Every August, the whole pet industry lands in Las Vegas. Thousands of brands, buyers, and pet professionals fly in from around the world for three days that quietly set the tone for what shows up in pet store aisles and online for the next 12 months. That show is SuperZoo, and this year, we’re going.
SuperZoo 2026 runs August 12-14 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, with education sessions kicking off a day earlier on August 11. The event is presented by the World Pet Association (WPA). A quick but sincere shoutout to Julie Franks and her team at MDG, the full-service marketing agency representing both SuperZoo and the World Pet Association. MDG is a big part of what keeps this show running as smoothly as it does, and we appreciate the relationship.
What Is SuperZoo?
SuperZoo is a professional trade show. It’s not open to the public. Retailers, groomers, veterinarians, pet media, and industry folks from 84 countries show up every year to walk more than 350,000 square feet of show floor, meet with 1,100+ exhibitors, and see over 1,100 new products launch in a single weekend. The show has been running for 75+ years, making it one of the oldest and most established pet trade events in North America.
We go so you don’t have to. Then we come back and tell you what’s worth paying attention to.
What We’re There to Find
This isn’t a sightseeing trip. We’re on the floor to find specific things: food and treat formulas that have real nutritional substance behind them, not just good packaging. Gear that solves a problem pet owners actually deal with. Health and wellness products backed by more than a marketing claim. And the small, emerging brands that haven’t hit mainstream shelves yet but probably will within a year.
A few categories we’ll be diving into:
New food formulas launching in 2026 (especially in raw, freeze-dried, and fresh food categories)
Enrichment and mental stimulation products for dogs and cats, a fast-growing area with a lot of real innovation right now
Functional treats and supplements (joint, gut, calming, and immune-focused)
Smart tech and wearables: GPS trackers, health monitors, automated feeders
New Product Showcase winners across Dog, Cat, Smart Tech/AI, and Sustainability categories
The show floor is divided into dedicated zones. Natural & Health, Emerging Brands, Specialty & Lifestyle, Groomer’s Marketplace, Smart Tech/AI, Live Animals, International Pavilion, and the New Product Showcase. The Emerging Brands section is worth extra time every year. That’s where the smaller companies live, and some of the most interesting finds from past shows came straight out of that section of the floor.
What Past Shows Have Delivered
SuperZoo has a track record. Year after year, the show surfaces products that become genuine staples, things pet owners end up relying on long after the booth lights go down.
At SuperZoo 2025, the Dog category New Product Showcase winner was the LickiMat CrateMate from Innovative Pet Products, a crate-mounted lick mat designed to give dogs a calming, enriching activity inside their crate. Simple idea, clean execution, addresses a real behavioral need. The runner-up in the Dog category was Adored Beast Apothecary’s Pawsitive Immunity formula, a colostrum alternative that got serious attention from retailers for its ingredient transparency.
The cat side had its moments too. A Loofah & Silvervine cat toy took first place in the Cat category. Worth knowing: silvervine works on cats who don’t respond to catnip. Roughly 30% of cats don’t react to traditional catnip at all, so this isn’t just a novelty. The AnyWhere Cat Groomer from PetPals Group placed second, and it was easy to see why retailers were interested.
Then there was the Judges’ Choice Award: ChefPaw, a pet food maker that lets owners cook custom vet-formulated meals at home. It sounds niche until you realize there’s an entire segment of owners who have been waiting for something exactly like that. It walked away with the most talked-about award of the night.
That’s the thing about SuperZoo. You go in expecting to see mostly familiar brands with minor updates. Then something stops you cold.
Dog and Cat Brands We’re Keeping an Eye On
Here’s our current watch list for SuperZoo 2026, a mix of established names showing up with new products and smaller brands that have been building quietly. Dog-focused brands first, then cat.
