retailer margins, meaning more money in the till!

Want to place an order? This brand is a Pedigree Wholesale exclusive. Existing customers: you can order on the Pedigree Wholesale website, call Customer Services or talk to your local Business Development Manager. ˇˢ ˢˣ˘ˡ ˔ˡ ˔˖˖ˢ˨ˡ˧ ˔ˡ˗ ˣ˟˔˖˘ ˬˢ˨˥ Ѓ˥˦˧ ˢ˥˗˘˥ʟ ˥˘˔˖˛ ˢ˨˧ ˧ˢ ˁ˘˟ ˃˟˨ˡ˞˘˧˧ʟ ˁ˘˪ ʴ˖˖ˢ˨ˡ˧ ˀ˔ˡ˔˚˘˥ʡ Nobblys is exclusive to Pedigree Wholesale, and available to the specialist pet retailer only.

0115 982 3900 Pedigree Nobbly.indd 2

sales@petproducts.co.uk

petproducts.co.uk 08/11/2023 14:05

PET HEALTH

tasty chew formats, as toppers for food, or given direct. Wellness drinks, bone broths, smoothie type drinks are gaining market share too. Another take on a human health trend, these drinks are providing health benefits and are often popular with pets. Some are even aimed specifically at hydration which is something our pets can struggle with. Our companion animals don’t associate drinking with food as we do. In fact, cats prefer their food and water bowls to be separate. Our pets can struggle to get the optimal amount of fluids on board and that can directly impact many different bodily functions.

A wellness movement

Health and wellness are top priorities for pet brands and consumers alike. Owners want the absolute best for their pets and brands are striving to deliver. They recognise it’s good for pets and profits! New studies and developing science will continue to drive this movement forward. As will education as more pet owners learn about the various benefits that can be gained from the products on the market. It’s an extensive field and retailers can play a key part in helping customers understand how health products work and find the best ones for them and their animal. Health products are a huge opportunity for everyone — healthier pets, happier owners, and engaged customers for manufacturers and retailers.

Key health terms explained Natural — made without added artificial colors, flavours or preservatives. Ingredients in natural food come only from plants, animals, or naturally occurring minerals. They usually undergo minimal processes too. Hypoallergenic — contains no well-known allergens so unlikely to produce an allergic reaction. Prebiotic — a non-digestible food ingredient that promotes the growth of beneficial microorganisms in the intestines. Probiotic — live microorganisms that are intended to have health benefits when consumed or applied to the body. Antioxidants — a substance that inhibits oxidation, which protects cells against free radicals, unstable molecules, which are thought to play a role in causing diseases, including cancer and heart disease. Macronutrients — the nutrients needed in larger quantities that provide energy.

Micronutrients — chemical elements or substances required in trace amounts for the normal growth and development of living organisms. Botanicals — a substance obtained from a plant and used typically in medicinal products. Amino acids — molecules that combine to form proteins. Amino acids and proteins are the building blocks of life. Functional — food that has health benefits beyond just filling you up. Superfood — a nutrient-rich food considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being. Omega-3 fatty acids — these are a group of polyunsaturated fatty acids that are important for a number of functions in the body. Vitamins — organic compounds which are essential for normal growth and nutrition. Collagen — the main structural protein found in skin and other connective tissues.

www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

p23/24/26/28/30_PPM_Dec_Jan.indd 30

07/11/2023 11:09

THE PERFECT FUSION

ANCO FUSIONS ARE BITESIZE, BONE-SHAPED BEEF TREATS WHICH ARE GENTLY INFUSED WITH VENISON, OSTRICH, DUCK OR RABBIT, THEN COLD PRESSED TO RETAIN AS MANY VITAMINS AND MINERALS AS POSSIBLE. GLUTEN AND GRAIN FREE, THEY ARE EASILY DIGESTIBLE AND LOW IN FAT. ALSO AVAILABLE IN MINI AND HEMP VARIETIES.

The UK’s largest range of natural dog treats. #ANCODOGTREATS INFO@ANCO.PET WWW.ANCO.PET

Anco.indd 2

09/11/2023 11:27

PET HEALTH Pheromone diffusers —

he range of products promoting pet health and wellness is vast. Here, we look at some of the types of products you could stock to help your customers…

a brilliant way of helping keep pets calm and relaxed, pheromone diffusers produce artiﬁcial copies of the natural pheromones pets produce to send calming messages. A less stressed pet is a healthier pet!

Pet food — consider what types of foods you are stocking for all species of pets. Look at how the ingredients promise to beneﬁt the animal. Also consider lifestage and specialist diets. ets.

Meal toppers —

Cat grass — cats like to munch grass and cat grass provides a safe alternative that also helps to eliminate hairballs and aids digestion.

Salmon oil — a great source of Omega 3 and Omega 6 acids, salmon oil has a whole host of beneﬁts for the heart, skin, coat, immune system, and mobility.

added to a pet’s food, there are a host of toppers which provide to health he beneﬁts, as well as making the meal itself more tasty.

Types of health and wellness products Dental chews —

Treats —

from the biggest pets to small companions, owners want to care for their pets’ teeth. Dental chews will use active ingredients, durability, and texture to help clean teeth.

research the functional beneﬁts of the treats you stock, for all the different types of pet.

Cod liver oil —

Bone broth —

has naturally high levels of vitamins A & D. Dogs rely much more heavily on their diet as a source of vitamin D than people.

long-established for health beneﬁts for humans, bone broths for animals are nutrient dense with superfoods, sup such as collagen, vitamins, vit and minerals. Dogs and an cats can enjoy on meals, added to water, or even frozen or as a jelly.

Supplements — the range of supplements available is huge and could have a whole section of their own! There are so many different formulations with targeted health beneﬁts. Research the brands and understand the beneﬁts they provide. www.petproductmarketing.co.uk ductmarketing.co.uk

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Want to connect co with th thousands of in independent pet pe retailers?

Contact Stephen Tanner to discuss advertising opportunities in PPM on 01778 392404 or stephen.tanner@warnersgroup.co.uk www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

p32_33_PPM_Dec_Jan.indd 33

09/11/2023 10:04

GRAIN FREE Why Feed Cooper & Co?

Why Order Cooper & Co Now?

