Comments Off on Westminster Agility, meets the breeds
16 Feb 15

Westminster Agility, meets the breed ...

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

The 2nd Annual Westminster Masters Agility Championship was held in New York City on Saturday, February 14, 2015 at Pier 94. This was my 2nd year there, and it did not disappoint – very exciting to watch the finals!  Many dogs from Long Island were there representing, and dogs you don’t always see in agility like: Dobermans, Rotties, AmStaffs, mixed breeds, among the speed demons – aka the Border Collie.

Doberman from Lake Grove, NY - she was awesome!

I am telling you now, if you didn’t go, you have to plan to attend next year’s event.  Check out some of our video coverage from the event below and to see a lot more pictures, CLICK HERE.

In addition to the agility, the American Kennel Club hosted their annual ‘Meet the Breeds’ next door at Pier 92.  This event is normally held at the Javits Center, and usually has cats too – but this year it was just for dogs.  To say it was crowded would be a huge understatement.  Despite the frigid temperatures and snow falling outside, the line was incredibly long to get in!  The picture below is from inside, that crowd went all the way back to the end of the pier!

This breed of dog kind of looks like a sheepdog in wools clothing perhaps?  It is a Bergamasco!

Can you figure out what breed this is? Looks a little like a large Carin terrier right? It is a Berger Picard.

Another local Long Island Doberman from Huntington – what a beauty!

New to Westminster this year is the Coton de tulear.

The Wired Haired Vizla is also new to West minster this year.

A breed I have never seen before and used to hunt boar in Japan is the Kishu Ken –  this dog was as sweet as could be.

To see a lot more pictures from Meet the Breeds CLICK HERE!

Comments Off on We are Better With Pets
22 Oct 14

We are Better With Pets ...

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

The 2nd Annual Better With Pets summit, hosted by Purina, was held in New York City on Tuesday, October 14, 2014 and brought together thought leaders, entrepreneurs, rocket scientists, (yes actual an rocket scientist), and so many other wonderful people in the pet industry.  This year’s summit focused on how innovations and what is to come for pet care, pet products, veterinary care and nutrition.

Kicking off the summit was 14-year old entrepreneur Brooke Martin – who is so well spoken for her age, poised, bubbly and professional – it is a almost a ridiculous. Inventing a product called iCpooch, she talked about her product, the reason she came up with the idea and how she beat out 39 adults at a entrepreneurial weekend competition at a college, when she was the ripe old age of 12 years old.  I met Brooke at Global Pet Expo this past March and loved her spirit and drive to make our lives better with our pets.  Congrats Brooke!

Host of the event John Hockenberry with Mayo Clinic doctor, Ed Creagan who gave tremendous insight (most of us know this already) but how sick human patients were missing their pets so much while hospitialized that their health declined.  An example of one patient who stopped eating when he was separated from his dog, and his dog while in foster care also stopped eating.  When the dog was brought to the hospital to visit with the patient, both of them perked up and were much more responsive – the nurses couldn’t believe it.  I can.  Hospitals need to become better at dealing with patients that may be terminal or in the hospital for a long time to ALLOW visitation from the owners pets.  So glad this topic was talked about and thank you to Dr. Ed Creagan for being there to bring attention to this subject.

The amazing story of Bean and how her owner, Dr. Karen M. Vernau and another veterinarian Dr. Stan Marks didn’t give up on her and her story of hope and survivial is incredible.  It was great to meet Bean at the event.  Bean should actually not be alive today, living with a permenant feeding tube, who also could not breath properly with conditions such as muscular dystrophy to a malfunctiong esophagus, Bean is probably one of the first dogs, if not the first to have a tracheotomy.  This happy go lucky sweet dog is alive because of these incredible advances in human and veterinary medicine.

Victoria Stillwell was also one of the guest speakers at this year’s summit and throughout the day long event the speaker line up that was fun, (can you say Cats taking over the art world?), informative, moving and motivating. If you missed the event you have incredible luck as you can WATCH the entire summit here – how cool is that? Enjoy! (See more pictures below).

