pet connection

Never say I don’t do anything for you. I spent last Saturday afternoon in downtown Los Angeles cruising the aisles of the Luxury Pet Pavilion, a trade show for, yes, luxury pet goods.

Clearly, this isn’t the best of times for breaking into the multibillion-dollar pet market, especially at the high end. Were attendees concerned that the economy would severely affect their business? You bet. Many of them had just begun their businesses in the past year or two. More than once people told me that if they had known the economy was going off a cliff, they would have held off with their plans.

To counter the appearance of frivolity, sellers emphasized “green” attributes: use of organic cotton for apparel and bamboo for collars and leads, “greenroof” dog houses, organic ingredients in treats, plus “Made in America” labels. Others promoted the handcrafted nature of bejeweled wooden boxes for pet ashes, toy bins decoupaged with vintage images of various dog breeds and handknit dog sweaters or the health benefits of dog beds with infrared heating and Chinese herbal medicine formulas for various ailments. Some donate a percentage of their proceeds to animal shelters or other pet-related charities. (The trade show itself helps support therapy dog visitation by donating a portion of the proceeds of booth sales to Angel on a Leash.)

Lots of these items were beautiful or well made, and there’s nothing wrong with that. If I were in the market for new collars or other useful items, I would be happy to support one of these small-business owners. For those of us who have never lived in a McMansion and need to make good use of what little square footage we have, an ottoman or an end table that is stylish and doubles as a dog or cat bed is a good thing, as Martha Stewart might say.

Most of the items, however, were things that I probably wouldn’t buy, even in flush times. But amid the blinged-out crates, pet-size designer furniture and matching pet/people t-shirts, I found a few things that appealed to me for their utility, cleverness or the comfort they would bring my dogs.

First up is the smallest and least expensive: a key tag and wallet card that say My Dog Is Home Alone. If I Am Ill or Injured, Contact the People on the Reverse Side to Care for my Dog. Love this! I’m going to buy a couple of them so we’ll each have one. I wish they made one for cats or had a generic one for “pets.” This company also sells emergency kits and first aid kits.

The Walkie Belt is by Dog Owners Outdoor Gear. It’s a sleek utility belt that holds everything a dog and owner might need on a walk. I expect to be reviewing it for DogCars.com, but it has already received a thumbs-up from my friend Janine Adams, who blogged about it here.

Last and, sadly, not within my budget is a pet bed that emits infrared heat. The Fauna Sauna Spa Bed is supposed to reduce pain and joint stiffness (I could use that myself) and help with skin irritations and wound healing. I think it might benefit Bella, and I’m sure all three of them would enjoy the warmth it gives off. I guess I’ll have to rustle up a good book deal.

The dogs were the real stars of this show. They posed on or modeled their people’s creations with aplomb and were true representatives of canine good citizenship.

Gratuitous friend blogging: Arden Moore was at the LPP signing her book Dog Parties. Jerry and I had lunch with her and her little dog Cleo. She’s been jetting around the country going to various trade shows and other events and has such a busy schedule that it makes me tired just hearing about it.

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