True innovations thin on the ground

Problem solvers and products to facilitate pet keeping are still in demand in the pet product sector. The German pet food manufacturer Mera Dog of Kevelaer, for example, exhibited a food that can absorb and render inactive the body odours of dogs. The product, called "Odor Stop", is neutral in taste and gives the dog an improved body odour and healthy intestinal flora in just 10 days.  According to the manufacturer, this is achieved with a combination of active natural substances on a vegetable basis. Most pet food manufacturers limited themselves to the introduction of new varieties and expanding their range to include snacks - innovations without any great novelty value.JRS and Europet presented litter and dog toilet in one basic set.The Italian company Teco introduced aquarium conditioners.Fitness drinksIt was apparent that the idea of fitness drinks for pets is starting to catch on. A number of manufacturers have failed in their attempts at these in the past, but the products that are now being introduced, for example by The Liquid Petfood Company, are going to establish themselves gradually in the market. The "LPC Functional Drinks" presented in Nuremberg are a range of functional drinks and food supplement drinks for dogs and cats consisting of various active organic ingredients. They not only supplement the traditional ready-made foods but also promote healthy digestion because they contain roughage and secondary vegetable matter. In addition, LPC offers life-cycle-oriented dressings to increase the palatability of foods. The dressings are simply added to the food. According to the manufacturer, they improve the intake of liquid, strengthen the immune system and improve resistance when used in conjunction with dry food in particular.Bunny Tierernährung and Karlie Heimtierbedarf presented agility exercising for rodents at Interzoo.The new "Compact Soft" belt lead range from Flexi.Dog litterThe market launch of a dog litter offered exclusively to the specialist retail sector is also awaited with excitement. The product will be marketed jointly by two companies, J. Rettenmaier & Söhne (JRS) and Europet. The cat litter supplier JRS ("Cat's Best") has developed a special granulating technology in which specially broken-down vegetable fibre capillaries are processed into a highly effective litter granulate in a number of stages. According to the manufacturer no chemical additives or binders are used in these processes. To offer an economical, long-lasting litter "Dog's Best" was developed as a clumping litter. The clumping process is achieved by the use of a pure natural vegetable additive.  In addition to the quality of the product, the extent to which dogs will adapt to the use of litter is an important consideration. JRS and Europet have therefore formed a marketing partnership and have jointly developed an integrated concept that offers dog toilet, litter, product training and basic information from a single source. The two companies have been exchanging information on the subject of dog hygiene for some time and have worked on finding a common solution. Europet has developed a special dog toilet adapted to the needs of dogs and JRS delivered the perfect ecological premium grade litter, which together with the toilet completes the functional hygiene set. In the first instance, a basic starter set was offered to users that contains toilet and litter as well as useful information and accessories. The basic set is marketed by Europet and its distributors, while the litter is marketed by the distribution partners of JRS.Functional drinks and food supplements for dogs and cats from the Belgian company LPC.Partner bed for two dogs from Eurostitch. The bed and cushion covers are made of high quality textiles.Interesting collections were also on show in the accessories sector. The British company Eurostitch of Pontefract showed a large range of so-called luxury beds for dogs and cats at the fair. The bed and cushion covers are removable and washable at 40° C and are made of high quality textiles with individually selectable patterns.The sides of the beds are made of a very thick yet soft material. A highlight of the range could prove to be the "Boy" partner bed; it is available in two different sizes and offers space for two dogs.The latest innovation by German dog lead specialist Flexi of Bargteheide attracted great attention at the show. The company has expanded its Premium line with the addition of "Compact Soft", a sophisticated range of belt leads. The soft yet sturdy grip allows safe and comfortable handling at the same time. Combined with the patented braking system and the tear-resistant, fully retractable belt, it offers a high degree of user comfort and safety, says the company. Due to the robust material, the "Compact Soft" range is especially suitable for temperamental and strong dogs. The range is available in three sizes and five different colours for small, medium and large dogs.Innovations in the aquatics sectorPioneering new developments in the aquatics sector were also rather few and far between, although a large number of new pond pumps and external filters were introduced. The companies were more concerned with reinforcing their market position than giving aquatics a new impetus. A welcome change was introduced by German company Dennerle, which set some new accents with its new pond maintenance and clear water systems. The quality of Dennerle's products is intended to make them stand out from the product lines of other manufacturers.  So what's special about this range? It is unusually comprehensive and covers the demands of nearly every user. "Boden Pearls" is an entirely biological floor filter material that has been developed, aimed specifically at owners of garden ponds who do not use any technology in the water garden. Another innovation from Dennerle is a range of filter materials consisting of 28 products and divided into main filter materials and pre, fine and special filter materials, all with an integrated performance category using a three to five star rating. The Portuguese company Aquapor and its stand also attracted great attention. The company showed an aquarium range with 12-volt devices designed to reduce the risk of electric shocks in tanks of up to 104 litres in capacity. One interesting option to give new impetus to the aquatic plants business was shown at the fair by the Danish company Tropica Plants with its product "Aqua Cube". This is a decorative little glass cube with a completely removable plant insert. The glass can be removed from its base and cleaned in just a few minutes.  It is supplied complete with a lamp for perfect illumination.The German company Inter Ryba of Zeven introduced an incubator under the brand name "Naupli Star". It is inserted directly into fresh water aquariums and works as a continuous automatic artemia hatching and nauplii feeding device.  The salt water in the incubator is not mixed with the fresh water in the aquarium. After hatching, the nauplii are attracted by the light and follow it into the fresh water area and from there via the opening directly into the aquarium, where they are awaited joyfully by the fish. According to the manufacturer, all that is required for a continual breeding process is to put artemia eggs into the incubation chamber of the incubator at 24-hour intervals. The shells collect on the surface of the device and can be sucked off easily with the pipette supplied.The Italian company Teco of Ravenna presented conditioners for aquariums at the fair. The "TR" range comes in six module and performance categories and is used to cool the water, while the "TC" range can also heat water. The company says its target group comprises owners of saltwater aquariums whose aquariums react especially sensitively to temperature fluctuations. Teco harks back to last year's hot summer, when many aquarium owners were faced with the problem of keeping the water temperature down. The devices are supplied complete with various accessories depending on the module category, for example snap-fit connectors for the water supply and discharge lines, UVC lamps, air filters and air filter alarms, as well as digital control and adjustment units.Small planters from Tropica Plants.Agility for rodentsA completely new type of agility exercise, "Kanin-Hop" for rodents, was presented at Interzoo by the two German companies Bunny Tierernährung of Melle and Karlie Heimtierbedarf of Bad Wünnenberg. The companies erected a small jumping and agility testing track for rabbits, and the animals used it enthusiastically. "Agility exercise accommodates the animals' natural activity impulse", says Katharina Engling of the Bunny management team. "In nature they jump up to 150cm in height and distances of 2 to 3 metres." In Denmark agility for rodents is apparently very popular already. Karlie Heimtierbedarf offers a variety of obstacles and special jumping harnesses, and the requisite food is supplied by Bunny.