Woof to that!

Freddie, my aunt's chestnut dachshund, has a dog's life that even well-heeled humans might find enviable. As he yawns and stretches on his round, red-checked basket-bed before lazily pattering around the house, my aunt is ready with his toothbrush and toothpaste that, she says, he dislikes.

His days are usually spent lounging around the home, chewing on the latest dog chews and being cuddled at regular intervals. His grooming products include olive oil massage treatments and conditioning aloevera shampoos. Freddie also sports the latest fashionable collars and coats.

Whosoever from the family goes out of town has to get back toys as gifts for Freddie, and friends are requested not to forget birthday presents for him for when my aunt decides to throw him a party.

Call it "loving the pet", or "pure indulgence", but thanks to a plethora of products, treatments and accessories for pets, individuals like my aunt smile delightfully while pets like Freddie woof and wag their tails in instant approval.

Perfectly groomed pets also work hard on their looks and have their own "grooming secrets" nowadays. A perfect set of gleaming teeth courtesy special electric toothbrushes, tartar control chews and regular scaling, polishing and even capping of teeth at dog clinics are proving a big draw with pet lovers.

If you spot a dog or a cat with a silken, shiny coat, you can bet it has been shampooed with a breed specific or hair length specific conditioning shampoo. For even better effect, throw in regular olive oil or medicinal massages to keep away the ticks and fleas.

Who said dogs and cats are allowed to smell? Pick up special fruity and floral deodorants at a reasonable Rs 150 (200 ml) to keep doggie body odour at bay. And some toy breed dogs like the poodle, yorkshire terrier or silken sidney need regular manicures and pedicures for that chic look, so make a visit to the dog clinic sometime soon.

"Grooming for pets is not only about bathing and combing but also includes dental care, massages, hair clipping, styling, colouring, manicures and pedicures," says Dr R S Chaggar of Dr Chaggar's Dogs and Cats Clinic in New Delhi.

A complete grooming session at the clinic could range from Rs 1,000 for a toy breed to Rs 6,000 for a large Saint Bernard. Chaggar even gav a poodle a bright orange coat because its owner wanted it! Pet owners can be every bit as fashion conscious for their pets as for themselves, and even if the pets are disapproving, they don't have much of a choice of it.

If you are thinking of dressing up your pet, then tony diamond-studded and metal embossed leather collars apart, "the trend is to match collar and leash sets", says Mohan Kadam of Windsor The Pet Shop in Khan Market, New Delhi.

Forget dog and cat coats for the winters, they are passe in terms of pet fashion. The latest are denim and lycra T-shirts for dogs and cats for Rs 125-325, or jeans, termed "party wear for pets" by Kadam.

"Caps too are very in," adds Chaggar. With the onset of the monsoon, pet owners needn't worry about paw mud stains on the floor.

Buy the dog or cat shoes "" "it's the latest and in demand for the summer and rainy season", says Kadam, adding that most fashionable clothing items are bought by small dog owners. Plus, there are raincoats for pets that come complete with a cap.

It's also considered cool to show off your pet's toy collection "" colourful, squeaky and available in all shapes possible.

Dr Chaggar does vision correction on pets and he admits that an increasing number of his clients are now asking for specs for their pets, especially as they are available abroad. "We'll soon see pet specs here, and maybe even sunglasses, as they are in demand," he quips.

Apart from grooming products, there are other products to cater to the comfort quotient. Beds for pets come in a price range of Rs 350-1,000, and feeding bowls have adjustable stands where the height of the bowl can be adjusted to the pet's convenience. There are even imported cartwheels available for physically challenged dogs and cats.

Whether or not your pet is trained, there are products available that will prevent them from dirtying the house or scratching your expensive furniture.

There are special housebreaking baskets and even kitty litter baskets that emit an odour prompting cats to do their poop in them. These don't come cheap and you should be ready to shell out Rs 18,000-20,000 for such baskets.

If your cat is the ultra-scratchy kind, ready to pounce and destroy your veneer coated furniture, get a special cat-scratch pole for Rs 2,000-3,000. This is specially designed to attract the cat to claw the pole. Since felines love climbing heights, there are multi-layered baskets placed at different heights to fulfil their feline instincts.

When it comes to food products, there is no dearth of choice. Pedigree, Propac, Eukanuba and Royal Canine are some premium dog food brands that most pet owners are using to feed their pets.

Breed, size and nutrient specific food in flavours like chicken, meat and vegetarian have gained acceptability with the canine and feline race. No more milk, bread and meat mashed together for the pet's meal, especially as neighbours might accuse you of feeding it substandard food.

Whichever way you look at it, today's pets do have it all going for them.