Dog & Cat Nutrition

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Help customers make the right food choices for their dogs and cats.

Dog and cat food makes up a significant proportion of total sales and profitability for many pet retailers. Although dogs and cats have different nutritional requirements, they both need a balanced diet to thrive. Most stores carry several different lines of dog and cat foods, and many independents differentiate themselves by offering premium formulations.

This course will help your associates answer customers’ questions about dog and cat nutrition and select from the brands you carry. Brand-neutral content provides a foundation for additional training by your distributor or manufacturer rep about what distinguishes the brands you carry from those that customers can buy elsewhere.

After completing this course, associates should be able to:

  • Explain how a pet's life stage, size and activity level affect nutritional requirements.
  • Describe major nutrients and basic nutrition.
  • Read and analyze pet food labels.
  • Identify the different types of pet food ingredients.
  • Answer customers’ questions about the best food for their pets.
  • Describe various trends in pet nutrition, as well as supporting and opposing views.

The Dog & Cat Nutrition course covers how to help customers make good pet food choices. Associates will learn how to determine a pet’s nutritional needs by assessing its weight and overall health. Topics include important nutrients in dog and cat food, health concerns, food formats and formulations, pet food labels and feeding guidelines. Hot topics help employees familiarize themselves with the latest animal nutrition trends, such as raw and grain-free diets, so can discuss all perspectives about the issues. Knowledge checks throughout the course reinforce what student have learned.

Estimated time to complete:

  • Online course   1.25 hours
  • Chapter test      15 minutes