11 Of The Hottest Trends In The Pet Industry
With over 300 million pets in the U.S., the demand for pet products and services continues to grow.
The APPA estimates that $99 billion will be spent on pets in 2020 as opposed to $95.7 billion in 2019.
With this rise in spending, there are some new trends in the pet industry.
This blog post talks about 11 of the hottest trends in the pet industry so far in 2020.
I may earn a commission if you buy through my links, but I only recommend products that I support and you pay nothing extra.
1. Pet Subscription Boxes
Subscription boxes, including ones geared toward pets, are still highly popular during the pandemic.
It is estimated that 1 in 5 people bought a subscription box since the pandemic started.
This makes sense since so many people are stuck at home ordering products online.
Pet subscription boxes are a a niche market where usually toys, treats, chews, and other items are included in a monthly box.
There are many sellers who try to distinguish themselves with unique offerings.
For example, PupBox gears their boxes toward puppies by including training material in addition to other products.
As of now, PupBox is offering 50% off for first time customers.
For other boxes, I wrote an article on the 17 best dog subscription boxes for 2022.
2. Premium Pet Food
The global pet food market size is expected to reach $113.08 billion by 2025.
According to the APPA, owners will spend as much as $38 billion in 2020 on treats and food for their pets.
Pet owners are turning to premium dog foods with options such as fresh, raw, natural, organic, vegan, and ones with clean-label ingredients.
Premium dog food will usually include a meat for protein along with fruits and veggies and less fillers like wheat, corn, and soy.
It is believed that premium pet foods lead to better absorption and digestion of nutrients.
However, these premium pet foods are more expensive, so you will have to decide if they are worth the added cost.
3. Customized Meal Plans
There is an increasing demand for customized meal plans for pets that are delivered directly to owners’ doors.
They usually consist of fresh foods with minimal processing and are supposedly better than your everyday pet food.
From the companies I have reviewed, they will tailor the meal plan according to your pet’s age, weight, activity level, breed, and allergies.
Usually there is a veterinarian who formulates the custom meal plan based on your dog’s unique profile.
Some of the big names in this field are Ollie, Nom Nom, the Farmer’s Dog, and Pet Plate.
4. CBD Pet Products
Since CBD was removed as a Schedule I drug in 2018, its popularity and sales have increased.
According to a Nielsen report, almost 26% of American adults with dogs use hemp-CBD products.
Many owners are turning to CBD to treat their pet’s pain and anxiety in addition to other conditions.
As a result, manufacturers are making CBD products specifically geared toward dogs in treats, oil, chews, and more.
Some of the biggest CBD makers for dogs include Honest Paws, Holistapet, and King Kanine, although there are many more. I discuss 15 of the best CBD dog treat companies in one of my blog posts.
There are small studies and anecdotal evidence that CBD does provide a benefit to dogs, at least for certain conditions.
5. Online Pet Care Marketplaces
Many owners now use online pet care marketplaces to find someone to care for their pet.
The apps/sites usually offer pet sitting, dog walking, pet boarding, doggy daycare, grooming services, among other services.
The biggest names in the industry are Rover and Wag.
Rover, which is the most popular, claims to have over 300,000 dog walkers and pet sitters on their website plus operates in 10 countries.
These sites provide the convenience of not having to find your own provider, but instead you get access to reviews and a wide range of people to choose from.
Keep in mind, there are some stories of poor experiences in the news.
However, with so many transactions each day, there are bound to be some issues.
6. Luxury Pet Resorts
Are you looking for high-end boarding services for your pet while you’re away?
If you want your pet to feel as comfortable as possible, luxury pet resorts may be the answer. At these resorts, dogs are the customers, and the customers are always right.
Let’s take a look at one: Pooch Hotel is a nationwide pet hotel chain that gives your favorite furball a five-star experience. The lucky dogs who get to stay here enjoy doggy swimming pools (with a lifeguard on duty, of course), access to a Fitness Center, and a Doggy Spa where they can get a Poochberry facial, aromatherapy baths, and even paw-dicures!
If you’re nervous about leaving your pet in such a place (or worried that they’ll never leave), you can check in on them 24/7 with webcam access to their room – that is, if they’re staying in the Presidential or Palace Suites.
If your pooch is in a standard suite or just there for the day, you can access the webcams in the common play areas and watch for your fur baby there.
7. Holistic Pet Health Services
Conventional pet healthcare means trips to the vets, annual shots, and maybe some prescription pills when your pet starts to show signs of aging. So what is holistic pet health?
