Dog gone Luxury

Dogs have some new luxe options at new hotels in Boston and Paris catering to their sybaritic tastes. overnight pet hotel in Boston, Fenway Bark boasts custom made orthopedic mattresses, acupuncture, hydro surge massage and, the kicker, luxury suites offering Skype so owners can communicate with their loved ones.

In French fashion of Michelin restaurants catering to owners and their dogs, the new Actuel Dogs bills itself as the first luxury dog hotel in France and ups the ante with with heated pools, massage salons, gyms and training programs to get in shape (“doggy jogging”). Luxury suites also have tvs so dogs can watch their choice of DVDs.  Founder Devi Burun explained, “It’s not like in the US or Japan – giving the dogs manicures, dyeing their fur pink – that’s human madness. Our priority is to meet the dogs”.

Will this doggy one-upmanship ever end? Unlikely given that the pet industry is calculated to be a $40 billion business.