We developed Cooper & Co Grain Free Dog Food and Treats to provide a perfectly balanced diet for our dog, Cooper, who lives an active outdoor lifestyle. Cooper loves all of our delicious recipes because they are so tasty. All Cooper & Co recipes are made without grain, wheat, corn, soy, dairy and eggs with limited ingredients helping those with food intolerances, and making allergies easy to spot.

The brand boasts category-leading margins, offers exclusive deals, enticing loyalty schemes and point of sale, all accompanied by the support of a dedicated business development manager at Pedigree Wholesale.

Nothing Artificial There is no need to add flavour when the recipes are so naturally delicious! Each treat is made with no added artificial sugars, salt, sweeteners or preservatives.

New! Cooper & Co Biscuits

Ready to Order? Existing Pedigree Wholesale Customers can order through petproducts.co.uk and customer services. New to Pedigree Wholesale? Reach out to Nel Plunkett, New Account Manager, at nel.plunkett@petproducts.co.uk to open an account and place your ﬁrst order with Pedigree Wholesale.

Introducing the new simple, wholesome biscuit recipes by Cooper & Co, developed to complement the existing range of dry dog food and air-dried sausage treats. A complementary pet food for dogs, the new baked treats come in 6 variants and two different textures, crunchy and semi-moist. Crafted in Devon, the range contains a host of high quality ingredients which help to deliver multiple health beneﬁts for all dogs.

0115 982 3900 Pedigree Cooper.indd 2

sales@petproducts.co.uk

petproducts.co.uk 08/11/2023 14:00

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straight to your inbox ● Latest pet industry news ● Useful resources you can use on social media

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p43_PPM_Sep.indd 1

15/08/2023 09:00

BUSINESS ADVICE

Diverse Directors: Insight into the Benefits of Workplace Diversity TSE 350 businesses are paying more attention to diversity among their senior team candidates than ever before. The percentage of seats filled by ethnically diverse directors has risen to 22%. When it comes to gender balance, it has been found that 54% of new board seats have been taken by women, showing that companies are moving in the right direction. But why is workplace diversity becoming such a priority? One of the most obvious benefits is that organisations can gain precious insight from people with varied backgrounds and experiences. Impact, a world-leading expert in experiential learning, looks at ways in which diversity can enhance a business’s operations and how it can be implemented effectively. Building a diverse workplace means employing people of different

genders, ethnicities, age ranges, sexual orientations, and education levels. With a squad of workers from all walks of life, you can truly promote team development and ensure that your company is as efficient as it can be. Here are some of the advantages of embracing a diverse and inclusive workplace…

Diversity boosts creativity and decision-making In a world where creativity is crucial to stand out from competitors and other businesses, having a diverse workforce by your side can act as an important ace up your sleeve. Dominic Fitch, Head of Creative Change at Impact, said: “People from different backgrounds can offer fresh, innovative perspectives and ideas to help solve day-today challenges. “This is because they see the world in their unique way and may be able to come

up with solutions or suggestions that you might struggle to think of yourself. “Pulling from a wide range of experiences, a diverse team is more likely to make sound, educated decisions. In fact, according to studies, they tend to make smarter choices than non-diverse workforces up to 87% of the time. “Ultimately, with workers from all sorts of backgrounds, you will have a more socially aware team that can pick up tasks in a creative, efficient fashion.”

Diversity promotes open-mindedness Communication and collaboration are some of the most important ingredients in a successful business recipe. In a company full of people from similar experiences, education, and upbringings, there’s little consideration for opposing opinions and outlooks. This is because colleagues may often be on the same wavelength and — through no fault of their

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own — fail to explore more original ways to carry out a task. Instead, being part of a diverse group means sharing different viewpoints, which can encourage people to be more open to alternative solutions and expose them regularly to new ideas. As well as beneﬁtting the organisation’s efficiency and performance, it can also help foster a better company culture in which team members can thrive.

“

Curre Currently, Cur 47% of employers in the UK don’t have an inclusion and d ace. diversity strategy in place.

Diversity enhances a business’s reputation

”

Putting diversity at the top of your agenda can also improve your reputation in the eyes of the general public. This includes anyone from current employees, potential candidates, clients, customers, and even vendors. Why? Because if you have created a visibly diverse workforce, more people will relate and feel a stronger bond to your company, as they can see themselves represented in the business, too. A good reputation can spur a larger clientele, as consumers are more likely to support and deal with organisations that share their same ethos. In short, as well as allowing you to keep your staff happy and productive, workplace diversity can give you a better chance to secure business and maximise your proﬁts.

How to create a diverse workplace As a manager or business owner, it is your responsibility to encourage a diverse workplace culture. But where to start? Currently, 47% of employers in the UK don’t have an inclusion and diversity strategy in place. If you’re one of them or have plans to nurture your workplace diversity even further, here are some tips to take into consideration: ● Diversity recruitment processes – One of the ﬁrst steps you can take as a business is to introduce a recruitment process that allows an unbiased selection of potential candidates. This doesn’t mean that you should focus exclusively on setting up interviews with people from different backgrounds. Instead, evaluate candidates fairly and equally based on their skills and competencies. The reality is that, at times, unconscious bias can step in the way of assessing applicants on their qualities only. A good start to nip the problem in the bud

is to use software that ﬁlters out candidate information, including ethnicity and gender, meaning you can concentrate solely on people’s suitability for the role. ● Conduct diversity and inclusivity training – If you are already investing in training to enhance your team’s knowledge and skills, think about adding programmes to promote the importance of diversity and inclusivity. This will provide your people with the right tools and knowledge to facilitate an inclusive environment. In fact, there may be instances where a non-inclusive workplace is the result of colleagues being oblivious to actions that might upset or affect others.Training sessions can prevent these situations by raising awareness. They can also help managers and seniors understand each team member’s needs, making sure everyone has the opportunity to participate in business activities and enjoy their time at work. ● Refresh any outdated policies – As society continues to evolve and diversity begins to receive more attention, now is the perfect time to review your company policies. If you’ve been open for quite some time, there are bound to be policies that are a tad outdated. So, it is a good idea to look over your current approaches and update any policies that have remained stuck in the past.

