The US pet care industry is a $40 billion a year industry which is growing rapidly with 10% a year. Last year, Americans spend $38,5 billion on their pets, which is an 83 percent increase as compared to the spending pattern last decade. Pet pampering, pet humanization, demand for convenience, one person households, working couples without kids, elderly persons living alone,…. all these trends contribute to having more dogs in the nation and spending more money on them.
Most luxurious item I’ve seen so far is a $18,000 Ralph Lauren pet carrier! I could not image carrying my Akita dog around in one, but those bags are probably not made in his size anyway 
The American Pet Product Manufacturer’s Association (APPMA) estimated in their 2007-2008 National Pet Owners Survey that 71.1 million US homes have pets. About 45% of total US households has at least one dog, adding up to a total of 75 million dogs that all need to be fed !
With an average spending on dog food of $217 per dog the US market for dog food will be around $16 billion in 2007. Imagine the numbers worldwide!
This is a huge market that all dog food manufacturers will want to have a few bites from. With marketing campaigns they will try to sell you their products but it is not easy to read beyond the marketing buzz words and to not be distracted by gimmicky dog food packages.
For starters, it’s wise to learn how to decipher dog food labels and how to monitor the health condition of your dog using this 10-step dog health checklist. At times like this, you need objective information so you can make the right decision for your trustful canine companion.
