Wholesalers in the pet care industry should know that pet products has been one of the fastest growing niche retail markets for several years now. The overwhelming success of the retail chain Petco is a testament to the economic prowess of puppies and the people who love them, as is the fact that more than half of all American homes have at least one dog or cat.

A more practical eye looking to substantiate this claim should consider that by the end of this year retail pet supply’s sells are expected to top $50 billion.

According to report by the American Pet Products Manufacturing Association it might be time for pet supplies retailers and wholesalers looking to get a bigger slice of that $50 billion to forget about chew toys and hamster wheels. The report was quoted in Specialty Retail magazine as saying that the top four selling categories of pet care products were all what one might call luxury items. Apparently when it comes to Fido’s happiness the sky is the limit for most pet owners.

A quick review of the top wholesale pet supply categories shows a definite trend towards the upscale.

1.Clothing, bedding, jewelry, and accessories. – Agreed, a lot of different items fall into the category accessories but as any retailer or wholesaler knows you have to sell a lot of rhinestone collars to get to the top of the list.

2.Convenience devices such as automatic feeders and grooming appliances. – We love technology, toys, and our pets. Electronically timed feeding appeals to all three.

3.Carrying Cases. – If you haven’t seen the collapsible mesh pet carriers yet, you haven’t been to an airport. These handy carriers went from non-existent to everywhere in just a couple of years. Pet retailers know to keep these items in stock!

4.Natural and organic food and shampoos. – I don’t want pesticides on my food and Fluffy shouldn’t eat it either. We are a culture growing more and more concerned about what we eat; it is sensible that the concern should include our animal companions as every pet store owner should know!

There is one caveat to this report. Although I could find no details that clarified the matter I must assume that the report excluded the sell of regular pet foods. I simply don’t believe that designer bedding outsold Alpo. Regardless of possible holes in the study, pet supply wholesalers and retailers should be taking a good look at toys for pampered pets.