Neighborhood Pet Store Day is Coming!

The biggest sale of the year is coming to a local pet store near you on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. 

Are you ready to support your local pet store and save money on your pet's favorite food, treats, and toys? Head to your favorite independent store on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. Indie stores around the country will have buy-one-get-ones, rebates and more on popular independent pet food brands.

In addition to supporting your community, there are many reasons to shop local. Independent stores can offer pet parents personalized service unavailable at big-box stores. Looking for a new food to help with your dog's allergies? How about an out-of-stock product for your picky cat?  Indie stores can special order products, provide free samples of pet food, and help fit your dog with the correct harness or collar.

Here is a list of some of the deals you'll find in store for Neighborhood Pet Store Day 2025: 

Acana/Orijen

BOGO freeze-dried cat and dog treats

Buy 3, get 1 free on dog and cat canned food

$10 off small bags of cat and dog kibble

Fromm

BOGO Purrsnackity Cat Treats

Buy 2, Get One Crunchy O's Dog Treats

BOGO Bonnihill Farms Gently Cooked Dog Food

$5 off Fromm Gold Cat Food

Free can of food with bag purchase on select Dog varieties

Buy 3, Get 1 free Dog cans

Himalayan Pet Supply

$3 off Himalayan Dog Chews

$1 off Dog Churro and Churro Stix

Open Farm

 One Free Gently Cooked 16 oz, meal with purchase of 18 lb. bag or larger

Portland Pet Food Company

Valid 9/25 - 9/29

Buy 2, get 1 free Portland Pet Meals

$3.50 off Biscuits

Primal Pet Foods

$10 off 1.5 lb. bags of Kibble in the Raw

$4 off Fresh Toppers

$4 off 16 oz. Goat Milk

$10 off Freeze-Dried 14 oz. Dog Nuggets: $5 off 5.5 oz. Freeze-Dried Dog Nuggets

Rawz

Buy 2, Get 1 free on all cat canned food

Buy 2, Get 1 free on all dog canned food

Smallbatch Pets

$4 off any 3 lb. cat or dog raw frozen sliders

Vital Essentials

Buy 2, get 1 free Freeze-Dried cat and dog food bags

Woof Pet

Free treat refill with purchase of Pupsicle, Lick Mat, Bite n' Brush or Bully Safe Holder

Zignature

$1 off  Dog Food Cans

$3 off Select Ziggy Bars

Offers are valid at stores enrolled in the Astro Rewards Loyalty program and vary by store. Customers must have an Astro Rewards account to redeem offers. Visit neighborhoodpetstoreday.com to find a store near you to view offers and frequent buyer programs.

New Study Contradicts Danger of Grain-Free Dog Food Diets

The 18-month double-blind study showed no heart damage to the dogs, regardless of diet.

In 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it was investigating the link between grain-free dog food diets and Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM). The investigation was sparked by a study at Tufts University that concluded grain-free diets, including those with legumes and potatoes, increased the incidence of a heart condition called DCM. Since then, veterinarians have been steering patients to grain-inclusive diets, even when patients seemed to do better on grain-free diets.

The new double-blind study was shared in the Journal of Animal Science and followed 60 dogs over eighteen months. Each dog was fed one of four diets: grain-free with peas and potatoes, grain-inclusive with peas and pea fiber, grain-free with potatoes only, or grain-inclusive with no peas or potatoes. The dogs’ heart function, blood, and taurine levels and key heart markers were tested at 6, 12, and 18 months. At the end of the study, there were no signs of heart damage in any of the dogs, taurine levels remained normal, and all of the dogs were clinically healthy with no signs of DCM.

Researchers were able to conclude that it’s more important for your dog to have a nutritionally balanced diet rather than focus on an ingredient-specific diet. Dilated Cardiomyopathy is the second most common heart disease in dogs and mostly impacts large breeds and purebred dogs. Some of the breeds commonly diagnosed with DCM include Dobermanns, Great Danes, Boxers, Bulldogs, Golden Retrievers, and Saint Bernards. The study was conducted at Kansas State University and funded by Hill’s Pet Nutrition, the same company that funded the original research in 2018.

