Pet stores willing to invest in knowledgeable staff, appealing premises and services, will benefit greatly as the economy returns to growth. That's the view of  Paul Steckler, managing director of pet accessories company Oscar & Hooch.

Paul, who previously worked primarily in the pharmaceutical sector (latterly as commercial director for Pfizer UK), believes the potential for growth is massive as long as retailers respond in the right way.

He spoke to Pet Trade Xtra about the year ahead...

What have been the successes of 2013? 

The Oscar & Hooch brand launched into the market at Christmas 2012. As with any new product launch, our true measure of success has to be consumer and customer feedback, both of which have been exceptional. Launching a premium brand manufactured in the UK during an economic downturn may seem barmy but with consumers becoming more discerning in their purchasing, quality home-grown products are now seeing a resurgence and Oscar & Hooch has benefited from this trend. 

What are the challenges still facing the industry? 

The retail environment is highly competitive and so customer experience becomes key- of course this is against a backdrop of relentless focus on margin, consequently cost could become a key driver. This may lead to less innovation in the marketplace as cost vs. return becomes unattractive to outside investors. 

What are the opportunities going forwards? 

As a nation of animal lovers the UK market gives retailers the perfect opportunity to attract and advise millions of consumers on the best products and services the industry has to offer. Those stores willing to invest in knowledgeable staff and appealing premises and/or services will benefit greatly as the economy returns to growth. 

What are the reasons for optimisim? 

Pets are part of many of our families, we will always do the best for them, and the industry should remain focused on bringing the best products to market and continuing to educate consumers on responsible ownership. This already happens to a large extent and much of the industry should be proud of that! 

www.oscarandhooch.com

Burns Pet Nutrition is to be the new sponsor of  the Welsh Champion Hurdle which will be run at Ffos Las on Saturday, February 1, and covered live on Channel 4.

The £50,000 race over two and a half miles was won last year by Medinas who went on to glory at the Cheltenham Festival.

Tim Long, General Manager and Clerk of the Course at Ffos Las, said: "We are absolutely thrilled that Burns Pet Nutrition, not only a fantastic Welsh business that is renowned in its field throughout the British Isles but one that is located just down the road from the racecourse, is to sponsor our most high profile race from this year.

"The 2013 renewal of the Welsh Champion Hurdle was most memorable and we are already looking forward to the big day next month when we will be delighted to welcome our new sponsor to the racecourse.

"The 2013 race was well supported by Welsh trainers, with five of the 14 horses stabled in The Principality - and I'd say it was six because Welshman-in-exile Nigel Twiston-Davies also sent a runner."

Veterinary surgeon John Burns, who founded Burns Pet Nutrition 20 years ago, said: "As a family business proudly based in west Wales, we are the most enthusiastic supporters of our community with a range of sponsorships including the Dogs' Day Out at Pembrey County Park.

"We support lots of local groups and community-based initiatives as well as providing assistance for national organisations such as Hounds For Heroes and numerous animal rescue charities around the UK.

"We are now delighted to become sponsor partners with our local racecourse at Ffos Las which has put horse racing in west Wales firmly on the map over the last five years."

The Welsh Champion Hurdle, which was won by Ffos Las chairman Dai Walters's star horse Oscar Whisky in its first year in 2011, became a limited handicap race last year to increase its competitiveness. Prize-money was also raised by 16% to encourage racehorse owners and trainers to run their horses.

The business is also sponsoring the £30,000 West Wales National which is run on the same day. The three-and-a-half mile steeple chase could see the first appearance by Mountainous since his victory in the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow Racecourse at the end of last year. The horse, trained in Herefordshire by Richard Lee, is also owned by Walters in partnership with James and Jean Potter.

Pedigree Wholesale has reached a distribution agreement with Natures Menu, and has invested over £40,000 in a professional frozen distribution solution at their Midlands depot in Nottingham, from where the 105 SKU’s will be handled and dispatched.

To ensure product arrives at the customer in pristine condition it is picked from freezers and immediately packed into specially designed insulated cold storage units which are then loaded onto the delivery vehicles. Eutectic plates, which have been blast chilled to -45 degrees, are placed inside the units, allowing the required temperature to be maintained for well over 24 hours. Eutectic plates release a constant cooling capacity due to the latent melting heat from the eutectic mixture.

