Dog and Tony Show : Fair Offers Luxury Items for Friends With Fins, Feathers or Fur

For some people, there is nothing too good for a pet. If the family pooch craves an Operation Desert Storm uniform or a black leather outfit, so be it. Plump household pets can effortlessly lose extra pounds on a treadmill exercise machine. Parrots acting up? Consult a parrot psychologist.

These items might not be available at the local pharmacy. They were among the items and exhibits displayed Friday at America’s Family Pet Show, a pampered pet’s paradise, where animal owners browsed and chose among kitty health insurance, microwaveable dog food and magazine subscriptions for exotic fish lovers--all offered by vendors with straight faces.

“There are some pretty outrageous things here,” acknowledged Kitty Snow (her real name), spokeswoman for the three-day show that opened Friday at the L.A. County Fairgrounds.

Along with pet services, the show displayed more than 100 varieties of pets, including dogs, cats, exotic fish, ponies, snakes and a water monitor, a lizard the size of a small child. The 75-pound lizard, which played a central role in “The Freshman,” a film starring Marlon Brando, is harmless, organizers said.

The lizard, a scaly, pale-green creatures known as Muzai, was upstaged during the show by Tyson, a 5-year-old mixed-breed dog sporting purple sunglasses and a leather biker outfit.

Tyson out-dressed its owner, Brian MacLean, a Venice man who showed up in a mere purple shirt and white jeans. “I refuse to look like my dog,” MacLean said. “Every time he goes outside, he’s got something on.”

Tyson was one of three pet models who drew dog owners to a table lined with canine sunglasses, visors and costumes for sale. Some shades carry an optional screen to block ultraviolet rays.

As summer approaches, the well-prepared pet will need more than sunglasses. The Cool Pet Cabin, a posh, air-conditioned doghouse, should fit the bill, said its creator, Ron Kincaid, a Long Beach dog owner. Similar homes for cats and birds are in the works, he said.

With pets’ comfort in mind, inventors and animal fanciers displayed dog potty-training kits, fish water fresheners and flashing dog collars. For the comfort of pet owners, there is Lust Buster, a spray that can purportedly douse the passions of household animals by neutralizing the odor of females in heat, according to Wesley Andrenyak, salesman for G.G. Bean pet products of Brunswick, Me.

“Jawrobics,” rubber plunger-shaped toys that can be chewed, are available to firm up dog jawlines, said Joe Markham, a Lakewood, Colo., dog owner. Markham also provides “Jawrobeaks” for parakeets, cockatiels and other birds.

At another booth, Kaz, a golden retriever, trotted gamely on a treadmill. The dog kept a stuffed version of the Disney character Pluto clamped in his mouth. “He’d rather run with something in his mouth,” said Lynn Schmitt, one of the creators of the treadmill, called “The Winning Gait.”

There were ample rewards on display for good dogs who have done their daily calisthenics. One table featured peanut butter, oatmeal and gingerbread doggie cookies. There, J.J. Sterling encouraged human passersby to taste his cookies, treats that he calls “Bo’s Bones.”

“It’s a human cookie in the shape of a dog bone,” Sterling said, holding up a tray filled with cookie bits. “Bo knows bones.”

Sterling popped a piece of gingerbread “Bo’s Bone” into his mouth, then fed one to Bo-rito, a wrinkled bundle of a puppy. Bo-rito, Sterling said, is the daughter of Bo, a Chinese shar-pei with a taste for cookies. Bo inspired his line of dog biscuits, Sterling said.

Nearby, a display of dog’s microwave meat loaf made visitors glance at their watches, wondering if it might be time for lunch. There were also chicken and lamb entrees, all easily warmed.

For those pet owners bracing for a hectic ride home--with their dogs and cats pacing nervously on the back seat--there is always Zak-Pak, said saleswoman Elaine Rossignol.

The item, which sells for $99.95, is a portable, screened backpack that allows pet owners to cart their pets on their backs and also attach the pack to a car seat. Zak-Pak, she said, is for the pet who wants “to ride with a view. If it’s spoiled.”

Then, even Rossignol had to smile. “It’s a kick to see what people will do for their pets,” she said.