🚨 NEWS ALERT

NHL & Petco Love announce the Stanley Pup competition for rescue dogs.
Seems like other sports are looking to recreate the success of the Puppy Bowl - read more about the inaugural event here.

THIS WEEK'S TOPICS:

• ❤️‍🩹 This collar detects when your dog is in pain

• 🦷 Opportunity: AI dental care

• 🍲 Greenies makes its dog food debut

❤️‍🩹 THIS COLLAR DETECTS WHEN YOUR DOG IS IN PAIN

The pet wearables market is booming, with projections estimating it to reach $4.6 billion by 2027.

A significant player in this space is PetPace, a company renowned for its AI-driven wearable pet technology.

Based in Burlington, Massachusetts, PetPace has developed a groundbreaking product that is setting new standards in the industry: the PetPace 2.0 AI-powered dog collar.

This innovative collar provides continuous, real-time medical insights, measuring vital signs and health-related biometrics such as:

• 🌡️ internal temperature

• 🩺 pulse

• 😮‍💨 respiratory rate

• 💗 heart rate variability

• 😈 behavior tracking

• 😴 sleep quality

• 📊 activity levels

• 🐕 posture

The comprehensive data collection allows for early detection and monitoring of health issues, offering pet owners peace of mind and veterinarians a valuable tool for remote assessments.

One of the standout features of PetPace's technology is its patent-pending pain detection system.

As dogs instinctively mask pain, traditional methods often miss early signs of discomfort or disease.

PetPace's continuous monitoring can detect subtle changes in a dog's health, enabling timely intervention.

This was demonstrated in a case involving Moli, a four-year-old Husky mix who was injured in a car accident. The PetPace collar recorded her pain and recovery process, proving its efficacy in monitoring and documenting health issues.

Clinical backing further bolsters the credibility of PetPace 2.0. Studies, such as those published in Frontiers in Pain Research, highlight the collar's ability to detect early signs of osteoarthritis in dogs, showcasing its potential in managing chronic conditions.

The appeal of pet wearables extends beyond health monitoring. These devices also offer GPS tracking and activity monitoring, providing a holistic approach to pet care.

With the increasing humanization of pets, and desire to be preventative instead of reactive, owners are more inclined to invest in technologies that ensure their furry companions' well-being.

🦷 OPPORTUNITY: AI DENTAL CARE

Dental disease is a prevalent and serious issue among dogs, with studies indicating that over 80% of dogs show signs of dental disease by the age of three.

This condition can significantly impact a dog's overall health and quality of life.

Dental problems can affect a dog's ability to eat and communicate, and untreated oral bacteria can spread, causing damage to vital organs such as the liver, kidneys, and heart. Regular dental care is crucial to prevent these serious health issues.

Given the importance of dental health, we believe there is a significant opportunity for an AI app that helps dog owners monitor and improve their pets' dental care.

Dental care products were the largest purchase category in 2023 for dog owners as it relates to healthcare.

This app could analyze photos of a dog's teeth, assign a health score, and suggest a personalized dental care routine.

This approach is similar to the UMAX app for men's beauty, which provides personalized recommendations based on selfies.

By leveraging AI technology, dog owners can receive real-time feedback and actionable steps to improve their pets' dental health.

The proposed AI app would identify common dental issues such as:

• plaque

• tartar buildup

• gum disease

• cracked tooth

All of which are frequently seen in dogs.

Plaque, a whitish substance made primarily of bacteria, can develop on teeth (much like humans) and cause bad breath.

If not removed within 24 to 48 hours, plaque hardens into tartar, which typically needs to be removed by a veterinarian. Tartar buildup leads to periodontal disease, a condition where bacteria erode the tissue and bone supporting the teeth, potentially leading to tooth loss and severe infections.

In addition to identifying issues, the app could recommend specific products and routines to enhance dental health.

This might include toothbrushes, dental chews, and specialized diets designed to reduce plaque and tartar.

Regular monitoring and timely interventions can prevent severe health consequences and improve the overall well-being of dogs. This AI app would be a valuable tool for pet owners dedicated to maintaining their pets' health and ensuring they lead long, happy lives.

🍲 GREENIES MAKES ITS DOG FOOD DEBUT

You are probably familiar with Greenies treats, the ever present green bags on pet store shelves in most cities.

Known for their variety of pill pockets, dental treats, and a variety of other add-ons, the company recently announced their move into dog food.

Called Greenies Smart Essentials, the new product includes both kibble, wet food, and topper options.

Nice quote and all, but we're pretty sure that it's not interviews w/ pet parents that drove this decision.

It's probably more that they saw a chart like the following, which shows spending on pet food in the US over the last 5 years...

And hey, there's nothing wrong with that. Wayne Gretzky called that going where the puck will be. Looking for trends, big and small is one of the key strategies for any growing business.

We didn't realize this, but Greenies was actually bought by Mars Inc (shocker) back in 2006, and recently they put another $82 million into the company to ramp up production.

The $82 million is intended to boost output by 75% by purchasing more equipment, expanding facilities, and adding 95 more jobs.

Greenies also does a good job of selling across multiple channels, as they are available in Petco, Amazon, etc and also gets over 300k visitors to it's website each month for direct sales:

DOGGYDEX™

Winner 🏆: BITCOIN

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.

• 🪢 Framed tug-of-war: Artist, Andrew Scott, created some dimensional art with a piece of twine connecting two separately framed artworks of dogs, making it appear as if they were playing tug-of-war.

• ✍️ Woman + Dog: A timeless abstract drawing of a woman and a dog by Christina Malman in 1935.

• 🐕 Stray dog runs 77 miles in ultra marathon: During a 155-mile ultra marathon in the Gobi desert a stray dog, joined Dion Leonard for 77 miles of his race. He later went to great lengths to be sure that she no longer wandered the desert and could come home with him.

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.