Just Manny the Frenchie hanging out during the event!

Fellow pet professional in attendance at the summit during the lunch break.

Beke Lubeach of Goodbone Marketing,  Caroline Goldin of Romeo the Cat and Crayons and Collars, Dr.   Nancy Hassel (me!) and Dana Humphrey of Whitegate PR.

Comments Off on Made in USA Pets 1
06 Mar 14

Made in USA Pets 1 ...

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

On February 19, 2014 in NYC the first ever ‘Made in America‘ pet product expo was held, aptly titled ‘NYC Re-tails & Sales Expo‘ where vendors of American made pet products and retailers could meet.  Vendors came from all over the USA to showcase their products to retailers in the Northeast who came from NYC, Long Island, New Jersey, Boston and Connecticut.   I was lucky enough to get amazing feedback from the vendors and asked them all questions about why ‘Made in the USA’ was so important to them, and advice they could offer other pet product manufacturers or inventors.

I am excited to bring you their answers in a article series, ‘Made in USA Pets’  that is not only inspiring, but educational, helpful and shows that you can make, source and sell your American Made pet products here.

Sharon Herrman, Alpha Female of Zelda’s Song who makes beautiful items for humans and dogs alike had this to say:

LIPetPlace: What is the most important reason your products are Made in the USA?
Zelda’s Song:  “Quality and reliability – the products have to be good enough to honor the life we have with our pets.  It’s not a relationship we take lightly – so the quality needs to reflect that.”
LIPetPlace: If you had advice for other pet product manufacturers out there that want to source and make their products in the USA – what would it be?
Zelda’s Song: “Look around…it’s not always easy to find someone who can manufacture what you want, so ask around the manufacturing community – they usually know who does what within their industry.  Of course The Thomas Register is a good place to start – but go to manufacturing trade shows or conferences in your industry and ask around.”
LIPetPlace: Your biggest accomplishment with your Made in the USA pet product thus far?
Zelda’s Song: “Selected for an upscale dog-themed catalog right out of the gate!  Also, being able to weave together the product and the customer’s story about their dog through social media.”
LIPetPlace: Any additional thoughts you would like the pet owner to know about your product?
Zelda’s Song: “I’m open to ideas and suggestions!  Some of my new items were created directly from customer suggestions!”
Some of Zelda’s Song’s beautiful products!

The same questions were asked to the following vendors from the event.  Jane Bell of Pet Portables who makes very important pet first aid kits and pet travel safety kits had the following answers:

Pet Portables: “Quality and being supportive of manufacturers and products made in this country.
Pet Portables: Don’t give up. It takes a lot of research and cost comparisons. Join groups like Americamadematters.com
Pet Portables: I am able to keep the quality consistent and that everything in my kits is human grade so it’s good for both people and pets.
Pet Portables: This new product has room enough for a roll of pick up bags and your keys. Companies who provide dog walking services should have one clipped to each walker.”

Travel Pet Safety Kit and Pet First Aid Kit by Pet Portables.

Another great product that was featured at the event was Fresh and Fluffy – a whole new spin on washing your pup, no watered needed!  Rod Thomas, Fresh and Fluffy’s Director of Marketing had this to say:

Fresh and Fluffy:
“Our dream is to fresh and fluff pups worldwide, but we think the US is a an excellent first goal. We started locally in Houston, Texas where we have fresh and fluffied puppies throughout the entire city and into the Texas Hill Country. It’s important to take care of your home, and southern pups love the fluffy stuff (!), but thanks to the NYC Re-tails and Sales Expo we were able to showcase Fresh and Fluffy in the northeast, too! Our long-term goal of taking Fresh and Fluffy global begins right here in our home country: the USA, where F&F was born and raised.

Fresh and Fluffy: We are not a manufacturer, but with what we have learned about manufacturing is the importance of examining various sourcing. Be creative. Find the best fit for your product, whether it’s doing it yourself, hunting for larger sources or investigating maker spaces with manufacturing equipment. The pet community is very helpful about helping you locate sourcing, and genuinely appreciates quality products that are made for their furry friends and family.

