KTUU.com | Alaska's news and information source | Puppy peddlers bank big

Puppy peddlers bank big

by Megan Baldino
Monday, Nov. 12, 2007

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The latest nationwide survey of pet owners claims 63 percent of U.S. households own a pet, that's roughly 71 million homes.

The American Pet Product Manufacturers Association estimates those homes will spend more than $40 billion on products for furry friends this year alone.

A few entrepreneurs in Anchorage are finding even here, people love to pamper their pets.

These days, dog clothing, in all sizes, is hip and trendy. And then there are other accessories like mink shawls, diamond collars and even dog wine.

Mark Robokoff and his wife, Melissa, just opened Paw Prince after testing the idea at the weekend market.

"We had a gut feeling this kind of a store would do well here," Mark Robokoff said.

They pitch their Midtown dog pampering store as "upscale but not too expensive."

"We were looking to create a unique shopping experience with a unique inventory and the prices are not out of reach," Mark Robokoff said.

Across town, Kari Campbell found out quick how much people love their pets.

"We started a waitlist and stopped excepting new clients in February of last year," Campbell said.

Campbell is the owner of Dog Tired Doggie Daycare.

"It was our plan to capture the market to owners who didn't have human children, she says."They'd never had the experience of taking their child to its first day of school or daycare."

It worked. Campbell says her first strategy was a good one.

She says she looked for a location that would be convenient for office workers in the Midtown area.

Campbell offers arts, crafts and a 10-to-1 ratio of dogs to staff.

Five classrooms are based on dogs' size, age and temperament.

Greg Kressly is a satisfied customer. He says his pooch is too.

"He loves it and it's a great experience for him and he's very happy."

A single day of daycare at Dog Tired costs owners $25, although packages can bring the price down to $14 a visit.

"It's worth every penny," Kressly says.

Campbell says she didn't anticipate customers, like Kressly, responding so positively.

"I had no idea it was going to grow this fast," she said.

Campbell's doggie daycare has 100 dogs on a waiting list. She plans to expand in the next six months.

Another pet store, Alaska Mill and Feed, has experienced booming growth, too.

Although Mill and Feed has been in business for more than 25 years, it's become as well-known for its pet supplies as gardening business in the last five or so years.

Back at Paw Prince, Mark Robokoff is optimistic he can help meet that same demand.

"It looks good so far," he says.

The bottom line: pet products are big business and Anchorage is buying in.

Contact Megan Baldino at mbaldino@ktuu.com