Established in 1981 and with unrivalled market knowledge Nature’s Menu is the UK’s largest supplier of raw pet food. The raw food market is experiencing double digit growth for the third year running and is still growing! With over 30 years of knowledge and expertise making raw and natural pet foods Natures Menu can assure the highest level of safety, palatability and nutrition, creating foods that nourish dogs holistically on all levels; mind, body and soul.

“We are delighted to be able to offer our customers a professional frozen distribution solution and thrilled to be working with Nature’s Menu," said Pedigree Wholesale’s Managing Director Steve Brown.

"Raw food is a key growth area as more and more people become aware of the benefits of raw feeding. Nature’s Menu are experts in the development and production of both natural and raw dog and cat food and have a fantastic range of products which we can go out and sell with complete confidence."

Nature’s Menu Business Development Director Peter Roy (left) explained why the company chose Pedigree Wholesale as a key distribution partner.

“Pedigree Wholesale is a solid family business committed to making the necessary investment in order to deliver our products to the retailer in pristine condition, as well on the training of all their staff on our product range.

"Our products offer the retailer a distinct point of difference to the pet trade, but it needs education to properly understand it. Pedigree’s loyal and growing customer base is complementary to our own as is their product range, which was important, and will ultimately benefit both the retailer and consumer”.

Pedigree Wholesale are one of the UK’s leading suppliers of pet and aquatic products into the independent pet and aquatic trade, supplying over 11,000 products which have been carefully selected to offer retailers choice, margin and volume.

A company called NPVS Ltd is helping to provide access to competitively priced, non-prescription veterinary treatments through a nationwide network of independent pet retail outlets.

NPVS, which stands for Non-Prescription Veterinary Supplies, was set up three years ago by director Charlotte Gibbs because she wanted to “offer pet shops a slice of the 'veterinary market' and for the customer to be able to get all their pets needs from one place.”

Charlotte was looking for something to do from home after having her second daughter.

“She was born with a severe/profound hearing loss which means we have to attend a lot of appointments with specialists, so having a 'normal job' would have been difficult,” said Charlotte, pictured above with ther daughters.

“I was a veterinary nurse for over 10 years and during that time I saw that many animals benefited from veterinary diets and supplements. But as they were only available from the vets, I felt there was a service to be offered to pet shops.”

All the products offered by NPVS Ltd are non-prescription items and are available for anyone to sell.

“We do not expect or want anyone to diagnose a condition, but should the vet recommend a certain product then customers could go to their local pet shop where they may already buy products and request it.

“We offer free next weekday delivery with no minimum order. The only stipulation is that shops must register and set up and account with us first. We are always on the look out for new pet retail outlets to join us.”

NPVS Ltd can supply pet shops with the following:

• Veterinary diets from Hills, Royal Canin, Eukanuba and Purina.
• Behavioural modifers including Adaptil and Feliway.
• Programme and Capstar flea treatments and house sprays Indorex, Acclaim and Staykill.
• Plus many more products, including joint supplements, nutraceuticals, digestive health probiotics, dermatological shampoos, ear cleaners and dental therapies.

These products are not medicines and can be provided through any outlet without the need for SQP (Suitable Qualified Person).

According to Charlotte, the primary benefits of stocking veterinary products within your outlets are:

• To provide new footfall and a new revenue stream, while also increasing overall income through 'impulse purchases' of customers during their visit.
• To offer a 'unique selling point' over competitors, (especially pet superstores incorporating veterinary surgeries, as a conflict of interest arises between the store and the franchised surgery in the provision of these products).
• To provide customer peace of mind as to the authenticity of the veterinary products they buy, rather than through 'unknown' internet sources.

For more information you can contact Charlotte by email office@npvs.co.uk or by calling 07974 653747. Visit www.npvs.co.uk

A new Peckish bird food advert, which hit TV screens this month, is just one element of Westland Horticulture’s £1 million bird care communication campaign for 2014.

The extensive campaign, comprising of TV, national and specialist press, aims to pull new consumers into regular bird feeding, opening up the category and driving sales. It will be supported by digital and social media promotion through Westland’s websites, Facebook and Twitter channels.

Reaching over 28 million consumers nationwide, the campaign will promote an opportunity to ‘bring more birds to the table’ with Peckish products.

