Tiny carnivore Zoey Fiel, a teacup Chihuahua, nibbles owner C.J. Simpson of Atlanta. Some kibble and companionship await both at Hotel Indigo.CHARLOTTE B. TEAGLE / Staff
Posted on 08/08/2005 1:04:36 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Tiny carnivore Zoey Fiel, a teacup Chihuahua, nibbles owner C.J. Simpson of Atlanta. Some kibble and companionship await both at Hotel Indigo.CHARLOTTE B. TEAGLE / Staff
Pour another round for Morocco. He's parched. And keep those noshes coming.
Not even a scalding summer evening can keep this stud away from his neighborhood watering hole.
And who can blame him? Plenty of eye candy, a well of beverages and the Snausages appear to be endless.
"There are other dogs he knows that come here to hang out," said Michael Fellin, Morocco's owner, making his weekly visit to Canine Cocktail Hour at Midtown's Hotel Indigo. "He socializes."
The 4-year-old Great Dane is one of a kennel's worth of canines mingling at the hotel from 5 to 8 p.m. every Tuesday. And if this sounds just a bit odd, it's time to neuter those dated stereotypes.
A walk around the block or a Frisbee toss in the park are no longer high-end activities for dogs. The four-legged population is now being feted. With style.
Happy hours, parties, day care centers that resemble Chuck E. Cheese's locations and social lives that can make their owners look like dowdy wallflowers.
"It's definitely a highly urban trend and suburban as well," said Jacque Schultz, companion animal programs adviser for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "In households where kids may have been put off for a decade or so, they're treating cats and dogs as practice kids, if you will."
Concepts such as doggie day care and canine birthday celebrations were once chuckle-worthy. Goofs. Now, partying pets are mainstream.
And birthdays aren't the only occasions for a shaggy shindig. A new litter is cause for more than a whelping box and a blanket these days.
"The whole premise is when you have a baby or get married, you need all kinds of new things. When you get a new puppy, you need all kinds of new things," said Stacy Cruikshank, owner of Bark Avenue Pet Boutique in Fernandina Beach, Fla. "It's similar to a bridal shower or a baby shower."
Cruikshank promotes the concept of "puppy showers" and even offers an online gift registry for, uh, expectant owners. She stocks invitations, customized plates and other celebratory supplies.
Who needs diaper bags and rattles when rawhide and Frontline works just fine?
Oh, it gets better.
In the Northeast, "bark mitzvahs" — more of a theme party than an actual religious ceremony — have become the rage. And, yes, some dogs don a yarmulke. When heat arises, others throw a "muttrimony" celebration, which is basically an arranged dog marriage — likely, not binding.
And when hosting such a drooling gala, leave the crumbling Milk-Bones in the cupboard.
"Last week, someone ordered a cake, some toys and baked treat items [for a party], plus candy bars for the guests," said Nichole Garmon, owner of Beagle Brothers Delights in Dallas, Ga., who concocts gourmet dog treats and caters pet functions. "People are starting to realize that dogs should be part of the family, not tied to a tree."
And they're using their checkbooks to show the love.
According to the American Pet Product Manufacturers Association, $37 billion is projected to be spent on pets in 2005. Ten years ago, that number was $17 billion.
Hotel Indigo — which allows guests to bring their pets to lodge — offers a dog menu with chicken and steak platters. Alpo? Ha!
Eccentric? Perhaps. But pet advocates see this as more of an evolution.
"In a way, Atlanta is catching up with other metropolitan areas," said P.J. Smith, public relations manager for the Atlanta Humane Society. "The image of pets in general is changing. Overseas, you can take your pet everywhere."
These events offer more to the community than a good time for Fido and his friends.
The Hotel Indigo happy hour has corralled new volunteers, donations and several adoptions for the Humane Society, which brings shelter dogs each Tuesday. Smith is encouraging other bars and restaurants to host similar dog-friendly events.
Nicole Garner has turned Tuesdays at Hotel Indigo into a family reunion. Her 12-week-old Chihuahua, ChiChi, joined by two siblings and an uncle on the outside patio, are all from the same local breeder and owned by others in her social circle. Garner brought ChiChi to ensure he doesn't lose his family ties.
"All of his brothers and sisters are here," she said. "We try to get them together every month."
'Pupperware,' sleepovers
Lest it seem this is just a kooky intown fad, the suburbs have leashed into this. Or haven't you been invited to a "Pupperware Party"?
Pet product distributor Shure Pets has turned kibble and dog beds into the new Avon, with representatives nationwide.
"We have anything from health and beauty aids to apparel, beds and treats," said Kennesaw-based consultant Tina Ulrich.
Other items: cake mixes, plaster for pawprints — forget bronzing baby booties — and scrapbooking kits. The gatherings take place everywhere from subdivision living rooms to parks.
