Launched at Crufts this year, Precious Pets has already achieved great things with its range of  luxury shampoos made entirely in the UK, receiving masses of testimonials from dog owners...and even a letter of approval from the Queen.

"Our shampoos have already produced several championship winners of different breed types, aided many dogs with skin problems and is already stocked by several premium retailers, a list that is quickly growing," said founder Charlotte Nash.

Precious Pets was established by Charlotte in 2012 when she realised there wasn’t a pet brand that truly appealed to her values of combining ‘luxury, quality, exclusivity and sustainability’.

She wanted a brand that offered quality and luxury, but was also wholesome, healthy and kind to the environment – in other words, a brand that had the beauty and glamour of top salons, but also contained the natural goodness of rustic green labels. 

As an avid animal lover and vegetarian, who cared deeply for the environment, but also enjoyed the finer things in life, Charlotte looked to create a brand that delivered all these elements.

"Just because you care for animal rights and the environment, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t expect luxury and quality," she said.
 
While growing up Charlotte had not been allowed a dog because her mother felt it would make the house smell. But her love of animals didn't disappear and it made her determined to find a solution to "smelly" dogs.

The idea for the Precious Pets Luxury Dog Shampoo range was born. She enrolled at the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy to learn how to turn Precious Pets into a reality. During this time she registered her company and created the logo to represent it. She graduated that year with distinction and had a business plan to go with it (Charlotte is pictured above with Peter Jones).

Her brother Gregory, who had first encouraged her to set up Precious Pets, joined the company as joint CEO. A fellow animal and dog lover, Gregory had recently graduated with a Business and Management Degree. Together they began creating their range of dog shampoos

The current range includes:

Simply Scentless - a nourishing shampoo for extra sensitive skin. The non-scented version of our naturally derived, gentle, low-lather luxury dog shampoo. Designed to enhance the natural qualities of all coat types.

Country Garden - the beautiful fusion of floral essential oil aromas. A scented version of our naturally derived, gentle, low-lather luxury dog shampoo. Designed to enhance the natural qualities of all coat types.

Vanilla Dreams - the elegant, light blend of essential oils. A scented version of our naturally derived, gentle, low-lather luxury dog shampoo. Designed to enhance the natural qualities of all coat types.

Precious Pets will be exhibiting at PATS Harrogate on September 15-16.

To read what dog owners have to say about Precious Pets click here

Precious Pets is looking for pet retailers, garden centres and vets to stock its products. Interested parties should email enquiries@thepreciouspetscompany.co.uk or call 02071129096. Visit http://thepreciouspetscompany.co.uk for more information.

Forty-five jobs were lost when Mars Petcare closed the doors of its Peterborough factory for the final time last week.

The pet food company announced the proposed closure of its premises in Shrewsbury Avenue, Woodston, in March after a consultation.

The decision came after a "review of capacity requirements" at production sites across Europe.

Paul Anger, who has worked for the company for 20 years, described it as "another sad day for the manufacturing industry in Peterborough."

"Since we found out about the closure it's been a bit like working under a death-row sentence," he said.

"But Mars has been a good company to work for, and they have looked after us. It's hard to come to the end of the road."

Some 82 staff were affected by the original announcement, although 37 have since been redeployed to other sites.

Mr Anger said although staff were offered the chance to relocate to the firm's Melton Mowbray base in Leicestershire, it was not a viable option for him.

"I'm sure something else will come along, but I don't know what, as this has never happened to me before."

A Mars spokesman said the decision to close had been "difficult", but would "enable us to continue investing in industry-leading facilities and people at our other UK sites."

The Peterborough factory was opened in 1974 and produced dry pet food brands, including Pedigree and Whiskas.

Retailer Pets at Home achieved record revenues and topped £100m profits for the first time during 2012.

The Cheshire-based firm's turnover for the year to March 28 was £598.3m, up 9.9% from £544.3m in the previous period, while pre-tax profits were £100.8m, up 9.8% from £91.7m.

