April 15, 2007

Products make pets' lives nothing short of luxurious, rich

By Gina Mangan
for The Northwestern

shure pets"It's a dog's life" used to be synonymous with a lonely existence of drudgery and misery.

But it's something Rockie would know nothing about. This 4-year-old black Labrador retriever's "dog's life" is nothing short of royal in the Oshkosh home of her mistress, Kathryn Hable.

Rockie's handmade twin-sized bed is fit for a princess. Her living room chair is a throne of comfort and security. Her paws are soft with Paramount Paw Balm, which protects them from slipping and against harsh weather conditions. Her medical care, which has involved two knee surgeries, has been top notch; her food nothing but the healthiest.

"Everyone who knows me says she's the most spoiled dog in the world," Hable said.

If that's the case, Hable is in an ideal position to spoil her. She is a "junior pack leader" pet consultant for Shure Pets, dubbed "Pupperware" by some. The direct sales company that boasts a catalog filled with pet grooming products, toys, treats and gifts, delivers its products via home catalog parties – similar to companies like Tupperware and PartyLite. Hable is one of more than 1,400 Shure Pets consultants throughout the United States, a number that has grown steadily since the company's inception in 2003.

The growth of the Chicago-based Shure Pets is one more bit of evidence of American's love affair with their pets, a passionate relationship involving a load of attention - and money.

It's no surprise Shure Pet's grooming products, which include scented shampoos and conditioners and coat color enhancers, comprise the company's hottest selling product line. The nation's pet insurance market is also taking off, expected to grow 25 percent from $200 million in 2006 to $250 million in 2007.

"People now see pets as family members, and they're treating them like family members," said Shure Pets founder and president Andrew Shure.

Take 32-year-old Neenah resident Kristi Tweedale, a Shure Pets consultant on Hable's sales team. She and her husband Mark are not planning to have children together, but they have a 2-year-old golden retriever, Tucker, and may get a second dog when he's older. Tucker uses many Shure Pets products, including toys, vitamins, a raised feeding bowl that reduces the stress of bending, vitamins and Paramount Creamsicle-scented shampoo. Tucker has also been through two confirmation classes, two obedience classes and a six-week training camp at Webshire Kennels in Larsen.

She and her husband Mark also purchase pet insurance through the company, which they viewed as a no-brainer spending $14,000 out of pocket on medical care for their former golden retriever, Nooch. Nooch underwent hernia surgery and care for lymphoma. After he passed away two years ago, the couple cremated him. His remains are now stored in an urn sold through Shure Pets.

"This isn't my main job – I do it on the side - but it's been been a really great opportunity to meet people who are like me, people who are as into their pets as much as I am," Tweedale said.