It is a common feature of the dog food category. Manufacturers have created products to meet the nutritional needs of dogs based on a number of factors, such as life-stage, size of dog/breed, and health concerns, such as weight issues.
Now, the specialization is going even further to include lifestyle factors such as breeding, bite strength and activity levels.
Royal Canin has recently launched Indoor Adult 21, a food created for small dogs who live indoors.
Company spokesperson Ann Hudson told USA Today, Adult 21 is lower in fat to fight weight gain in small dogs living indoors and it has ingredients to reduce the smell of the animal's waste.
Royal Canin has developed nine breed-specific dog foods for Boxers, Bulldogs, Chihuahuas, Dachsunds, German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Poodles, Shih Tzus and Yorkshire Terriers.
Amy Dicke, veterinarian at Iams, sees more targeted nutritional approaches being developed to promote pet health.
"Just as in human nutrition, we find something new on a regular basis," she said.
Developing foods that better meet the health needs of dogs appears to be a sure winner in today's market. Premium dog food is expected to account for half of U.S. dog food revenue this year, up from 35 percent in 1998, according to Euromonitor International. In total, dog food and treat sales will grow to $10 billion this year.
Discussion Questions: How will breed-specific foods impact the pet food category? With increased specialization comes a larger number of skus. What will the increase in product choice mean to how stores (excluding pet specialty) manage the category and available space?