Like-for-like sales growth was 2.2%.

The company opened 32 new stores during the period and now has 351 branches after opening a further five since the year end.

Pets at Home grew its gross margin from 52.1% to 52.3% by increasing volumes of directly imported products and improving the mix of own label vs branded pet foods and accessories.

Chief executive Nick Wood (pictured abovce), who joined from American Golf last April, hailed the firm's two acquisitions during the period.

In December it bought York-based retailer Ride-Away for £6.7m in a move to grab a slice of the £2.8bn equestrian market.

And in March last year it acquired Vets4Pets, a chain of 93 vets in a deal thought to be worth £20m, in a move which made it the second largest provider of animal health services in the UK. The company now has 228 veterinary practices under both brands.

He said: “Going forward we have opportunities to open smaller stores in smaller towns and also to infill in more densely populated areas where we already have a presence.

“We would look to open a similar number of stores to last year this year.

“I don't anticipate any more acquisitions this year. Our core focus is on organic growth and integrating the acquisitions that we have already made.”

He also highlighted the successful launch of Pets at Home's loyalty scheme, which now has more than 900,000 members.

The firm also hailed the launch of a global sourcing operation in Hong Kong and investment in new IT systems in a move to improve efficiency and support
continued growth.

Mr Wood said key areas of growth had included nutritional foods for dogs and cats, sales of reptiles and infestation treatments, with the hot, wet weather proving a boon for fleas.

Hanforth-based Pets at Home now has 6,000 staff across its retail operations and 2,000 at its vets.

Mr Wood added: “Market conditions remain challenging with disposable incomes under pressure for many of our customers.

“Against this backdrop we remain committed to delivering fantastic value and exceptional service to our customers through new stores and trading formats, new product innovation, through the services we provide and the engagement of truly committed colleagues throughout the business.”

The PetQuip Industry Awards that are set to take place alongside the PATS exhibition in Harrogate in September 2013 have captured the imagination of the pet industry, resulting in a large number of entries in the seven categories. 

The awards ceremony, which will take place in the Carriage Suite, The Majestic Hotel, Harrogate on Sunday, September 15, at 7.30pm promises to be a fun filled evening of networking for the pet trade. The awards, sponsored by Westland, Petface and Group55, are aimed at bringing together suppliers and retailers in the UK and internationally.

Commenting on the awards Pat Flynn, trade association manager for PetQuip said: "We have attracted an impressive number of entries for this our first event and we are looking forward to celebrating with all the winning retailers and product manufacturers.  

"Whilst there is a business element to the evening when the awards are presented, the ceremony will be short and professional so that everyone can enjoy the networking and dancing to a live band."

Tickets to the evening include a pre-dinner drinks reception, a three course meal with wine, the awards ceremony and live entertainment, and cost £56 plus VAT (£46 plus VAT for PetQuip members).

Book now by calling Pat on 07778 313623 or emailing her on pat@petquip.com

Lily’s Kitchen has re-launched its best-selling baked dog treats with creative new packaging. 

Still keeping the essence of the Lily’s Kitchen brand, this redesign uses modern, bold typography on pack to create a real statement and standout on shelf.

There are three different recipes, each one  designed with a purpose in mind from waking up with the Rise and Shines bursting with healthy botanicals, to the famous Bedtime Biscuits, perfect for relaxing a dog at the end of a busy day.

The treats are made using only the best quality raw ingredients and then baked in an artisan way, slowly oven-baked until golden brown.

Rise and Shines – Packed with health promoting ingredients such as liver and blackstrap molasses to provide a wonderful range of vitamins and minerals, these treats are the perfect way to start the day while keeping a dog in tip-top condition!

Training Treats – Nothing is more rewarding than teaching your dog new tricks, although it can take time and patience.

Bedtime Biscuits – The company's most famous recipe made using only natural calming ingredients such as chamomile and honey to help a dog get a good nights sleep!

