Business Week Magazine online - Putting on the Dog
Pampered Pets By Stacy Perman
Putting on the Dog
Canine health insurance, $900 Gucci bowls, paw pedicures are just some of the luxuries making tails wag -- and savvy businesses growAndrea Weiss calls Desi, her 10-year-old Chihuahua,
"my everything." Weiss, a Los Angeles radio agent, takes her pint-sized pooch everywhere -- on vacation, on dates, even on visits to the dentist and gynecologist. She patronizes
only dog-friendly restaurants and bars, and boycotts establishments that are not…..
It's a growing phenomenon: an increasing number of people now consider pets members of their immediate families. And that has spawned to a booming industry. …..
Although large corporations like PetsMart (PETM ) and Petco (PETC ) have certainly ridden this wave, small businesses continue to make their mark in the traditionally entrepreneurial
industry……
…..And that extends to pet food, which has also come to mirror offerings available for those holding the leash. With pet obesity at an estimated 25%, low-carb and vegetarian pet
foods have gained popularity. The Honest Kitchen, based in San Diego, features natural, high-protein, low-carb foods considered the Atkins diet of the dog world. According to the Organic
Trade Assn., organic pet food is one of the fastest-growing segments of the market -- up 64.5% in 2004 and projected to grow an average of 17.4% a year until 2008.
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