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The Pet Blog represents the contributions of all of the on-staff pet experts at That Fish Place - That Pet Place. Contact us with the links here or leave a comment.

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What’s Going on at That Fish Place – That Pet Place

January Edition

Happy New Years, and thanks for reading! Please enjoy our December/January recap on what’s happening at That Fish Place – That Pet Place retail store in Lancaster, PA.

More Cat Supplies…But…

The original “Wild Bird” Aisle

So, over the years, we’ve noticed that customers are super interested in our cat supplies offerings. On the other side of that, they’ve become increasingly less interested in our Wild Bird offerings.

Whatever the reasons may be for that, we’ve decided to begin expanding our cat offerings and, unfortunately, that meant cutting into the Wild Bird selection. Keep your eyes open for a greater, easy-to-shop selection of cat supplies in 2021!

Still Waiting on Larger In Store Events

It was definitely a hard call to make, but we were forced to adjust our biggest event of the year, The Love Your Pet Event, to be less of a single-day extravaganza and more of a controlled, spaced out event. This of course, was the case with our Santa Photos over the holidays as well. Our store will continue to do what we can to help create the safest environment we can for our employees and customers, and unfortunately, right now that means discouraging large-crowd events.

Weekly Livestock Preview Videos on Facebook & Fish Room Tips

We get a ton of questions, and admittedly, some complaints, that we don’t always have the fish in stock that certain customers want, when they try to come buy them. The reality is, that in most cases, the demand for fish is so high, that we already sold out of our stock before everyone interested can get to it. With this in mind, we’ve begun posting ‘fish room previews‘ at the end of the week to give you a heads up as to what you can expect should you decide to make the trip. For anyone who has ever been here, particularly on the weekend, you know we can get extremely busy. This allows you to get kind of a head start as to what our selection looks like. Also, here are a few  ‘pro tips’ in regards to the fish room if you’re trying to make sure you get the fish you want:

  • Most of our stock comes in Wednesday and Thursday, and once it’s quarantined and checked for health it’s ready for sale. If you’re REALLY looking for something special, our advice is always to try to pop in Thursday night or Friday morning to ‘catch’ the best stock levels.
  • Finally, our website actually mirrors the in-store inventory, so you can get a pretty accurate (it only changes when they go through the registers and purchase, so if the fish you want is in someone’s cart bagged up, it won’t reflect that) picture of the available fish in the store as well. Check out thatpetplace.com/aquarium-livestock.
  • Also, if a fish IS out of stock on the website, you can sign up for back in stock alerts. This way, as soon as the fish is back in stock, the system will automatically alert you.

Have a great month!

The team at That Fish Place – That Pet Place

What’s Going on at That Fish Place – That Pet Place: December Edition

Happy Holidays from That Fish Place – That Pet Place! We hope everyone had a happy and safe holiday with their families and four-legged friends! A few highlights from our Lancaster, PA retail store over the last month –

1. Continuing to Expand with the Astro Free Food and Pet Supplies Program

This month, we’ve continued to work to expand our application of the Astro free pet food and supplies program in our stores. This is a challenge for us because it’s one more thing the team has to work with you on at checkout. The Astro program, however, allows us to offer digital redemption of free frequent buyer pet food, as well as other pet supply options, all managed by an online app you can use yourself. We are excited to be able to expand on this program as our team’s familiarity with it grows and start offering even more money-saving programs to our Pet Rewards customers. Want to see if you can save more on what you’re buying? Ask an employee today!

2. New SIGNS!

So, we’ve finally gotten around to replacing the signs on the front of our building. We had attempted to do it ourselves a few years ago starting with the ‘That Pet Place’ sign, but it simply wasn’t able to hold up to the weather. Now, we’ve worked with a local sign company to proudly display our ‘That Fish Place’ and ‘That Pet Place’ logos again on the front of the store. They’re equipped with light sensors now too, so they’ll kick on when it gets dark. Our logo is a big part of our identity, so it means a lot to our team that we were able to get these signs designed and put up. Take a look the next time you’re in!

3. Holiday Commercial

For the first time a few years, we decided we needed a holiday commercial. Fortunately, we were able to connect with a local company, Kinectiv, to help us! Given that a lot of people depend on us, particularly now, for their pet food, treats and essentials, we decided to feature a dog on Christmas morning waiting to open presents. Our commercial aired in the Lancaster county area over the holiday season, and, most likely, will be back next year too. Take a look, we hope you liked it!

Dog Dental Health Maintenance & Care

“Gosh your breath stinks!”