The campaign is being held after extensive research completed by Westland Horticulture, the company behind the Peckish brand, revealed there are many potential bird feeders who could be reached through mass media advertising.

Rachael Dickinson, Senior Brand Manager for Peckish, said: “By investing in the sector through advertising, we want to ensure those consumers build up a loyalty with the Peckish brand, which is specifically designed to attract new consumers to feeding birds.”

The TV campaign began on January 6 and will include TV advertising slots on ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and children’s favourite, Channel 5 Milkshake Show.

The campaign has also been supported by press advertising in both national and specialist publications, such as The Telegraph, The Times, BBC Gardeners’ World and Bird Watching Magazine.

Watch the new TV advert by visiting the Peckish website on www.peckishbirdfood.com

Private equity-backed Cambrian Pet Foods has grown its sales by 6.7% after expanding its product range.

The company, which received an investment from US-based firm SCP Partners in 2012, makes dry and wet foods from three factories across Carmarthenshire and Swansea.

According to its latest set of accounts, the business generated turnover of £17.3m in the year ending 30 June 2013, up by 6.7% on a year earlier. Of this, 91% was generated in the UK.

But pre-tax profits fell by 43.7% to £942,000 over the same period.

In their report accompanying the accounts, the directors stated: "Turnover has increased by 6.7% over the previous year, even though the current economic climate remains challenging. This reflects the continued expansion of the company's product lines."

In May 2012, SCP Partners, also known as Swander Pace Capital, invested in Cambrian Pet Foods although the exact terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The Cambrian Pet Foods accounts show that SPC Partners IV is the ultimate controlling partner because it wholly owns Wholesome Pet Care Holdings, which has a 72 per cent stake in the parent company of Cambrian Pet Foods.

At the time of the SCP Partners deal, Cambrian Pet Foods managing director David Davies predicted the investment would help his company grow.

He said: "The investment by Swander Pace Capital will further support our ambition of being the UK’s foremost provider of specialist, holistic, dietetic and convalescent pet foods. We are very proud of our success and genuinely excited about the opportunities that Swander Pace Capital will help to deliver."

Cambrian Pet Foods has factories at Swansea, Pencader in Carmarthenshire and Llangadog in Carmarthenshire.

The new range includes the following varieties : Chicken with Green Tripe & Potato; Chicken with Vegetable, Fruit and Herbs; Green Tripe & Beef with Vegetable, Fruit & Herbs; Venison with Vegetable, Fruit & Herbs; Fish with Vegetable, Fruit & Herbs.

Billy + Margot first launched their award winning iced treats for dogs at Crufts in 2012 and that same year Marie Sawle, the company founder, appeared on BBC's Dragon’s Den and received the backing of Deborah Meaden.

The company has subsequently introduced a full range of dog treats: Air-dried venison; Popcorn with seaweed; Nutritious biscuits and two Fish treats. 

All Billy + Margot products are made in Britain with an emphasis on nutrition. 

For more information visit www.billyandmargot.com

Leading UK pet accessories manufacturer Ancol, in association with a Chinese trading company, has launched ‘Ancol China’, a new company selling Ancol dog products to independent pet retailers across China.

Following demand for pet products across China, Ancol has set up regional offices in Shenzhen, Beijing and Shanghai, from which it sells a large range of its dog products to pet retailers across the country. In the head office of Shanghai, they have appointed a CEO, Sales Director and regional sales managers. A new website has also been launched to advertise their products.

Sales Director Sarah Lane said: “People across China are changing their views about dogs and more and more are realising that they make great pets. Having researched the market, we found that Chinese dog owners love British products so it made perfect sense to set up Ancol China to meet this growing demand.

“We are already delighted with the success of Ancol China and look forward to working closely with our Chinese colleagues for many years to come.”

Shirley Zhang, CEO of Ancol China, added: “We are very proud to carry the Ancol name in China and the feedback from our customers has been overwhelming. We would like to thank Ancol for their ongoing support and are confident that Ancol China will continue to be a huge success.”

You can visit the Ancol China website at http://ancolpet.cn

Find out more about Ancol’s wide range of pet products at www.ancol.co.uk

All 325 delegate places at a new dog training conference called ClickerExpo UK have sold within two months of the event being launched...

