According to some local pet retailers, many Knoxville residents switched to cheaper brands of dog food and cut back on non-necessity items like treats and toys this year in order to fit strained budgets.

Premier Paws

Jessie Counts, store manager of Premier Paws, a premium pet food shop located on South Northshore Drive, observed a difference in product and grooming sales this year compared to the previous three years the store has been in business.

Counts said vendors have increased the store's fuel charges, which caused some of the product's prices to increase.

"When I first started here we had a really good dog food [Timber Wolf Organics]," she said. "For a large bag it was $52, and now it's up to $74.99."

Counts said the price increase irritated customers.

"We're having to switch people over to other foods to fit their budget," she said. "People just refuse to pay that for dog food."

Erin Carson, a University of Tennessee student, said her family has started buying a cheaper brand of dog food two months ago to feed their seven dogs.

"We still buy treats and accessories for our furry friends," she said. "The only thing we have done is buy food that is a little bit cheaper since we have so many dogs to feed."

Wendy Kent, a West Knoxville resident, also admitted to buying a cheaper brand of dog food for her 3-year-old Pomeranian.

"She has eaten only Science Diet since I got her, which of course, can only be purchased at PetSmart or Petco for $10 for just 5 pounds," she said. "Recently, I switched her to Iams, which you can buy anywhere, and you get twice as much for the same price."

Counts said she doesn't think the store lost any of its grooming clients, but she noticed that people aren't having the service done as frequently as they used to.

"Grooming is a luxury," she said. "The majority of our clients come at least once a month, some more than that. Now they have to push it to every 10 to 12 weeks. The ones that used to come once a week are now coming every other week."

Kent used to have her Pomeranian groomed frequently, but she said she has cut back because it's hard to find a groomer who does a good job, and it costs approximately $50 for the service.

"She weighs 4 pounds," she said. "Fifty dollars is a little outrageous for something so small."

River Dog Bakery

Brian and Pam Trainor, owners of River Dog Bakery, a shop that specializes in fresh baked treats for dogs on South Northshore Drive, also noticed a change in business this year.

Pam Trainor has noticed fewer customers coming through the door in the past six months compared to other years. She's also seen a reduction in sales for higher ticket items.

Brian Trainor said business is down 20 percent from what it was this time last year.

"As of Oct. 1, we had a 15 percent price hike, which is a pretty substantial increase," he said. "We only sell one type of dog food, so I don't see much switching there. But I think people have eased up a little on treats and non-necessities."

Rachel Dooley, another UT student, said she always buys her two dogs brand name food, and she would never sacrifice this quality no matter how the economy is doing. But she has changed the way she buys non-necessity pet items.

"We still buy toys and treats, just maybe not as often," she said. "They always have bones, just not meat bones ... unless it is a special occasion, or if we feel like treating the dogs, and we are able to with our budget."

Kent has also eased up on buying her Pomeranian non-necessities.

"Every time I saw a cute sweater or shirt or collar, she got it," she said. "Now she has just one sweater for the winter, and it's been two years since she got a new one. She also does not get as many toys. Every time I went to buy food, she used to get a new squeaky toy and a bag of peanut butter raw hides. Now I just throw her toys in the washing machine and replace the squeakers, and she only occasionally gets raw hides."

While some premium pet supply stores have seen a reduction in their sales, some discount pet supply stores have seen an increase.

Pet Supplies Plus

Kris Munson, co-manager of Pet Supplies Plus on Harvest Mill Way, said he has seen an increase in sales the past six months compared to previous years.

Munson said his location's net sales for the past four Septembers were as follows:

• Sept. 30, 2005- $43,000
• Sept. 30, 2006- $50,000
• Sept. 30, 2007- $46,000
• Sept. 30, 2008- $53,000

Munson isn't sure if it's the economy or the store's recent reset that is creating the increase in sales.

"We've actually been pretty slammed for the past 3 months since we've done our reset," he said. "It might be because things are easier to get to. Things are easier to find now in the store."

But Munson said he's overheard customers discuss changes they've made to their pet supply shopping behaviors.

"I've overheard people say it's cheaper here or cheaper somewhere else," he said. "But [tighter budgets] have affected people and what they buy. Some people change their dog foods to less expensive brands from expensive ones."