Do you cringe when your dog comes up for kisses? Do you turn away in disgust when their hot breath flows your way? Did you get a new puppy? Wait, why would you be concerned about your puppy? Read on!

How is my dogs dental health managed and why should I care about it?

Canine dental health is best managed with prevention! Starting your young dog off on the right foot is the key to easy management of their dental needs throughout their lives and can save you a lot of money and headache in the future.

Dental disease can and will affect many aspects of your dogs overall health. Besides the obvious odor and discomfort that can come with yucky teeth, dental disease can cause a host of other problems. Your dogs mouth is the conduit to the rest of their body, namely the kidneys. Kidneys filter out the toxins and dogs with decaying teeth have a lot! This dental issue can put strain on their kidneys over time and many dogs with advanced dental issues will also develop increase liver values.

What is the best way to start brushing my dogs teeth?

Now that you know what can happen, where should you start? Start by selecting a dog specific toothpaste (human toothpaste is toxic) and pick up either a doggie specific toothbrush or use a soft child’s toothbrush. Once you have your supplies, just let your dogs taste it. A little bit on your finger to make sure they like the taste. Once you’ve established the taste is acceptable, try rubbing it on their teeth!

Some dogs are finicky about letting you touch their mouths so do not be discouraged if this is a slow process. Be patient and one day you’ll have a ready to be brushed hound! Once they’re comfortable with the paste, start using your tooth brush!

How often should I be brushing my dogs teeth?

Every day!

It seems crazy, but you brush your teeth every day (hopefully multiple times a day), doesn’t it seem fitting you should do the same for your dog? In reality, according to the AVMA, brushing a few times a week can be effective but ideally you should brush every day for best practice.

I don’t want to brush my dogs teeth, what are my options?

We know daily doggie toothbrushing isn’t for everyone. While brushing is the gold standard, there are many products available to decrease your dogs chances of dental issues and to provide them with some entertainment too. See our brief list below!

How do you know what products are the best? There is a council specifically for animal dental health! The VOHC (Veterinary Oral Health Council) has a list of approved products that are provenly effective.

Regardless of what you decide if best for you an your pet, remember to take your dog to the vet once a year for their routine check up and to assess their dental health!

What’s Going on at That Fish Place – That Pet Place – November Edition

We’re back with another edition of our Lancaster, Pa-specific retail store blog. What’s going on? What’s new? What’s challenging? This blog is here to answer these questions about our little family-owned business.

Where Are You Guys At With Your Inventory Now As We Move Deeper into the Pandemic?

Like lots of other pet retailers, and as we’ve noted on previous editions of this blog – we’ve had some issues with various categories of pet items over the last few months. The largest shortages we’ve seen have been in glass aquariums and feeder insects, respectively. The good news here is that we’re starting to see a rebound in glass tanks – they’re starting to become available to us again. The bad news, feeder insects are still a challenge. If you’re coming from a distance to our store specifically on the lookout for crickets, superworms, etc., we’d advise that you give the store a call before you come. We are doing our best to keep these in stock – including but not limited to exploring additional vendors for these staples, but the shortages appear to be industry-wide. We are also exploring different feeder options to provide alternatives should you need them. Take a look at our live reptile feeders here.

Thank You Lancaster County

Despite the pandemic, our local community came through bigtime for pets and other worthwhile non-profits during our area’s biggest day of donation – The Extraordinary Give. Even if this difficult year, The Extra Give generated its highest total donations this year! Thank you specifically to everyone whom donated to our in-store rescue – Centerville Pet Rescue! Like all of the organizations participating – they depend exclusively on donations for their day to day operations, and their ability to help more and more animals! Thank you Lancaster!

Locals – Don’t Forget About Curbside!

No one is sure how long this pandemic is going to last. Like lots of stores, we’ve done many things to help adjust to these conditions and make it safer for everyone, but we wanted to drop a reminder: That Fish Place – That Pet Place offers curbside pickup now! There are a few ways to do this. One, is to call our call center at 1-888-THAT-PET. Tell them what you’d like, and mention that you’d like to pick it up curbside at our Lancaster store. That’s it. For those living in PA-only, our website will allow you to choose ‘In Store Pickup’ as an option on most items. You can’t do this with livestock, but if you’re looking to avoid a little contact, add your dry goods, place the order, and our team will give you a call when it’s ready for you.

Stay safe out there everyone and have a great holiday season!

