Pamper your pooch with the high-flying lifestyle of the rich and famous

From staycation to birthday celebrations, flight tickets, movie shows and swimming pool memberships, luxury pet resorts are offering pet-owners and their dogs a truly high-life experience

Pet care has gone through a complete overhaul at least where canines are concerned. In fact, parallels are being drawn between high-quality child parenting and dog-parenting, if you will. And today, many premium pet owners will tell you that they spend exactly the same way on their dogs as they do or once did on their children, buying cushy toys and mushy beddings for Fido, getting flight tickets for him, organising birthday bashes and and even admitting him in finishing school! Little wonder then, that a brand new term called dog parents, has emerged for those who have man's best friend for a pet.

A visit to the Critterati, a luxury pet hotel in Gurugram, is enlightening for one with a no-pets background, such as yours truly. The place offers an air-conditioned room with a television set, luxury bedding and other creature comforts for the pets to move around without a leash. Wait there's more -- scrumptious meals at the exclusive Pet Cafe, oil massages, hair streaking and complete makeovers at the Spa, a dip in the swimming pool and play sessions, too. 

"We make sure your pet amigo feels at home and is cozy and cheerful," is what the staff assures. It is a labour of love for owners, Deepak and Jaanvi Chawla, who felt that the "furry angels who have such unconditional and boundless love, deserve more than just care". They say they started this with resort as they wanted to redefine the culture of pet keeping in India.

Birthdays are also grand occasions for the affluent and swish city set. "We book a cafe, have tattoo nail art and activities for other invitee dogs, separate enclosure and food for pet parents, and last but not the least, return gifts," says 18-year-old Bengaluru-based Sanskriti Singh who has two puppies, a Shih-Tzu and Lhasa Apso. She gleefully adds that the former had his birthday last week and gorged on his special cheese and peanut birthday cake. Sanskriti's mother, Sunaina Singh, is equally involved in pet care and recently enrolled "the pups, who are a bit of a brat, for behavioural training classes where they are taught "command, talk, recall, walk the dog" for a handsome Rs 8,000 for ten sessions. Singh shares that the biggest learning that came out of it was that "truly speaking it is the not the dog that gets trained but it is the pet parent who gets trained or acclimatised."

A pet dog is often the first confidante and soul mate of the child in the house and shares a special bond with her

As for food, there is everything from cheap and easily available junk food or brands high on carbohydrates to very high-quality organic and premium products. "Just as in the case of kids, we avoid stuff like instant noodles, processed foods are a big no-no for dogs," says Shalini Prem, a Delhi-based dog owner. The healthiest way to feed a dog is the way that nature intended, and that means a high amount of quality animal protein and a few vegetables, says Julia, Founder, Canine India, an e-commerce venture for pet food. "Starches and grains are always harmful to dogs as they cannot digest such food, which creates a host of medical issues in the long run. 

Usually the ratio of protein should be 80 per cent meat, 10 per cent organ and 10 per cent bone." It depends on the size of the dog, of course, but "a dog is a bit of a costly hobby," says Julia, "Either you invest in proper nutrition before or spend at the vet later. A dog needs about 2-3 per cent of its ideal body weight in food daily. So a toy breed might be fed on a budget of Rs 4,000 in fresh meat, whereas a 40-kg German Shepard needs a lot more food." Some of the bestselling premium food brands online and offline include Royal Canin, Orijen, Acana, Farmina, and Taste of the wild.

Health is wealth in the case of dogs too. Shalini Prem talks about the healthcare rituals she religiously follows. She says that there can't be a compromise on anti-rabies and Hepatitis vaccinations worth Rs 1,500 and Rs 1,000, respectively, and on a three-month deworming therapy (one tablet for Rs 350). Many people get a full-body annual health check, with packages in the Rs 2,000-5,000 range.

