Southeast Pet adds PawzNDogz, a simple retail win for groomers
What to do about it
- Call your Southeast Pet rep to confirm pricing, opening order options, and any launch promos.
- Start with 12 to 24 units across two sizes, merchandise near checkout, and keep one clean demo on hand.
- Price for a 50 percent margin, and offer 10 percent off when added to a same-day groom.
- Bundle mats with puppy packages, deshed, or bath-and-brush services to increase average ticket.
- Track sales with a simple spreadsheet and a weekly count since most grooming software is not a POS.
What happened, and why you should care
Pet Age reports that Canadian canine enrichment brand PawzNDogz is expanding in the United States through a distribution partnership with Southeast Pet, bringing its snuffle mats and enrichment products to independent retailers. If you already order through Southeast Pet or prefer to work with a distributor, this makes it easier to trial and restock enrichment items that calm dogs in the salon and sell well at pickup.
First moves for your shop
Call your Southeast Pet rep. Ask three things: current wholesale pricing for snuffle mats and related enrichment items, any opening order minimums or mixed case options, and whether there are promo bundles you can tie to grooming services. Keep your test tight. Plan an initial order that fits your traffic and space, then expand with what sells.
Starter plan for most shops: 12 to 24 units across two sizes and a few colors, one mat kept as a demo. Budget for a modest first buy, then set a clear sell-through goal such as one unit per groomer per day by week three. If you do mobile, carry four to six units in sealed bags and one demo in a clean tote.
Pricing and margin that work
Treat enrichment like any other impulse friendly retail. Aim for a 50 percent gross margin. If your landed cost is 25 dollars, retail at about 49 dollars. If your landed cost is 30 dollars, retail at about 59 dollars. Round to a clean price that fits your neighborhood and clientele. Offer a same-day groom bundle price that is about 10 percent off your standard retail to encourage the add-on without training clients to wait for discounts.
Post simple shelf tags: product name, one line benefit such as calm enrichment for post groom downtime, and the price. Avoid clutter. Place mats within arm’s reach of checkout, not hidden behind product walls.
Bundle ideas that actually move units
- Puppy starter add-on: one snuffle mat added to a first or second groom. Include a short care card and one minute of coaching on how to use food scatter or slow-feed snacks on the mat. Price the bundle at retail minus 10 percent.
- Bath-and-brush quiet package: mat time while drying for anxious dogs, then offer a take-home mat at bundle pricing. Mention the benefit during check-in and again at pickup.
- De-shed loyalty play: buy three de-shed services across the season, get a mat at 15 percent off on the third visit. Track with a simple punch card or your client notes.
- Holiday prepack: pair a mat with a small bag of low crumb treats that hide well in the fleece. Present it as a ready gift near checkout from November through January.
Use the product during the groom day. A clean demo mat in the drying area or a quiet corner shows value better than any sign. Rotate two demos so one can be laundered while the other is in use.
Operate without headaches: ordering, cleaning, and display
Ordering: ask your rep about mixed size cases, freight thresholds, and any display kits. If they offer a counter display or header card, take it for the first 60 days. If not, print a single half sheet sign that explains what a snuffle mat does and why enrichment reduces post groom zoomies at home.
Cleaning: treat demo mats like towels. Shake out outdoors, then machine wash cold in a garment bag, light detergent, no fabric softener, and air dry. Keep a clean bin and a used bin to avoid cross contamination. If a dog mouths aggressively, remove the mat and switch to a lick mat or a calm hold. Remind clients to supervise at home, especially for heavy chewers.
Display: keep retail within three feet of the pay point. Hang two or three mats front facing, then a small stack beneath for grab and go. Add one small mirror or a photo of a dog using the mat to help clients visualize use. Good lighting sells.
Train your team to sell in 30 seconds
- Open with the problem, then the benefit: for anxious dogs, this gives the nose a job and lowers energy after the groom.
- Show, do not tell: scatter five pieces of kibble on the demo mat and let the owner watch the dog forage.
- Close with a clear choice: take one home today at your groom bundle price.
A void walkaway line helps: if it does not become a routine you love in seven days, return it unused for store credit toward grooming. Set your own policy, but even a modest credit window builds confidence and lifts conversion.
Tracking sales without a POS
Most grooming software does not include full inventory or POS. Use a one page sheet or a simple spreadsheet. Columns: date, client, item, price, payment method, initials. Count on hand every Friday, then reorder at a preset par. If your par is 12 and you are at 5, place the call. Set a weekly target, for example 8 units for a solo groomer, 15 units for a two person salon. At a 50 percent margin and a 45 dollar average price, that is about 180 to 340 dollars in weekly gross profit for very little extra time.
Tip for online booking: create a retail add-on that lets clients preselect a take-home enrichment item with their groom, then bag and tag it before pickup. If your software supports online payments, you can collect at booking. GroomBoard, which offers online booking and Stripe powered deposits and payments, is one option.