The Team At That Fish Place – That Pet Place

3 Holiday Staples That Your Dog Can Eat

The holidays are quickly creeping up on us and we’re bustling around gathering ingredients, recipes and preparing to cook family meals. However, if you’re like me, you’re also thinking of your four-legged family members when it comes to the cooking process. While feeding table scraps from your plate is generally frowned upon and not recommended, did you know there is another option? An option that is safe, HEALTHY and easy.

Make your dog their own meal!

It’s important to know what foods are safe for your pet and to avoid seasonings or rich foods. We don’t want you spending your holiday evening caring for an upset dog belly! Encourage your house guests not to offer any table scraps to Fido and assure them they’ll be getting their own meal later. You can also consider placing your dog in a safe place away from the dinner meal to avoid rule breakers!

Now, what will Fido be having for dinner? Here are 3 holiday meal staples that can be adapted for your dog.

Sweet Potatoes

While your potatoes are likely cooked in butter, baked with marshmallows or even baked into a pie, your dogs should not be! High fat or sugar items can cause severe stomach upset or even pancreatitis. Sweet potatoes are a superfood that is full of carotene, vitamin A, potassium and fiber. Feed your pup his/her potatoes raw, dried or boiled.

Turkey

Obviously, the main course, turkey, is your dog’s dream! Avoid offering any skin, or fat from the turkey as this can cause diarrhea. Bones are also a no, no as these can splint. However, cooked turkey is perfectly safe in small portions. When you’re cleaning up and storing your turkey, go ahead and set aside a few pieces on breast meat for your pups’ dinner!

Green Beans

Many holiday meals include a vegetable side. Green beans and even carrots are a great option for your dog! Since we like to add butter and other seasonings to our vegetables, it’s best to save a small portion to offer to your dog either raw or boiled. Be sure to avoid onions as these are toxic to dogs.

What’s going on at That Fish Place? –October Edition

Happy November everyone!

Back with an update with what’s going on with That Fish Place – That Pet Place. As always, these blogs discuss what’s happening in our retail store and with our web distribution operation over the last month!

IN STORE EVENTS ARE BACK – SORT OF…

Starting in October, we have begun having limited, in-store events again. So far, these have consisted of animal rescue meet and greets only. Over the last few months, we have adjusted our event policies to allow for better cleanliness and virus mitigation when visitors come to our store. We’ve carried over these procedures and expanded them to further allow for safe events for staff and customers alike. We are relieved and excited, albeit cautious, to be able to provide this visibility to rescues again and would encourage you to monitor our events page for what’s coming up. Unfortunately, we are still canceling large-scale events like Centerville Pet Rescue Santa Photos for the season.

OUR STORE IS GETTING A FACE LIFT!


That Fish Place – That Pet Place’s retail store has been here a long time, so it was high time we gave it a facelift! Working with Two Dudes Painting, the front of our store is getting our brand orange and blue added! Check out the new colors on the roof awning as well as the light poles around the store. In addition, we’re getting much needed external facility painting and patching as well. We love the results – what do you think?

A NEW REGISTER


If you’re a regular to our store, you probably noticed that we removed the register with the wall right as you enter our store. Well, it’s back, but on the other side! In an effort to further comply with social distancing guidelines, our team migrated our largest register to the other side of the register area. This allows us to accommodate busy days just as well as before, while still allowing us to keep the store more open and spread out. Win-win!

What’s Going on at That Fish Place? — August 2020 Edition

Please enjoy the next blog in our series to talk about our point of view on various items from the top. If you have any questions, you’d like us to answer in this column, please feel free to submit them in the comments section.

I’ve noticed that there aren’t as many big display tanks in the store – what’s going on?

Goldfish Cylinder Tank

This is a question we’ve gotten a few times recently – what happened to all the really big display tanks in the store? First, let’s just say that there are more in the works! We’re hoping to roll the cylinder tank – the big one that used to sit by the freezers – back out again soon somewhere in the middle of the store. We also have some thoughts on on an even LARGER one in the 1,000 gallon range coming over the next few months. Why did we get rid of a few of the ones we had? Really it’s a combination of factors from leaky tanks to creating more space to allow for a safer shopper experience during the pandemic. Rest assured though, there are more on the way – making TFP/TPP a fun shopping experience is key to us.

The Small Pet Area Is LARGER! What’s coming next?

Yes! The Small Pet Area expansion has been in the works for some time. As one of our most popular areas, creating more space here made a lot of sense for us. We’re hoping to use the additional space to help create a more easy-to-navigate experience for you – as well as an area where our associates can more closely interact with you if/when you’re considering taking an adorable small pet home with you!

The Plant Room – Whoa What a Makeover!

