Costco Sells Advent Calendar for Dogs

Category: Lifestyle/Entertainment

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. wholesale / ˈhoʊlˌseɪl / (adj) – related to selling things in large amounts at low prices
    Example:

    We bought 30 cans of chicken soup from a wholesale store.


  2. Advent / ˈæd vɛnt / (n) – the last few weeks before Christmas
    Example:

    Stores usually have huge sales during Advent because many people shop for holiday gifts.


  3. edible / ˈɛd ə bəl / (adj) – suitable or safe for eating
    Example:

    There are edible mushrooms, but there are also poisonous ones.


  4. retail / ˈri teɪl / (v) – to be sold at a specific price
    Example:

    The latest smartphone retails at $120.


  5. delectable / dɪˈlɛk tə bəl / (adj) – very nice to smell, taste, or eat
    Example:

    The café I went to had a wide selection of delectable desserts.


Article

Read the text below.

American wholesale company Costco has released an Advent calendar for dogs.


Called the Irish Dog Foods Ultimate Advent Calendar for Dogs, it has 125 edible treats and a number of different toys. Dogs are guaranteed to get more than one treat per day along with several toys to keep them entertained. The calendar retails for $39.99.


Advent calendars are traditionally used to countdown from the first day of December to Christmas. On each day of the calendar, people open one box with a new surprise. Costco offers different Advent calendars annually. Previous ones include a wine Advent calendar, a German Beer Advent Calendar, and several chocolate Advent calendars.


This year’s Advent calendar is filled with treats such as turkey fillets, beef burgers, different kinds of jerky, and other delectable treats for dogs. According to Irish Dog Foods, the company that made the treats, the dog snacks included in the package are all-natural and free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. They are also enriched with protein and contain no sugar, grain, or soy.


Aside from the tasty treats, the package also contains a total of six toys for dogs to play with, including a treat ball, a rope bone, and a stuffed penguin.


Costco began offering the Advent calendar in some of its stores as early as September, and it will be available only until supplies last. Customers who want to get their hands on one need to visit their local Costco store, as the calendar is not available on Costco’s website.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

• If the calendar were available in your country, do you think many people would buy it? Why or why not?
• Aside from creating a calendar for dogs, what else can Costco do to cater to their customers who are pet lovers (e.g. build a playground for pets in its stores)? Discuss.

Discussion B

• Do you think pets also deserve to be given gifts on special occasions (e.g. birthdays, Christmas)? Why or why not?
• Do you think it is important to make pets feel loved and important? Why or why not?