Food, Home and Style
Valentine’s Day ’09: Year of the Dog?
This Valentine’s Day, dogs are getting plenty of love. According to a survey by the National Retail Federation, Americans plan to spend $367 million on their pets. That’s a lot of cat toys and doggy treats.
The holiday may not be a box of chocolates for us humans. Dining out is down. Florists fear wilting sales. Business is souring for chocolatiers. The NRF survey shows that consumers plan to spend just $102 per person — 17 percent less than last year — on their bipedal amours. But Fido? Doing okay this year.
When times are tough, people turn to their pets for solace. Some will spare no expense to lavish animal friends with expensive baubles and fancy parties—even when their own purse strings are tight.
Retailers are prepared for the pet-spenders. The online Haute Dog Boutique has a special Valentine’s Day Gift Guide for furry friends, featuring such items as a pink-and-red Heartbreaker pet bed for $175. Diva Dog offers a Swarovski crystal necklace, complete with heart-shaped clasp ($100). Jog A Dog’s treadmills start at around $1,195. PetSmart has red, pink, white and purple Bobos marked with hearts or sayings like “I wuff you.” ($6) Eco- and style-conscious owners might go for $28 hand-knit soy yard dog sweaters with hearts on the sleeve (get it?).
Of course, the red-carpet treatment isn’t the only way to show affection to your four-legged companion. Arrange a play date, take a field trip, or just ply them with treats—that’s all they really want anyway.
Don’t have a pet but love animals? Consider adopting—PetSmart and Hill’s are hosting a “Second Chance for Love” weekend over Valentine’s Day, inviting people into stores to meet homeless critters. Make a donation to an animal shelter, or volunteer to cuddle a cat or walk a puppy. After all, a lot of animals have lost their homes due to foreclosures and other economic hardships.
Whatever you do, please don’t poison your pooch with chocolate. Caffeine-like chemicals are dangerous to your dog, so opt for a treats made with carob (like Love Brownies from Pup & Co. for $5.99) or peanut butter.
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I just saw GMA this morning and they were talking about pet sitting and how people are spending money and not stopping spending money on their pets during this recession. It’s amazing that the pet industry is recession proof. If I had the means I would open my own business and forget about Corporate America 4ever.