In 2010, Small Business Trends predicted pet owners would concentrate pet supply dollars on quality food products, such as organic or medically-based, holistic pet foods and supplies.
Pet store owner Laura Patterson has been concentrating on catering to concerned pet owners since February of 2006 when she opened up her first Alpha Pet Supply store in Tenino. She brought her unique pet business vision to Centralia in November of 2008.
“We’re all about the welfare of the pet here, good food and nutrition,” said Patterson. “We carry only wheat-, soy- and corn-free products here.”
Patterson got her start in the business when she had a dog that had issues with allergies.
How do you tell if your dog has allergies?
“They’ll lick their paw all the time, they lose hair at the base of their tail from the constant itching,” Patterson said. “The wheat- and corn-based products can also cause digestive issues.”
“(Dogs and cats) don’t eat grains in the wild,” said Sarah Coffman, one of a dozen part-time workers Patterson employs at her two stores. “It’s like the difference between you eating fast food all the time and eating healthy food.”
Patterson said she spent several months trying different brands of food, trying to find just the right food that would ease her dog’s symptoms. She eventually went to the raw foods diets, but “that was a lot of work,” she said, “a lot of work.”
As pet food companies started catching on to the needs of the pet owning community, pet food manufacturing companies started providing grain-free products.
Grains — wheat, corn, and sometimes even rice and oats — seem to be the biggest allergy, skin and digestive problem foods for pets, Patterson said. Allergies and sensitivities can develop and change over time.
“It’s all about finding what works for your pet,” she said. “We have a lot of samples here, we can go through them, step-be-step, and see what works for you.”
The grain-free products, Patterson said, also help with obesity problem pets.
“The corn just turns to sugar, that’s why your dog likes it so much, but it isn’t good for them,” she said.
The higher-end brand pet foods are more expensive and in even today’s economy, Patterson isn’t worried about her businesses. While the pet supply business isn’t recession-proof, it is rather recession-resistant.
“Even if you are homeless, you’ll take good care of your dog,” she said. “I work to keep my prices low and affordable. I’m about $7 cheaper a bag than the competition.”
The Centralia Alpha Pet Supply store will be moving a mile down the road at the first of next month into the old Goode building. Patterson said she is looking forward to the bigger building and the opportunities it will provide.
Patterson will be partnering with professional dog trainers Debbie Harp and Cindy Holden of “Doggie Du-Rite” (www.doggiedurite.com) to provide in-house private consultations and group obedience classes.
The best welfare for a dog is training, exercise and good nutrition, it all works together.
“I’d say 99.9 percent of the time the problem is the dog’s owner, not the dog,” said Harp. “Honor the dog for being a dog and provide him what he needs. They don’t need cookies every 5 minutes; they need exercise, clear rules and lots of love.”
Cats Too
The Alpha Pet Supply stores also cater to the cat owner. Nearly half the store is dedicated to quality cat food and supplies.
“And we have some small pet supplies, but places like Pioneer West and Kaija’s does such a good job with those products, we send a lot of people over there,” Patterson said. “And they send a lot of business our way. We do a good job of partnering together to serve the pet owners.”
Second Chance Dog Rescue
Harp said their biggest passion is in the rehabilitation of “Second Chance Dogs.”
Patterson, Harp and three other women founded the nonprofit dog rescue group in 2009. It’s where their heart is.
“Animals teach me compassion,” said Patterson. “Even after all these dogs have been through in abusive situations, the fact that they can still show that kind of compassion and forgiveness ... It amazes me.”
The Second Chance Dogs organization rescues, rehabilitates and re-homes abandoned, abused, neglected and forgotten dogs into loving homes. For more information go to www.2ndchancedogs.com or e-mail them at info@
2ndchancedogs.com.
“If we would take a moment and listen to our dogs, they have so much to teach us,” Harp said.
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Kimberly Mason is a freelance writer based in Cinebar. She can be contacted at kz@tds.net.