Positive Animal Solutions secured the license from Karen Pryor Clicker Training to bring ClickerExpo to the UK in October 2014. This brings the event outside of the US for the very first time and the demand for places has shown that this has been a very popular decision.

A team of seven top trainers and behaviourists from across the world will be providing three days of workshops and seminars combined with evening events and networking opportunities. Delegates will be travelling from around the globe coming from as far afield as Chile, USA, South Africa, Israel and from across Europe.

The event sponsor for ClickerExpo is Dogs Trust, supported by nutrition sponsor, CSJ Specialist Canine Feeds, and toy and recreation sponsor, Kong.  Further sponsorship opportunities exist for organisations committed to a positive relationship between dog and owner.

For further information contact David@positiveanimalsolutions.com

The Pet Industry Federation is hosting a Companion Animal First-Aid workshop at its offices in Bedford on Monday, January 27.

This ever-popular one day interactive course is delivered by a qualified veterinary nurse and combines both theoretical knowledge and practical skills.

The course is designed especially for pet professionals whose daily life is concerned with the health and welfare of cats and dogs.

Further details about the course and online registration are available from the PIF website. Click here for more details.

Millie, a 13-year-old deaf Springer Spaniel who went missing recently, was reunited almost instantly with her owners, Sonja and Stephen Williams from Beyton, Suffolk, thanks to her microchip.

Millie was out on a walk with Sonja and Stephen and their two other dogs last month when she went missing. With help from her microchip, Petlog, the UK’s largest lost and found database for microchipped animals, and the person who found her, Millie was reunited with her family almost instantly.

Sonja explains: “As she is getting older and likes to walk at her own pace, we take her off lead and she regularly walks behind us when we go out for walks. On this particular evening, Stephen turned around and realised Millie was no longer behind him. We think she had followed other walkers by mistake and she ended by the village green wandering in the road and we were rather franticly trying to find her.”

Luckily for the couple, Bill Lambert, Health and Breeder Services Manager from the Kennel Club (which manages Petlog) was on his way home from a dog show with his wife when they came across Millie standing in the road. Unfortunately Millie’s ID tag had fallen off, but Bill happened to have a microchip scanner in his car and scanned Millie before calling Petlog.

Bill commented: “We were driving back from the show and I saw the dog standing in the road looking frightened. We pulled over and comforted her and checked for an ID tag but she didn’t have one – I then remembered I had the scanner in the car and fortunately she was microchipped. We thought it may take a while to find her family so we took her home until she could be reunited. She was a real sweetie and we worked out she must have been deaf as she didn’t react at all when we put her in the car and our two dogs barked excitedly at her. It was around 15 minutes later when we spoke with Millie’s family and they came to pick her up.”

Luckily, Millie was microchipped with a Pet ID microchip and registered with Petlog. Once her owners were identified and contacted they travelled to pick up Millie.

Sonja continued: “We were delighted to have her back so quickly. Thanks to Bill and Petlog she was home safe and sound to sleep in her own bed that very evening. We’d hate to think of her in a council pound at her age. We’ve had her since she was three years old and she is very much part of the family.”

Celia Walsom, Petlog Executive said: “This is a wonderful story that highlights both the importance of microchipping and one of the many reasons it will become compulsory in 2016. We are delighted that we could help in reuniting Millie with her family so quickly. As pet owners, we know there is nothing worse than when a pet goes missing.”

If you would like to find out more about microchipping your pet, visit the Petlog website: www.petlog.org.uk.

Superfish Frozen Fish Foods offer a safe and convenient way for fish to enjoy the benefits of live food that they would consume in their natural habitat.

Now available from Pedigree Wholesale, Superfish Frozen Fish Foods are subjected to a unique cleaning and freezing process to ensure they offer the same high quality nutrition as live food found in the wild but without the presence of harmful parasites and bacteria.

Made from the finest quality ingredients a variety of foods are available for tropical fish, discus, cichlids, coldwater and marine fish and invertebrates.

Eleven different types of food make up the range including Bloodworm, Brine Shrimp, Daphnia, Mysis, Krill Pacifica, Tubifex, Tropical Quartet, Tropical Mix, Marine Quartet, Marine Mix and Cichlid Mix. Superfish Frozen Fish Foods are available in 100g packs which contain 24 easy to use portions in individual blisters. Bloodworm, Brine Shrimp, Mysis and Daphnia are also available in 500g flat packs.

