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Pet Medication Home -> The Gifts We Give Our Dogs
The Gifts We Give Our Dogs
Whoever coined the
phrase, It's a Dog's Life wasn't familiar with 21st century dogs.
Time was when the average canine slept outside, ate whatever scraps
of food were tossed his way, and if he was lucky, was thrown the
occasional bone. He was even expected to earn his keep!
Times have changed. As the world has grown more affluent,
so have our pets. We're obsessed with keeping our canine companions
happy, healthy, and properly accessorized. So much so that many
of us worry about our own welfare less than that of our dog. This
didn't happen overnight-- the trend started decades ago.
Take, for example, my grandmother Rose. During the
60's and 70's, Rose and Henry discovered cruise vacations. On every
cruise, whenever they pulled into port to shop, Rosie made it her
mission to find stray dogs and feed them. She'd head straight for
the butcher, buy a few pounds of fresh meat, and comb the islands
for the hungry and homeless. She would exclaim, It's a crime the
way these animals live!-- in spite of the fact that the people of
those islands were desperately poor!
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not passing judgment
on Grandma, or anyone else. I spoil my pets as much as the next
guy or gal, and take immense pleasure in it. Truth be told, I'd
rather hang out with my dog than with a whole lot of people I know.
We share a special bond, my best friend and I. Hey, admit it...
lots of you feel the same way!
The fact is, man has always had a close relationship
with animals, and has enjoyed having pets around for companionship.
Having a pet can bring great pleasure into our lives, and is believed
to have a therapeutic effect on the owner. For empty nesters and
those who've delayed or opted out of having kids, pets almost take
the place of children. We bond with our pets especially because
they don't judge us. Dogs in particular offer the kind of unconditional
love we all crave. They're always thrilled to have us around!
So, how do we spoil our pets?
Probably in much the same way that we spoil our children!
Aside from all of the care attention lavished on America's pets,
a tremendous amount of money is spent providing goods and services
that were once deemed a luxury-- but are now considered essential.
Today's dog sees the vet for regular checkups. She
eats premium dog food and munches on gourmet doggie treats, is enrolled
in obedience classes, and runs agility courses. She has her own
collections of toys, clothing, and possibly even dog jewelry and
canine cologne.
She sleeps indoors on a luxury orthopedic bed and
takes shelter outdoors in her cedar dog house. She wears a safety
harness when riding in the family car, a reflective vest on hunting
trips, and rain gear in foul weather. She can even dodge UV rays
with a pair of doggie sunglasses. Her responsibilities are few.
I could go on. But one of the most notable signs that
we regard our dogs as members of our family is the fact that we
buy them gifts. A dog gift for the holidays, a dog gift for a special
occasion, or a dog gift to show our appreciation for how much our
dogs appreciate us. Any reason will do. Heck, we even wrap our dog
gifts!
Here are some very interesting statistics regarding
gifts for pets:
- More than half of U.S. households have pets, and many of them
are including their best friends in holiday plans.
- According to a survey conducted by the Pet Supplies Plus chain,
97% of its customers will buy gifts for their animals this Yuletide
season.
- 28% of owners will spend more on their pets than on their spouses
when buying gifts.
- 47% will spend more on their pets than on relatives other than
their spouse.
- 54% will spend more on their pets than on their in-laws.
- 83% will wrap their pets' gifts.
- 68% claim that their pets will unwrap presents themselves with
their paws.
- 71% will buy something practical for them.
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Buying gifts for our pets is only the half it. If
someone we know is a pet lover, we often show our support by giving
the person a pet-related gift. And, since the saying goes, love
me, love my dog, there's often pressure to throw in a little dog
gift for Spike too. For a casual dog-loving aquaintance, our dog
lover gift might be a simple coffee mug with a picture of their
favorite dog breed. A set of plush doggie-themed golf club covers
could make an amusing gift for a colleague. Maybe Aunt Janine has
a collection of dog figurines we can add to. Or, at the other end
of the spectrum, one could splurge on a diamond-studded doggie themed
bracelet for the wife (although I wouldn't recommend this as an
anniversary gift. Unless you're verrry sure.) and a new house for
Spike.
The good news is, there's no shortage of goods and
services to inspire even the most rabid of dog lovers and dog gift
shoppers. And dog lover gift shoppers. Whether the names on your
gift list are human or canine, you'll never run out of things to
buy and places to shop. If you're one of those gifted gift givers
who's never at a loss for what to get and where to find it I envy
you. If you're more like the rest of us, and you need a little help,
you'll find plenty of ideas online (Ahem!). You can also look for
future articles in this series, in which I'll hone in on various
ways you can pamper and reward the dogs and dog lovers in your life.
So go ahead, spoil your furry friends. Celebrate your
love for your dog, and your sister in law's love for her dog. Shower
them with goodies and gifts. It's a dog's life. And if I get to
come back for another round, I want it to be as one of those lucky
dogs!!
2004, Carolyn Schweitzer. Lifelong dog-lover, power-shopper, and
former family dentist Carolyn Schweitzer is owner and editor of
http://www.great-dog-gift.com
The site offers a wide range of choices for dog gift shoppers, plus
shopping and gift-giving tips. She's always looking for new dog
gift ideas and dog stories to share with her readers in her free
monthly e-zine, Cold Noses News. You can reach her by email at netbrainer@verizon.net
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