I used to work in the New Product Development Group at Purina. We worked about half the time on new pet food ideas and the other half on new business or new pet product related ideas. We were searching for the next big idea or blockbuster product.
One thing I learned; blockbuster products are hard to come by.
I read an
article this morning in the
New York Times on several new pet products that I wanted to share with you. Some are cool. Some are kind of weird.
The
Litter Robot is kind of cool, especially if you hate cleaning the litter box. It will do it for you. My only problem with this device is that some cats don't like enclosed litter boxes. They prefer a box with a view and this one might be a little claustrophobic for some. It might be too small for some cats that like room to dig, too. But if your fear is dealing with litter box cleaning this is one tool you might try.
I like the
Komfort Pets Carrier II, also. This is a plastic pet carrier that can keep your pet from getting too hot or too cold. It will plug into an outlet or into those 12 volt outlets in your car. I know on hot days here in New Mexico that the back of our Subaru Wagon gets hot even if we do have the AC on. This could be a nice way to keep fido comfortable on summer vacation trips.
You still can't leave them in the car in a parking lot with this thing. It won't work that well.
I really like the
Quickfinder Deluxe. Lots of people don't like to clip their pet's toe nails because they are afraid they'll draw blood. And one painful cut into the quick and the pet doesn't like it much, either. This device will help you locate the quick before you cut. Now that's cool. I must admit I get a little close myself from time to time even though I'm a vet.
The
Petporte idea is actually one that we came up with in a brainstorming session. We didn't ever commercialize it but
these folks have. While it might help in preventing your dog from getting stuck in the cat door, here in New Mexico it could have another more important use. This microchip sensing cat door will open only if it recognizes the chip implanted in your pet. I have a friend who got a visit from a skunk not long ago. "Came right in like he owned the place," she said. Well, the Petporte would have denied him.
The Portable (Pee) Extractor could be very useful for cats that urinate in inappropriate places. It could also be useful for house training puppies or even the occasional wine spill.
The other stuff seems weird to me. I don't think I'd hook my dog up to a
treadmill. Granted, there are plenty of people that could stand a couple of tread mill sessions a day, but they know what they are getting into. This thing might confuse a dog. Seems like you'd have to train them to use it and be there while they used it for safety. Why not get off your behind and take them for a walk?
When you get right down to it, all our pets want from us is love and affection. They'll be happy with a warm place to sleep, good food, regular veterinary care and plenty of hugs and walks. In return we get tail wags, snuggles and unconditional love. But what the heck, Christmas and birthdays do come up every year.