● Allow employees to celebrate their culture – Events such as Christmas, Easter, and birthdays are well-loved occasions here in the UK. But in a diverse workforce, there may be other festivities that individuals wish to celebrate based on, for example, their religious beliefs. A great way to promote inclusivity is to put all cultural holidays on the business calendar. This doesn’t mean the whole company needs to throw a party on the day, but it will encourage and make it easier for employees from diverse backgrounds to celebrate their culture.

This feature comes from Impact, a leading experiential learning company, working to support global brands to prosper, by delivering customised people solution.

Dominic Fitch, is Head of Creative Change at Impact.

www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

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09/11/2023 11:23

BUSINESS ADVICE

ith the current outlook on climate change, it is more important than ever for companies to work towards more sustainable measures. However, marketing this can be a difficult one. The worry of greenwashing is real, with some companies such as Coca-Cola and IKEA facing lawsuits due to their own sustainability messaging. Here, card supplier UK Greetings helps us explore how businesses can avoid greenwashing claims while still contributing to a better society and environment.

The worry of greenwashing: How easy is it to avoid? Keep communication clear

One way to ensure your company is accurately advertising its efforts towards environmentally friendly practices is through clear and consistent communications. It has been found that 77% of UK customers don’t understand what companies are claiming when they talk about sustainability. This can lead to confusion, such as making customers believe you are fully sustainable when really you might have only changed processes recently to reduce your carbon footprint in one area of the business. Making sure you are sending clear messaging, which isn’t contradictory, is a certain way to ensure your business is advertising itself fairly.

manufacturers, or delivery services to ensure your business is making changes towards being more sustainable wherever possible. A small business focusing on clothing might try to attain manufacturers close to their warehouse and target demographic to reduce the travel mileage, while choosing sustainable logistic solutions. Making sure who you are partnered with shares the same morals and values as you is important. Not only does your messaging apply to your own company, but customers and the media will look to who you actively work with to represent these matters too. You cannot present as a sustainable company if your services have a detrimental impact on the environment or utilise practices which are harmful or unethical, for example.

Avoid overpromising Another problem that businesses could face is overpromising to their customers. While you might be tempted to claim that your productions will reduce carbon emissions by a certain percentage, for example, if this doesn’t happen then it can cause problems and even claims against your company. Instead, make sure you are advertising your past efforts which have suitable data to back them up. Talking about how you have helped the environment — rather than how you hope to — can mean that if plans fall through, your company isn’t liable.

Partnerships One way to ensure you are meeting some of your sustainability values is by partnering with other companies doing the same. If you are a local shop you might partner with reliable card suppliers, artists,

Have statistics ready Supporting the environment is not only about making claims that your company is making efforts towards being sustainable, but it is about being able to actionably quantify this. Your business should be able to provide data proving the claims it makes. Being unable to do so not only damages the trust your clients and customers have in your business, but it can also lead to legal action. In fact, 26% of all greenwashing lawsuits come from companies not being able to back their claims up with data. If your company claims to be reducing plastic use through changes to packaging, you need to be able to specify how much you are reducing the plastic usage, if the replacement is environmentally friendly, and if this happening across all products, for example.

Being able to demonstrate your claims not only veriﬁes your environmental efforts but it also validates your company as one which does as it says.

Environmental staff If in doubt, your business could hire a professional to assist in your social responsibility management. Hiring a Corporate Sustainability Officer could mean that your business has a representative considering the environmental implications of your business procedures. If in any doubt about your company’s sustainable marketing, then you should check in with a legal team. They can ensure your business isn’t making claims that are false or unsustainable. If your company is set on making a difference to the environment, then making sure you are doing so legally is important. It is important that your reputation remains intact. Being close to a community, and even helping environmental efforts, could be a big thing for your business, but marketing your efforts towards your impact on climate change must be done carefully. Whether you are wanting to reduce your likelihood of legal action or damages reputation, avoiding greenwashing is key — from working alongside companies with similar environmental values to soundchecking your messaging.

This piece comes from UK Greetings, one of the largest direct to retail publishers of greeting cards and social expression products in the UK. Visit www.ukgreetings. co.uk/about-us/ to ﬁnd out more.

www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

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14/11/2023 11:32

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08/11/2023 14:22

MARKETING AND BRANDING

ith an increasing number of dog attacks hitting the headlines and a ban on XL Bullies coming into effect on the 1st February 2024, the spotlight has been cast on responsible pet parenting across breeds. We hear from George Watson, Brand Manager for Baskerville dog muzzles, which provides owners with additional reassurance in a variety of situations. From vet visits and travelling on public transport, to carrying out the daily dog walk, George dispels the myths around muzzles and discusses how the brand is responding to the trends and demands of the market…

Moving with the market Leading marketing agency Nobull look at how to respond to trends in the market by talking to a brand who are doing exactly that. What are the main reasons that owners choose to use a muzzle for their dog?

“Baskerville muzzles are purchased by various types of dog owner, meeting different needs and requirements. 66% of muzzle usage is for dogs in stressful situations, for example at the vets’ and groomers’, or if owners are introducing their dog to new people and are cautious around how their pet may react. This is closely followed by dogs that bite or have bitten (45%). Other uses include travelling on public transport and to restrict dogs who like to scavenge for food or wildlife (22%).”

What do you think is the general perception around dog muzzles, and do you think this is changing because of the XL Bully debate? “There is no doubt that we’re receiving more information requests online and through customer services regarding what sizes will ﬁt an XL Bully, as well as an increased number of requests for training information on how to introduce dogs to being muzzled. “Sadly, there has always been a negative stigma around dogs wearing muzzles and the banning of XL Bullies may well add to this. Some people assume that all muzzled dogs are ‘bad dogs’, when experience in the sector tells us that this is simply not the case.”

Are you looking to modify/add to your range as a result of demand? “We are constantly improving our muzzle’s comfort and strength. The challenge with

XL Bullies is that they are a crossbreed and come in so many different shapes and sizes. We have looked into all our ranges to see which sizes best fit XL Bullies, so that we’re in the best place to support owners. We’re confident that our ULTRA sizes 5 and 6, as well as our Wide Fit sizes 12 and 13, will fit most of them but are also looking at larger size options.”