Fresh and Fluffy: Launching successfully and making our phase one numbers has been great. Almost everyone who experiences the power of the powder appreciates the product. It was also our honor to introduce our product to New York pet owners. They now join our growing nation of F&F fans that buy from more than two dozen retail locations. We also enjoy giving back to the community. We partner with plenty of local shelter groups and adoption organizations to improve the lives of people and pets.

Fresh and Fluffy: The  ease to use it is. It smells great, and with the addition of our lavender scent it’s not just for pups anymore. Our feline friends can now smell fresh and fluffy too! It’s a great product at a great price and really takes the stress off both owners and pets come bath time.

Fresh and Fluffy really does shampoo your pet without the wet!”

Rod Thomas from Fresh and Fluffy!

Lisa Flynn, owner and inventor of the company Harness Lead a new concept on walking dogs that are pullers or shelter dogs that don’t have their manners yet.  From their webstie: Harness Lead is designed to be used as a GENTLE tool by utilizing a dog’s OWN pressure against the leash to encourage and remind him to slow down his pace.
Harness Lead works best in a gentle manner along with positive encouragement and praise from the handler. Relax the leash and let the dog’s pressure be the only pressure against the leash.
Harness Lead: “What is the most important reason your products are Made in the USA? Creating jobs and offering a product with quality craftsmanship.
Harness Lead: If you had advice for other pet product manufacturers out there that want to source and make their products in the USA – what would it be?
Keep trying. It can be a daunting task to find a manufacturer, but they are out there if you don’t give up!
Harness Lead: Your biggest accomplishment with your Made in the USA pet product thus far? Helping to keep dogs safe and comfortable while giving their owners peace of mind that their dog will not get loose, has been the greatest joy and sense of accomplishment.
Harness Lead: Any additional thoughts you would like the pet owner to know about your product? Harness Lead is escape proof, can go from puppyhood to adulthood, fits unusual figures such as giant breeds and helps reduce pulling without choking stress. Harness Lead also has a calming effect on many of it’s users.”

Lisa Flynn of Harness Lead.

Bill Converse, President of Critter Zone USA, the amazing air naturalizer, perfect for your pet store, home, and portable unit for your car had the following to say:

CritterZoneUSA: “Bringing jobs back to America and also time and management control over product manufacturing.

CritterZoneUSA: Research costs of manufacturing in America and you will be shocked to learn that after all is said and done, many times it is less expensive to manufacture here.  If you factor in all of the shipping costs, product and delivery delays, that is loss of productivity and a huge expense to businesses.

CritterZoneUSA: Amazingly, once we made the decision to bring manufacturing back to the USA, we had Chinese wholesalers asking us to ship them product.  Even the Chinese want products that are ‘Made in the USA!

CritterZoneUSA: Yes. We are a unique Air Naturalizer product, unlike anything else on the market.  Having won first place for Best New Product at the 2012 SuperZoo, we feel there is a huge need and acceptance by the pet community for CritterZone.”

Shar Weinrauch of Critter Zone USA

Critter Zone Air Neutralizing portable unit. The CritterZone Air Naturalizer creates a natural, charged flow that fills the room or vehicle and continually cleans the air. The sun provides the outdoor air with the power and energy it needs to clean itself: a power and energy that indoor air lacks. CritterZone provides indoor air with the natural charge it needs to virtually eliminate odors, allergens, dust and bacteria.

‘NYC Re-tails & Sales Pet Expo’ featuring ‘Made in the USA Pet Products’ was hosted by Nancy Hassel, of Long Island Pet Professionals and Dana Humphrey of Whitegate PR, and was Sponsored by Pet Age Magazine and Made in the USA, Certified.  To see more pictures from the expo, click here.  We will be bringing you more articles featuring products and fantastic advice from pet companies Made in the USA!

Comments Off on Better with pets, absolutely!
26 Nov 13

Better with pets, absolutely! ...

