Top Pet Trends of 2022 & 2023
Lick Mat
A lick mat is a type of mat designed to encourage the act of licking for dogs and cats. The mat is made of textured rubber material that can help clean the pet’s tongue and can also help in calming them. … Read more
Petkit
Petkit is a company that produces a line of smart pet products. The products include a smart food dispenser, a smart water fountain, and a smart pet camera. The products are designed to make it easier for pet owners to care for their pets, by providing information on food and water intake, activity levels, and health. … Read more
Tofu Cat Litter
Tofu Cat Litter is a litter that is made from tofu. The litter is said to be biodegradable, flushable, and non-toxic. It is also said to be more absorbent than traditional cat litters, which can help to reduce odor. … Read more
Microchip Pet Feeder
A microchip pet feeder is a pet feeder that is designed to dispense food only to authorized pets. The feeder uses a device, often a chip on the collar, to identify the pet, and will not release food if it does not detect the chip. This prevents unauthorized animals from eating another pet's food. … Read more
Dog Food Toppers
Dog food toppers are additions to a dog's regular food that are meant to provide additional nutrients and flavor. The toppers can be in the form of freeze-dried or wet food, and are often made with natural ingredients. … Read more
Reactive Dog Training
Reactive dog training is a type of training that is meant to help dogs who overreact to other dogs, people, or their environment. The training is meant to help the dog learn how to better control their reactions and to be more confident in their surroundings. … Read more
Probiotic For Dogs
Probiotics for dogs are supplements that are meant to improve the health of dogs. The probiotics are made up of beneficial bacteria that are thought to help with a variety of issues, such as digestion, allergies, and skin health. … Read more
Collar Tag
A collar tag is a small tag that is attached to a pet's collar. The tag typically contains the pet's name, contact information, and an identification number. … Read more
Pumpkin Puree For Dogs
Pumpkin puree is a food that is made from cooked pumpkin. The puree is often used as a dietary supplement for dogs, as it is high in fiber, vitamin A, and beta-carotene. It can also be used to treat constipation and diarrhea in dogs. … Read more
Cat Tree For Large Cats
A Cat Tree for Large Cats is a tree-like structure that is designed for large cats. The tree is typically made of sturdy materials like wood or metal and has a number of platforms and perches for cats to climb and lounge on. … Read more
Recovery Suit
A recovery suit is a type of clothing that is meant to be worn by pets such as dogs and cats after surgery or some medical procedure in order to protect the wound or sutures on their body. The suit is designed to help the pet recover faster by protecting the surgical area. … Read more
Water Fountain For Cats
A water fountain for cats is a device that is designed to dispense fresh water for cats to drink. The fountain is typically made out of plastic or ceramic and has a small water reservoir that is constantly circulated. … Read more
Calming Treats
Calming treats are snacks that are designed to help reduce stress and anxiety. The snacks are often made with ingredients that are known to have calming effects, such as chamomile and lavender. … Read more
Slip Lead
A slip lead is a type of leash that is made of two loops of rope or fabric. The lead is slipped over the dog's head and then pulled tight to secure it. The lead is then used to control the dog by gently pulling on it. … Read more
Chicken Broth For Dogs
Chicken broth for dogs is a broth that is made from chicken bones and is meant to be given to dogs as a dietary supplement. The broth is said to be beneficial in improving joint health, digestion, and coat condition. … Read more
Poop Bag Holder
A poop bag holder is a container or dispenser designed to carry poop bags. The holder is typically made of a durable material and has a clip or hook to attach to the leash, waist, or belt. … Read more
Catio
A catio is a patio that is specifically designed for cats. The catio can be an outdoor or indoor space and can include features like a scratching post, a bed, or a perch. The catio is a great way to allow cats to enjoy the outdoors safely. … Read more
Bone Broth For Dogs
Bone broth for dogs is broth that is made from the bones of animals. The broth is said to be beneficial in providing dogs with essential nutrients and helping with joint health, skin health, and digestion. … Read more
Gastrointestinal Dog Food
Gastrointestinal dog food is designed to help improve the digestive health of dogs. It is made with probiotics and prebiotics to help support the growth of healthy gut bacteria, as well as digestive enzymes to help break down food. … Read more
Slow Feeder Bowl
A slow feeder bowl is a bowl that is designed to slow down the eating speed of pets. The bowls have a series of small holes, making it difficult for the pet to eat quickly. This helps to reduce bloat and reduce the risk of choking. … Read more
Reptile Enclosure
A reptile enclosure is a structure or tank that is used to house reptiles. The enclosure may be made from a variety of materials, such as glass, plastic, or metal, and may be designed for a specific type of reptile. … Read more
Muzzle For Dogs
A muzzle for dogs is a device that is worn by a dog to prevent it from biting. The muzzle is typically made of a hard material such as plastic or metal and fits around the dog's snout. … Read more
Trend Highlight – The Rise of Slow Feeder Bowls
Slow feeder dog bowls are sold as a way to keep a dog healthy by getting them to eat slower. These bowls have ridges, into which an owner can wedge the dog’s food. Many of these products claim a 10x increase in the time it takes for a dog to finish its meal, helping to prevent indigestion, bloating, and regurgitation.
