Fewer treats for Fido? Dog owners switching brands amid rising costs of ownership

A recent report has shined a light on the rising cost of owning a dog in Canada, with owners paying nearly 25% more than three years ago.

Published by HelloSafe, the price-comparing company looked at the associated costs of ownership, noting a rise of 23.3% since 2021.

And those rising costs are affecting the buying habits of owners, something Marie Meade, owner of Global Pet Foods in Kelowna, has seen firsthand.

“Pet food often has multi tiers, so lots of people are going from premium foods just to more like budget-friendly,” explained Meade.

But on a positive note about pricing, the pet food store owner said that in a recent price change, the prices of items went down in the store.

Meade added that one method owners have been using to ensure their pets get proper nutrients while staying within a budget is to mix brands.

“Some people are even getting vet food and they’re mixing it 50/50 with our (Global Pet Food’s) healthy one… so you still get the medicine amount from the vet of what they need in their diet, but you get like better other kibble that’s not so expensive,” said Meade.

The report from HelloSafe also showed that dog owners have “shift towards higher-quality pet care, with owners investing more in their pets' well-being," a trend that Meade touched on, noticing that some pet owners are learning more about their pets' diets.

“A lot of people are just understanding a bit more about like what goes into their pet food and they’re looking at ingredients and then making different decisions.

Click the above interview to learn more about Global Pet Foods and what choices other dog owners are making.