For pets, it’s anything but progressive (8,4)
I believe the answer is:
backward step
'anything but progressive' is the definition.
I don't know anything about this answer so I can't judge whether it can be defined by this definition.
'for pets' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
an anagram of 'pets' is 'step' which is within the answer.
The remaining letters 'backward' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't see.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
'it's' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Another definition for backward step that I've seen is " Retrograde action".)