No savings are made on the dog – despite inflation

Maybe only pet owners understand that, but no one saves on the dogs in these times, especially not when traveling. Admittedly, given the inflation, there have been attempts to optimize the travel expenses for our two dogs. Unfortunately, that backfired.

Example provisions. We had cut the beloved but unfortunately expensive dog food with no-name products on vacation and hoped that the four-legged friends wouldn't notice. With raised lips, each no-name pellet was identified and placed visibly next to the bowl. Those offended dog looks!

We had canceled the dog salon before the trip and cut it ourselves on the way. The new two-inch military haircut didn't actually look all that bad, but both Shih Tzus were shaking so badly they needed coats. And the idea of ​​saving the lift on the hike ended with the tired dogs – weighing seven or eight kilos after all – having to be carried piggyback over the shoulders like stuffed fox fur to the valley station.

Such saving at the wrong end just puts you in a bad mood and ruins your vacation, when you want to put everyday worries aside. Money is now saved somewhere else with us, namely with masters and mistresses.

That's what a lot of dog owners do, by the way. In economic crises, the majority tend to save on their own needs rather than on their pets, according to surveys. A plausible explanation is: Your own family and thus your pet become more important in difficult times.

According to the industry association for pet supplies, there are record sums for dogs alone: ​​the best sellers are snacks (672 million euros were spent on them in 2021, up 11.6 percent compared to the previous year) and accessories (240 million euros, up 6.7 percent). For 2022, the industry does not expect a slump in sales despite price increases.

Tour operators and tourism regions also see the potential. Dog owners are being ensnared more than they have for a long time, because they like to take their animals with them. Group hiking trips with dogs from Elba to South Tyrol, from Bavaria to Saxony are already fully booked in autumn.

Regions such as the Ammergau Alps or Styria advertise with dog hiking trails (with streams for fresh water, dog toilets along the way and rubbish bins for gassi bags). Hoteliers go one better: The first dog spa was opened on the Balearic Islands. And the shipping company Balearia offers “pet friendly” cabins.

In any case, we will not save on the next holiday packing list for our two dogs. There are harnesses for the four-legged friends with a handle, spare leashes, comfort blanket, travel cot, towels to rub off, coats, favorite ball, spare favorite ball, and dog shoes to protect against sore paws on stony paths. And now there is also a carrying backpack, in case one of the dogs gives up.

By the way, on October 10th, World Dog Day, our dogs were spoiled with dried duck fillet, as an exception. The hazelnut chocolate for mums was canceled instead.

They're cute, fluffy, and hugely successful: pets on social media. In Cologne, the Pet Fluencer Awards were presented for the third time, i.e. awards for influencers who turn their pets into social media stars.

Source: WORLD / Alina Quast