Best New Product at the Calgary Pet Industry Trade Show Lucky Dog Pet Resort

Introducing the winner of the 2014 Calgary New Product Competition, The Lucky Dog Resort.  This fun, stylish and well put together product won the favor of our visitors in Alberta.  We talked with the winning team at Compass Animal Health to discover more about the company and The Lucky Dog Pet Resort.

Can you please tell us a little about Compass Animal Health?

Compass Animal Health Inc. is a 100% Canadian owned and operated company founded in 1999 by President, Robert Taylor based in Edmonton, Alberta.  The company is a wholesale distribution business engaged in sales and distribution of over 10,000 items from 100 manufactures, including its own private label brands.  Compass provides service to over 800 retailers, 400 veterinary clinics and several buying groups from coast to coast throughout Canada serving the large animal and farm market.

With your original focus in the area of agriculture, how did pets become part of your business model?

A growing demand from our customers of rural retail stores created a natural progression into the pet market. Compass added the Pet Division in 2008 to help cater to dogs, cats, horses and small animals. We have since added a variety of premium pet foods and supplies (primarily dogs and cats) to offer our customers. 

What percentage of Compass Animal Health is dedicated to domestic pets?

Currently, pet food and pet supplies account for 35% of all Compass business.  These products can be found at retail outlets such as pet stores, independent feed and farm stores, drug stores and pharmacies, hardware stores, Co-op stores, chain stores and buying groups that represent over 4000 combined locations across Canada.

What was it that appealed to Compass about the Lucky Dog Resort?

With our vast customer channels, we have imported other dog runs in the past, but we just recently started working with Lucky Dog because of their superior manufacturing quality and product mix.  The packaging is very retail friendly with a bright colourful box and ships on a space saving eight unit half pallet display. 

The Lucky Dog Pet Resort (launched March 1, 2014) appealed to us because we have noticed trends with families going to smaller dogs, smaller yards, smaller homes which makes the Resort a good fit.  Features that set it apart from similar products are the steel fittings (versus plastic), its decorative waterproof cover, double-coated finish and its quick and easy “no tool” assembly.  The Pet Resort is currently available in only one size, but is the little brother of the Uptown Dog Run (4’x8’x6’).  Also available is a 2 in 1 chain link dog run (10’x10’ or 5’x15’).  All three units include sun shade canopies

Congratulations again to Compass Animal Health on their win.  Up next is the Western Pet Expo competition in Richmond BC followed by ExpoZoo in August and the National Pet Industry Trade Show in September.