Spending thousands of dollars on pet grooming may seem like something only the Kardashians would do, but families across Perth are spending big bucks to get their beloved pooch looking its best.
The global pet care industry is worth a staggering $374 billion. Australia has one of the highest pet ownership rates in the world, so it is no surprise that dog grooming businesses are booming in the west.
Charmaine Cayeux, co-founder of Couture Canine grooming, has pioneered the opulent nature of looking after one’s furry friend in West Perth and has amassed a large clientele of owners willing to fork out tens of thousands of dollars every year to maintain their pet’s immaculate appearance .
Ms Cayeux’s luxury services, which include “doggy facials”, jacuzzi sessions, nail painting and stylized haircuts, can range between $150 and $500.
Due to extremely high demand, the company has a waitlist with more than 50 dogs from all over the State, who will wait at least a year to secure a coveted spot.
“We are developing this culture of dog grooming in Perth where it’s perfectly acceptable to take your dog for a blow dry twice a week,” she said.
“We have clients who spend over $400 a week and have done it for 15 years.”
Ms Cayeux revealed that 90 per cent of Couture Canine’s customers are Cavoodles and Yorkshire Terriers owned by professionals who work in Perth’s CBD — and who drop off their furry best friends in the morning to be groomed and attend “doggy daycare”.
Loyal customer Amanda Krzywoszyja, who regularly pampers her miniature poodle Henry Danger, believes that social media has been a big influence in the rise of luxury pet grooming.
“Every second pet seems to have Instagram, so it’s that social presence (online),” Ms Krzywoszyja said.
“Also, my partner will take Henry for a walk and he’ll be like ‘Oh my God. I’ve got so many comments on how good he looks’ and it’s that smiling moment of taking pride in how you care about them and (how) they’re living their best life.
“At the end of the day, they’re our best friends and are not around for a long time so why not give them the best opportunity that they can to be spoiled.”
It seems luxury brands are also looking to profit from the booming industry, charging an obscene amount of money for everyday pet care items like brushes and collars.
Last month Italian fashion house Gucci released a pet collection with eye-watering prices as high as $12,000 for a dog bed, $630 for a poop bag holder and $570 for a designer leash.
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