🚨 NEWS ALERT

More dogs go missing 🧨 TODAY 🧨 than any other day of the year. Be sure you have a plan to keep your dogs safe and secure before any fireworks take place!

Here’s a great prep guide if you need one.

THIS WEEK'S TOPICS:

• 😵 +$450K/yr recording a pitbull eating food

• 🔬 Dog science is exploding

• 💻 Democratizing dog training

 😵 +$450K/YR RECORDING A PITBULL EATING FOOD

Since 2017, the trend of ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) videos has expanded beyond human subjects to our four-legged friends, particularly in the form of dogs eating and enjoying baths.

This sensory sensitive niche has captivated audiences worldwide, offering a unique blend of relaxation and entertainment. One of the most notable success stories in this space is Bounce The Pitbull, a YouTube sensation with 888K subscribers and over 157M views.

This video👇 alone has over 14M views

Bounce The Pitbull’s channel is a prime example of the immense business potential within oddball niches like dog ASMR.

According to Social Blade, a YouTube analytics platform, Bounce’s estimated earnings could be up to $450K just based on ad revenue alone.

However, many YouTubers argue that Social Blade often underestimates actual earnings, as the platform uses conservative CPM (Cost Per Thousand Impressions) figures. The real earnings for channels like Bounce’s can be significantly higher, particularly when factoring in sponsorship deals and merchandise sales.

The popularity of dog ASMR videos lies in their ability to provide soothing and enjoyable content for viewers, often featuring the natural sounds of dogs eating crunchy treats or enjoying a relaxing bath.

This genre has not only attracted millions of views but also a dedicated community of pet lovers and ASMR enthusiasts.

Other Popular Dog ASMR Creators

The success of Bounce The Pitbull is mirrored by other popular dog ASMR channels.

For instance, "Reign Storm" the pitbull who loves bath time, has amassed 3.3M followers between TikTok and YouTube. These creators have tapped into a market that craves content showcasing the pure joy and natural behaviors of dogs.

@reignstormpit

🫧🧼Dog Morning Bath Routine , Deshedding & Moisturizing With Organic Coconut Oil & Shea Butter 🐾💙🫧 #foryou #foryoupage #dogsoftiktok #dogba... See more

Even other popular pups have released ASMR videos with great success, such as Doug the Pug:

Untapped Ideas and Business Opportunities

Despite the growing popularity of dog ASMR videos, there remain untapped opportunities within this niche.

Potential creators can explore variations such as showcasing different dog breeds, combining ASMR with training sessions, or even creating themed ASMR videos around holidays and special events.

There is room for other types of sounds and settings used, such as outdoor adventures or interactive playtime sessions.

Advertising and Sponsorship Potential

The business potential extends beyond ad revenue.

With a substantial following, dog ASMR channels can attract big sponsorship deals from pet food brands, grooming products, and pet accessories.

Also in Reign Storm’s case, her mom posts Amazon affiliate links to all grooming products used in her videos so she can earn a commission off of the thousands of people that constantly ask her what products she is using.

🔬 DOG SCIENCE IS EXPLODING

The scientific community is experiencing an unprecedented surge in research focused on dogs, driven by their unique characteristics and close relationships with humans.

This boom, evolving significantly since the first complete canine genome was sequenced in 2004, presents immense opportunities for businesses dedicated to enhancing the lives of dogs.

Big Takeaways from Canine Research

The breadth of current canine research is remarkable — encompassing studies on cancer, communication, longevity, emotion, retrieving behavior, the gut microbiome, the health effects of pollution, and even “doggy dementia.”

Historical Milestone:

• In 2004, Tasha, a female boxer, became the first dog to have her complete genome sequenced, marking a major advance in canine genetics.

Scale of Research:

• Tens of thousands of dogs in the U.S. are enrolled in large, ongoing studies. These involve pet owners collecting saliva samples, submitting veterinary records, and answering surveys about their pets.

Benefits to Human and Canine Health:

• Dogs share many diseases with humans, making them good models for studying health issues like cancer and aging.

Business Opportunities in the Name of Science

The explosion in canine science has opened numerous avenues for pet businesses.

Companies like Hill’s Pet Nutrition and Procter & Gamble’s Eukanuba brand are doubling down in research to develop scientifically backed nutritional products, especially considering the surging amount of distrust amongst big pet food brands.

You also have Loyal, which is using science to launch an entire new product category aimed at extending the lives of our dogs through a simple pill.

Advanced Diagnostics:

• PetDx’s Oncotect liquid biopsy test, which screens for cancer through a simple blood draw, exemplifies cutting-edge diagnostic tools developed from canine research. This test is designed to be used annually for dogs aged seven and older, offering early detection and improved treatment outcomes.

Service Dog Enhancements:

• Canine Companions collaborates with universities to study canine cognition, behavior, and genetics. This research helps in selecting and training service dogs, ensuring they are well-suited to support individuals with disabilities.

