There are three major influencers on brand purchasing of dog food.
•The Dog
•The human
•And lastly, Dollar value.
In 2004, there were almost 72 million dogs in the United States alone of which 37.2%
lived inside with the household, which equates to 26,78400 dogs; that is a significant
number, when converted into Dollars, with regards to cost of food, treats and other edibles,
combined. Dogs played a key role primarily because of their age, how strong their
digestive systems were and allergies to an ingredient in the food. With new food
introduced, the dogs did not do very well as it affected their digestions, which resulted in
an unpleasant experience for all involved, lasting for weeks.
With majority of the populace-viewing dogs as household members, companions and
service oriented tools; it was their best interest to make sure their dogs were healthy and
disease free. Expense was not an issue for this category as long as in the long run, it served
the purpose of keeping the dogs healthy; They learned from each other to share
information, and often used magazines and online communities to research the latest
industry news on what the latest and the best for their dogs.
Finally there was the question of affordability. Even though some ultra premium brands
did boast of superior quality and differentiated themselves amongst their competition, it
almost always comes down to affordability. And with the FDA passing regulations on the
quality of dog food that can be released into the market, consumers are able to decide for