We’ve received lots of not necessarily-positive feedback from our aquatic area over the years: poor looking stock, low stock, not a ton of variety. Recently, out team set out to improve all of these! In addition to a new shoppable waterfall area that is just plain cool, our staff replaced many of the tanks and their lighting. In addition, we’ve committed to holding more inventory in there. So, even more than before, our plant room is new and improved and ready to serve you!

Thank you all for reading and talk to you at the end of next month!

The Team at That Fish Place – That Pet Place

How to Troubleshoot Litter box Issues

There are over 42.7 million cat owners out there according to a survey conducted by the America Pet Products Association (APPA). Many of those owners have multi cat households. Now, out of those millions of cats living in homes, more than 10% of them will exhibit litter box issues. That’s a lot of cats.

One of the number one reasons cats are surrendered to animal shelters is because of inappropriate elimination. As many cat owners can agree, accidents in the house are difficult to clean and often these behaviors are frustrating to understand and repair. While we could write pages and pages of information on feline behavior, below you’ll find the four big things to check when troubleshooting your litter box woes.

Rule out a Medical Cause

Cats are masters at masking illnesses and often do not begin to exhibit issues until they have been suffering for some time. If your cat begins to have inconsistencies using the litter box, a trip to your regular veterinarian is in order.

Veterinarian listening to cat’s heart.

A urinary, bladder or kidney infection can all affect your cat’s ability to “make it” to the litter box in time, as well as causing your cat discomfort. Often these infections can easily be treated, and your cat will resume normal litter box usage.

Has your older cat stopped using the litter box? Sometimes it isn’t an infection but can be discomfort. Possibly your older cat has begun suffering from arthritis and it’s no longer easy for him to climb in and out of the high sided litter box he has used for years.

Litter box Placement

Cats are sensitive animals and do not enjoy having their litterbox placed in high traffic areas. It is important to make sure your litter box is placed somewhere easily accessible to your cat but also in a quiet and low traffic space. If you live in a multi floored house, it is recommended to keep your litter box on whichever floor your cat spends most of their time.

Do you have multiple cats? You should have multiple litter boxes! The rule of thumb is the number of cats + 1. If you have 2 cats, you should have 3 litter boxes. This allows your cats to have options. It is also ideal to have a variety of types of litter boxes if possible. Some cats prefer uncovered litter boxes instead of the covered variety.

Litter Types

Just like us, cats have preferences. Many cats do not like when their cat litter is abruptly changed. Just like with food, if you’re changing your cats’ litter it is recommended to do it over time to limit any sort of avoidance behavior.

Cat litters come in a variety of textures, materials and sizes. It is up to you to see what your cat prefers! Often cat that have been front declawed develop “substrate preferences” likely due to how the litter feels to them. If you aren’t sure where to start, check out Dr. Elsey’s cat litter. Their litters come in a variety of particle sizes AND they even offer a litter that has additional pheromones designed to “attract” your cat.

Environmental Factors

Two cats staring at each other through a window

Last, we must consider that cats are finicky creatures. They are sensitive to changes in their environment and often slight changes can unsettle a kitty. If you’ve ruled out all the above issues, started thinking about your cats living area. Has anything changed? Did you do any serious furniture moves? Is there something new in the house that might be scaring your cat? Did you get a dog? Is there a stray cat visiting the porch? Is there a new person living with you? Your cat might not be happy about it and is showing that by their litter box usage.

Environmental factors can be tough to figure out and even once you’ve figured out the cause sometimes it isn’t always an easy fix. Addressing your cat’s anxiety might be the key here. Considering adding a pheromone diffuser to your cats main living space. Spend more time interacting with your cat but grooming, playing with toys or even going outside (only if this is something your cat is already accustomed to).

Cats are part of our lives and we’ll do everything we can to make sure they’re happy and healthy, but to maintain our sanity, litter box issues should be addressed ASAP to avoid creating a habit. Hopefully one of the tips above can help you out. If not, try visiting the Cat’s International to check out their in depth guide!

Dog Friendly Summer Activities in Lancaster, PA

I don’t know about you, but my canine children are part of as many of my summer festivities as possible! Picnics, pool parties and cookouts are some of the big ones that come to mind, but in today’s “pandemic life” those are a thing of the past. Even though we cannot gather, it doesn’t mean we can’t find fun and enriching things to do with our canine companions! Check out 5 canine friendly destinations!