How educated do you think the consumer is around muzzle wearing? “Despite the continuing stigma surrounding muzzles, we have been seeing a gradual increase in acceptance and education surrounding usage, which is positive. “75% of muzzle users have a good understanding of muzzle uses and the ways they can help with different behaviours. While misconceptions that muzzles are just for aggressive dogs is still a barrier, more consumers are seeking more information and help. In the US, for example, muzzles have an average monthly search of 37,000 and this is growing.”

How important is muzzle training and how are you supporting customers with this? “Muzzle training is extremely important, and while we’d suggest people muzzle train their dog early on in their lives, it is never too late to do it. Muzzles can be a fantastic tool for training or retraining dogs, allowing them and their owners to live a joyful life. We believe that all dogs should be muzzle trained, in case one day, in an unexpected

situation, you need to muzzle your pet. “We’d also like to change the preconception that all muzzled dogs are bad dogs, when in so many cases, muzzling your dog simply demonstrates responsible ownership. It comes down to education. We have training videos on our website, YouTube, and social media, which demonstrate ways to muzzle train, as well as how to ﬁt a muzzle. You’ll also ﬁnd educational and informative material around muzzle training and usage on our social media channels @Baskervilleofficial”

About Baskerville Backed by 30+ years of experience and a profound passion for dogs, Baskerville provides industry-leading muzzles for proactive pet parents. Each muzzle is meticulously designed with the well-being and safety of your canine companion as the top priority. Our extensive range of muzzles serves a variety of purposes, from supporting the training of dogs with reactive, challenging, or anxious behaviours to providing a comfortable solution for everyday activities, such as vet or groomer visits. www.companyofanimals.com/uk/brand/ baskerville-muzzle/

www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

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14/11/2023 11:34

No Bull.indd 2

08/11/2023 13:09

REPTILE CARE

How far can we go as a hobby? John looks forward to what the future holds for keepers and businesses. ife has a knack of hitting one fair and square in the face with sobering thoughts, from time to time, or as regular as clockwork, depending on your outlook on life. This is true for all of us and in every walk of life. For those of us privileged enough to work within our hobbies and therefore dreams, we are not immune! We have had concerted efforts brought against the pet keeping hobby for decades and as tech increases and messages travel further these ‘anti’ type proliferations of usually quite untrue propaganda travel further and have more of an impact. It is also true to say that as an industry, we are becoming ever more clever and ‘joined up’ in our own approach of showing the world not just our fantastic hobby and businesses, but also how far we have come in our global joint journeys towards effective ethical care.

Leading the way I have said it before and I passionately believe that the UK leads the world not only within its ‘common’ reptile keeping practices, but also within our willingness to disseminate information and share successes. Indeed, from my own perch within the brand management side of the hobby, I see posts and reels, videos and podcasts all from UK keepers, traders, and experts demonstrating how advanced we have become, not only in our care, but in our attitude to doing things as well as we can. Now that is something to be proud of! Certainly, when I speak to chain stores and well-known keepers ‘over the pond’ or ‘down under’, they always say how much they respect the UK keepers and brands and that they wish general keeping was the same for them. However, we do not have it 100% right just yet and neither should any of us ever

think that we have. I was asked recently why I like biology and my considered reply was: “that biology is an evermoving subject, always having something new to discover and that by the time we have discovered something, life has moved on and that we need to increase our understanding yet again.” Unlike the other sciences, which are based on demonstrable laws and theories, biology, to me at least, refuses to be put in a box as evolution is a constant, and I really like that. The same should be said for our care. What are we missing? What do we dream of? And how far can we take our hobby before we start to see the glittering shores of an ethically enriched and unarguable keeping nirvana. The simple answer is, well, we are still missing lots. We do what we can now and we do it as well as we can, but we must be target ﬁxed and locked-on towards reasonable and proven positive change in all

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aspects of our hobby and trade, and this is very much a positive mindset.

The right suppliers This change must include the responsible propagation of reasonably kept species, a decrease in reliance on wild harvested stocks (especially within inverts, we import very few reptiles now as a nation), the acceptance and wholesale use of new tech, and a willingness to incorporate new emerging theory into everyday care. Can you believe that it is not even that long ago where most shops and breeders would sell crepuscular species, such as the leopard gecko in reduced sized caging, underﬂoor heating, and no UV. Now of course, almost all of us are as passionate about providing well for these species as possible and most sellers (I would suggest all physical stores) would never think of selling a leopard gecko without suitable UV and good stat controlled heating. This is demonstrable positive change that increases animal welfare and takes fuel from the ‘anti’ side of the world. We still have much to learn about biological function and the only way that we can learn how ‘animals work,’ and therefore supply more correctly for any species, is to understand the species and its habitat in the wild and accept that the animal has changed and adapted over vast time to use those suppliers that exist around it to thrive over millennia. These suppliers, within the usual natural balance, become the base need of any given species and all we must then do is

replicate these suppliers (where possible) in a safe, proven, effective, and measurable way. If we can do this, animal welfare increases, life spans go up, avoidable disease reduces, and breeding results increase. For me the whole thing can be summed up within the following equation: naturalism in all aspects of care towards the wild abilities of any given species + the use of pertinent tech to create wild-like access to the essential energy found in light + the availability of good quality and varied diets + hydration that is catered for in the wild-like collection methods per species + physical enrichment (paying attention to decoration so that it allows an animal space to move and to move in a wild-like fashion) + the removal of avoidable stressors = an increase in the bioavailability of our provision; we can then move forwards simply by taking natures lead. We must also look at the species that we offer, remove those that could create negative news in the future from being easily available now to only being available to those whom have proven to each seller that they have the time, space, money, and skills to care for it for life. We can then start to explore more species that can indeed live full and risk-free lives in our homes and create enclosures/exhibits that will look beautiful to all. Captive breeding is becoming ever more simple and in numbers, so placing some focus on the right species now, can ensure that they are available long-term and at a reasonable price

well into the future. I have also been delighted to see the direction of travel of the recently reinvigorated trade association REPTA and of course how ‘responsible reptile keeping’ as a keeper’s organisation can use good media to positively impact our hobby and stop the cancerous spread of lies and disinformation. I still expect much to change for us, but if we as a trade body are united together and ﬁghting for a common goal within reasonable and ethical care, there is no reason why we should not carry on growing and many more generations of keepers cannot be given access to our fantastic hobby. We may make some sideways moves! We may start to look at other species groups and we may even have some legislation placed upon us in time, but this is all part of life’s rich journey. To conclude, a sobering thought or two now, can lead to positive change and it is positive change that will protect us all.

