The Dining Dog Cafe &Bakery is one of a growing legion of local businesses dedicated to helping pet owners treat their furry friends as full-fledged family members.
The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association expects spending for pet food, veterinary care and other services to top $38 billion in the U.S. this year. That’s up from $17 billion in 1994.
The association’s survey showed 27 percent of dog owners and 13 percent of cat owners buy their pets birthday presents. Fifty-five percent of dog owners and 37 percent of cat owners buy their pet holiday presents.
In Edmonds’ Firdale Village shopping center alone, the diner is joined by two pet groomers, a canine day care and SplashDog, a warm-water therapy spa just for four-footed customers.
“We call it Fur-dale Village,” said Dorothy Moore, Dining Dog’s owner. She added that the cluster of dog-centric businesses helps create traffic for all of them.
The range of fun, frivolous and upscale accessories for dogs can be seen at pet boutiques such as Lynnwood’s High Maintenance Bitch, which sells down-filled designer pillows and fleece blankets, dog purses and jewelry. The grooming and day spa services include painting of dogs’ toenails.
“People don’t view dogs just as dogs anymore. They’re a member of the family. For my customers, their dogs are their children,” said Jean Powell, owner of the High Maintenance Bitch store.
Lylian Holmes at Edmonds’ Paws Gourmet Inc. doesn’t have to be convinced of the explosion in spending on pets. In the three years since she began making and selling colorful cookies, donuts and other gourmet goodies for dogs, Paws Gourmet has amassed 300 wholesale accounts without spending much to market itself.
“This trend is huge,” Holmes said.
www.diningdog.com
www.hmb-seattle.com
www.splashdogspa.com
www.pawsgourmet.com
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