As all of you know, I love dogs and since I have gotten Giggs, I have been spending all my spare time looking for things that will make his life happier when we are not at home. My guilt at leaving him alone while I am at work (this never exceeds 5-6 hours in a day) makes me a compulsive shopper for him. But even I draw a line when it means spending over $500 for a “luxury crate”.
I saw this online – it is a luxury crate system for Giggs where he has a two-storey crate with stairs between the two and a set-up where you can add a webcam to view your dog playing when you are gone. While I was extremely tempted to get it for Giggs, I started comparing it with the money we spend on hotels for ourselves:
a. To save money while in grad school, Gregg and I have repeatedly stayed at Howard Johnson Inns while at conferences. So, I am assuming that Giggs’ current accommodation which consists of a pen and a crate (we put the crate inside his pen and let him move in and out) is like a Howard Johnson according to the people from SuiteDigs.
b. Only recently, Gregg and I have started getting better hotels when we go somewhere – usually on hotwire or Orbitz. For Giggs, it seems that daycare or a pet hotel would be the equivalent of places we have booked recently (3-4 star). It is the canine equivalent of upgrading from a motel to a hotel.
c. The doggy suite is the canine equivalent of a 5-star hotel. It has stairs, a bedroom floor upstairs and a place for him to “go” downstairs, a treat and toy dispenser which can be activated remotely (imagine being a dog and seeing treats shooting at you – it would freak me out!!!!) etc. It is a doggie condo of sorts.
The thing is: since Gregg and I do not always treat ourselves to 5-star hotels and we certainly do not stay in a 5-star hotel every day, does Giggs need it for the 5-6 hours that he is alone during weekdays? Would he truly be more comfortable there? Wouldn’t he just be happier being with us and sad when we are not home, no matter what his accommodation is like? Is this just consumerism appealing to the emotions of people who would do anything for their dogs (or cats)?
Thoughts?
4 comments:
I definitely do not think you need that suite. Giggs doesn't seem to be that active of a dog. So long as you give him plenty of exercise, which you guys do, he'll just go to sleep when you're gone. Most dogs are fine sleeping for big portions of the day.
-Betty
Dogs are supposed to enjoy somewhat small of spaces. Cave like. Sam always crawls under tables and has started napping partially under the bed. I think this is a case of people imposing their own ideas onto animals. Also Giggs is tiny! He just needs a crate that is soft and clean. He'll be fine.
My dogs would never stay in an x-pen. They would escape in a heartbeat.
I bought 4 suites. 3 high and one to the side. $2000. Best money I ever spent! They are indestructable and will out live me! 40 years hopefully. so what $4 a month. No biggy, the food cost more than that. The luxury is more mine. The dogs love it and that is most important but I am enjoying the suites even more i think! I had dogs all my life, 12 dogs all together. I will continue to have dogs as long as I can care for them. I'm tired of fixing the damage that happens and worrying about the damage whether it happens or not. My days of messing with exercise pens and baby gates that get in the way and don't always work anyway are over. Thank god! Oh one more thing, whoever said dogs like dens was right, but they like elevated dens even more so they can see all around!
Post a Comment