This year has seen an explosion of new pampering products for man’s furry friends, among the more unusual of which is a fragrance designed to neutralise the sexual scent of female dogs, a study said on Tuesday.
The products — mostly aimed at cats and dogs — also include weight loss supplements, sun screen and stress relief sprays, alongside cosmetics like nail polish and hair colour highlights, said the report by research group Mintel.
”For many pet owners, their animals are as loved and pampered as their own children, and deserve to be groomed and cared for with the best products,” said Mintel spokesperson David Jago.
”On an extreme level, we have even seen products that allow pets to mimic their owners’ beauty regimes.”
This year has already seen 465 new products worldwide, compared with 291 launches during the whole of 2004, Mintel said.
People in North America were the most likely to pamper their pooches and cherish their cats, with the region accounting for a whopping 58% of all new product lines since 2003.
Europe and the Asia Pacific region followed with 16 and 12% respectively, while the Middle East and Latin America accounted for seven percent each.
Amongst the more unusual products, Dutch group Beaphar has introduced No Love Spray, a fragrance aimed at neutralising the sexual scent of female dogs.
In the United States, Pet Society has launched Colour Highlights, a product which allows pet owners to colour their pets’ fur. The effect lasts one to three days and is available in gold, orange, pink, copper and blue.
If you just want to spruce up your pet rather than give him a new look, PT and Son’s in Vietnam has introduced Bravo Dog Shampoo, which claims to be colour enhancing and specially formulated for black fur.
To protect pets from sunburn, Espree in Finland introduced Espree Knock-Out, a sunscreen for dogs with sensitive skin, said to remain effective for up to six hours.
In the United States, Nala Barry Laboratories introduced under the Pet Organics brand, No-Stress Behaviour Modification Spray, said to reduce anxiety, jumping, chewing, scratching and nervousness in cats and dogs.
US firm John Paul Pet has introduced Nail Lacquer for Cats and Dogs, available in 12 colours, while Pet Society’s nail polish is fast drying, glossy and is said to fortify nails.
This product is available in iridescent blue or red, scarlet, black, pearl, gloss, bronze and copper shades.
”Pets have for some time been seen as a type of fashion accessory, particularly amongst the celebrity set, with the likes of Paris Hilton, Uma Thurman and Geri Halliwell rarely seen without their dog in a bag,” Jago said.
Jago said the new products tap into the trend and have them match their own style with that of their pets.
”These owners are now truly living up to the age old adage of pet owners looking just like their pets,” Jago said. – Sapa-AFP