When bling goes to the top dogs
Owners spare no expense to pamper spoilt pets
MEET Cape Town supermodel Sophie Cecilia. Like any sultry beauty, she turns heads wherever she goes. She wears only the best designer gear, dines at fine restaurants and has a specialised medical aid to cater for any eventuality.
But Sophie is no ordinary girl. She is a poodle. This canine version of Kate Moss is riding the wave of a growing trend — pet owners who fork out a fortune to pamper their little darlings. The growing obsession with luxury and glamour has resulted in a demand for beautiful hounds to show off their wares — and this is where little Sophie steps in.
She has been chosen as the “face” of Dog Life, a store specialising in clothes for canines. Whether it is a new pet cushion, party dress, jersey or leash, Sophie will be the first to try it and then face the cameras for a fashion shoot.
Her proud owner, Megan Clair Bernstein, said Sophie was quite happy to model garments and other accessories and would work for hours to complete one of the stores’ catalogues.
And to think it used to be considered extravagant to buy a pet a studded leather lead or treat the pooch to the occasional lamb chop. These days, if you want to keep your pet in the lap of luxury, you are going to have to dig deep.
How about a diamond dog collar for $1.8-million? In our battered currency, that comes to nearly R20-million. Believe it or not, there are animals out there who wear them. If that seems too flashy, you can opt for a dog box in the style of Louis XV for about R250 000. Other pricey treats include dog kimonos, £1 000 (about R18 000) Hermès leather tote bags, designer jeans and even school uniforms. These pet lovers gladly pay R1 300 for a dog bikini or R1 000 for a pearl necklace to keep their furry life partner happy.
There have always been stores specialising in unique dog accessories and they still cater to this elite clientele, but internet shopping has taken it to another level. Want leather shoes to go with your basset’s fur coat? No problem, sir. Need a new beach hat for little Fifi? That will be R250, madam.
Such is the demand for these pricey luxuries that a leading Canadian pet store, Hartman & Rose, has opened its services to the South African market.
Just one of its offerings is a custom-made Gucci dog lead with a gold finish, priced at about R3 000.
As for Sophie — just like her human counterparts on the ramp, she has to work hard to maintain her flawless figure.
She is presently on a strict fruit and vegetable diet to drop unwanted kilograms she picked up after an operation.
Clair Bernstein said Sophie dressed up for every occasion, whether she was going to a wedding or a restaurant.
“She has to look the part,” she said. “People love her and she loves the attention too. Wherever we go, people will stop and take pictures of her outfit.”
Clair Bernstein said that soon after she bought Sophie, she went on a shopping spree and spent more than R2 000 on clothes, accessories and everything she thought the pup would need.
“I can compare that feeling to that of having your first child,” she said.
Hartman & Rose spokeswoman Danelle Milward said the store’s customers were people who regard their dogs as more than pets.
“To them, these are their children and spending this money on them is nothing compared to the love they get from the animals,” she said.
It is not only the clothes that cost a lot. A private dog walker can add up to R3 000 a month, and daycare can set you back R2 000 a month.
People will stop and take pictures of her outfit
Hounds Doggie Day Care Centre in Cape Town charges from R120 a day to R2 300 a month just to look after the dog while its owner is at work. The puppies are taught basic obedience and how to socialise with other dogs and humans.
President Jacob Zuma once said that owning a dog was “not African” and that black people with pets were copying white culture. However, one proud dog lover is former Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi. He has four dogs — three pit bulls and one Jack Russell.
Although you will not find his pets in a party dress or leather cap, he does bath them and take them for walks.
Vavi admitted that he had always been close to his pets, but he would not be drawn into how much he spends on them each month.
For a trade union federation leader, that could be tricky.