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What Is Your Dog's Dirty Little Secret?

secondnature® brand Dog Litter Unveils New "Poop Confessions" Viral Marketing Campaign

- National Contest Invites Owners to Share Their Dogs’ Deepest Secrets –

ST. LOUIS, MO, August 21, 2006 — It’s a delicate subject. But, one that is often a shared topic among stressed dog owners who arrive home to find a "surprise package" from their beloved four-legged friends.

In fact, according to a national survey of dog owners conducted by secondnature® brand dog litter, 23 percent of owners say that their dog leaves an accident in their home at least once a month. And, among owners whose dogs leave accidents in the home, nearly one-third say the primary reason is because they can’t get home in time to take their dog out.

"Poop Confessions" are the subject of a new viral marketing campaign from secondnature®, the first-ever litter training solution for dogs. The new campaign, which breaks on August 21 on www.doglitter.com, features humorous viral spots showing undercover interviews with dogs confessing why they leave accidents inside their homes. The marketing campaign also features a national consumer contest inviting dog owners to submit a video of their dogs' confession about the creative and/or deceitful things they do when leaving a "special package" in the house.

"This is a breakthrough campaign in the pet industry because it uses irreverent humor to address a sensitive yet fairly common issue for many dog owners," said Darlene Arden, international dog expert, journalist and author of Small Dogs, Big Hearts. "The good news is that, in addition to providing a forum for our four-legged friends to air their 'dirty' secrets, secondnature® dog litter offers the perfect solution to help eliminate accidents in the home and give peace of mind to dogs and owners."

The viral spots, produced by Berlin Cameron/Red Cell, feature real dogs -- some with faces hidden in silhouette -- sharing their confessions on-camera. The creative capitalizes on the growing status of dogs as full-fledged family members who have distinct personalities and relationships with their owners. The dogs featured in the spots include "Wally", a miniature Dachshund who doesn't like to go outside in inclement weather, and "Rocco", a Pug who prefers privacy when doing his business.

A series of e-mail blasts to over 1.5 million dog owners will drive awareness of the viral spots and invite consumers to enter the national secondnature® brand dog litter "Poop Confessions" Contest. Dog owners are invited to submit a 45-second DVD or VHS video of their dogs' confession about why they leave accidents inside the home. They can enter online or via regular mail. The contest runs from Aug. 21 through Nov. 26, 2006, and features three preliminary judging rounds. The final deadline for submission of an entry is Oct. 8, 2006. One winner from each preliminary round will be selected to compete in the fourth and final round to determine the Grand Prize winner who will be awarded a Sony Handycam High Definition Digital camcorder. The three finalists’ videos will be featured on the doglitter.com Web site and the Grand Prize winner will be selected by consumer online voting that begins on Nov. 13, 2006. The complete contest rules are available at www.doglitter.com.

"There are many converging trends that make a litter training system the right product for the 21st century dog," said Arden. "These include the growing senior and urban professional populations, the increased popularity of small dogs, the humanization of pets and even changing weather patterns that can make it more difficult to take the dog out. There are many reasons why it is sometimes not possible for dogs to take their business outside and now they -- and their owners -- have the relief they needed."

secondnature®, the first-ever litter training system for dogs, is manufactured by the Golden Products Division of Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, with headquarters in St. Louis, MO. The litter is made with highly absorbent, non-toxic, paper-based pellets that control odors and are non-tracking and non-staining. Years of research went into the development of the secondnature® Total Training Program, which was created in conjunction with Purina's staff of dog breeders, trainers and behaviorists. The Total Training Program consists of the secondnature® dog litter, a training guide and a dog litter pan. An updated online training video and additional information on secondnature® dog litter are available on www.doglitter.com.

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