Pets live in the lap of luxury
By Yang Wanli (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-01-28 10:10
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Imported food, a weekly visit to the spa, a professional haircut and massages are a just part of the pampered life - or lifestyle - of Cecilia Ma's two dogs living in luxury in Beijing.
"They are not pets, but family members," said Ma, who moved here from Hong Kong four years ago.
Ma said she spends about 2,000 yuan on pet food and vitamins.
Gordon, a 4-year-old cocker spaniel, and Jinzai, a 2-year-old schnauzer, are "very smart and lovely", she said. "The love I give them couldn't be valued by money. Good services make sure that they are healthy and happy."
Ma is typical of a growing number of pet owners in the capital city who are willing to pay for top services for their pets.
Weng Jiejing, an employee at Pampers, a full-service pet shop in the Shunyi district, said she has seen dogs wearing a Gucci collar and leash with a 24-karat gold engraved nameplate with their name and address.
"Those accessories cost more than 20,000 yuan. Some pets enjoy very luxurious lives," Weng said.
Pets often have personalized services that match the comfortable lives of their owners in the nearby villa community.
The dogs are sent to Pampers for baths and grooming every week. Hairdressers trim their nails and coif their fur - at a cost of 160 yuan for a big dog. If they need special hair care, at least 400 yuan will be required, even for small dogs.
A nanny who works in the community, who takes pets to Pampers for grooming and to buy food, told METRO that a bag of dog food she is asked to buy costs 400 yuan. It lasts only five days for one dog.
"The family I work for will spend at least 2,000 yuan on dog food. We usually buy at Pampers because the shop also provides other services," she said.
Aside from tailor-made food, dog cookies and toys imported from the US and Germany are also popular. A 220-g sweet is priced at 110 yuan and a small toy bone is 160 yuan.
Despite rapid development of local pet shops in recent years, they still lag behind Germany or America, Weng said.
"About 60 percent of our guests are foreigners. They prefer imported food, which is said to be healthier," she said.
The staff uses various shampoos to bathe the pampered pets. Some are for treatment or prevention of skin ailments, while others are designed for different colored fur.
"Shampoos are mixed together for each dog and the temperature for water is controlled to 30 C to make sure that dogs won't be uncomfortable," Weng said.
After taking a bath, a hairdryer is used twice - first to remove most of the water and second to ensure every area of skin is dry to protect it from skin afflictions.
"Dogs like yorkshires and the bichon fries, whose fur grows rapidly, need to be clean and dried very carefully, so the shampooist will brush them well during in the drying process."
For a toy poodle, grooming costs 40 yuan. If customers require additional services such as hair treatment, prices rise to over 1,000 yuan for an afghan hound.
But Weng noted the services are used by a range of dog lovers regardless of the breed. "Some are stray dogs adopted by residents, but we treat them equally."
Pampers is not the only shop providing luxurious services for dogs in Beijing.
An employee in China Kennel Club International (CKC) said dogs attend training courses and even go swimming at their "pet club".
"We also have dog motels and a pet cemetery," said the employee.
Two swimming pools, each 25-by-50 m, are shaped like bones. The dog owner is charged 50 yuan per swim.
"Water in the pool is purified because a dog's skin can be as sensitive as a 3-year-old baby. We have to pay special attention to prevent them from acquiring a disease," she said.
She said that some customers invite a dog trainer to their home, which costs 500 to 600 yuan for an hour-long class.
According to Wang Zheng, manager of CKC, the city has more than 800,000 pet dogs registered and more than 1,000 stores providing services for them.
"The industry in Beijing is just starting and still has a long way to go," Wang said. "No more than eight places can now provide comprehensive pet services in the city. I believe there is great potential in it."