"You invite your pet-loving friends, and we sit around and go through the products," she said. "What I really like is people bring their pets with them and they can try out the products. I have a blast with it. It's very social for pets and for people."
Even boarding has become an event. A crate at the vet's is almost considered barbaric compared to swimming and frolicking at a doggie day care facility. And at around $20 a day, it's not wallet wounding . . . if used sparingly.
But is your dog even worthy of entrance?
When Michael Leo Owens, an assistant professor of political science at Emory University, decided to take Rudolpho, his miniature poodle-mix, to Camp Woof in Decatur, he couldn't just drop him off and be done. The pooch had to be interviewed to see if he would mix well.
"They're very strict about the dogs they allow," he said. "If the dog has any sort of attitude problem, they won't let [it] come back."
In its literature, a night at Camp Woof is described as "having a slumber party with 40 of your closest friends," complete with a pool and television. There's also a clubhouse, sun decks, agility equipment and jazz music during nap time. Overnight guests get two treats on their pillow before bedtime.
This is Club Med with pooper scoopers.
"We want them to have a happy, safe, loving experience," said Camp Woof manager Mara Morreale. "We concentrate on having a good time. Boarding is a whole new experience."
Humans, animals interact
It's obviously a fine time to be a canine. Perhaps too good.
The bar has been raised far above rolling over and playing dead, and the onus is on the owner to keep this entertaining lifestyle alive.
What about those evenings where crashing on the couch sounds good, but Fluffy wants a night on the town? Does all of this attention and activity set standards just a bit too high for impressionable pooches?
"That's one possibility," said Dr. John Wright, professor of psychology at Mercer University and a certified animal behaviorist. "Some dogs are much more into patterns and expectations. It depends on the personality of the dog and how compulsive it is. Some dogs are dependent on having one event follow the other."
He's far from surprised, though, at this trend.
Wright, who also owns an animal behavior practice in Atlanta, believes people are at a turning point where pets are no longer an afterthought. And it goes beyond dogs.
Cats, he said, are shaking their image as cold and indifferent creatures. And animals once thought appropriate for barnyards are finding that a chaise lounge beats a steamy coop. For example, chickens are being domesticated outside of rural areas.
Still, dogs — which have been sharing homes with humans for thousands of years — are a natural for this newfound appreciation.
"The range of activities they can take part in is much greater than we once thought," said Wright, who has published three books on pet behavior. "The way the scientific community and the pet community are thinking about animals is leading to a better quality of life."
But don't forget a common element in these furry soirees: people. Laughing, socializing, fraternizing people.
Which leads one to wonder: Is this fuss about the pups? Whose good time is this?
"It's both," said Fellin, lounging at an outside table with a group of friends. "There's a lot of people we know that go here, and it gives us an excuse to come."
Indeed, it seems that the easiest way to start a conversation with an intriguing stranger is to have an an adorable ball of fur at your side. Jumping on someone's leg always gets attention, as well.
"It's an icebreaker," Smith said. "You obviously want someone in your life who likes animals. If your dog approves, you're halfway there."
Mocha likes what she sees.
The 2-year-old chocolate Lab mix — accompanied by owner Kerry Hendry — laps up dishes of water as the hotel staff feed her treats.
Wow. Ruff life.
"Everyone knows her name here," Hendry said. "Keep the treats and drinks flowing, and everyone's happy."
For information: Hotel Indigo, 683 Peachtree St. N.E., 404-874-9200, www.hotelindigo.com. Staff writer Jennifer Burk contributed to this article.
26-year-old C. J. Simpson of Atlanta, right, introduces her puppy, a teacup Chihuahua, to other guests (humans and dogs) at Hotel Indigo in Midtown. CHARLOTTE B. TEAGLE / Staff
Mmmmmmm, Lunch!
LOL!
a Cat would make that dog cower
Not that is doggone funny :)
now that is a cat with a attitude
Ahhhh, the Dog whisperer. I love him! His advice has sure made life with our Labs nicer.
Is that a cat or a couch cushion?!
It's what ever it wants to be.
Dog whisperer?
I learn something new every day.
In doggie la-la land.
What a mug!!
I have a tiny white chihuahua named Fidel. The cat is at least 4 times the size of the dog and Fidel kicks the cat's butt. It surprised me at first but they tangle and chase each other all day.
If you have never seen his show you are missing a real treat..... if you are a dog lover. You can catch it on the National Geographic channel www.nationalgeographic.com/channel/dogwhisperer
A happy hour for dogs seems pretty silly. Now, a happy hour for parrots, that would make sense. My parrots bob up and down, dancing and singing along to music, ask for their favorite refreshments by name, and hold more intelligent conversations than anything you'll hear on Air America. So a happy hour wouldn't be wasted on them.
My cat would probably eat it.
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