Make sure your pets relax

CHENNAI: A few years ago, getting your dog or cat to a pet salon might have been considered a luxury, but today it has become one of the routine activities that pet owners undertake to shower extra care on their pooches, says C Sudhakar, one of the owners of Cho Chweet pet spa.Grooming pooches in spas designed exclusively for them has been in vogue for some time in the city. But now it has found patronage beyond the elite pet owners. “I make sure my dog gets a spa treatment at least once a month. There’s nothing fancy about it. This is just my way of returning the favour my dog does by taking care of my house and giving me company,” says Shyam, owner of Messi, a one-and-a-half year old Golden Retriever.With Messi snugly seated in a tub, enjoying a bath, Sudhakar explains care is key to maintaining a pet at home. Packages with fancy names may lure customers, but what the pets really need, more often than not, is serious pet care, says Sudhakar. Rather than splurging on dog collars and T-shirts, make sure your pets get to relax adequately.The spa treatment for pets can do more than make the canines look good. “Tommy (a German Shepherd) has calmed down a little after coming here; he responds to the spa treatments and has become friendlier,” says Pavitra, a regular client at Cho Chweet.“We get international experts in this area to update our staff about trends in pet salons,” he says. Packages here start at `200 and can extend to `1,000, depending on the dog.