US cocktail parties for dogs target human wallets
Sun Sep 10, 2006 2:45 AM BST

By Jim Finkle

BOSTON (Reuters) – At Mickey’s first evening at a nightclub he listened to loud music, scoffed appetisers and lapped up cocktails of chicken soup and beet juice instead of gin or vodka.
A 13-year-old Boston terrier, Mickey was among 50 dogs — and 250 humans — at a party in Boston by SkyBark, which began in Los Angeles. The gathering was aimed at marketing canine products while raising money for charity and is part of a new trend towards nightlife where humans are encouraged to bring their dogs.

Such parties are sponsored by companies marketing extravagant dog products, including all-natural, wheat-free dog treats at $11 (6 pounds) a pound, synthetic-grass covered indoor porta-potties for $280 and leather jackets for $540.

Such goods are helping fuel growth in U.S. sales of pet products, which the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association estimates will rise 6 percent to a record $38.4 billion in 2006, including about $7 billion on dogs.

Canine cocktail parties give entrepreneurs a chance to push their high-priced wares to consumers who are drawn in by the chance to socialise with other dog lovers.

“Dogs provide a way for people to get to know each other a little deeper than they ordinarily would. They serve as social facilitators,” says Leslie Irvine, a University of Colorado at Boulder sociologist who studies human-animal behaviour.

This isn’t the only way that man’s best friends are helping owners make connections.
There are “yappie hours” in Boulder where people get together to have drinks and socialise while their pets play. In big cities, some singles get spruced up to walk their dogs, hoping to meet a romantic prospect.

The Nordstrom department store in Hollywood lets customers bring dogs of all sizes shopping with them…

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyID=2006-09-10T014443Z_01_N30206188_RTRIDST_0_OUKOE-UK-LIFE-DOGPARTY.XML&pageNumber=0&imageid=&cap=&sz=13&WTModLoc=NewsArt-C1-ArticlePage3

i think these people have no idea what to do with their money…:you_crazy:you_crazy:you_crazy

what do you think?