John Courteney-Smith MRSB FLS Arcadia Reptile; Head of Science and Innovation/Author/Herpetologist

Captive breeding is becoming ever more simple and in numbers

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07/11/2023 10:52

SMALL COMPANIONS

round half of pet rabbits in the UK now call indoor spaces their home, up from 39 percent in 2020. This transition has allowed many owners to foster even closer bonds with their four-legged family members. However, 53 percent of owners still lack essential knowledge about their rabbits’ basic needs. As a retailer, being able to provide tailored advice, considering owners’ preconceptions and prior knowledge, is crucial. So, what exactly do house rabbits require — and how does it differ from the requirements of their outdoor counterparts?

Caring for house rabbits: a guide to optimal well-being Choosing a partner

Rabbits are a social species, whether they reside indoors or outdoors. Despite the strong bonds formed between house rabbits and their human companions, it is vital to understand that rabbits require the companionship of their own species to thrive. A neutered male and female pair of a similar age are most likely to get along, but owners who of rabbits lack struggle with pairing an appropriate their rabbit may need companion. to seek professional advice from their vet, or a qualiﬁed animal behaviourist. No matter how well they seem to co-exist, a companion of another species is not suitable. It is also worth bearing in mind that house rabbits are more likely to come into close proximity with cats and dogs than those living outdoors; rabbits are a prey species and while they may hide their fear, they are likely to ﬁnd such interactions highly stressful.

48%

they are carefully prepared to reduce dust and decrease debris and waste, not only benefitting rabbits, but also reducing mess indoors. Alongside hay, owners should feed a handful of leafy greens and a carefully measured of rabbits portion of rabbit are fed an nuggets every morning inappropriate diet. and evening. Given that house rabbits receive less natural sunlight exposure than their outdoor counterparts, their diet should be supplemented with essential vitamin D. House rabbits may also be more at risk of obesity, as living indoors reduces the need to expend calories to keep warm and activity levels may also be lower. Supreme’s Science Selective House Rabbit diet is tailored for an indoor lifestyle. Made from Timothy hay, grass, and thyme to reflect natural grazing, the vitamin D-fortified nuggets prevent selective feeding. In addition, they have no added sugar, reducing the risk of obesity and helping to keep house rabbits in perfect shape.

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Optimal housing for indoor life Just like those that live outdoors, indoor rabbits are frequently kept in accommodation that is too small; in fact, of the 22 percent of rabbits kept in inadequate housing in 2023, nearly half are indoor pets. Whether in an enclosure, or with free The RWAF access to a room or advises indoor enclosures should rooms, the area have a minimum should undergo ﬂoorspace of 2 x 3 thorough ‘rabbitmetres and a height prooﬁng.’ The of 1 metre for a living area should pair of rabbits be well thought-out, with space to move around, stretch, and exhibit natural behaviours. Providing sufficient space for exercise and play not only enhances well-being, but also helps reduce the risk of obesity. The enclosure will need to be appropriately ventilated, dry, draft-free, and protected from temperature extremes like radiators or direct sunlight. Rabbits are usually fairly easy to litter train, and regular cleaning with a pet-safe product

The right diet High ﬁbre nutrition is key to rabbit health. This is especially true for house rabbits that often lack regular access to outdoor grazing. All rabbits need unlimited hay, aiming for a body-sized amount on a daily basis. Supreme’s Russel Rabbit Tasty Hay and Science Selective Timothy Hay have long, large blades to increase chewing time and support dental health. In addition,

Obesity fast facts ● 32% of rabbits are estimated to be overweight or obese ● House rabbits may be more at risk Consequences of obesity: ● Arthritis ● Heart and liver disease ● Fly strike ● Urine scald and skin infections ● Risk reduction: feed unlimited hay and a carefully measured portion of nuggets

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like Supreme’s Keep it Clean spray helps to reduce odours and bacteria. Creating hideaways, and providing rabbit-safe bedding and suitable enrichment helps to prevent boredom and destructive behaviours. Inappropriate bedding can cause respiratory, gastrointestinal, and skin issues. Supreme’s Tiny Friends Eco Bedding is a sustainable option that is ethically sourced and manufactured in Great Britain. It is soft, absorbent, and virtually dust-free, in addition to being fully compostable with recyclable packaging.

Tips for rabbit prooﬁng ● Protect wires and cables ● Check houseplants are non-toxic ● Remove items that may get chewed or eaten ● Provide a litter tray ● Secure the living quarters from other pets ● Supervise interactions between rabbits and children

The importance of enrichment While outdoor rabbits may have access to areas where they can express natural behaviours like grazing and digging, indoor rabbits often lack these opportunities for enrichment. Ideally, indoor rabbits should have safe, supervised time outdoors each day, not only helping them to express natural behaviours but also boosting their vitamin D levels. If this is not possible, owners can consider: ● A ‘dig box’ of soil or pet-safe sand, with toys or treats to discover ● Scatter feeding among hay to encourage foraging behaviour and boost hay consumption ● Providing a range of chew toys; rotating chews, toys, and treats can prevent rabbits tiring of them.

Training is another way to provide enrichment and also helps owners to bond with their rabbits. Brief sessions of clicker training, with tasty, nutritious treats as a reward can help to keep rabbits mentally stimulated. Supreme’s Selective Naturals Woodland Loops with dandelion and rosehip, or Selective Naturals Garden Sticks with pea and mint, are naturally tasty, sugar free options that are perfect for a healthy treat.