Lily's Kitchen will be exhibiting at PATS Harrogate on September 15-16. To register for free entry to the show click here

For more infromation about Lily's Kitchen products visit www.lilyskitchen.co.uk

Reservations are flooding in for the Indian buffet dinner so now is the time to act quickly, say the organisers of AQUA 2013.

Anyone who has not pre-registered to visit the UK’s leading showcase for the aquatic, water gardening and reptilian sectors should do so now if they want to ensure a seat at the buffet on Wednesday October 9.

With a maximum of 600 guests sitting down to the Indian buffet, the evening promises to be one of fun and relaxation spiced up with a little suspense as the winners of the New Product Awards are revealed. Pre-dinner drinks start at 7.30pm in the Ironbridge Suite on the first floor of the show venue.

The biennial AQUA 2013 is being staged at the Telford International Centre on October 9-10. This year sees the third staging of the show which has proved to be a sell out with 74 exhibitors taking up more exhibition space than ever before. As in previous year visitors will be treated to a free lunch, tea and coffee and they can take advantage of the informative seminar programme where places are available on a first come, first served basis.

Show organiser Annie Dyke commented: “The buffet dinner is our way of thanking buyers for visiting for coming to AQUA 2013. It offers visitors to chance to relax and enjoy themselves and may be do a bit of networking as well if that is what they want.”

Tickets for the dinner can be reserved online at www.aquatelford.co.uk where full details of hotel accommodation, exhibitors and the seminar programme can be found.

For more information please contact Annie Dyke at OATA Impact Exhibitions Ltd on 01892 862848.

There will be a free case of Wagg Mobility Treats worth £7 (RRP) and a case of Harringtons Salmon Rolls (£15 RRP) for each retailer who visits the Wagg stand at PATS Harrogate on September 15-16

Wagg will also be running additional offers across our range, including a prize draw giving one lucky retailer the chance to win £500 of free stock of their choice from the range of Wagg and Harringtons products. 

On its stand at Harrogate (B1) Wagg will be highlighting its new Wagg’mmms dog biscuits which come in three flavours (Liver, Salmon and Chicken) with an RRP of £1.29 for 400g. They have no artificial colours or flavours, no added sugar and are enriched with vitamins to help support a healthy immune system and yeast to help support healthy digestion. 

For more information visit www.waggfoods.com

The British Veterinary Association has reiterated its call for preventive action to deal with the problem of out of control dogs, as the Government announces a consultation on increasing penalties for irresponsible dog owners who allow their dogs to attack members of the public.

The BVA has worked alongside the major dog and animal welfare charities, police and other enforcers, and the Communication Workers Union to campaign for the introduction of dog control notices to be served on dog owners at the earliest sign of a problem.

The BVA and campaigners supported an amendment to introduce dog control notices to the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill in July but it was defeated by one vote at committee stage. It is hoped that the amendment will be reintroduced as the Bill passes through the legislative process.

Commenting, Peter Jones, President of the BVA, said: “We understand that penalties need to work as an effective deterrent but the key to reducing incidents involving dogs must be to prevent them happening in the first place.

“Of course education plays a very important role in helping people understand dog behaviour and the requirements for keeping a dog under control at all times, but we also need strong legislation.

"We have been campaigning vigorously for the introduction of dog control notices that allow trained enforcers to take action at the earliest opportunity and prevent these terrible incidents that the Dangerous Dogs Act has failed to reduce. Prevention is always better than punishment.”

Information on the Defra announcement on increasing penalties is available on the Gov.uk website. Click here to view 

With sales of health-boosting herbal teas up 60% in a year, Woof&Brew have set tongues, and tails, wagging by launching the first ever herbal doggy tea bags.

Brewing up nutritionally balanced, health-focused benefits of herbal infusions to our four-legged friends, Woof&Brew’s specialist blends are not just a storm in a teacup.