But the slow feeder dog bowl isn’t just better for the dog, it’s also better for the owner, too: the bowl keeps the pet occupied, which is an increasingly pressing concern as more people work from home. Like online educational videos for kids, the sales pitch is about benefits to the end user, but the selling point is commonly the benefit to the person making the purchasing decision.
Trend Highlight – Why Lick Mats Are So Popular
The LickiMat, and lick mat products in general, pitches itself as a way to sooth dogs psychologically and promote healthier eating habits. But it’s useful for owners, too: it keeps their pets occupied, which is an increasingly pressing concern as more people work from home.
Lick mats are plastic mats that food can be wedged into, which slows dogs down so they don’t devour their dinner in seconds. They also serve as a distraction for shorter-term needs, like pet grooming. Some pets hate to be cleaned, but they love food more than they loathe cleaning, so a product that extends the eating process helps their owners take care of them.
Like online educational videos for kids, the sales pitch is about benefits to the end user, but the selling point is the benefit to the person making the purchasing decision.
Trend Highlight – The Rise of the Reptile Enclosure
For consumers who want a low commitment pet of sorts, plants benefit from the same dynamic as easy-bake ovens and sous vide machines—they require just enough effort that it feels like an accomplishment, but not so much that it’s a chore.
In fact, some consumers even find live plants to be too much work: discussion, searches, and sales of faux plants are all growing faster than for live plants. And Whole Foods, which sells plants, dedicates a page on their site to teaching customers “How to Not Kill Your Succulent”. It’s a strong indicator of the changing dynamics given that succulents are among the easiest plants to keep alive.
In parallel, a growing wave of consumers is looking for pets that are easier to care for. Reptiles are between a traditional pet and a plant: they require much less interaction than cats, dogs, and hamsters—snake owners talk about how, when they're going on vacation for a week, they just need to feed their pet snake a little bit more the day they leave.
This makes reptiles a good pet both for people who have high incomes but minimal free time, and for consumers at the other end of the economic scale who have uncertain work schedules and don’t have a budget for expensive fresh pet food and elaborate training.
This trend is compounded by bigger picture population shifts. As people move to smaller homes in bigger cities, interest has risen in pets that don’t need as much space. And the market isn’t small: while more than half of US households have a dog and only 4% have a reptile, this 4% still amounts to a sizable 5 million households.
Trend Highlight – Pet Owners are Getting Portraits of Their Pets
Spending on pets has been rising at a furious pace, as people who are priced out of having kids opt to lavish their pets with gifts instead. One area of growth is pet portraits, which are either straightforward portraits or involve painting a pet in a costume. Some companies use these as a promotional tool—Chewy sends free pet portraits to loyal customers, which essentially means these customers are displaying a Chewy billboard in their living rooms. For other companies, pet portraits are their main line of business.
Like many supply chains, the center of gravity for oil paintings is in China. A single village, Dafen Painting Village, has over 1,200 painting shops, and at one time produced 60% of the world's oil paintings. These workshops often mass-produce paintings, with each worker focusing on just a single set of strokes for a particular painting—it’s oil painting on an assembly line. Dafen originally produced replicas of famous works of art like the Mona Lisa and Starry Night, but it's created a source of rapid-turnaround artists who can produce paintings of anything.
With the increasing ubiquity and quality of cameras, pet portraits are easier. Instead of needing to carefully pose a photo, pet owners can select the best of the hundreds or thousands of pictures they've already taken. While some pet portrait providers offer an earnest, realistic portrait, others lean in to the kitsch. The category relies on a sort of Horseshoe Theory of Hokiness: a pet portrait seems to take pet ownership too seriously, while an exaggerated and ridiculous one makes it clear that the owner is in on the joke. An oil painting of a dog might be ironic, but an oil painting of a dog in a space suit definitely is.
One of the leading pet portrait brands started in 2019 and grew to a team of over 60 in less than a year. At one point, the company was emailing customers to exchange $50 gift cards for unboxing videos which they could later use as ad content. And because these products fall into the category of impulse purchases, email and on-site limited time offers are successfully used by the major players.
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