PET CARE INFLATION
When I take our dog Harry for a checkup the vet gives me recommendations for topical flea preventative, Heart-worm pills, medicated dog shampoo and a special lotion to clean the wax out of his ears. They are all quite expensive.
The flea medicine and Heart-worm pills (the latter absolutely necessary to prevent fatal damage) are to be given once a month, the shampoo whenever he is dirty, has a greasy cradle-cap-like buildup in his fur (which happens with this breed of mutt), or seems to be itchy and scratching a lot. The wax needs to be cleaned out of his ears weekly and I'll probably need to clean the 'extra tears' off his eyes with warm water and a washcloth at least that often. He needs brushing once a week. I know that he'll need his nails clipped at some point and will need to have his fur trimmed shorter in the summer.
The vet is just doing her job, she just wants Harry to be healthy and happy, but I'll be spending more time and money on his health and grooming than on my own. It's all part of a trend.
There are websites and magazines devoted to dog well-being, classes in how to get along with your dog, at local pet stores, not to mention the traditional obedience training classes. There are boutique pet-food stores and I don't even want to think about pet spas, pet fashions and pet hotels.
I remember when I had dogs earlier in my life--when I had a job and children to care for, which is certainly part of the reason why pets received less attention and cash outlay, but not all. Everyone now seems to fuss over a pet nearly as much as in my generation we fussed over new babies.
Earlier dogs I owned or co-owned, all of whom seemed to lead very happy, healthy lives, were a lot less hovered over. We bought them (they weren't 'adopted') usually from the Humane Society, fed them, had them neutered or spayed, got the required shots and licenses--and that was that.
I don't remember that we brushed them or bathed them more than once or twice in their lives. We walked them and certainly loved them, they seemed to return the affection, and we were sad when they died of old age. They were all un-pedigreed mixed breeds (i.e mongrels), but then so is Harry. He's just a member of a generation of dogs with helicopter owners.
Oddly enough, judging from dogs I see around, while pet care is inflating the dogs themselves are getting smaller. Other than a few enormous dogs that look about right for drug pushers who want killer guard dogs, dogs are tiny. We thought our 20 pound dog was small, but we often meet dogs half his size. The idea of all this care focused on so little flesh is a bit overwhelming.