Obnoxious Examples of Over-the-Top Pet Pampering1

By Ife Blount

Obnoxious Examples of Over-the-Top Pet Pampering

Pets, like children, are completely dependent on adults for food, shelter, and their general well being. However, unlike children, pets don’t talk back. For this reason, some pet owners enjoy pampering their pets much more than pampering their human counterparts. In fact, some people would argue that pets and children or pets and spouses are interchangeable – spending just as much money on their pets as they would a graduation gift for their child or anniversary present for their spouse. So it’s no wonder that spoiling your furry companion as if they were actual people has birthed a multi-million dollar industry. Perhaps any single item named below might be considered “normal” pet pampering in isolation. If, however, you find yourself identifying with more than one of these guilty pleasures for your pet, you are rivaling the celebrities that have made extreme pet pampering so incredibly popular.

Like Paris Hilton’s $300K doghouse or the over-priced members of Mother Eve’s Secret Garden of Sensual Sisterhood, sometimes the most routine purchases can be taken a little to far. Are you a victim of a pet pampering obsession?

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Fine Grooming

Perhaps the most telltale sign of an ultra pampered pet is a classy fur-do – a sassy long-haired cat with a lion cut, a dog rocking a mohawk, a horse with a frizz-free Brazilian blowout. Their are specially formulated organic shampoos, high end conditioning treatments, and a wide array of products to address any animal fur type or concern. The high-end hair products used by pampered pets rival those of humans. In fact, some beauty salons that carry Paul Mitchell also carry Paul Mitchell’s product line for pets. As an added touch, your pet can even get its fur dyed just like Aubrey O’Day’s little maltese buddies who were featured on her comeback reality TV show, “All About Aubrey.”

Facebook ID

Pampered pets must live up to their owner’s reputation and status, often requiring them plug into the world of social media. Lucky for them there is a Dogbook application for Facebook for dog owners who want to set up a profile for their dog and friend other owner’s dogs. Or, just follow in the footsteps of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg by setting up a Facebook fan page for your pet, as he did for his dog, Beast. Update a pet’s status to let fans/friends know how excited they are about a camping trip, when it’s nap time, or post photos from their birthday party.

Bling

Diamonds aren’t just a girl’s best friend, they are also a must have for the pampered pet. Pampered pets often make their fashion statements with diamond, Swarovski crystal, or rhinestone leashes, clothing, and pet carriers. A signature accessory of the pampered pet is a blinged-out custom collar bearing their name or attribute describing them – like “diva” or “queen.”

Collection of Clothing

The clothing industry for pets, particularly dogs, has exploded in the past 10 years in response to the growing demand from pet pampering owners. Once seen as a luxury for socialites like Paris Hilton for her darling chihuahua Tinkerbell, or as a fun thing to do for Halloween, pet apparel is now something accessible to everyday consumers at your local Wal-Mart. True pampered pet owning fashionistas, however, will spend hundreds of dollars on designer pet gear at fancy pet boutiques that are no longer limited to Beverly Hills. There are pajamas, raincoats with galoshes, sports jerseys reflecting the owner’s favorite team, etc. The clothing reflects the owner’s design sensibility such as preppy, hipster, socially aware, or high fashion. Don’t be surprised to see pampered pets and owners wearing matching outfits from Juicy Couture sweats and Louis Vuitton jackets to football jerseys and sundresses.

Reiki Healer

When pet pampered owners feel out of sync with their best furry friend, they may try consulting the healing energy of an animal Reiki. In conjunction with traditional Western medicine or as an alternative therapy, a trained expert can transfer their internal healing energy to your pet by moving their hands gently on and near them. These specially trained healers can essentially communicate with your pet and address anything causing behavioral changes, illness, anxiety, or a variety of other symptoms. A perfectly healthy pet may visit a Reiki healer as a preventive measure or simply to create a healthier emotional bond with their owner.

Cosmetic Surgery

Just about any cosmetic surgery procedure done on humans can be done on a pet. This high-end ego-boosting procedure was featured on an episode of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” in 2010. Bruce Jenner and wife Kris Jenner were fighting over the neutering of their dog Rocky. The compromise was a pair of artificial testicles called neuticles. As if that’s not enough, some owners have invested in breast reduction surgery for the their female pets who had given birth to relieve them of having to contend with sagging breast issues for the remainder of their lives.

Pet Stroller

Redefining a walk in the park, pet strollers are primarily targeted at toy breed dog owners; however, any smaller animal, like a ferret, can enjoy the leisurely ride with their pampered pet owner at the helm. More active owners can splurge on a pet jogging stroller.

Spa Day

Those with an appreciation for pampering themselves with a day at the spa can also choose to do the same for their pets. Pet day spas have popped up all over the US and offer an array of services from fine dining to massages and pedicures. If your fluffy is flabby, perhaps you might want to choose a spa with a fitness center, where your pampered pet can also get a quality workout beyond the basic dog walk. For the busy pampered pet owner, many spas now offer door-to-door service.

Furniture/Home Goods

Pampered pets have the same quality of living as their owners when it comes to furniture; and it makes perfect sense, considering they spent more time lounging and sleeping than most humans. Furry companions can lounge luxuriously during the day on their own specially designed sofas. At night, they can retire to custom beds made to resemble human beds, tents, sleeping bags, and more. Even the classic outdoor doghouse has undergone an upgrade allowing you to choose from different floor plans.

At Work Companion

Friday, June 24, 2011 marked the 13th anniversary of Take Your Dog To Work Day, a holiday established by Pet Sitters International encouraging companies to consider the benefits of letting employees bring their pets to work with them. Many pets already commute to work with their owners on a daily basis at progressive companies like dot coms, video game companies and movie sets. They travel in special pet car seats, have a work wardrobe, a portable play pen, food, water, treats, and toys to keep them occupied much in the same way that someone would prepare for Take Your Child To Work Day.

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Ife Blount embodies the anomaly of an engineer who prefers to write. After starting several blogs, including Ifelicious.com, that focus on pop culture, reality television, celebrity interviews and indie, Ife found success and rediscovered her life’s true passion for writing. Ife’s engineering background, coupled with work experiences in Big 5 consulting, Fortune 100 corporations, and as an entrepreneur in the field of quality assurance, has enabled her to blend technical and business acumen with her natural ability to convey a message with wit, clarity, and creativity as a freelance writer and blogger. She currently resides in Columbus, Ohio with her pampered teacup poodle named “Happy” and husband.