The Dog Marketing Blog

The Detroit Free Press published an article about upscale pet retailers today which finds that sector is performing well despite the economic woes of the Detroit meto area. The store profiled for most of the article, Teacups and Toys, sells both upscale merchandise and dogs to wear it. I’m not a fan of the sales of dogs in retail outlets, but the story makes it sound like the store’s staff provides a lot more after-sale support for their puppies than the “Michigan breeders” that supply the store’s live merchandise. Other Detroit area pet retailers featured (who don’t sell dogs) are Shaggy Chic Boutique and Pet Supplies Plus and a representative of non-profit industry networking group, Pet Industry Retailers, is interviewed as well.

Thanks again to MediaPost, JetBlue announces an in-cabin pet policy called JetPaws which is essentially a set of rules for flying with small pets in the cabin.  Total weight of pet and carrier cannot exceed 20 pounds and there is absolutely no mention of whether or not larger pets are accepted on the airline at all. They do sell a designer Jazzy Park Avenue Pet accessories for these elite JetPaw-eligible pets. I emailed them to inquire as to whether I could take a larger pet with me, say if I wanted to fly from Chicago to New York for the Westminster dog show, I’ll post an update when I find out.  Although this is positioned as a very pet-friendly move, as someone who owns larger dogs it feels pretty darn exclusionary, i.e.  JetBlue LOVES pets, well [tiny] pets.  Of the Top Ten breeds registered by AKC last year, only 2 could fly on JetBlue, Yorkies, and Shih Tzus, plus the Toys among the Poodles and svelte mini Dachshunds.

Small world department, Rhonda Collins, who I met at a Motor City Connect networking event mentioned she has connections to Dara Foster, originally from Michigan, who writes the PupStyle blog and who recently appeared on the Today show. I missed the show, actually I’m not much of one for dressing my own dogs up, although Anna Nicole competes in the costume class at Bullyolympics every year (she is a perpetual bridesmaid there. )  A lot of people do enjoy dressing their dogs and there is clearly a market for some high end dog duds.