As horse owners, we not only love and care about our equine friends, but most of us also own a dog or two. The annual Global Pet Expo is one of the largest pet trade shows in the U.S. Though this show is mostly geared towards dogs, cats and aquarium shop owners, you are definitely entrenched with everything pet related from the latest pet foods, hard goods, pet products and the newest marketing trends. Though it’s not open to the general public, it does bring together the pet professionals and pet stores with the pet manufactures.
My experience from walking the show was this: I definitely want to come back as someone’s pet! The cornucopia of pet toys and treats was immense. Below are the highlights of trending products (I found different & interesting) for our four-legged friends.
Food
I guess pets are getting tired of the ‘ole kibble or is it their owners? In addition to the hard and soft foods you usually find at most pet stores, you can now buy broths and stews. Not only will these new liquid products spruce up your pet’s food, but if you prefer – or if your pet prefers – there is also a selection of freeze-dried treats, meal toppers and dog toys.
CBD Pet Products
I’m sure you’ve heard about CBD products for both pets and humans in the news lately. CBD is growing in popularity and is here to stay. Though a number of pet stores are nervous to bring in this category of products into their shops because of not knowing the benefits of the products and being part of the marijuana family, large well-known brands are exploring the world of CBD treats. I recommend doing more research on these products – for both you and your animals.
Liquid Supplements
Health consciousness is on the rise. As is often the case, human-food trends are being translated to pet food trends, and this time it’s benefiting the waistlines of both two-legged and four-legged living beings. I found supplements promoting added benefits, goats milk, solutions to things like joint pain, and even a dog water with added electrolytes (think Gatorade for your pup!).
Tech Devices
There is no end in sight for this category. Besides the trendy surveillance video cameras that pet owners can view from their mobile devices to see what their pets are doing while they are away, but there are on-board video cameras that catch the scenes of life from your pet’s eyes. This little camera attaches to your dog’s collar and you can record life from their angle.
In addition to the cameras were some very cool GPS data recorders that track your pets’ where-abouts, a number of scheduled automatic feeders and watering systems, and activity monitors that record your pet’s activity level on a handy app.
Functional Pet Products
Remember the ‘cone of shame’? You know, the hard and uncomfortable plastic cones that pets had to wear after surgery to prevent them from linking their wounds? A number of companies have turned the ‘cone of shame’ into ‘comfy cones’. In this same ballpark are comfy wraps that provides a security blanket for nervous or anxious pets. And if your pet tends to overheat, you can provide them with a cold dog collar wrap or vest that is sure to cool them down.
*My favorite, which is something I get to wear, are the trainer’s vests. These training vests provide ample space for treats, toys and motivational gear. The vests also have rings and clips for attaching various accessories. Kind of like a photographer’s vest. Nice idea to keep everything in one place where you won’t forget something.
Live Pets
Many booths around the show hosted everything from cats and dogs to chickens and ferrets. Many booths also offered pets for adoption. In fact, a number of pet rescue organizations brought their rescues to the show in hopes of finding new homes for them.
Instagram-able Pet Toys
Trendy pet toys are on the rise. There were popular food items turned into pet toys, such as pizza, donuts, ice cream and sushi. And then there was the unique travel luggage, created with images of cute animals. Imagine the ease in finding your suitcase at baggage claim.
Pets as a Lifestyle
Have you ever heard the term “humanization of pets”? I hadn’t, but I had always considered pets as part of the family. The humanization of pets has grown to the point where it’s no longer a topic – it’s a fact. Pets are a part of our everyday lives, and pet owners are proving that with their wallets.
I wouldn’t be surprised to find more interesting horse products in the future as the dogs and cats are enjoying now. I know there are CBD products now for horses, but the trendy foods and toys for horses are probably not far behind.
By Kathy Klossner – Kathy has been involved with horses before she could walk. Having owned several horses through the years and showing in both English and Western Pleasure classes, Kathy now dedicates her time to helping horse rescue organizations in getting more exposure on the Internet for funding and recruiting volunteers. She is also involved with several Wild Mustang horse advocate groups in keeping our wild horses free. Visit Kathy’s photography gallery of wild mustangs at: Waterdancerphotos.com