My Generation August 2010 - Keep Me Current

A dog’s life
By Mike Higgins
Let’s face it, sometimes we all fantasize about
aving a dog’s life.
Think of how good some dogs have it. Their
eals are brought to them and they don’t have
o cook or clean up after themselves. They
on’t have to go to a job, their days are spent
nding a comfortable spot to take a nap and, if
he mood strikes, an occasional bark at somene
passing by. And when everyone comes
ome at night, there’s a walk to look forward
o and maybe even a lap to sit on while watchng
TV.
And today, there are more ways than ever
o pamper your dog, from the typical toys and
reats, all the way to a local doggie day care
hat features luxury suites for overnight guests.
here’s no shortage of ways that local boom-
ers can spend money making sure their dogs
have the best life possible.
It’s a national trend. According to the
American Pet Products Association, Ameri-
AUGUST 2010
Big-spending boomers
pamper their pooches
cans spent $45 billion in pet products in 2009,
and that fi gure is projected to rise to $47 billion
for 2010. A big chunk of that money is
from aging, fi nancially secure baby boomer,
11
who face empty homes after their children
leave, say those in the industry.
“People will continue to spend above and
beyond on their pets as the population ages
and pets take the place of children at home,”
according to Small Business Trends, a company
that examines business growth and trends
in the U.S.
In Maine, one company, Planet Dog, has
been around since 1997, and specializes in
products, as their company motto says: “made
for dogs, by dog lovers.”
“We believe strongly that the dog is a member
of the family,” said Jessica Hussiere, a
member of the customer support department
at Planet Dog.
Indeed, Planet Dog has plenty of options
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