Dogs wearing clothes, we’ve all seen them. Celebrity photo shoots and Hollywood portrayals of pampered pets have made it mainstream and fashionable to dress up Fido, plus if you had a dog as a kid at some point or another you probably tried to get it to wear an old t-shirt. I guess some people never outgrow that. And whether you think it is cute or embarrassing (for both owner and dog) there is no denying that dog owners are spending a bundle and having a blast dressing up their dogs.
It’s not all just fun, fashion and cuteness though. Included in the category of dogs clothes are various types of dog protective gear such as dog raincoats and dog booties. And as the calendar turns, from winter (dog sweaters and dog jackets) to summer (dog lifejackets and dog backpacks) and through holiday seasons (dog Halloween costumes and dog Christmas outfits), dog owners keep spending money to keep their pooches well dressed and protected from the elements.
How large is the dog clothes market?
According to the 2009 / 2010 American Pet Products Association (APPA) Pet Owners Survey, 62% of all U.S. households own a pet. This equates to 71.4 million pet owner households, and households that own dogs top the list at 45.6 million. And since many of these 45.6 million households include more than one dog, the number of actual pet dogs is much higher. I’ll go into that in more detail in a second but for now here’s how the rest of the household to pet type list breaks down:
Pet Type Households (in millions)
Dog 45.6
Cat 38.2
Freshwater Fish 13.3
Bird 6.0
Small Animal 5.3
Reptile 4.7
Equine 3.9
Saltwater Fish 0.7
The survey went on to determine not just how many households owned pets but also how many actual pets were included across all households. It actually surprised me to learn that multiple dog ownership is so common that the total number of dogs kept as pets exceeds 77 million. So,45.6 million households and 77.5 million dogs. Wow. No wonder I always used to see those pooper scooper businesses zipping around the suburbs with their cheeky advertising proclaiming, “We’re #1 when it comes to #2” and “We want your stinkin’ business!”
The APPA survey goes on to further break down the list of total pets owned in the U.S. as follows:
Pet Type Pets (in millions)
Bird 15.0
Cat 93.6
Dog 77.5
Equine 13.3
Freshwater Fish 171.7
Saltwater Fish 11.2
Reptile 13.6
Small Animal 15.9
Okay, so we’re talking about a lot of dogs. But how big is the pet products market REALLY?
The American Pet Products Association estimates that total U.S. pet industry expenditures in 2010 will reach $47.7 billion. Not too shabby. And that’s in a horrible economic environment to boot. And historical data shreds any argument that spending on our pets is just a fad. The APPA reports that U.S. pet industry expenditures has grown steadily every year since 1994, when the total spend was just a mere $17 billion. A pittance compared to the 2010 estimate of $47.7 billion.
Year Total U.S. Pet Industry Expenditures (in billions)
2010 $47.7 Est.
2009 $45.5
2008 $43.2
2007 $41.2
2006 $38.5
2005 $36.3
2004 $34.4
2003 $32.4
2002 $29.5
2001 $28.5
1998 $23
1996 $21
1994 $17
2010 Pet Products Trend Report
So what part of this huge potential pie is represented by dog clothes and dog fashion? Are there any positive signs that support the argument that dog clothes are here to stay? Is doggy fashion a fad or something that you can take to the bank? Consider this. More and more companies previously known only for human products are breaking into the pets’ niche with products targeted for dogs, cats, and reptiles. Big name companies including the likes of Paul Mitchell, Omaha Steaks, Origins, Harley Davidson and Old Navy are now offering lines of exclusive pet products ranging from dog shampoo and pet attire to name-brand toys and gourmet treats. They obviously see the dollar signs too.
But if that isn’t enough, The American Pet Products Association specifically highlights the doggy fashion and dog clothing phenomenon in their 2010 Pet Products Trend Report.
The report states:
““We pamper them. We bring them wherever we go. We surprise them with something new on special occasions. They even get holiday presents. They are our pets! From high-end items to high-tech items, products for our companion animals now extend beyond traditional necessities.”
And
“Straight from the Catwalk…Faux mink coats, hipster lumberjack vests, designer plaid jackets, matching jeweled and leather collar and leash sets, Halloween costumes, and holiday outfits keep pets in fashion throughout the year.”
But what about search engine statistics?
Google’s Keyword Tool (External) indicates that over 12,000 searches take place monthly on just the one exact phrase “dogs clothes.” Further analysis indicates that hundreds of thousands of searches take place every month on dog clothing related search terms.
DogsClothes.com
Like most domains in my portfolio, DogsClothes.com is for sale. I’m a patient seller though and plan on waiting as long as it takes to get my price. In the meantime I plan on developing it into a dog clothes affiliate site for Zappos.com in the near future. It is currently set up as a SmartName Shop and earns PPC revenue monthly.
Visit the American Pet Products Association web site to view these and other 2009/2010 National Pet Owners Survey results.
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