Not a ‘ruff’ life – animals get the spa treatment

Every once in awhile, it’s nice to be pampered with a day of relaxation and special treatment.

Your pets may appreciate it, too.

Dog spas have been opening up in and around Toronto, offering treatments and special care for pets from mud baths to massages.

Posh Pup Spa located in Toronto specializes in the special treatment and grooming of pets. Janet Basile, owner of this four-year-old spa, says that spa grooming makes the animals happy.

“It’s a new hype I find,” Basile says. “People actually spoil their dogs rather than themselves or their children, so they don’t mind paying extra for that.”

In addition to grooming, pet spas like Posh Pup offer mud baths, facials, hair dye, teeth cleaning, and hair cuts, just as a regular spa would provide to a human.

But pet owner and groomer Danyelle Lappin isn’t convinced a day at the spa is what dogs need.
“A groomer is capable of doing everything a spa can do,” Lappin said. “Spas could be good to get your dog stress-free, but taking care of your pet is a daily thing and spas are too expensive.”

Posh Pup Spa uses all-natural products on their clients, Basile says, to ensure clients don’t go home with any allergic reactions. Basile says the attention around natural-based products has led people to start using the natural products on their animals as well.

Dr. Paul McCutcheon, owner of the East York Animal Clinic, says he uses natural medicines and natural products on his clients.

“We try to get people to feed them natural, unprocessed foods,” he said. “We guide people on how to do that.”

McCutcheon has been using a holistic philosophy — balancing natural medicine with conventional treatments — for 30 years.

“The holistic approach to it is not the symptom. It’s what’s wrong with the body that is allowing the symptom to occur,” McCutcheon said. “It’s trying to look at the underlying cause of the problem. The symptom is very important because that gives us the clues as to what is going on.”

Lappin remains skeptical about the all-natural approach to animal care.

“It depends on what they are being treated for,” Lappin said. “If it’s something like ringworm I don’t think natural medicines will be able to cure something like that.”

But Basile says doggie spas and holistic healing aren’t just passing fads.

“I think it will last forever because people spoil their dogs,” Basile said. “I don’t see this ever ending because the love for animals will always be there. It’s a business that will keep going.”