Behavior Consulting, Training, Pet Sitting

Sept 13, 2011

Friends of Premier:

We appreciate your partnership as a valued contributor to the success of the Premier brand over the years. As we continue to work diligently to meet the needs of our consumers and their owners, we have some bittersweet news to share with you.

After exhaustive research, we have made the decision to move all of the Premier branded products under the PetSafe brand. The rationale for making this decision is:

1. Moving forward, we intend to put many more resources in marketing and marketing spend to reach our consumers with our innovative products. Spending against one brand is immensely more efficient than two.
2. Many of our large retail partners have pushed us in this direction to reduce the total number of brands within their stores.
3. Historically we have built brand names at what we consider the category level. In the quantitative research we recently completed, this was confirmed as the Premier name did not resonate from an awareness level with the consumer, veterinarian or trainer, however the Gentle Leader and Busy Buddy brands did.

As we move forward and start marketing more aggressively against one “umbrella brand” with the trusted category brands, all products will benefit from an awareness boost.

This does not change our commitment to growing the reward based positive training product line. As a matter of fact, it is a pillar to our strategy over the next five years. While the Premier name will go away, the business unit will remain and will continue to develop reward based positive training and solution products. We have taken a number of steps to utilize both internal and external animal behavior knowledge throughout all aspects of our business to ensure products and protocols are safe and effective.

Although we do not have a firm timeline around the launch, our plan is to target October of 2012. This will not change our commitment to sponsor worthwhile events and causes. The name of the sponsor will simply transition in October, 2012.

Should you have any concerns or questions or need clarification please don’t hesitate to contact me or any member of our team. I can be reached at jhart@petsafe.net and my phone number is 865-824-5530. Thank you, we look forward to our continued partnership in developing and marketing products that truly make a difference in the lives of pets and their owners.

Sincerely

Jason Hart
Director of Marketing – Companion Pet

Premier was purchased by RadioFence last year. PetSafe is the brand of shock collars RadioFence sells. 

KORRECT KRITTERS WON’T SUPPORT SHOCK COLLARS and will no longer be purchasing or recommending Premier products.

This woman has used this kennel previously and didn’t expect her dog to be burned when she picked her up.

Check carefully, ask questions before you leave your dog anywhere.

I cried this morning when the sweet rottie I have been walking for a year and have been help with training wouldn’t play with me because of the toys in my hand. Her parents put in an electric fence and when her ball and tug toy got too close she was shocked. This beautiful, fun-loving, silly pup was terrified by the things she loves the most. I cried and I cried when I saw the terror and confusion in the dog when I would ask her to “go find,” or “go get.” She sat in confusion as if asking me, “Why are you doing that? That’s mean, and it hurts.” I am going back to the house soon to play/walk the dog. I want the family to see what they did. They broke this dog’s spirit. They broke my heart. Shock/electric collars are inhumane, revolting devises. I hate them. I hate what they did to this dog who is afraid to play. I hate the trainer who installed the fence and then trained the dog to stay away by zapping her. Bastards. I even told the family about coyote rollers, but they didn’t listen.

I was unable to talk to the parents today, they were out. The rottie did play with some toys while I was away, but when it came to playing she was avoiding it. We went for a walk and I brought some new toys for her that were exposed without the collar on so she could enjoy something. It did help, but she is wary. It’s as if I did the shock, the last person she could trust and I failed her. To take away a dog’s joy is something no one should ever have to endure. Sadly, the parents just don’t really know what they got themselves into. Many dog owners just don’t really get it. And when you try to show them, and they don’t listen, it’s hard to continue. But this story can save the soul of future dogs.

From Brae Peel Raphael of Urbane Mutt in Portland, OR.