Dogs and cats are the most popular. Puppies and kittens are usually on display waiting for new homes. Their food can be found as well as treats. The selection of food is vast and includes many flavors. Typically, stores will carry high end brands with a few middle priced choices. These choices will cover the needs of pets at all stages of life. From the very young to senior pets pet oxygen, your food needs will be covered. Special needs diets are available too, such as kibbles for outdoor cats vs. Indoor cats.
In addition to food and treats, there are entire shelves dedicated to supplements. The most commonly purchased supplement is glucosamine which is good for joint problems and arthritis. Shelves will also have fish oils, vitamins, even additives for pets’ drinking water to help keep teeth clean.
Beds, toys, doghouses and cat condos are in full supply. So are kitty litter, water purifiers and leashes. Now these are all pretty common items. But I dare you to enter a pet store and not find some new item that you would never have dreamed even existed. Perhaps a doggy massage blanket would be one such product.
After taking care of the dogs and cats, check out the fish. Whether salt water or fresh water, the tanks are full of colorful finned creatures. Goldfish are not just goldfish; even they come in multiple breeds. Other water life is here, like frogs, snails and corals. Aquarium setups range from little betta bowls to 200 gallon tanks.
Also for your aquarium, you may want to consider live plants. These help maintain a healthy environment for the fish by keeping oxygen levels balanced. They are nice to look at and also give the finned inhabitants places to hide or eat. Some plants are placed in the ground of the tank and others float along the surface.
Don’t forget about birds and rodents. You’ll be able to hear the chirps and yells from parrots and parakeets the moment you step inside. And if you listen carefully, you can also hear the squeaks from mice, rats and hamsters. Accessories for them, like wood chips and play wheels are always in stock. Snakes, ferrets and iguanas will also grab your attention.
One great thing is that the majority of pet stores will let you bring your pets into the store with you. Once inside, you can drop your furry buddy off to have his nails and hair done or to get a nice bath. Veterinarians are usually on staff too, so you can plan your shopping trips around your dog’s doctors appointments.
Dry food is one of the more popular varieties for many pet owners. Although it does not spoil nearly as quickly as an open can of wet food, dry food still requires attention to proper storage in order to ensure it remains a healthy and enjoyable diet for your pet. Dry pet food suffers from negative effects from heat, direct light, moisture, and oxygen. Keeping these elements away from your dry pet’s food storage container will ensure that your pets are well-nourished, and that you are getting what you paid for.
First, keep in mind that no food storage method is perfect, and that the longer food is stored, the more its quality will degrade. As inconvenient as it may be, you are best off buying only one week’s supply of food at a time. Also, when purchasing food, look for the best Buy date, which should be marked on all quality pet food brands. Try to find a bag with the longest remaining shelf life possible.
Next, you’ll want to identify the ideal area of your house to store the food in. You are looking for an area that is cool, dry, and shady. Bathrooms and kitchens are a poor choice, as these are areas that tend to be filled with steam from showers or dishwater. The garage may be a good choice, provided that it stays cool throughout the day and year- if the temperature fluctuates wildly in your garage, find another spot. Basements and cellars may work, provided they stay dry year-round. Try to store food a few feet above the ground, where moisture will be less likely to condense.
Next, consider your method of storage. Your goal is to expose the food to as little air and light as possible, so don’t pour the food out of its original packaging- just place the entire ball of wax into another container. Hopefully, your container will have an air-tight lid. If you have the ability and inclination, vacuum-sealing is a great way to extend the life of your pet’s food. Otherwise, use the smallest container possible for the quantity of food you want to store. You can help to keep moisture out by placing some kind of dessicant in the container (not in with the food! ). You’ve seen dessicants before, packed into little bags that come with many consumer products- shoes, for instance. You can reuse these packets if you save them, or use regular table salt, between the food packaging and your container.
Temperature will begin to affect the pet food whenever it is above 70 degrees. Refrigeration is an option, and will maintain the nutritional value of the food- however, it may change the texture or flavor in such a way as to make it less enjoyable for your pet. If you want to refrigerate your pet’s food, try it with a small portion first to ensure that a pup with a sensitive palate won’t reject his kibble.