1. “The Dog Park”

From LNP, Beau’s Dream Park

We only say “the” dog park because there’s a few. Before we mention them, we have to say, dog parks aren’t for everyone and they aren’t for every dog. It’s important that your dog is up to date on vaccinations, spayed or neutered and socially experienced before you consider venturing into one.

Lancaster County is home to two popular dog parks, Beau’s Dream Park at Buchanan Park and Overlook Dog Park. Both places allow for dogs to run and play off leash while also allowing owners to properly socially distance.

2. Outdoor Dining

Enjoying Dalton’s Dog Deck at Springhouse.

Many restaurants are offering outdoor seating now. Weather permitting, you may even be able to bring your well-behaved pooch along! Springhouse Brewpub has its very own dog patio! Sit outside, enjoy a snack and drink while meeting other like-minded dog owners. Be sure to check ahead of time before bringing your dog. Due to some city ordinances, dogs are not welcome at every outdoor dining space.

3. Parks

Lancaster is home to MANY parks! Lancaster County Park is the biggest, playing host to hundreds of pet friendly trails in addition to an off-leash section! (be sure to check that you’re in the designated area before setting your pup free).  Buchanan Park, Musser Park, Reservoir Park and Long’s Park are just a few options that are open for picnicking and allow for dog friendly walking areas.

4. Walking Trails

In addition to a variety of dog friendly parks, our county is home to several walking trails that are welcoming to our canine companions! The Conestoga Greenway Trail allows you to have a shady and easy going walk along the river. Noel Dorwart Park is a green area allowing you and your dog to visit wetland areas. Finally, Landis Woods Park is a neighborhood park with plenty of green area for a leisurely walk with your dog.

5. Dog Friendly Retailers

Some days it is just too hot to walk your dog. So, what do you do?

Visit a dog-friendly retailer! Always check first to verify that the store is welcoming to your leashed and well-behaved dog. That Fish Place- That Pet Place (shameless plug) is always air conditioned and provides plenty of square footage for your dog to walk around and explore, while doing a little shopping! There are also non-pet store options that allow your pet! Lowes, Home Depot, AC Moore, Michaels and Tractor Supply are just a few.

Overall, finding opportunities to get your pup outside of the house and exploring the county are ways to keep those cabin fever behaviors at bay! While we’re all staying home and staying safe, we can find safe ways to get outside with our dogs!

What’s Going on at That Fish Place – That Pet Place – June 2020

Please enjoy the next blog in our series to talk about our point of view on various items from the top. If you have any questions, you’d like us to answer in this column, please feel free to submit them in the comments section.

I noticed that you’re not shipping fish from your website right now. Why is this and when are they coming back?

Yes, for much of the last few months, we have not been shipping livestock from our website. For those who are not aware, thatpetplace.com ships aquarium livestock to most of the lower 48 states from our store in Lancaster, PA. Unfortunately, when COVID-19 hit, we could no longer rely on our shipping partners to meet their arrival stipulations, so we decided to suspend shipments. Rather than risk fish, coral, or other livestock reaching your doorstep days after it was supposed to, we opted to pause delivery. This then became coupled with the shortages we, and most businesses, are seeing on livestock and other goods during this time, and we decided to keep shipping closed through the month of June. HOWEVER, at this point, we are hoping to re-open shipping on July 8th, 2020, stay tuned! When we are up and rolling, you can see the details HERE, and check out our selection HERE.

Our Store Has a New Cart Corral – and Boy are We Excited About it!

So, it seems like a minor thing, but we’ve redone the front of the store to contain a new cart corral. Though a minor move, and not as cool as a new display tank or something, this move opens more for us to do. BECAUSE we moved the carts to the corral, we’ve freed up space to:

 1. Expand the Small Pet Corner.

2. Redo the register area to create more space both for safety and convenience

3. Make the entire store more visible – no big wooden wall – as soon as you enter the front doors. We always thought it was tough to see the fish room WAAYY over there, so we’re hoping this helps! Check back for updates on future posts.

Building YouTube Stars – One Video At a Time!

Over the last month, we’ve worked to develop a few basic, regular video series with a few of our in-store pet experts. One features Gabe from the Fish Room discussing things like his favorite fish, our procedures for acclimating and doing water changes. Another features one of our pet experts, Stacy, going over some of our store pets, housing Pacman frogs, ferret baths, and other interesting topics. We’re hoping to continue these series moving forward and to cover things our visitors would be interested in. If you have any topics, you’d like to see us cover, please don’t hesitate to mention them in the comments! You can check out our YouTube channel HERE.

Thank you all for reading and talk to you at the end of next month!

The Team at That Fish Place – That Pet Place

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