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THIS WEEK'S TOPICS:

• 🏠 You can live rent-free by dog sitting around the world

• ❤️ Diet and DCM: what we know

• 💸 Layoffs, millions raised & growing profits: A look at recent pet industry market changes

🏠 YOU CAN LIVE RENT-FREE BY DOG SITTING AROUND THE WORLD

Last week we talked about how to start a summer side hustle with dog sitting, but if you’d rather jet set around the globe and look after good boys & girls 🐶 with free housing then this is your gig!

Wait, free housing? Yep!

Imagine booking an Airbnb but for $0, the only catch is you are in charge of looking after the homeowners dogs/pets, and sometimes plants.

Introducing Trusted House Sitters.

How does it work?

TrustedHousesitters is designed to bridge the gap between pet owners in need of dependable sitters and individuals searching for travel or accommodation experiences enriched by the company of pets!

By paying an annual subscription, pet owners gain unrestricted access to the platform. This enables them to post their availability and requirements throughout the year. On the flip side, sitters can sift through and apply to numerous opportunities, establishing connections with various pet owners.

For example: let’s say there’s a man named, Diego, a pet owner apprehensive about traveling due to concerns for his dogs, Spiffy and Pickles.

He wanted an alternative to kennels and didn't want to continuously burden friends or family. After discovering TrustedHousesitters and creating a detailed profile, Diego was soon approached by a number of sitters interested in staying at his place, including Anna, an experienced sitter with commendable reviews and credentials.

They both feel that this would be a good fit and begin a thorough vetting process, which involves reading reviews, verifying references, and even video calls, which ensures that both parties are comfortable and confident in their match.

The emphasis here is on creating a trustworthy and lasting relationship for the benefit of the pets and owners.

The Cost

While it is technically free to stay at a pet owners house you do have to pay an annual subscription to gain access to the platform.

They have three tiers for verified sitters and it starts at $129/yr…

And of course the same goes for pet owners.

However a great perk from using this platform rather than a traditional boarding/sitting service is that you pay a one-time flat fee no matter how many times you utilize a sitter!

Unique Opportunities

If you’re looking to make things a bit more eccentric the platform has some incredibly unique sitter opportunities.

Such as, watching senior miniature horses in California, caring for turtles and rabbits in Australia, or living in a renovated shuttle bus in Hawaii with a mixed assortment of animals.

One pet owner on the platform even has 44 pets you could look after! Apparently a big chunk of that number is due to the amount of geckos they have, which we feel are low maintenance.

Some Numbers

• Founded in 2010

• $10M Series A completed in 2021

• 140K+ members

• 63K new pets added in 2022

  • 65% were dogs

• 4K+ Labradors on the site

Conclusion

This platform proves that their is definitely a demand for non-traditional pet sitting services and the annual membership business model is a win-win-win across the board!

We will definitely be signing up and paying close attention to how they continue to expand and improve service.

❤️ DIET AND DCM: WHAT WE KNOW

⚠️ As with any topics where we cover nutrition or health, don't take our word for it, and ALWAYS consult with your vet or nutritionist before making any big changes. We want to bring you useful and interesting information, but always talk with the pros!

Though DCM sounds like it could be a sub genre of electronic dance music, it's not. All jokes aside, DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy) is a very serious condition that is the leading cause of heart failure in large breed dogs.

Due to recent veterinary reports, the FDA has started to investigate the link between certain diets and DCM in dogs (it also occurs in hoomans too).

Let's unpack a bit more about the condition and what the FDA has started to investigate:

What is DCM?

Dilated Cardiomyopathy, or DCM for short, is when a dog's heart gets too big to work well. Imagine trying to pump air with an oversized balloon. The heart struggles to effectively move blood around, which causes significant issues.

The exact cause of DCM is still up for debate. Genetics definitely plays a part, as there is a higher incidence in larger breeds like Great Danes and Doberman Pinschers.

But more and more, vets are considering whether certain diets are also leading to this condition as there have been more cases in smaller breeds that typically don't develop DCM.

Some common signs include tiring out easily, coughing, or trouble breathing. But the tricky part?

Some dogs don't show symptoms until the condition is quite advanced. So regular check-ups are critical, especially since the condition can't be reversed (only managed). For diagnosis, vets typically use ultrasounds and ECGs give a clearer view of your pup's heart health.

What is the FDA looking into and why?

The FDA encourages vets and pet owners to report any health issues they encounter so it can be on the lookout for potential problem products (however there is no mandated reporting).

From 2014-2022 the FDA received 1,382 reports of DCM in dogs, but from 2018-2020 is where the majority came in.

This caught their interest as they noticed a trend in breeds who weren't traditionally diagnosed w/ DCM, and dogs who were on a "grain free" diet.

"Grain free" food typically contains a high proportion of peas, lentils (or other legumes) and potatoes as the main ingredients.

Have they found anything?

Not yet. In 2020 Kansas State University held a scientific forum on the topic for researchers to share findings and theories.

After the event the FDA published a Q&A that essentially said, "it's too complex to tell" (or, "emerging science appears to indicate that non-hereditary forms of DCM occur in dogs as a complex medical condition that may be affected by multiple factors such as genetics, underlying medical conditions, and diet. Aspects of diet that may interact with genetics and underlying medical conditions may include nutritional makeup of the ingredients and how dogs digest them, ingredient sourcing, processing, formulation, and/or feeding practices").

What do we think?

There isn't anything concrete yet, BUT since DCM is not reversible we would recommend getting regular check ups, keeping a sharp eye out for symptoms of DCM, and at least trying to avoid any food with legumes listed as one of the first 6 ingredients.

As always, we aren't the professionals, so absolutely consult your vet / nutritionist first!

💸 LAYOFFS, MILLIONS RAISED & GROWING PROFITS: A LOOK AT RECENT PET INDUSTRY MARKET CHANGES

It's never a dull day in the pet industry.

We pawed through recent financial news in the pet space to bring you some standouts.

Petco announces layoffs

Despite the continued growth in the pet industry, competition remains tight. Petco recently announced it was laying off 56 workers at its San Diego headquarters citing competition, inflation, and changing spending habits as the major reasons.

It sounds like most of the layoffs came from senior management, engineering, marketing, and IT.

This makes sense. During the pandemic pet ownership grew, and along with it grew demand. Most pet businesses saw a rise in revenue during that time and increased costs to manage it.

When inflation hit and consumers dialed back the spending, these companies often do the same.

Post announces 3rd quarter earnings - profit up 37.5% YoY

Post Holdings (or as we call them "that cereal company") had some good news for investors. Not only are sales and profit up, but most of that was driven by their newly acquired pet food businesses (ex. Nature's Recipe).

According to their CEO, its pet food division has been "exceeding expectations", and still has more room for growth as they continue to fold those businesses in.

The company’s stock jumped 5% on the day of the earnings report which goes to show that the pet industry continues to pack a punch.

Pet wellness startup Lyka snags $25 million in funding

Lyka, an Australian based wellness company bolstered its war chest by adding another $25 million to its previously raised $30 million.

The company bills itself as a pet nutrition company focusing on holistic and preventative care through food.

Their focus is on fresh food, customized to a dog's breed and other characteristics, and delivered to your door.

According to the company, they've already served 20 million bowls (!) so far, and will use the new funding to service more areas as well as building a new kitchen that will be one of the most advanced, human grade pet food facilities in the world.

KIBBLE BITS:

Every week we love to shoutout a pooch that has made another trip around the sun.

Happy 7th birthday 🎂 to Kana! We hope this working girl got some time off on her big day!

That's all there is to bark about this week.

If you want more, be sure to follow our Twitter (@dogonomist).