Survey on Organic Dog foods

[AncaStefan]

Hi guys... I am in desperate need of some research in the habits of dog owners. I am a student and I have to prepare a campaign for a manufacturer of organic dog food. But in order to do that, i need some information regarding the following areas:

1. how often do you buy dog food and from where (supermarket, pet specialists, pet stores)?
2. which dog food category do you prefer and why (ecomomy, middle-price or premium food)
3. what do you look for in a brand?
4. if applicable, how often to you attend dog fairs, dog shows?
5. would you assume that the quality of an organic product is lower, if sold at the supermarket?

I would be very grateful if you offer some insights in a domain I don't know anything at all. Thank you very much

[Herzo]

Ok I'll try to answer your questions.
1. I buy dog food it seems now about twice a month, but it would depend on how many dogs one has and how big they are. I am feeding 3 dogs about 65 lbs. on dog food and one on raw.

2. I buy premium I guess I will call it. It's a high priced one not the highest price but one of two brands I have found that one of my dogs can eat and not get a rash.

3. I try to get a high meat content with as little grain as I can find. How ever they will ether have some sort of grain or they will have potatoes so take your choice. I will not feed it if it has corn in it at all. Also you have to check ingredient list to see if they have split up some of the ingredients so it looks like there isn't so much of one thing in it and make it look like there is more meat. Does that make any sense.

4. I don't go to dog shows just because there aren't any real close to me, but I would love to go see one some day. But I love watching them on TV.

5. Not necessarily I would just make sure I checked the ingredient list and maybe go to there web sight. I have heard the Kirkland dry food is not to bad and that they sell at a supermarket.

Hope this helps.

[AncaStefan]

thank you so much!
at least now i have some information for my assignment. i am very interested in finding out the consumer preferences regarding this segment, however i don't even know who to ask. that's why i joined this forum, to get some insights about it.

thank you again.

[Serendipity]

1. how often do you buy dog food and from where (supermarket, pet specialists, pet stores)?
About once a month if I buy from an independently owned pet supply store. If I'm ordering online, I buy a few bags at a time.
2. which dog food category do you prefer and why (ecomomy, middle-price or premium food)
I prefer the best I can buy, so I guess "premium", although the term is used very loosely.
3. what do you look for in a brand?
High quality ingredients (ie. Champion Petfoods uses grass fed meat/wild caught fish), high meat content/low carb, no artificial dyes, flavors, preservatives, menadione, etc., independently manufactured (preferred).
4. if applicable, how often to you attend dog fairs, dog shows? I've never attended one, but I'd like to in the future.
5. would you assume that the quality of an organic product is lower, if sold at the supermarket? Sometimes, sometimes not. The food probably wouldn't be independently manufactured or have a really high meat content, though.

[PDXdogmom]

Hi guys... I am in desperate need of some research in the habits of dog owners. I am a student and I have to prepare a campaign for a manufacturer of organic dog food. But in order to do that, i need some information regarding the following areas:

1. how often do you buy dog food and from where (supermarket, pet specialists, pet stores)?
Once or twice a month from independent pet stores
2. which dog food category do you prefer and why (ecomomy, middle-price or premium food)
There are good and not so good foods in all price ranges ;so the question is misleading. I tend to buy carefully selected expensive foods
3. what do you look for in a brand?
It should contain some de-boned specific meat (not just meals); I prefer meat-based protein not less than 28%; I prefer lower carb and grain-free formulas
4. if applicable, how often to you attend dog fairs, dog shows?
Once a year
5. would you assume that the quality of an organic product is lower, if sold at the supermarket?
No, but I live in a city where some grocery stores sell Castor & Pollux Organix; Paul Newman; etc. Dog owners are becoming more educated about reading labels regardless of where the product is sold.

I would be very grateful if you offer some insights in a domain I don't know anything at all. Thank you very much

Hope these answers help. I've yet to see a kibble where all the meat is organic - probably because the cost would be astronomical.

[Unosmom]

1. how often do you buy dog food and from where (supermarket, pet specialists, pet stores)?

I mostly shop at grocery stores for raw and order online for kibble/canned. Kibble about once every 2 months, and raw every 2 weeks.

2. which dog food category do you prefer and why (ecomomy, middle-price or premium food)

I guess it would be classified as premium, but since a lot of low quality brands are considered premium such as Iams or Science Diet, I dont like that term. It has to adhere to certain standards quality wise to deserve the label.

3. what do you look for in a brand?
Good quality ingredients, quality control, company reputation, customer service just to name a few.

4. if applicable, how often to you attend dog fairs, dog shows?

I occasionally go to pet expos, maybe once a year.


5. would you assume that the quality of an organic product is lower, if sold at the supermarket?

