Dog Owners 'Spend Millions Pampering Pooches'

[bigdoglover]

UK News

Doting dog owners spend almost as much cash on pampering their pet pooches as they do on grooming themselves, reveals new research.

More than a third fork out £208 million alone on grooming their dogs while a quarter take their pet to a professional dog grooming parlour, according to a poll.

And dog owners spend an average of £11.93 a month on cosseting their canines, only £2 less than the average dog owner spends on grooming themselves.

Common treatments for their dogs include coat shampoos (73 per cent), trims (71 per cent), claw clipping (64 per cent), ear cleaning (28 per cent) and teeth cleaning (26 per cent).

But a further one-in-100 would think nothing of treating their pet to aromatherapy, exfoliation, cologne or even a massage.

And with a third taking their pet to be groomed every other month, and one-in-six at least every three weeks, the costs soon add up.

Of more than 1,000 dog owners surveyed for Direct Line Pet Insurance, one-in-10 believe that making their dog look good makes them a good owner, and two-in-five see grooming their pet as a necessity rather than a treat.

A further one-in-20 claim that their dog is like their child, and that they always want it to look its best.

A similar amount (four per cent) say they wouldn't leave the house if they were looking a mess, and so they have no intention of letting their dog do the same.

Chris Price, head of Direct Line Pet Insurance, said: "Britain's love of its pets is well known, and it seems that our devotion to our dogs is reaching new heights, as more and more of us take our animals to grooming parlours.

"As well as keeping our dogs looking good, though, grooming also helps keep them healthy, as tangles and matted fur can lead to skin complaints, infections and expensive veterinary treatments if left alone. On top of that, the dog seems to like being pampered too!"

Catherine Deroos, a dog groomer at Creature Comforts in New Malden, Surrey, said: "You could have a go at grooming your dog yourself, but we get a lot of people in who have tried to do it with scissors and cut off far too much too close to the skin.

"It's like going to the hairdresser - you could cut your own hair, but it's better to let someone else do it.

"Poodles need the most looking after. If they don't get groomed they get really shaggy and nine times out of 10 they get matted.

"We had one case of an old English sheepdog that had its head matted into its chest, and its ears matted into its head. It was quite cruel, really.

"We've got one cocker spaniel that comes in once a week for a bath, and once a month for a haircut. I think the owner feels it's better to spend £16 a week to bring it here than to get her bathroom in a mess.

"Some people are definitely more worried about their dog than about their children. A lot of single people tend to be quite fussy with their dog, and treat them as part of the family.

"Men are as at least as bad as women, they can get quite fussy over their dogs."