Holistic pet care and healthcare services take a more natural approach to supporting your pet’s health and pay special attention to their mind and spirit as well as their body.
They have the goal of treating the whole animal rather than addressing one specific symptom and ignoring everything else.
One example of this is reiki, a spiritual practice that originated in Japan. It’s an energy healing technique and has recently gained attention in the holistic pet health world.
When reiki is performed on pets, it supposedly can reduce pain and stress and related symptoms such as restlessness, sleeplessness, barking, pacing, panting and more.
Other holistic pet health methods include CBD “paw-tinctures” and massage therapy. All of these services aim to make your pet feel happy and healthy from head to tail!
8. Smart Pet Products
We live in a world that’s run by technology, and there seems to be a “smart” everything – smartphones, smart TVs, smartwatches, etc. It was only a matter of time before our pet products got smart, too!
You’ve probably heard of Fitbit watches and health trackers for humans, but now there’s a device called FitBark on the market.
FitBark has much of the same functionality as FitBit does; it tracks your dog’s location, how much sleep he’s gotten, and his total amount of activity throughout the day. You can even monitor his mobility and stress levels!
FitBark attaches to your dog’s collar, then sends all of the information to a mobile app that you can download to your phone. Your dog can’t tell you what he’s feeling, but maybe FitBark can!
Another smart pet product making its way into the spotlight is Wonderwoof. This is another tracker that clips to your dog’s collar, but it has some key differences that set it apart from FitBark.
Wonderwoof sends info to an app, much like FitBark does. But the Wonderwoof app can also show you the location of other Wonderwoof users, so you can meet up with other pups and have a playdate!
While you’re out on your walks, the app will alert you when another user (and their dog) is nearby so that you can build your dog’s social network of neighborhood pals. Watch out, or your furball may eventually have more friends than you do!
9. Pet Health Insurance
Pet insurance is another commodity that has been around for a while (about 30 years), but it has only recently begun to accelerate. With longer lifespans for our pets and the rising cost in veterinary care, pet health insurance has become more attractive to pet owners of all kinds.
The American Pet Products Association (APPA) reports that pet owners spent roughly $29.3 billion on vet care and vet products in 2019. Over 29 billion dollars! That number is expected to grow to a whopping $30.2 billion in 2020. When compared to the 2010 numbers of only $13 billion, you can see how much the industry has grown in the last decade!
The trend is bringing growth to pet insurance companies like Healthy Paws and PetPlan, and compelling other companies to add pet insurance to their list of services! Nationwide also offers its own line of pet insurance.
Even Nestle Purina jumped on board in 2008! The dominating dog food brand created a pet insurance subsidiary called Pethealth Inc.
With more pets, more vet bills, and more advances in animal medicine, this trend shows no signs of slowing down.
10. Pet Portrait Photography
Let’s be real – our phones are filled with photos of our pets, right? Many pet owners are taking the photo obsession just one step further with professional pet portraits.
Seth Casteel is a photographer whose work went viral when he shared images from his photography series, Underwater Dogs. Seth’s photos captured the excited (and somewhat wild) faces of pups who dove into a pool to retrieve a ball or toy, and they were an instant sensation.
That series seemed to spark the pet portrait movement, and photographers are offering their services as specialists in pet photography!
While this trend has been around for a while, it’s really picking up steam this year. More pet owners see their pets as part of the family and want to add their headshots to the wall with the rest!
And these aren’t candid, running-through-the-field shots; these are true portraits, with a dark background, focused lighting, and an up-close perspective of your favorite furry face.
Worth the investment? Just look at those sweet, adoring eyes – I’d say so.
11. DOGTV
Though we may dislike it, we have to leave our dog home alone while we’re at work, grocery shopping, or out with friends.
Our dogs can get lonely while we’re away, so DOGTV has made it their mission to keep them engaged and entertained while the humans are away.
DOGTV has drawn on the research from several studies to develop TV programming that entertains and educates your dog. Yep, that’s right – educational television for your growing pup!
From the images on the screen to the style of the programming, DOGTV aims to keep your dog’s mind busy and growing.
You can get a subscription online or through cable providers like DishTV, DirecTV, or Comcast.
Conclusion on the Hottest Trends in the Pet Industry
While 2020 is not over yet, chances are that these trends will continue to grow in the pet industry.
With more people owning pets and increased adoptions, the pet market is only getting bigger.
Let me know of other trends that I may have missed and feel free to comment below.
