The Kong Dog
In 2012, the Kong Dog was the number 1 brand of pet dispenser sold. The attraction for dog lovers is the flexibility the toy offers. It has 3 settings that allow pet owners to make the food easy to get to for smaller dogs, a medium setting for larger snacks and dogs, or a hard setting that makes the snacks a bit of a challenge to get to for larger animals. The center is hollow and allows pet owners to place their dog’s favorite types of snacks inside and is very mobile and easy to use (Peterson, 2011).
Invented in the 70's and sold globally, the Kong toy is hands down the leader in the pet toy and snack dispensing markets. The company is privately owned; therefore, financials are not disclosed. However, it was estimated in the 2009 book "Planet Dog" that the Kong Toy Dispenser was the most popular dog toy in the world (PR, 2012). Based on this global popularity and name / brand recognition for over 40 years, taking on the Kong Company will be challenging.
The Kibble Nibble
Ranked the number 2 most popular brand of dog dispenser sold in 2012, the Kibble Nibble will be another top competitor to the Stallone Dispenser. The Kibble Nibble is also in the design of a toy. It is a plastic ball with rubber bumpers that is easy to unscrew and fill with dog treats. The ball has an adjustable hole in the side that allows pet owners to set the amount of treats that come out as the dog rolls the ball. The ease of use and the fun aspect of a toy ball make this very popular snack dispensing option (Skloot, 2009).
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