Osechi (New Year's food) for dogs from Fukuoka company P2 & Associates. (Photo: Asahi)
Kyodo via Yahoo: Dogs may give boost to Japan's 2006 consumer spending
Two-year-old Melon slept on a small bed at one of myriad beauty salons in Tokyo's posh Daikanyama shopping district while being showered with negative ion mist that the salon says helps reduce his stress. After the hour-long relaxation treatment, that also included a body massage using specially blended aromatic oil and careful hair brushing, at the cost of 9,000 yen (about $80), Melon breezily popped up onto his four legs, wagging his tail frenetically. With more of the Japanese regarding dogs as family members rather than merely watchdogs, the variation in spending on the pets has rapidly widened...more...