The Ease of Conducting New Studies

Conducting beneficial studies on dogs has never been easier or more cost-effective. Unlike research involving primates, canine studies do not require expensive laboratory housing.

Cost-Effective Research:

• Simple experiments can often be conducted with minimal funding, such as using dog treats to study behavior. This accessibility has democratized canine research, enabling smaller institutions and even individual veterinarians to contribute to the growing body of knowledge.

Public Participation:

• A pet-loving public has become highly motivated to participate in studies. Owners are spending more on their dogs, which has allowed the booming pet industry to conduct and fund its own research.

Future Prospects

The pet industry is poised for continued growth, with spending projected to more than double in the next decade. As scientific research continues to unveil new insights into canine health and behavior, pet businesses that embrace these findings will be well-positioned to thrive.

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The ongoing boom in canine science is not only advancing our understanding of dogs but also creating substantial business opportunities. By leveraging research-backed products and services, pet businesses can drive innovation and growth, ultimately enhancing the well-being of both dogs and their owners.

Hopefully with a closer relationship to science, pet companies can build deeper trust with an increasingly skeptical dog owner community.

💻 DEMOCRATIZING DOG TRAINING

A lot of people got puppies during the pandemic, and a lot of them also found out real quick that training a puppy isn't an easy task.

One of those was Ben Green, who along with his wife, adopted a puppy but had a pretty tough time finding good training.

They went through a number of trainers and spent a significant amount of money until they found one that really helped them understand not only how to correct behavior, but why it was happening.

After sharing this experience with other owners, he found that they had similar situations and needs. The entrepreneur in Ben realized there was an opportunity to make training more available and affordable.

It also didn't hurt that there is an estimated 16k dogs per certified trainer in the US, making the market very appealing.

From there Gentle Beast was born, an app-based training tool aimed more at teaching owners than teaching the dogs themselves.

How does it work?

Gentle Beast has tried to mimic the experience you'd get with an in-person training.

They first take into account your dog’s age, breed, behavior, and overall goals. Using that, they will prescribe certain modules (ex. Crate Training) that are taught by their instructors.

They will also group owners together based on their dog's characteristics to form a small community.

Think of the Peleton model, where while the experience is digital, you are dealing with real people and in a somewhat live format.

How do they get customers?

While we couldn't find specific numbers, we did find that they provide their services free to rescues and shelters, who can then distribute a trial to anyone adopting a puppy or dog.

Ben is quoted as saying those users convert at twice the rate of their other channels.

We've seen this partnership model do really well in other pet businesses when two complimentary services join up (ex. breeders and trainers, vets and trainers, etc).

We also searched for any FB or Google Ads, and didn't come across any. We also did some searching around with what we thought would be related keywords, but they didn't seem to pop up either.

It does look like they get decent web traffic, with around 16k per month (doesn't include app downloads or traffic):

It does appear to still be early days with Gentle Beast, but it will be interesting to see if their hybrid model catches on.

DOGGYDEX™

Winner 🏆: S&P 500

Proudly introducing the DoggyDex™, an index comprised of 10 publicly traded companies whose primary focus is the dog/pet industry.

List of tickers used can be found at the very bottom of the newsletter.

The yellow line-plot in the chart represents these companies above (DoggyDex™) and their combined performance against both the S&P 500 and Bitcoin on a weekly basis.

Pawformance is measured by % gains & losses.

• 🐶❤️🐘 Elephant was depressed when her dog buddy got hurt: This elephant (Tara) and stray dog (Bella) created a bond over 8 years just outside of Nashville. Tara sat outside of a sanctuary for 3 weeks while Bella recovered from a spinal injury.

• 😆 Martin the dog talks about his loneliness: In this incredible mocu-series titled “Downward Dog” Martin’s owners dub his voice to talk about how lonely he gets when Nan isn’t around.

• 👯‍♀️ Petunia and Peony have an inseparable bond: These two Pugs can’t help but always be hugging one another, napping on each other or pushing each other around.

A REALLY GOOD DOG

• $CHWY - Chewy: E-commerce platform for pet supplies

• $IDXX - Idexx Labs: Vet point of care instruments and vet software

• $FRPT - Fresh Pet: Pet food company

• $PETQ - PetIQ: Pet health products and medicines

• $PETS - PetMeds: Online pet pharmacy

• $ZTS - Zoetis: World's largest producer of meds and vaccines for pets and livestock

• $TRUP - Trupanion: Pet insurance company

• $WOOF - Petco Health & Wellness co.: Pet health & wellness company

• $BARK - BarkBox: Subscription service providing dog products, services, and experiences

• $PET - Wag! Group Co.: Tech platform that allows pet owners to connect with industry professionals for services such as, walking, training, etc.