Canine clothing is one thing, even dog dye could be deemed acceptable — at a push.
Yet the current pet boom in Japan has resulted in ever more lavish treatment for the nation’s pampered pooches, a prime example being Copin Dog Mediness in Nagoya, a fitness centre that amongst other things has a pool for dogs undergoing rehabilitation — or more extravagantly, an aid to those merely looking to shed a few extra pounds.
And if that wasn’t enough, once fit and svelte, it’s often straight on to the Wanwan Zoo in Okazaki, where for 4,000 yen (20 pound) and upwards, man’s best friend can enjoy the benefits of a beauty clinic; aroma oils and allergenic shampoos making the visit a very pleasant one indeed.
However rumours that an establishment in Tokyo is set to top all of this with a rather more ‘personal’ service would appear to be true.