Bull Naramore (right) and Amy McCullar depend on expert advice from Southern States Certified Pet Advisor Glenn Aaron (left).

When Bull Naramore needs advice on the nutritional needs of his dogs, he goes to the expert. No, he doesn’t pick up the phone and call his veterinarian; instead he consults with Glenn Aaron, assistant manager of Southern States Jasper Service in Jasper, Ala.

When it comes to pets, Aaron is more than a retail salesman. He is a Southern States Certified Pet Advisor. Training received in this program enables him to provide information to customers who want the best nutritional program for their pets. And Southern States has the pet-food products to meet those needs.

“I buy all of my food from Southern States,” Naramore says. “They have competitive prices, good customer service and the food that does the job.”

Amy McCullar also depends on Southern States to keep her dog, Rooster, healthy and happy. Rooster frequently visits the Southern States store and is welcomed by store personnel and customers alike.

A pet-friendly atmosphere is just part of the overall pet service, built around the CPA program, that Southern States offers customers. The purpose of the training program is to provide an on-site store specialist for customers who want to give their pets the best of care.

Aaron completed the program three years ago but has been counseling customers about their pet-food needs for 35 years. “Now I can tell people more about the ingredients in our pet foods and compare them with other brands that don’t deliver the same nutrients,” he says.

The certification is not easily attained. CPA training begins with a 200-page manual that provides details on animal nutrition and the makeup of the 40-plus domestic pet foods available from Southern States.

At the Cullman, Ala., store, Faye Nail answers questions and makes recommendations about pet products. A CPA for eight months, she says her pet-product customers don’t pick up food as an afterthought. “Most of them come here mainly to buy our pet food.”

Patrick Vowell, a management associate and Southern States CPA in Winder, Ga., says the knowledge he gained through the CPA program helps him educate customers.

“When someone asks about the differences in various dog foods, my CPA training enables me to give them an informed answer relating to how the labeled ingredients of each food meet the needs of their pet,” he notes.

A large part of the CPA training manual explains label ingredient terms. Many avid pet owners want to know how their pet food meets each animal’s nutritional needs. A Southern States Certified Pet Advisor can tie all of the factors together, matching the right food to each pet.

For more information about pet foods and products, visit the Southern States Pet Center.

Locate your local Southern States for quality nutritional pet foods.