Pawsitively posh: an at-home spa for diva dogs
Bath time has gone to the dogs — specifically, pampered pooches lucky enough to luxuriate in the Petopia II, a fancy-schmancy, $1,000 spa tub from Hydro Systems.
“While some people may think it’s silly to buy something for your dog that’s got a $1,000 price tag, that is really about the same as 10 or 12 trips to the groomer,” said Dave Ortwein, executive vice president of Hydro Systems in Valencia. “And truthfully, many dogs are more comfortable having their owners bathe them rather than somebody they don’t know, so the anxiety part of it goes away by doing it at home as well.”
According to a survey by the American Pet Product Assn., consumers were expected to spend a record $60.59 billion on their pets in 2015.
The owner of three dogs himself, Ortwein says he was active in the design of Petopia II, a customizable 12-inch, rectangular sink basin with a dog-friendly ledge.
“Many people wash their animal in a laundry sink that is so deep the dog has to have their face to the wall ... so we put a small shelf in ours,” Ortwein said. “You set the dog’s front paws on the shelf so they can be inverted a little bit and almost floating in the water … so they are looking out instead of being trapped in.”
To trick out the tub further, Hydro Systems offers customizable options available for two-legged clients, namely, hydrotherapy air baths and ozone purification.
“You can adjust it so the bubbles are soft and percolating,” Ortwein said, “almost like Champagne, or you can turn it up higher.” The holes rim the perimeter of the Petopia II and are designed to aerate the water and ease sore hips, knees or joints.
The Petopia spa for large dogs is being redesigned and expected to be introduced at the end of this year.
MORE FROM HOT PROPERTY
Craftsman homes in L.A. for under $1 million