Hygiene is sacrosanct. You may think that in the winter, you can get away by not being too meticulous with your pooch's cleanliness, because your pet is bound to perspire less in that season, and therefore needs to bathe less often. On the contrary, in winter you do need to be more mindful about a dog's hygiene protocol, says Devanshi Shah, Founder, Petkonnect, a social network for pet owners. For one, dogs love gamboling about in the outdoors, attracting ticks and other pests, so regular brushing of its mane, and an anti-tick powder plus collar is a must. Even the pet's paws have to be kept free of dirt build-up this time of year as also dental hygiene. They need to be given the right chew-sticks to help clean the oral cavity, apart from brushing their teeth regularly.  

Toys are another investment for pet parents. Did you know dogs love to solve puzzles, especially when the prize is a treat? While rope toys are excellent for human-and-doggie playtime, those that encourage mental stimulation are much sought after. 

Pet Fed, a carnival for pets and pet lovers held recently in Bengaluru, featured fashion shows, games and slides, pet retail and other activities

Dog Day Afternoon

Pet carnivals, like fairs and festivals for humans, are fast catching on. Recently Akshay Gupta, Founder, Pet Fed, organised a carnival for pets and pet lovers in Bengaluru, striving "to make the bond between you and your pets stronger." With a pet fashion show, pet games, and pet retail with over 150 brands from across India and abroad, owners and pets got to indulge in the best of products and services. The show stealer was a Police Dog Show.

Dogs are party to all kinds of adventure, marathons et al. But recently Mumbai-based couple Tanveer and Priyanka took the adrenaline rush with their pooches to a new high. In December 2018, they took their two dogs Frodo, a golden retriever, and Cruise, a Labrador, on a four-month-long road trip across India. They documented the journey covering 12,500-plus Km across 20 states in India, on their vlog, Wheels and Tails, a take-off from the fact that it was their trip on wheels with tails.

Travelling with your pet is gradually becoming a viable option in India, says Shah of Petkonnect, "Because besides being able to fly with them, or taking them along in your first-class coupe aboard a train, you can also check into hotels and homestays where your pooch is welcome." For starters, many pet-parents will heave a sigh of relief knowing none less than Airbnb has pet-friendly options in their line-up of homestays pan-India. Waggle is another strong contender in this space, while Expedia and Booking.com too list pet-friendly hotels across the country. Leading luxury pet resorts include the likes of Top Dog Luxury Pet Resort and Critterati at Gurugram, 

Petcart Nest at Bengaluru, FurBallStory's Dogotel at Mumbai and Delhi, to name a few. Besides providing climate-controlled interiors, they also have 24x7 CCTV surveillance so you can ensure your pet is in good hands when you are away.

After reading this, I am sure many a men will exclaim: "What a life!" 

What it costs to pamper your pooch
Category	Details	Cost (Rs)
Kennels and crates	One-time expense on pet carrier such as crates, cribs and kennels for local and airline travel	11,000-50,000
Dog food	Monthly expenditure on wet and dry food, treats, biscuits	10,000-25,000
Dog clothes	Seasonal expense on sweaters, jackets, shirts, T-shirts, raincoats, special-occasion wear	12,000-24,000
Dog accessories	Based on need and whims, this is a flexible cost: Dog collar, leashes, harness, bow ties, bandanas, shoes and socks, party accessories	7,000-20,000
Dog bedding	One-time/need-based: Beds, mats, blankets	10,000-15,000
Pet healthcare	Annual: vacinations and health checks	15,000
Dog grooming and hygiene	Monthly expense on shampoos, conditioners, brushes & combs, stain & odour control, towels & wipes, tick & flea	3,000-7,000
Dog Spa	Monthly expense on nail cuttting, hair cut, massage, grooming	2,500
Dog toys	As per whims and fancies: chew toys, plush toys, squeaker toys, rope toys	2,500-5,000
Dog travel (Resorts)	As per choice: one- to two-night staycation with luxurious accommodation and personalised balcony, play sessions, meals and television screen	3,299
Day boarding	Charges for eight to ten hours	999
Dog swimming pool	Per-hour charges for large dogs weighing 25-40 kg, swimming and hydrotherapy of dogs	Rs 675 per hour, Rs 1,199 for Hydrotherapy