Prevention is better than cure In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the importance of preventative veterinary care. However, there is still room for improvement, and as a retailer, you have a unique opportunity to advise those owners whose rabbits are not yet receiving regular health checks. Nearly half of rabbits are not up to date with their vaccines. Myxomatosis and rabbit viral haemorrhagic diarrhoea are serious infections that can be fatal but are largely preventable by vaccination. Owners of

Rabbit prooﬁng is important!

indoor rabbits are often unaware that these diseases can be spread by insects, or on clothes or shoes, and their house rabbit is still at risk. Neutering is another common preventative treatment that can be overlooked by owners. Spaying (females) or castration (males) is just as important in indoor pets. In addition to making bonding easier, preventing unplanned pregnancy, and reducing unwanted behaviours, spaying female rabbits signiﬁcantly reduces their risk of cancer. Regular check-ups also The help to pick up on prevalence of dietary problems, reproductive obesity, arthritis, cancers in intact and dental disease female rabbits among other over the age of issues, so it is four is reported worth touching to be as high as on this topic in your 60-80% conversations with owners. Want to cater to house rabbits in your store? Consider a house-rabbit themed display with a range of appropriate products and tips on house-rabbit husbandry. Supreme is committed to supporting retailers, offering a comprehensive range of POS materials including care guides, loyalty cards, free food samples, and money off next purchase coupons. Supreme’s marketing materials are ideal to create eye-catching in-store displays, helping you to engage with your rabbit-owning customers.

Claire Hamblion Marketing Director at Supreme Pet Foods. www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

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DOG ADVICE

10 ways to get your dog to listen to you

Trainer and behaviourist Jackie Drakeford has some useful tips on how to ensure your pet is paying attention. “

alk to the paw coz the dog ain’t listening” — how many times do you see other dogs (and sometimes your own) ‘saying’ this when out on a walk? Here are 10 ways in which you can improve your communication.

What does your dog want to do in any given situation? While you need to make sure he doesn’t eat or roll in anything noxious, or get into a scrap, you shouldn’t stress the petty stuff. If a delectable scent requires just one more deep sniff, or him

adding his own weemail, there’s no harm in it. However, if you want to avoid spending the larger part of the walk waiting beside rabbit holes, then you can match the preferred response of moving away with a reward for your dog. This should then

Avoid wittering on. There’s a difference between chatting to your dog (which all of us do quite harmlessly and which most dogs enjoy) and producing a constant barrage of irrelevant noise. While you can’t communicate using ears, noses, coat, and tails, you can share body language. Dogs feel much more conﬁdent about this than they do about human chatter, where the same sounds can mean several different things or sometimes nothing at all that requires a response. A change of tone when giving a command is much more likely to get your dog’s attention than using the same voice all the time. Making eye contact before directing the dog to whatever you want him to do is also a good way of letting him know that something important is about to be said.

A change of tone when giving a command may be more successful at getting your dog’s attention. www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

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Top Tips!

For some dogs, toys are the best reward.

Ssssh! Unless your dog is quite a way away or else hard of hearing, there is no need to yell. A normal speaking voice is quite sufﬁcient over a surprising distance. Avoid commands that sound similar. It doesn’t matter what words are used for the responses you want, but make sure each one is quite different and that none of them sound like your dog’s name. You also need to be absolutely consistent with the words you use. “Stay” and “Don’t move” may mean the same thing to us, but they are totally different as far as the dog is concerned. be followed immediately by ‘changing the subject’ to something more attractive, such as engaging in a few running steps or giving him a toy. Dogs soon learn that a command such as “Enough” doesn’t have to mean the end of nice things, but instead leads to a different kind of fun.

Listening is a two-way communication. If you ‘listen’ to what your dog is saying, he will listen attentively to you as well. In some breeds, ears can be very mobile: even drop-eared dogs can twitch the tops of their ears together or separately and slant their eyes to indicate what has grabbed their attention. If you get to know what they are pointing their ears at, it can be very informative. Tails too are great semaphore. A wagging tail, just like a human smile, does not always mean the dog is happy. If your dog has whiskers that can be seen (not possible with all coats) then you can learn a lot from their position too. Whiskers moving forward indicate a highly disturbed dog who is about to react, so as long as you are observant, you should just about get time to move both of you away from any potential confrontation. The more you listen to your dog, the more he will listen to you. Proactively managing a situation where he shows you that he feels uncertain or threatened by noise, approaching dogs, or a ‘dangerous’ wheelie bin, encourages him to communicate with you every time this happens.

— why would anyone want to? But you can see it all the time, and some people even try to do this to other people’s dogs.

Dogs have such sensitive hearing that what are normal ambient noise levels to us can be stressful and confusing to them. If you add to these by making more noise, such as shouting, it can make your dog block you out rather than do what you want. However, it is easy to train your dog to respond to hand signals and posture changes. Start by pairing the signal to the word, then phase out the word, and the dog will happily obey the gesture. This works so well that, several dogs ago, I trained all mine

Make it clear to the dog that you are communicating, with crisp, clear intonation. You know that downbeat, sing-song voice some people use when they know their dog is going to take zero notice? Don’t make it your style! Variety is the spice of training! Dogs are much more attentive if you vary the rewards on offer so your dog is never quite sure what will happen. But make sure that the rewards are something your dog really likes and that he ﬁnds them motivating.

Making eye contact with your dog can help improve communication.

Never, ever lie to your dog. You may have come across people who use an excited voice to gee a dog up, then laugh because there was nothing there and they have fooled their dog. Trust is quickly lost if you play one-upmanship like this, and really www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

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DOG ADVICE this way, and didn’t even realise I’d done so until somebody else mentioned it! Make sure your dog is facing you and can see you clearly when you do this though, because they are lower down than we are, and their angle of sight is different.

Always make obeying you worth your dog’s while. Find out what rewards him — it isn’t always food. For some dogs, carrying a toy, being sent on a retrieve, playing a short game, or something as simple as running a few paces together, is more bonding than treats. For others, nothing is as much of an incentive as food! Whatever you use, it is important to vary rewards, which adds a considerable element of interest to any exercise you do together. And do make sure they are rewards. A gruff “Good dog” or a pat doesn’t motivate many dogs.

Given freedom of choice, what would your dog like to do in a given situation? Is it safe and legal to allow this? Cutting him some slack in circumstances where what he wants to do isn’t going to cause any bother for either of you will make him much more willing to toe the line when you do have to insist on a particular course of action. If, however, you are constantly acting like the fun police, you discourage the habit of co-operation, which then fails you when you really need it.

