(Published in May 2007)

Home Is Where Your Hound Is
Strategies for selling more dog houses are revealed.
By Scott and Ann Springer

As the mercury rises in the summer months or temperatures plummet in the winter, you’ll find more dog owners at your doorstep in search of a suitable home away from home for Fido.

While the recent trend in the pet world has been for dogs to come indoors, many dogs still reside outdoors while their owners leave during the day for work.

But don’t be fooled by this banishment outside. Dogs still reign supreme in many households in this day and age, and manufacturers are answering the call for more alluring al fresco dog abodes with high-tech materials inside and out. Examples of this include heated padding on the interiors and more aesthetically appealing exteriors.

"To give dogs an insulated house is what I call 'outdoor pampering,’" says Ray Jones, president of Jones and Company Pets, Inc, a retailer in Marysville, Wa. "When people go to work it’s their way to spoil their dog."

Outdoor Pampering
Jones has seen sales in his 22,000-square-foot shop soar during typical Pacific Northwest downpours.

"We have a lot of sales when it’s rainy," Jones says.

And when the customers come into Jones’s shop, they are looking for dog houses with high quality and style, Jones says.

In Jones’ region of the country, dog houses that resemble human houses and dog houses with barn-like appearances are currently the hottest-selling dog dwellings.

"The wood houses have a big portion of the market," says Wenchi Lin, president of the United States operations for Pinta International, with U.S. headquarters in Foster City, Calif.

"People are dying for something more stylish in this market," says Lin, whose products are sold under the brand name New Age Pet.

Newer styles, such as the gazebo-looking residences, have Lin’s phone ringing off the hook, she says.

"People are really looking for a product with a fresh design that also functions," Lin says. "They want something with better ventilation in the summer and insulation in the winter."

But over in the New England area of the country, igloo-styled houses are still top dog, says Kit Watson, the manager of the shop Concord Pet Foods and Supplies in Milford, Del., which is part of a small chain of stores in the northeast.

Igloo-styled dog houses account for 40 percent of sales for Doskocil, an Arlington, Texas manufacturer of several styles of dog houses, says Mike Foster, the product manager for containment products for Doskocil.

The igloo-style houses Watson sells are made of poly-resin and "really work like an igloo to keep the dog warm," Watson says.

Nitrogen is added to create air bubbles in building materials of some houses to offer an added layer of protection from the inclement weather, Foster says.

When the snow starts to pile up, Watson will sell anywhere from three to 23 houses in a month, she says. "It all depends on how cold it is," she says.

Watson recommends keeping your ear to the ground to know when a cold snap is expected and to display your dog houses accordingly.

Soft-sided kennels, which can also be used as an outdoor dog dwelling, are seeing a lot of growth right now, Foster says. These products are easier for owners to transport for traveling but still offer protection from most elements.

"Sixty-percent of owners take their dogs with them when they travel," says Foster, citing a study done by the American Pet Product Manufacturing Association.

Cleaning House
Big box stores and online sales of dog houses have made this market competitive, but this doesn’t knock smaller retailers out of the market entirely.

"You’ve got to sharpen your pencil on pricing to move these big-ticket items," Jones says. "There’s not as big of a mark-up on dog houses, so to maintain turns we’ve got to keep the pricing a little tighter."

Educating your staff about the innovative materials used in these outdoor dog houses will allow customers to see that the chunk of change they’re shelling out is an investment well spent.

"The consumer may look at it and say, '$100 for a dog house!’" Watson says. "If you educate your consumers then they’ll understand the product and they won’t be bothered by the price."

In addition to price point, retailers face the never-ending dilemma of displaying these bulky items.

Consider the packaging in which the product comes as a display in itself, Lin says.

"If it’s compact, has a picture of the house, and has the measurements and assembly instructions, it could minimize space in the store and help the retailers to sell houses more easily," Lin says.

Other manufacturers offer hardware that allows a retailer to stack dog houses vertically to free up valuable horizontal square footage, Foster says.

Smaller stores may want to utilize their front door area when possible, Jones suggests. "Everyone who comes in sees it," Jones says. "It gives you good exposure."

Running promotions, such as offering a free pad or doggie door with the purchase of a house, can also help persuade a customer into making the investment.

Watson says more than half of her customers buy the whole set—a dog door and a heated liner—when they buy a house for their hound.

Try using the accessories that are made to resist bacteria, mold and their subsequent smells to up-sell the purchase. "Those are huge add-on sales," Foster says.

But the most important thing to remember and to tell your customers is that their dogs need comfort, too.

"If I had to live outside all the time, I’d want something comfortable to live in," Watson says. "For some dogs it’s their home away from home."