Friday, November 23, 2007
Doggonenice pet gifts for the holidays
From cashmere beds to crystal-encrusted collars, presents to pamper pets proliferate.
CHICAGO -- Coco's Christmas was good last year.
The 5-year-old Shih Tzu got a stocking full of treats and found a pink wool sweater, pink mohair sweater, black fur-trimmed parka and hiking boots waiting under the tree last December. This year, her owner is eyeing a $120 set of pearls with a sterling silver bone clasp along with plenty of edible goodies for the pooch who has almost everything.
"It's an expression of love," said Shannon Fay, a 38-year-old Chicagoan. "She's part of the family."
U.S. retail sales may be weak, energy prices way up and housing prices way down, but experts say pets largely defy such economic indicators.
Overall, Americans are expected to spend an estimated $48.7 billion on their pets in 2007, according to Packaged Facts, a consumer research company in Rockville, Md. Already, spending exceeds the gross domestic product of about 120 nations.
In other words, whatever Fido wants, Fido gets -- and then some, particularly in upscale areas.
That's especially true when it comes to the holidays. Fifty-six percent of dog owners and 42 percent of cat owners bought holiday gifts for their pets last year, according to a survey by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association.
Doug Poindexter, president of the World Wide Pet Industry Association, another trade group, says the gift-giving trend reflects the growing humanization of pets in this country.
Walk the aisles of a well-stocked pet store during the holidays or cruise Web sites and there is abundant evidence of how enterprising American businesses are trying to part pet lovers from their cash.
High-end, luxury items are increasingly popular. A prospective pet pamperer can find everything from organic cookies and doggie basketball jerseys and jackets to $70 treat jars, $399 temperature-controlled pet carriers and $499 cashmere pet beds.
At Barker & Meowsky, a particularly creative Chicago pet store, the range of products could cheer up any sourpuss: Catnip cigars, dog antlers, elf outfits, faux fur cat sleeping bags, plush-toy musical menorahs, Christmas scarves and even some real bling: a $250 crystal-encrusted dog collar made from python skins with a matching $190 leash.
Derrick Carter can't help overdoing it for his four dogs.
"They give me a really, really incredible amount of love and companionship," the 38-year-old music producer said. "So, they give me something, I give them something."