Concentrate! That doesn’t mean ignoring the lovely aspects of dog walking — birdsong, wild ﬂowers, the changes of the seasons — but it does mean saving your human concerns for when you are home. If you are actively engaging with your dog, there should be no temptation to check your phone, answer calls, send texts, and so on. It’s much more important and interesting to be ‘in the moment’ with your dog, reading the path ahead, looking out for other dogs and owners, wasps that might have a nest close by, wildlife that he might be tempted to chase, or livestock he might make anxious — and because you are paying attention, a lot of incipient hazards may never come to fruition. Your dog watches you all the time, as well as taking in information about his surroundings. You can prevent him from making decisions you don’t want if you pay attention to him, and you will be rewarded by him engaging more positively with you.

Do you chant a mantra while walking? I often pass people who are hoping their dog won’t do anything inappropriate, and are going along muttering something like “Good dog, good dog, good dog” with every breath. This is comforting to the person, but a great way of making a dog tune out. So far as dogs are concerned, it becomes background noise that has long ago lost its meaning. As a result, the dog not only blanks out the phrase itself — which has the potential to be a real motivator if used in the right way — but disregards anything else the owner says.

PUZZLE ANSWERS CROSSWORD Across: 3 Kia, 4 Flowers, 6 Zoe Ball, 8 Croatia, 10 Rome, 11 The Wheel, 13 Harper Lee, 14 Suits, 15 Green Down: 1 Murder, 2 Lima, 5 Neville, 7 Tom Hanks, 9 Third, 12 Wren, 14 Southgate

SUDOKU

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

There’s no need to micro-manage your dog, and being with him, indoors or out, should be a time of reward for both of you. Once your training is sound, it can be a time of relaxation as well.

“

Listening is a two-way communication. If you ‘listen’ to what your dog is saying, he will listen attentively to you as well.

” www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

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CAT ADVICE KITTENS

KITTEN WITH THE ZOOMIES!

Q A

I have bought a kitten who gets the zoomies and go whizzing about frantically! How can I get him to calm down? There are rational explanations for your kitten’s seemingly crazy moments. Chances are, your kitten has a build-up of energy and needs to release it. Some cats spend a lot of time indoors and therefore have a restricted ability to express their natural feline behaviours. They might not be getting enough opportunity to run and chase prey, something cats are hardwired to do. These rather amusing demonstrations are often a very clever strategy that cats employ to release pent-up energy and to help keep them in shape.

Due to the fact that your kitten is regularly having these crazy moments, it might well be that he is not getting enough environmental enrichment and stimulation in their day. Enrichment protocols will help him to dispel this pent-up energy, thus leading to a more peaceful evening for you! I would suggest that you try introducing several interactive play sessions with ﬁshing

Cat care 50

rod toys that resemble prey that will encourage him to chase and jump, which should utilise this excess energy. Also, provide puzzle feeders containing his favourite treats to help him to expend some of his mental energy. The addition of some extra three-dimensional height would also prove most useful and will provide him with an acceptable platform to launch himself on to!

Tips and advice from some of the top names in the cat world.

DIET

Q A

Cats are obligate carnivores. This means they evolved to eat meat by necessity. You only have to look inside a cat’s mouth to see the evidence that our furry friends are designed to hunt and catch their own prey. Their teeth are perfect for ripping and biting; they don’t have ﬂat molars for chewing, like humans. Their sharp teeth are there to cope with ﬂesh and bones. Given the chance, a cat will hunt and eat small mammals, amphibians, birds, and reptiles, even insects. In fact, all of our pet cat’s biology shows their evolutionary history as a predator. Their retractable claws used to grasp prey, highly

tuned sense of smell and hearing to seek out small animals, and excellent night vision adapted for detecting movement. While they might chew on grass, they do not gain sustenance from it — chewing grass helps remove irritating hair from their throats. Meat is essential for cats because it contains the nutrients they need to stay healthy. The main ones are taurine, fatty acids, and vitamins A and B12 — cats do not produce some of these essential nutrients themselves so must get it from their diet. While omnivores can absorb nutrients in both meat and vegetables, cat biology means most vegetables remain undigested. Better quality diets tend to have a higher meat content, fulﬁlling a cat’s requirement for a diet high in protein.

The consequences of a meat-free diet for cats can be serious. In 2013, a kitten in Australia was rushed for emergency care. It was extremely weak and collapsed. Vet Leanne Pinfold discovered the owners fed their kitten only potatoes, rice, and pasta. After Leanne told them to feed their kitten meat, it recovered quickly. There have been few studies into plant-based cat food. One review by the University of Winchester concluded that vegan food could work for cats with no underlying

health issues. However, it also found that even healthy animals had more alkaline urine while on this diet, due to the natural alkalinity of plants. High alkaline urine is a serious issue, particularly in neutered male cats. Left untreated, it causes pain, swelling, obstructions, and even death. The RSPCA gives clear advice for owners: “Cats are strict carnivores as they depend on some very speciﬁc and vital nutrients that are found in meat so can become seriously ill if they are fed a vegetarian or vegan diet.”

Why do cats need meat in their diet?

Q A

What will happen if I don’t feed my cat meat?

If your cat has access to the outdoors, they may source their own food by hunting or visiting neighbours. Those indoor cats with no access to the outside may refuse to eat a vegetarian meal and go hungry. As cats are small animals, they cannot go as long as we can without food, and may suffer liver problems as a result.

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KEEP CHRISTMAS

STRESS FREE W

hile for humans Christmas is a time of joy and celebration, from a cat’s perspective, it can be a chaotic time of noise and routine disruption, disruptio with often no place to escape the bedlam. Cats are creatures of habit, thrive on C structure and routine, and are extremely sensitive to change. change

HERE ARE A TOP TIPS TO MAKE IT AS STRESS FREE AS POSSIBLE FOR YOUR KITTY: ● Conside Consider how your cat’s routine and environment change over the festive period and institute the could chan necessary changes well in advance so your cat can get this change of routine. used to th ● Unless your cat is the resident party animal, you will need to create a safe haven that he can retreat to whenever he feels anxious. A room in a quieter part of the house should be reserved for this purpose. Place familiar items in the room, such as his bed, food, water, litter tray, scratching post, and toys. Plug in a pheromone diffuser to aid relaxation and increase his sense of security. ● Maintain your cat’s normal feeding schedule and stay consistent with food types and amounts. ● It’s easy to overlook your cat’s needs when you’re busy shopping, cooking, and entertaining. Set aside some quality time every day to give your cat some extra TLC and a stimulating play session. ● A house filled with unfamiliar people can be very stressful to your cat. Move him into his safe haven prior to the arrival of your guests. Close the door and put a sign outside politely requesting that guests keep the door closed during their visit. ● Many of our favourite festive foods can be toxic to cats, including chocolate, onions, nuts, and raisins, so keep them out of reach and indulge your pet with feline treats of their own. This includes where you store them — leaving a box of chocolates out will be tempting to your kitty! ● Be mindful of the winter weather — keep your kitty warm and if we are lucky enough to have a white Christmas, be sure to check his paws for clumps of frost or snow accumulating in them. If you’re using antifreeze, be sure to keep this completely locked away from your cat. While its smell is really appealing to our feline friends, even just a little bit ingested can kill your cat.