Ideal for use as supplementary diets alongside the fishes’ regular diet Superfish Frozen Fish Foods offer a convenient way of feeding a variety of foods. Superfish Frozen Fish Foods should be stored in the freezer at -18 degrees.

For more information contact Pedigree Wholesale on 0115 982 3900 or email info@petproducts.co.uk

The Kennel Club is reminding exhibitors of dogs qualified for Crufts 2014 that the deadline for online entries is midnight on Monday (January 20).

The final entry date for Crufts has been extended to enable dogs which qualify at Boston and Manchester Dog Show Society Championship Shows in 2013 and 2014 to be entered.

Crufts takes place from March 6-9 at the NEC, Birmingham. The breed classes are scheduled to take place on the following days:

Thursday, March 6 – Working and Pastoral

Friday, March 7 – Terrier and Hound

Saturday, March 8 – Toy and Utility

Sunday, March 9 – Gundog

Gerald King, Chairman of Crufts, said: “We thank all of the exhibitors who have so far entered Crufts 2014, the world’s most prestigious dog show, and would like to remind all exhibitors that the final closing date is 20th January 2014, so there is still time to enter.

"We moved the qualification date for Crufts back so that exhibitors who qualify at Manchester and Boston can bring their dogs to Crufts in 2014, rather than having to wait almost 14 months for the opportunity.”

Postal entries have now closed but exhibitors can enter online by clicking here. The full qualification details for Crufts 2014 can be found on the website at www.crufts.org.uk/qualification-crufts-2014

Tickets to the show cost £16.50 for adults in advance and £18 on the door.  Weekend tickets cost £17.60 in advance and £19 on the door. Best in Show tickets start from £17.50. Concessions are also available. All tickets are subject to a booking fee.  Book by calling the Crufts Ticket Hotline at The Ticket Factory on 0844 338 0338, or online at www.theticketfactory.com

For more information visit www.crufts.org.uk

Leading Leicestershire-based pet accessory and dog training company, Xtra Dog is the UK home to the world famous range of Zima working dog harnesses and is thrilled to announce details of the 2014 Race To The Sky, Montana’s most important race and a qualifier for the world famous Iditarod in Alaska. Zima is one of the races’s main sponsors.

Montana's premier winter sporting event is the Race to the Sky 350 mile sled dog race. Celebrating its twenty-ninth year, it is recognised as one of the most challenging and beautiful sled dog races in the world. It is an unusual test of physical power, mental toughness, teamwork, and the special bond between man and dog. Working together, they negotiate the trail through Montana's scenic Rocky Mountains.

Each year, the race draws a growing audience of mushers, volunteers, journalists, photographers, filmmakers, and thousands of spectators from around the world.

The event commemorates the part that dogs played during World War II by starting the race at Camp Rimini War Dog Training and Reception Center each February. The dog mushing camp just outside Helena was used to train sled dogs for war and eventually became a search and rescue training camp. It celebrates the canines for their part in defending the USA.

The mission was to set up a training camp (one of only two such camps in the United States) so the soldiers could invade Norway. "They needed sled dogs that could navigate the snowy parts of Norway with equipment and to aid the soldiers. They also needed soldiers that knew how to train dogs and some that could speak fluent Norwegian."

In 1943, Camp Rimini became the training ground for 800 sled dogs, 100 pack dogs, and about 125 men to become dog mushers. It was a perfect place nestled near the Continental Divide just a few miles from the capital city of Helena, Montana. The operation existed for about a year and a half and was an excellent place to train sled dogs, perform training manoeuvres, and witness the harsh winters.

The invasion to Norway was cancelled but the efforts of the dogs and soldiers were used in search and rescue operations. They were sent to Newfoundland, Baffin Island, Labrador, Greenland, and even Alaska to retrieve equipment and supplies from downed airplanes in remote areas. All tolled, they retrieved thousands of dollars worth of equipment for the U.S. Government and were a legend in dog mushing history.

They also brought back soldiers, some alive and others were brought by for a proper burial by their families .This unusual training camp is an important part of the Race to the Sky's history. Each February, we commemorate the soldiers and sled dogs who served during World War II in this remote area of Montana.