Dog Brands to Watch
Nutrition & Treats
Stella & Chewy’s: Freeze-dried raw recipes, consistently strong in the functional nutrition space with new protein options expected
The Honest Kitchen: Whole-food, human-grade dehydrated dog food; a brand that quietly keeps raising its own bar
Open Farm: Ethically sourced, fully traceable ingredients; their supply chain transparency is genuinely unusual at scale
Adored Beast Apothecary: Holistic supplements with a 2025 NPS runner-up already on their record; curious what they’re bringing this year
Bocce’s Bakery: Soft, single-ingredient treats with a clean label model that’s driven a strong loyal following
Zesty Paws: Functional chews in the supplement space: joint, skin, calming, and immune support
Merrick Pet Care: Grain-free wet and dry formulas with strong palatability across protein sources
Primal Pet Foods: Raw frozen and freeze-dried; a raw diet standard-bearer for independent specialty retailers
Canidae: Sustainably sourced premium and value lines with a consistent show presence
Natural Balance: Limited ingredient formulas for dogs with food sensitivities
Enrichment, Gear & Toys
KONG: The rubber enrichment classic, always showing up with something new in the puzzle and calming space
Ruffwear: Outdoor adventure gear built for dogs that actually hike, run, and travel
West Paw: Eco-friendly, made-in-Montana dog toys with a design team that takes durability seriously
Benebone: Long-lasting chews made in the USA with real flavor ingredients baked directly in
Outward Hound: Puzzle feeders, life jackets, and interactive toys; one of the strongest brands in enrichment
LickiMat (Innovative Pet Products): 2025 NPS Dog category winner, now expanding its crate and travel product line
Planet Dog: Durable USA-made toys with a lifetime guarantee they actually honor
PetSafe: Containment, training, automatic feeders, and Drinkwell fountains for both dogs and cats
Cat Brands to Watch
Nutrition
Tiki Cat: High-protein, low-carb wet food built around actual fish and poultry; a go-to brand in specialty pet retail
Weruva: Human-grade ingredients with a global recipe line that uses proteins most brands won’t touch
The Honest Kitchen: Their cat food line flies under the radar compared to their dog products; it’s genuinely worth a closer look
Open Farm: Same traceable sourcing as their dog line, applied to cat formulas
Royal Canin: Breed- and health-condition-specific formulas; widely recommended by vets for a reason
Nulo: High-meat, grain-free with a focus on low glycemic ingredients; solid for cats with weight management needs
Litter & Home
World’s Best Cat Litter: Corn-based, flushable, minimal dust; a perennial favorite in multi-cat households
Dr. Elsey’s: Ultra-clumping clay with a devoted following among cat owners who’ve tried everything else
Cat’s Pride: Lightweight formula with a built-in charitable giving model
Enrichment, Calming & Tech
Catit: Water fountains, the Senses 2.0 enrichment line, and puzzle feeders that cats actually engage with
PetFusion: Premium scratch loungers and beds designed to not look like they belong in a pet store
Jackson Galaxy (Galaxy Cat): Enrichment products grounded in actual cat behavior science
Feliway (CEVA): Pheromone calming diffusers with the deepest clinical research base in the category
SmartCat (Pioneer Pet): Vertical scratchers built around how cats actually scratch
Sure Petcare (SureFeed): Microchip-activated feeders that separate multi-pet households at mealtime; quietly life-changing for the right household
PetSafe (ScoopFree): Self-cleaning litter boxes for owners who want automated maintenance
Frequently Asked Questions About SuperZoo 2026
When and where is SuperZoo 2026?
SuperZoo 2026 takes place August 12-14, 2026, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center (3950 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89119), Halls A-F. Education sessions begin August 11.
Is SuperZoo open to the public?
No. SuperZoo is a trade-only event for pet retail professionals, groomers, veterinary staff, and pet industry media. You must qualify and register in advance. There is a $35 onsite registration fee for those who don’t pre-register.
How many exhibitors are at SuperZoo?
More than 1,100 exhibitors attend every year, including 100+ first-time exhibitors. The show floor spans 350,000+ square feet across Halls A-F at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.
What is the New Product Showcase at SuperZoo?
The New Product Showcase is a dedicated area of the show floor where brands unveil their newest products and compete for industry recognition. A panel of expert judges selects winners across 20+ categories, including Dog, Cat, Smart Tech/AI, Nutrition & Treats, Sustainability, and more. Awards are announced Wednesday, August 12 at 3:30 pm on the Show Floor Talks stage.
Who organizes SuperZoo?
SuperZoo is presented by the World Pet Association (WPA), which has organized the show since 1950. MDG, with Julie Franks at the helm, is the full-service marketing agency representing both SuperZoo and the WPA.
Why should pet owners care about SuperZoo?
Most of the products that end up in pet stores and online retail first appear at trade shows like SuperZoo. What debuts on that show floor in August often reaches consumers by the holiday season or early the following year. If you want to know what’s coming before it gets here, SuperZoo is where to look.
Check Back After August 14
We’ll be on the floor for all three days of SuperZoo 2026, walking the aisles, hitting the New Product Showcase, and talking to the brands doing something genuinely new. After the show, we’ll publish a full recap with our top finds by category and honest takes on what stood out versus what was mostly booth theater.
If there’s a specific type of product or a brand you want us to keep an eye out for, drop it in the comments. We read them all.
The post We’re Heading to SuperZoo 2026 in Las Vegas to Find the Best New Products for Your Dog and Cat appeared first on iHeartDogs.com.