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At the Yep Yup booth
Pet Fashion Week NY 2009:
Shopping at the trade show
This year I had both the privilege and the pleasure of attending the Pet Fashion Week trade show with my veterinarian, Dr. Jacquelyn Arns. It was her first visit to the show and it was very exciting to have the chance to show her my favorite products and to benefit from her expertise when evaluating them. We both very much enjoyed previewing brand-new products and loved many of them. Her experience at the show was similar to mine: she relished the rare opportunity to speak with pet industry designers and vendors about their products in-depth and yet we were both occasionally concerned about the practicality of some of the designs we saw.
As mentioned in my Overview piece, this year's Pet Fashion Week event felt more intimate than in years past. I doubt that this is due to a reduced interest in products for pets; it is more likely a reflection of economic challenges. But don't take my word for that: I am a dog trainer and not an industry analyst! The event was all on one floor this time instead of two or even three and it was much less crowded with buyers, at least when we were there on Sunday. I have to admit that I missed the Luxury Pet Pavilion section and wished that Dr. Arns could have experienced it. But the vendors we met had lovely things to offer and were, for the most part, even friendlier than in the past and very willing to patiently explain every aspect of their product lines.
For example, Yep Yup, a brand new Pet Fashion Week exhibitor, spent over 30 minutes helping me select new furnishings for the one-dog luxury suite I am creating for my toy breed dog boarding business. That is amazing customer service in my opinion, especially at a trade show! And they took the time to explain the details of their just-developed Pet Dossier software designed to help pet professionals keep track of pet parent details, including their travel itineraries, emergency contact information, pet medications and other vital statistics using itouch and iphone technology.
Tried and true vendors like Sherpa Pet Trading Company were there too, this time with some very interesting new products. Both Dr. Arns and I really liked the Sherpa AKC All In One Carrier. The carrier fits inside a little suitcase and, when the carrier is being used to carry a dog up to 16 pounds, the suitcase can be used for the dog's travel items. It even clips to the carrier so the whole thing can be carried as one unit and the carrier zips completely open so it can be used as a dog bed at the hotel. The carrier can also be used as a car seat, endearing it to veterinarian and dog trainer alike!
Another Cultured Canine favorite, Oscar Newman, was back with their ever-tempting clothing line but it is their super soft and very functional belly bands that I adore. Belly bands and girl doggie pants are more than cute - they enable you to take your puppy visiting during that all-important socialization period (up to 14 weeks of age) when puppy might still not be reliably house-trained but needs to meet your friends. (Be sure to ask your vet where it is safe to take your specific puppy at this tender age and which animal(s) he or she can meet and/or play with).
At the Animal Wrappers booth, we learned about their new Weather-block fleece coats, which open at both the neck and the belly, covering the chest well to keep in as much body heat as possible. If these avoid the necessity of putting two coats (a warm under-layer and a waterproof over-layer) on a little dog in cold, wet weather, that would really be a gift to dog-dom. Note that the Animal Wrappers website does not do their coats justice and I could not find the Weather-block coats on the site. But I saw them at the show and believe me, they are much nicer than the in the printed catalog photos I took home. Ask your local retailer about these coats or call Animal Wrappers to find out where you can see them.
Very exciting news: Crypton Fabrics will soon have a new carpet line available! This will be truly amazing, as the Crypton representative explained that the EPA has rated their fabrics as "hard surfaces" in terms of their ability to be disinfected. This should be fact-checked with both the Crypton company and the EPA but, if true, it means that one can actually sanitize furniture and carpets that are made with this material. Wow. The Crypton representative explained to Dr. Arns that this fabric is now being used in many veterinary offices since it is so easy to clean and because it can be disinfected.
Simply Fido showed their their organic pet toy collection, made with non-toxic and chemical free materials. The ones I purchased passed the dog test when I returned home: Elliott the Maltese and my current boarding dog just love them.
And I had to stock up on Cece Klips! Anyone who has broken a nail switching their dog's tags from one collar or harness to the next really needs to invest in a Cece Klip or two. These little gems permit you to transfer tags seamlessly using a jewelry-like clasp. Perfect.
Newcomer PairTree, Inc. showed their Scamper and Snooze dog furniture designed for small apartments and spaces. The line includes storage ottomans, customizable color schemes and feature Crypton fabric. They are absolutely perfect for apartments or small rooms (luxury dog suites, anyone?). We spent a lot of time at this booth and I wish we had a dog with us to see whether they found the designs as appealing as we did.
But, of course, Pet Fashion Week is not only about practicality. There is a place for elegance and indulgence, too. Some outstanding examples of this were FabuLeash Swarovski crystal leashes (we found ourselves staring at these like hypnotized birds) and Romy & Jacob recycled fur coats for dogs (who knew dogs would not chew these to bits?). Many of the clothing items shown were more for "owner" enjoyment than for a need for doggie warmth or protection. Nothing wrong with that so long as the dogs are physically and emotionally comfortable, at least not in my opinion. After all, who can resist a Yorkie in a pink cashmere sweater? Or a just-bathed Chinese Crested relaxing in a spa robe?
Speaking of spa robes, I really loved the Arf Dog gift boxes, some of which include spa robes! Arf Dog is marketing these gift sets to upscale dog hotels as well as consumers. From Sleepover gift sets to New Puppy gift baskets, these attractive and fun gifts really caught my eye. Don't be surprised if we start to offer a version at The Cultured Canine soon!
My next article, the last in this series, will outline some some helpful guidelines for selecting items for your pets.
Next to come: Pet Fashion Week 2009: Choosing safe products for your pets
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