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

This past Tuesday, November 19, 2013 I had the pleasure of being invited to the day long ‘Better With Pets‘ summit – an invite only event hosted by Purina that had a line up of fantastic speakers in the pet industry.  Held at the Florence Guold Hall in New York City, it was a packed house of pet professionals,  pet bloggers, pet celebrities and a few furry four legged guests.  Not knowing what to expect on this first-ever summit, I was pleasantly surprised and loved every minute of it.  It was unlike any other pet event I have been too, and showcased the dedication, love, passion for pets each speaker (and each person in the audience) has.

Admittidly I was a few minutes late getting there, NYC traffic anyone? And how nice to be at an event like this in the city where I didn’t have to travel too far! And upon walking in was suprised to see so many people there.  It was great to see my NYC pet pro friends and bloggers from across the country that I see at other events.

The entire event was emceed by media legend John Hockenberry – who did just a fantastic job throughout the day.
The first speaker was Dr. Brian Hare (above) who spoke about our dog’s amazing cognitive abilities.

Throughout the day we heard from speakers like Beth Stern, Dr. Marty Becker, delighted by the musings, video and drawings of Simon Tofield (we laughed until tears were coming down our cheeks!).  Mike Rugnetta super fast talking presentation that was funny and informative too.

We also heard incredibile stories from Dr. Arleigh Reynolds who won the GCI Open North American Championship sled dog race in Fairbanks, Alaska.  He told us how to this day that the most economical way to travel in Alaska is by dog sled and that blueberries in Alaska have the most antioxidents in the world due to the long sun exposure in the summer months there.

The day long event was also filled with breaks throughout, lunch and a ‘Dad & Dogs: A co-evolution’ play performed by dancers.

If you missed the event, you are in luck as Purina will be putting the video’s on their website on December 3, 2013 and you can watch each speaker.

I really hope they do it again next year, as it was a great day of information, entertainment, networking and lovely to be a part of it.

For more pictures from the event click here!

Comments Off on Strutting Breeds in NYC
01 Oct 13

Strutting Breeds in NYC ...

By Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Two different events in New York City on Saturday, September 28, 2013 brought in pet lovers from all over the tri-state area.  The first was Best Friends Animal Society’s Strutt your Mutt fundraising dog walk – held at Pier 84 on Hudson River Park – hundreds of people and their pets strutted 2 miles to help raise funds for homeless pets. It was a beautiful day – you could not have asked for more goregous weather over looking the Hudson River.

The event is held all over the country all to help Best Friends continue to do the great work they do.

If you missed the event you can still send in a donation here, and put a save the date on your calendar for next year.  A fantastic event and breathtaking NYC location!
For more pictures on Strutt your Mutt, click here!

Just a few blocks away at the Jacob Javits Center, the American Kennel Club (AKC) held their annual ‘Meet the breeds‘ event where dogs and cats (and their owners or breeders) from around the country were their educating the public about their breeds. More than 200 different kinds of dogs and cats were at the show.

During the event there were many vendors to visit and a lot of different shows on the show floor – from agility demos, cart pulling dogs, police K9 units, obedience, a cat fashion show…yes I said cat fashion show, and much more!

One thing that you may not realize is, many of the breeders at the event are also associated with breed specific rescue groups whether it is a dog or cat.  I saw different booths with information on rescue groups for their breed, and listened to couple of passionate dog breeders who are also heavily involved with rescue.

It is a great event to see breeds you might not have ever heard of, like the hound above which is a Hamiltonstovare, or if you just love seeing cats and dogs hamming it up in one place.  One thing I will say is, if next year you plan on going to the event and bringing your human kids with you – please remind them of their manners in petting the animals, to always ask before they pet, and to not be overly pushy, etc.  I witnessed a few incidents of parents have zero control over their kids and some of the pet owners having to instruct them ‘not to hit the cat over the head with a cat toy,’ I kid you not! (This pet pro got hit in the face with a cat toy by one unruly child, ugh!)

I think it is a great place to bring your children to see, learn and enjoy pets – but some guidence ahead of time will make for a  better experience overall!

To see many more pictures from Meet the Breeds, click here!