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CAT ADVICE

HE’S OBSESSED BY THE CHRISTMAS TREE! ow many of you have stepped back to admire all your hard work after putting up your Christmas tree, only to ﬁnd your cat takes an instant interest in it? Some cats treat the Christmas tree as a delightful new climbing frame and it won’t be long before they bring it tumbling down, making a whole lot of mess. The one sure ﬁre way of keeping your kitty at paw’s length from your tree is to locate it in a room that your cat will not have access to. Some people choose to close off the room that contains the Christmas tree to ensure that no harm comes to the tree, but, more importantly, no harm comes to kitty. On the other hand, many people want their cats to be part of their family Christmas and this means allowing them into the same room as the tree. However, it can be very difficult to keep a cat away from the tree, especially those determined, avid climbers!

THE BEST WAY TO TACKLE THIS TRICKY SITUATION IS TO MAKE THE TREE LESS APPEALING TO KITTY: ● Use a heavy-duty tree stand that will keep the tree upright, even if your cat attempts to scale it! ● Locating the tree in a corner is a safer choice, but make sure that it’s not too close to any furniture that your cat might decide to use as a launch pad to dive on to the tree. ● Before decorating the tree, spray a bitter anti-chew product on the branches (buy a product designed for cats) — this should deter your cat from nibbling. ● When placing lights on the tree, wrap them tightly around the branches to limit dangling wires, as these could entice your cat.

● Avoid twinkling tree lights because these might tempt your cat to play with them — opt for steady lights instead. ● Choose non-breakable ornaments just in case your kitty decides to swat a bauble — there will be less risk of injury. ●Do not use edible decorations — the aromas will attract your cat to the tree. ● Decorate the tree with items that may be perceived as less interesting to your cat, such as paper ornaments, wooden tree decorations, and so on. Avoid tinsel at all costs. ● Ensure your cat’s own environment is appealing. Rotate his toys to ensure the things he is meant to be playing with are new and exciting too. You could try regular play sessions or creating some hunting games with his daily food ration. If he’s excited about cat-friendly things, he might just leave your tree untouched!

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Q A

Is a real or artiﬁcial Christmas tree better for my cat?

As much as we all love to have a real tree around at Christmas, they come with potential problems. Certain species of Christmas trees, especially pines, are toxic to cats. The toxicity is relatively mild, but the exposure can cause nausea, vomiting, and skin irritation. It is very important to prevent the cat from licking sap, drinking tree water (from the container that we place to supply the water to the tree), or ingesting pine needles. Cats are also sensitive to pine oil (worth keeping in mind if you like using any essential oils in your house!). As well as being less risky, using an artificial tree would be less appealing to a cat, especially if you opt for a non-shiny one. However, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be care with artificial trees too, as they come with their own potential hazards which have to be considered.Cats will still try to climb the tree and play with the decorations. Electric cables can be chewed and your cat can become entangled in them. Many cats are fine with trees, but it is worth considering the risks and supervising when he is near to the festive feature.

Q A

What happens if my cat eats tinsel?

The answer very much depends on the amount of the tinsel ingested as well as the length of the ingested strands. If a cat eats a tiny amount of tinsel, it is very likely that this piece will pass safely. However, we must remember that tinsel will not be digested and if it wraps itself into a ball, it may create an obstruction within the intestines. If the bowel becomes obstructed by tinsel, most commonly it has to be corrected through surgery by removing the blockage

from the intestines. If the tinsel becomes lodged in the stomach, occasionally vets are able to remove it without surgery using an endoscope, but not every veterinary clinic has suitable equipment. Long pieces of tinsel can become partially lodged under the tongue or in the stomach. Unfortunately, only one end is lodged and the rest of the tinsel can be stretched and moved inside the intestines creating a cheese-wire like damage. When

multiple areas of the intestines are damaged, the surgery becomes much more difficult and, in some cases, the patient can die due to complications. If your cat ingests tinsel, depending on circumstances, your vet may elect to try to make him sick to retrieve the tinsel, monitor it (as many pieces can pass on their own), or suggest surgery if there are any signs that indicate an internal problem.

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PUZZLES

PPM Puzzles!

3 4

Take 10 minutes out your day to have a fun, mental workout! We’ve got a series of puzzles to get those little grey cells working!

5 6

8 9

CROSSWORD Across

3 The Rio is a model of which brand of car? (3) 4 Which Miley Cyrus song has been the biggest hit of 2023 so far? (7) 6 Which female presenter does the BBC Radio 2 morning show? (3,4) 8 The Best in Show at Crufts 2023 was from which country? (7) 10 Where would you be if you were standing on the Spanish Steps? (4) 14 11 Michael McIntyre hosts which TV game show which feature celebrities helping contestants to win money? (3,5) 13 Who wrote iconic book ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’?(6,3) 14 Meghan Markle played Rachel Zane is which popular TV show? (5) 15 What colour goes with red and white to make the Italian ﬂag? (5)

SUDOKU

Down 1 What is the collective noun for a group of crows?(6) 2 What is the capital 15 city of Peru? (4) 5 Which Gary has joined Dragons’ Den? (7) 7 Who played the lead role in the ﬁlm ‘Castaway’? (3,5) 9 King Charles is what number of his name? (5) 12 What is the most common type of wild bird in the UK? (4) 14 Gareth _____ the manager of the England football team? (9)

See page 48 for solutions.

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

Can you spot the ﬁve differences between these two pics?

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07/11/2023 10:59

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