Not necessarily, but just like the term premium, organic does not always mean quality. Since organic meats are expensive, most organic brands are very grain heavy. I would rather feed a meat-based non organic brand.

[ann g]

1. I usually buy 1 large bag every month or six weeks. I buy some canned about twice a month. I try to shop my local independent store but its really far away so either there or Petsmart/PetSupermarket. Usually whichever is running a sale at that time.

2. I usually buy middle priced or premium although there is junk that is considered premium. (The food I tend to buy is mostly in the 40-50 dollar a large bag range(25/30lbs)

3. I look for brands that are manufactured in the US or Canada, if the food has had any recalls, and if they have - what has the company done to correct the problems. What kinds of ingrediants are used and where they are sourced. Whether the food contains a decent amount of meat and not just fillers such as corn.

4. I've never been to any dog fairs or shows but I would sure like to.

5. No, I think in the future supermarkets will start carrying better quality organic products as more people become aware of different options.

Hope some of these answers help you.

[MollyWoppy]

I'd like to give you some feedback, but I'm talking kibble for my cat here, not my dog, but I think it still relates:


1. how often do you buy dog food and from where (supermarket, pet specialists, pet stores)?
I buy probably once a month if that from a specialty pet shop. I buy a smaller bag so that it doesn't go stale before it gets eaten.

2. which dog food category do you prefer and why (ecomomy, middle-price or premium food)
I go only for the premium food.

3. what do you look for in a brand?
I want named meats and named meat meals in the first 3 or 4 ingredients. I want no corn, no fillers, the least amount of ingredients possible, no ingredients with scientific names I don't understand, I especially want no melandion, and its very important to me that the brand was not included in the 2007 recalls that killed so many animals. I do not wish to support those companies. Nothing made in China, no ingredients imported from there. Otherwise, there are a few countries that I'm very happy to buy food from.

4. if applicable, how often to you attend dog fairs, dog shows?
They probably have 2 or 3 small local 'pet in the park' shows a year here. I go to all of them I can. Both my dog and my cat go along with me.

5. would you assume that the quality of an organic product is lower, if sold at the supermarket?
Hate to say it, but I would assume this, yes. However, if it was brought to my attention that a decent food was available there, I would read the label and if it did meet all my criteria, I'd be very pleasantly surprised and would more than likely purchase it.


Hope this helps you with your survey.

[stajbs]

1. Feeding two senior siberians with dietary issues, our boy receives cooked food and 95/96% meat canned. I buy cans by the case twice per month and hit the grocery store for meat and his sweet potatoes twice a month also. He weighs about 45 lbs. Our girl receives a diet of half premium kibble and 95/96% canned meat dog food. The canned and kibble are rotated for her. We rotate between two different kibbles manufactured in Canada. Her 15 lb bag of kibble lasts about two months. She is about 42 lbs. So we purchase our foods at the grocery store, Pet Supplies Plus and independent pet supply stores.

2.I would say we feed "premium" quality foods, and fortunately with two medium sized dogs that is affordable. When we fed six siberians we cooked and fed a premium kibble, but as our dogs aged, for health reasons we adjusted to what works, and now with only two that is easy.

3. Good quality ingredients, quality control, customer service and sales on the varieties we feed.

4. We attend one dog show a year and 1 or 2 Pet Expos. Before our dogs became seniors we attended a lot of weight pull events and were recreational mushers but still attended the occasional race, to run our 4 dog team.

5. No, slowly but hopefully surely grocery stores are beginning to carry better dog foods, plus some pet owners have gotten a lot more particular since the recalls.

Hope the info helps. We actually enjoy cooking for the dogs, and it helps us avoid feeding a high carb diet. I prefer to avoid grains when it comes to kibble and the boy is on a tblsp. of sweet potatoes with each meal because it seems to work for his digestive issues.

[wags]

1. how often do you buy dog food and from where (supermarket, pet specialists, pet stores)? specialty mom and pop stores

I buy food for my four dogs weekly for wet and monthly for dry. I have it in two containers with lids to keep it fresh, or as fresh as possible!


2. which dog food category do you prefer and why (ecomomy, middle-price or premium food)

I buy premium wet and dry.


3. what do you look for in a brand?

High quality Ingredients is my main thing. High meat content (meaning the amounts like three or four meats at the top preferably) I get a grain brand. Preferrably Orijen or wellness core I have tried others though too! I like to get the food from here not outsourced from other areas! Oh here is the US!


4. if applicable, how often to you attend dog fairs, dog shows?

Wow I use to go a while back( when mcCormick Place would have them and hmmm cant rememeber where else!) but have not gone in years so guess I should say dont go here!


5. would you assume that the quality of an organic product is lower, if sold at the supermarket?

I would actually hope this would not be true! I would hope high standards would apply here especially if sold in a supermarket.

Good Luck with your survey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!