Cat and dog owners
are splurging on an assortment
of exotic pet products.

The Pet Food Institute in
Washington, D.C., reported
that in 1990, there were
63.2 million cats in this
country and 54.5 million
dogs.
Feline fanciers can look
forward to an onslaught of
new cat products to keep
up with the increasing
popularity of kitties.
Why, skeptics ask, do pet
owners lavish gifts on their
four-legged friends? They
are, after all, just pets.
For many young couples
who have delayed starting
families, experts surmise,
those furry housemates are
not merely pets, they are

"children."
Actually, this reporter
pleads guilty to referring
to her two cats as her
"sons" and to purchasing
holiday greeting cards for
them to send to their father
and grandparents (whose
mailing addresses, unlike
most feline families, are
known).
"Pets are members of
people's families," says Kim
Toberman. "We buy gifts for
members of our family,
don't we?" In 1989, Mrs.
her
and
Toberman
husband, Harley, produced
"Doggie Adventure," which
they call the "world's first

made-for-dog videotape."
Mrs. Toberman, an artist,
and Mr. Toberman, a
Minneapolis, Minn., re-
cording engineer, created
the 30- minute tape of a day
in the life of a dog because
they felt guilty leaving their
16-year-old mutt, named
Ms. Piggy, home alone.
"Ms. Piggy got too old to
have her own adventures,"
says Mrs. Toberman, whose
tape features footage the
couple figured would drive
canine cinema connois-
seurs crazy — trips
to city streets, parks
and a barnyard.
"Doggie Adven-

ture" sells for $19.95, and
20,000 copies have been
sold. So successful has the
tape been that a sequel is
in the works. The plot has
proven a hit with both
and
breeds
mixed
pedigrees. Indeed, a
Minneapolis businessman
who is a friend of President
and Mrs. George Bush sent

Purrofectly Groomed

C hoppers looking into
the windows at Groom-
ingtails in West Bloomfield
get the impression that they
are peering into an art
gallery. A closer look reveals
that the art all focuses on
one subject: animals.
There are dog and cat
doormats, ceramics and ser-
ving dishes for sale. The pic-
ture frames could hold
photos of people or animals.
A hand-carved birdhouse
shaped like a cat sits in a tree.
For designer dogs, there are
designer collars. Dog collars
with rhinestones and charms
are customed ordered.
"Everything pertains to
dogs and to people," says co-
owner Jeffrey Jucewicz. "We
are not just pet supplies and
we are not just grooming. We
are more," adds Mr. Jucewicz.
Behind the art gallery foyer
there is a complete grooming

salon with deep white bath-
tubs, cages and industrial-
size hair blowers. Only a few
dogs are yapping. Most of
them are happy campers,
licking the groomer and
waiting to be dried.
According to co-owner
David Munson, the store has
groomed rare and common
dogs and cats. "The bichon
frize is the most popular,"
says Mr. Munson. The bichon
requires extensive grooming
as do the sheep dogs and
wheatons. Although these
dogs are high maintenance,
Mr. Munson is quick to add

that every dog has different
needs.
The process begins
with bathing and cleans-
ing the nails and pads.
The dogs air dry.
Then they are
blown dry by
hand-held driers.
After being trimmed
and combed, they are
ready for the owner.
Dogs and cats aren't the
only animals groomed at
Groomingtails. One rabbit
has a standing appointment.
A potbelly pig also frequents
Groomingtails. And guinea
pigs are welcome.
Co-owner Jeffrey Jucewicz
has made an interesting
observation: "People who
have pets and children some-
times care more about the
pets. They are more
meticulous about how the
pet is groomed."

FALL '91

53