What does this mean for you and your pet? If your dog isn’t at risk for DCM, there are a wide variety of grain-free and grain-inclusive dog foods available on the market that are nutritionally balanced and safe. If your dog is at risk for DCM, work with your veterinarian to find an appropriate diet to keep your dog healthy. 

You can read the entire study at the Journal of Animal Science.

Treat Your Dogs During Gamedays this Season with Bocce's Bakery

Image courtesy Bocce's Bakery & NFLPA

It’s not anything new to see your favorite NFL player’s name on a box of cereal, sports drink, or gameday snack. This year, you’ll be seeing some famous names on treats for a different demographic: your dog. The NFL Players Association and Bocce’s Bakery have partnered on a limited edition collection of treats just for the dogs. Six players worked with Bocce to create a uniquely flavored treat for their pups, and yours.

Jake Elliott, Chris Godwin Jr., Tee Higgins, Kyle Juszczyk, Keon Coleman and Brian Asamoah each have their own bag of treats, complete with the names and images of their best friends. The oat-based treats are wheat-free and baked in Bocce’s signature “B” shape.

• Jake Elliott’s “Cheesesteak,” is a hearty beef and cheese-flavored treat inpspired his pups Willy and Roxy.

• Chris Godwin Jr.’s “Sliders” are a delicious combination of bacon and peanut butter, a hit with his dogs, Ziggy and Ghost.

• Tee Higgins and his dog Roscoe created “Tacos” a beef and cheese treat that’s tastier than a real taco.

• Kyle Juszczyk’s dogs Mozzerella and Pierogi love their “Cheesy Bites,” no explanation necessary.

• Keon Williams’ “Wings” are (you guessed it) a chicken-based treat, perfect for his Pit Bully buddy Scoota.

• Brian Asamoah’s Frenchie Chrome deserves all the treats, and Bocce’s “Nachos” cheese treat always hits the spot.

Bocce’s Bakery launched more than 15 years ago to create healthy, tasty dog treats. The treats are made from real ingredients like beef, cheese and oats and are only about 14 calories per treat. Bocce’s Bakery also makes biscuits, dental treats, jerky, training treats, toppers and cat treats.

The Bocce’s x NFLPA treat collection is priced at $9.99 each and will be available at Boccesbakery.com, Chewy.com and select independent pet stores while supplies last.

Celebrate PSL Season With Your Dog

Pet food brand Honest Kitchen has created a special edition Pumpkin Spice Latte powder for dogs. 

PSL season is synonymous with the beginning of fall. The sweet pumpkin-flavored latte is one of the things that helps ease our transition to fall. This year Honest Kitchen has created a special edition Pumpkin Spice Latte for your dog. A spiced-up goat’s milk powder, the Pumpkin Spice Latte is made with five human-grade ingredients, goat’s milk, pumpkin, honey, cinnamon and ginger. Mix it with water and add it to your dog’s bowl, lick mat or treat dispenser. You can even top it off with a little dog-safe whipped cream. The Pumpkin Spice Latte is $12.99 and can be found at PetSmart, neighborhood pet stores and honestkitchen.com.

In celebration of National Dog Month, Honest Kitchen has partnered with Graduate By Hilton with a special dog-friendly pop-up the week of August 19th at select Pointdexter Coffee locations. Pet parents can bring their dogs in for a PSL “pup cup” along with a human version from a new seasonal menu at Poindexter’s.  

"Pets are part of the family, and we believe they should be included in the moments that make each season special," said Miki Dosen, Chief Marketing Officer at The Honest Kitchen. "Humans look forward to their first pumpkin spice latte every fall – and this launch is our way of letting dogs in on that cherished ritual, made with the same care and quality we expect for ourselves.”

The PSL sampling event will take place through Aug. 25 at Graduate by Hilton Pointdexter Coffee locations in Annapolis, Md., Seattle, Wa., Tucson, Az., Cincinnati, Oh. and Berkeley, Ca. Honest Kitchen Pumpkin Spice Latte will be available in stores while supplies last.