Veterinary approved as safe, each unique blend contains high quality loose-leaf herbs, rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals and nutrients that are specifically designed to support dogs in leading a happy and healthy life.

For centuries dogs have been self-medicating, eating particular flowers and plants they instinctively know are good for them. Now with Woof&Brew

blends, packaged in their biodegradable doggy pyramid tea bags, it makes caring for your dogs general wellbeing as easy as putting the kettle on.

Managing Director Steve Bennett, said: “Our range has gone down extremely well with dog owners. More and more people are looking for natural, healthy products for their dogs and our herbal teas are 100% natural, as well as being simple to serve and cost-effective”

The initial range consists of five blends; Adult, Senior, Skin & Coat, Performance and Breath, with further blends due to also hit the market soon. Each pouch contains 28 pyramid doggy tea bags, with each doggy tea bag making one litre of infusion.

Woof&Brew will be exhibiting at PATS Harrogate on September 15-16 (stand E37).

More info: www.woofandbrew.com

To launch one of the world’s largest agility competitions, thousands of dogs are attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the ‘Largest Simultaneous Dog Stay’.

With over 2,000 dogs attending the Kennel Club International Agility Festival to compete in one of the world’s leading canine activities, there’ll be lots of dogs to try and break the current record of 627 dogs. The record is based on the greatest number of dogs who ‘stay’ successfully for a two minute period.

The world record attempt will be taking place at 5pm tomorrow at Rockingham Castle in Leicestershire. 

Now in its ninth year, the Kennel Club International Agility Festival, which is supported by CSJ Specialist Canine Feeds, takes place at Rockingham Castle this weekend.

With more international entries than ever before, the event will be composed of an impressive array of talented competition from all over the world. Spectators can look forward to seeing around 2,500 dogs jumping, weaving and racing their way through a variety of courses in one of the 16 agility rings that will be set up for the weekend.

For more information visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk/agilityfestival

Flexi is hoping that its new lead called VARIO will win many fans when it's launched at PATS Harrogate. It will be available from autumn 2013 as both tape and cord models in different sizes and colors.

User-friendly features for safe and flexible use are highlights of this new product range:

• New patented short-stroke braking system
• Patented customized handle adjustment settings
• Patented fast coupling system to easily attach interchangeable
  bite belts
• Matching exchangeable accessories
• Elegant design

Well-designed accessories complete the VARIO product range – an LED lighting system with front and rear light, a multi box for snacks or poop bags, interchangeable bite belts, e.g. an LED flashing light belt, a nylon coupler for two dogs and a shock absorber belt to avoid jolting of the dog, all turn the new VARIO into a real multi-talented product. 

For the market launch flexi will support retailers with high-profile presentations at the point of sale. “With this campaign, we are intentionally pursuing our company goal of strengthening the flexi brand internationally, further enhancing our quality and market leadership, and impressing retailers and consumers every day with our ongoing innovations,” says founder and CEO Manfred Bogdahn.

Sian Illingworth and her dog Maybe beat nearly 60 competitors from all over the world to bring home Gold in the European Open Medium Individual Final at the Agility European Open Championships held in Belgium.

Natasha Wise and her dog Dizzy, the previous World Champions, took a brilliant Silver.

Not to be outdone by the girls, Matthew Goodliffe and his dog Quincy won the Bronze medal in the European Large Individual final.  This was Matthew and Quincy’s first time at the European Open and they were up against over 80 other pairs.

Before the team set off their sponsors CSJ Specialist Canine Feeds sent the handlers a ‘survival kit’.  The quirky kit was ‘sent’ from Ceri Rundle’s Border Collie dog Bwlch Hemp along with a letter from him saying that as a survivor of several sheepdog championships himself he thought they might find the kit handy.

The kit included a Fruit and Mutt bar for their dogs, a pen to add up the scores, a collapsible water pack, CSJ hand warmers, and a fridge magnet for a photo of the event.