Taipei Dogs Pampered, Some Experts Say Pampering Isn’t Good for Dogs
Thanks to the Taipei Times for this article.
Feature: Pampering pets common but bad, say critics
By Angelica Oung
STAFF REPORTER
Sunday, Jul 22, 2007While some pet owners say that they love their pets like children and treat them accordingly, animal rights activists criticize too much pet-pampering as wasteful and even detrimental to relationships between pets and humans.
Tsai Ming-chih and his wife were inspired by a trip to Japan with their fox terrier and Daschund to start a travel agency that specializes in taking owners and dogs on holidays together.“My wife and I never got to leave the country at the same time after we got married because we didn’t want to leave our dogs behind in a kennel,” he said. “In the end, we decided to take our dogs along with us to Japan instead.”
Although the five-day, four-night trip did not come cheap at NT$60,000 per person plus NT$15,000 per dog, not including the dog’s transportation fees at NT$250 per kilogram. Tsai says that his customers are willing to pay for the experience.
“It’s not just a holiday where you get to take your dog along,” he said. “The whole trip is focused on the dog, and they have more fun than their owners.”
Dogs are considered honored guests at specialized pet hotels and other businesses in Japan, according to Tsai.
“The dogs have their own swimming pools and their meals are as carefully prepared as their owners’,” said Tsai. “During the day we might take the dogs to theme parks catering specifically to dogs.”
There’s nothing his customers won’t do for their “canine children,” Tsai said. He cited two women who went on his tours with their four daschunds.
“They are both quite busy with their careers during the week, so they have a Filipina maid just to take care of the dogs and prepare their meals,” said Tsai.
“I’ve never had a customer with kids,” said Tsai. “We find them quite like-minded with us in this respect — their dogs are treated like their children.”
At this weekend’s Aqua and Pet Show, owners of rabbits, cats, pigs, flying squirrels as well as many different varieties of dogs brought their pets along to the third hall of the Taipei World Trade Center.
Many of the smaller pets were carried in bags or pushed around in pet strollers.
“It’s a practical choice when the ground is muddy or my yorkshire terrier is tired,” said one prospective buyer.
According to Amos Lin (林釿榮), the general manager of Ibiyaya, a company that sells pet strollers, business has been good despite stagnant wages and a generally depressed retail climate in this country.
The best-selling stroller was available at the show for NT$3,990, said Lin.
However, Sean McCormack, the founder of Animals Taiwan, a stray rescue organization, groaned at the idea of dogs being treated as substitute children or being pushed around in strollers.
“The more you treat a dog like a person, the more behavioral problems you’re going to get,” he said.
“I think it’s great that dogs are increasingly considered a part of the family in Taiwan, but they still need to be treated as dogs, not toys and not children,” McCormack said, “The dogs we have the most problems with [at Animals Taiwan] are always the little dogs who might have been carried around in a handbag all their lives.”
“The happiest dogs are the ones who are walked every day and allowed to interact with their environment — not kept at home or pushed around in a pet buggy,” he said.
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Yes, Taiwanese pets are pampered. My family originates from Taiwan. I’ve seen a $700 chihuahua dress, with all the diamonds and sequins. Most of the Taiwanese prefer having dogs, and they are really over-protective of, as what the Taipei Times said, they are treating their dogs like children. Average, I see about 50 people a day in Taiwan, carrying their doggies in handbags with all the little shoes and all. They think it’s the latest “fashion”.
I don’t agree with the Animal Rights activists saying any pampering of pets is a “waste”, but I do agree with Sean McCormack, who says the more dogs are treated as children and “spoiled” the more behavioral problems they’ll get. People need to understand that while dogs do need love and affection, they also need excercise (and not via a ‘walk’ in a stroller/handbag) and a leader, not a “parent”.
Dogs who aren’t exercised enough range in size and lifestyle! It isn’t fair to single out “handbag” dogs who might get plenty of exercise but are placed in handbags for a break or when in crowded areas where they might get hurt. If the owner is loving enough to tote them along, they are just as likely to ensure exercise too.
Most doggies don’t like being the alpha in their household. Like children, dogs need limits. A dog that does not hold alpha status in their household is less likely to bite or become aggressive, as long as the dog’s status and discipline is consitant and humane.
I have no problem with dog strollers in an urban setting where a small dog might be in danger of being stepped on, but too much pampering will get you a child that grows up to be like Paris Hilton or a dog that grows up to be like Paris Hilton. Eek.