One of the missions of this year's race is to assist groups already serving retired military dogs. They need help bringing home the military dogs who have completed their tour of duty. Currently, these war dog heroes are classified as "excess equipment." Just recently, a bill was enacted to help get these military canines back home rather than leaving them in the country of deployment. The race will also be soliciting funds to send active service dogs and their trainers care packages.

Montana still possesses 350 miles of uninterrupted pristine multiple use trails and wide-open spaces that possesses unsurpassed natural beauty in its mountains, valleys, water, and wildlife which are easily accessible. Dog mushing is a clean and environmentally friendly sport, that is quiet, and peaceful. A running dog is a happy dog. Sled dogs, for centuries, have been assisting man with basic transportation and doing what they love to do-run.

The race provides an opportunity to witness the magical bond between humans and dogs, seeing them work together as a team to meet the special challenges that only this race brings.

This year is the 29th year of the race but how did it originate? It started as Montana's Governor's Cup 500 Mile Sled Dog Race in 1986. Over the years, the race has gone through several distance changes, including adding a 250 mile race, a 300 mile race and changing the 500 mile race to a 350 mile continuous format race. The Race is also an Iditarod qualifier and has been since its start.

Eight mushers are already signed up to run the 2014 Race to the Sky (and more expected as the race draws closer), scheduled to get underway on Saturday, February 15 at historic Camp Rimini. Traditionally, most mushers wait until at least December to sign up so they can see how their training is going. To run a 350 mile race, a musher may typically have over 1,200 miles of training on their dogs.

One of the missions of this year's race is to assist groups already serving retired military dogs. They need help bringing home the military dogs who have completed their tour of duty.

Currently, these war dog heroes are classified as "excess equipment." Just recently, a bill was enacted to help get these military canines back home rather than leaving them in the country of deployment.

The race will also be soliciting funds to send active service dogs and their trainers care packages throughout the year. Did you know that one military trained dog can save as many as 150 soldiers from death or injury during their deployment. The race would like to raise awareness for these unsung heroes.

To get involved, the race will be requesting cash donations at all events including the pre-race banquet on Friday, February 14 at the Lewis and Clark Fairgrounds in Helena and the awards ceremony on Wednesday, February 19th at Exploration Works and along the race route as well.

For further information on the Race To The Sky or any Xtra Dog products visit their website at www.xtradog.com or telephone: 0330 088 3547.

A DNA database for pets has been launched in a bid to make it easier for owners to track down their missing animals.

Lost Alert Animal Search UK launched the scheme to help reunite owners with their missing pets using their genetic paw prints. 

It has 85,000 users registered and receives up to 3,000 missing pet reports each month via the free to use database.

Former police officer, Tom Watkins, dreamt up the database and believes it could even become bigger than that used by the authorities to profile people. 

He said: "The DNA profile can be captured for any pet through a simple process that pet owners can carry out in the comfort of their own home. The sample will then be sent to a state of the art laboratory and analysed.

"The genetic fingerprint of the pet will then be stored on the specialist database which all UK police forces and Interpol - particularly useful for missing or stolen horses - will be given access to."

He said the information could be used to provide "indisputable proof of identity for pets" recovered after a theft or in an ownership dispute. 

While there have been previous separate databases for dogs and cats, Mr Watkins' system appears to be first integrated system for all pet owners. 

The site, www.lostalert.co.uk, will allow owners to store 10 photographs of their beloved beasts on the database, which can be used for identification.

Butch & Bess is urging retailers to promote their Eau de Dog range as a Valentine's Day gift.

Butch & Bess co-founder Jo Amit said: "We love the concept of Valentine's Day and the notion of surprise. Imagine receiving a perfume for your beloved – and maybe stinky – mutt from a secret admirer."

Jo recommends Bess Petite, which carries a romantic scent with head notes of Patchouli and Bois de Rose, while Butch Leather smells as good as a man's cologne with head notes of Cedarwood and Vetiver.

In a handy 50ml spray – for handbags and man bags – Eau de Dog is part of the new Butch & Bess range of natural essential oil infused grooming and air care products for pets and the home.

Eau de Dog retails at £6. Find out more about the Butch & Bess range of at www.butchandbess.com