When I was growing up, I wanted to be a veterinarian. I had pictures of animals all over my room. I absolutely loved anything cuddly or furry. I even loved lizards, as well as a few insects. I figured that being a veterinarian would be a great way to help the little critters out. What I didn't realize at that point was that I was kind of squeamish. When I was in lab in middle school, I couldn't dissect the eyeball like the rest of the class. I actually passed out. Cutting apart even once living tissue gave me the willies. Since that was the case, how could I work as a veterinarian?
That is why I decided to sell products for animals for a living. I didn't start out all at once. At first, I began to sell products for pets at the local craft market. In Portland, there is a craft fair every Saturday, and it is easy to get a booth there. I would sell small, cute pet toys to tourists and locals alike. I had balls for their pets to play with, squeaky toys, cat sweaters, and collars. Although they weren't completely unique ? you can get that kind of stuff in a pet store ? mine were handmade an unusually cute. Pretty soon, my products for animals were selling really well. People were sending their friends over to me, and I was making a good profit. The problem was that I couldn't hand make this stuff fast enough to keep up with demand! That is why I decided to open a store selling products for pets.
My goal was to sell as many products for animals as possible without opening up one of those super large pet stores. I didn't have the money to rent that much space, and anyway I have always found those places kind of alienating. I decided to specialize in products for animals that a lot of stores don't carry. I left pet food out of it almost entirely. You can get the basic brands at my store, but that is about it. I do, however, sell fresh baked cookies for cats and dogs. They are made with fish, chicken, and other things that the pets find delicious. Beyond that, I have some pretty novel toys. My philosophy of products for animals is a simple one: animals are more happy when they are more entertained. The better the toys, the more pleased the pets.
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