Review: Rabid
Americans are crazy about their pets. More households have dogs than children under the age of 18 and most people consider their dogs to be members of their family. Last year alone, we spent over $50 billion (yes billion) on our pets, and the economy doesn’t effect how much we spend on our beloved companions. We spend almost as much on pet products as we do on toys and the majority of Americans say they’d go into debt for their pets.
In Rabid: Are You Crazy About Your Dog or Just Crazy?, Pamela Redmond Satran examines the evolution that has taken place within the pet ownership world recently. Satran includes chapters on doggie style, food, healthcare, and entertainment to name a few. We’ve had a dog for sixteen and a half years and I always thought she was spoiled until I read this book – now I think she may have been deprived.
Not only do people take their dogs to the spa to have hot oil treatments or to have their hair dyed, but they buy them wigs and have plastic surgery performed on them. They have sweaters made from their dog’s fur and prepare organic food for them. They send them to day care and dress them in costumes.
This book is full of color photographs and includes quizzes that tell you if you’re crazy about your dog or just plain crazy. Rabid was a quick, fun read that is sure to please any dog lover.
I can see all pet owners enjoying this one; cute cover too.
I wonder what the pets think of being dressed up in ridiculous outfits.
This does sound fun, especially because when I see a book with a dog on the cover my tendency is to run the other way (being afraid of a bad ending!)
So many things to say about this review, but I will only say two. The first is that when I was growing up, my grandmother used to take her poodle to “the beauty parlor” every two weeks, and get her groomed, put paint on her nails, and matching bows in her hair, and the second is that I have a very close friend who prepares homemade meals for her dog, including flax and rare bits of beef. People do love their pets, and I can speak from experience that I love mine like children.
Wow! How unnatural for a dog to be groomed like that. I was listening to a dog whisperer once talk about how humans drive their pets nuts because of their perfumes and odd habits. If I had a dog I would learn its psychology to better understand it rather than pamper it like a baby.
I bet Serena would like this one. My daughter and I watched a few episodes of Dogs in the City and couldn’t believe how crazy some people are about their pets. Maybe we just don’t get it because we don’t have a pet.
And people thought I was nuts because I treated my Great Danes to hamburgers or soft serve ice cream! I’ve always suspected that too many people have more money than they know what to do with. Now I’m convinced.
You know how much I love my dog but I’ve never thought that spa treatments and dressing them up was ok. They don’t need all that. I do take Sam to the groomer but that’s for his health because they do need a healthy coat but he doesn’t get bows or perfume. I am one of those people who would go into debt in terms of a health issue for my dog but certainly not for plastic surgery or the such. This sounds like something I would enjoy reading.
Ha! I bet my mom would benefit from this one.
Whoa boy — I have a feeling I know where I would fall on this debate! I call our family golden retriever my “brother,” and he now eats an all-organic diet (he suffers from food allergies) and is called everyone’s “sweet baby.”
My co-worker wanted to get her dog’s ears pierced so she could wear 2 carat diamond studs. No one would do it; stating that doing so would cause damage to the cartilage. I remember her going from one place to another trying to get it done. In the end, it didn’t happen but that was way over the top for me.
This book sounds like a hoot!
I would really like to read this one. I’m a huge animal lover.
I am fairly confident that I am rabid about my own little fur children!
I might need to add this one to my shelves, sounds like a fun one!
I know people like to pamper their pets like children- dress them in clothes, spend tons on grooming, etc. but I never heard of anyone giving a pet plastic surgery. Is that for real?
Wow…I know I am not that bad…but Lucy could use a little tummy tuck!
I love my dog….and my past dogs, but I was never that crazy…I wouldn’t dress them up in clothes or costumes…
Sounds fun but scary. Plastic surgery for dogs? Cat people are nuts but that? That’s ridiculous.
Hey, as long as THE DOG DOESN’T DIE, I’m fine. That cover is hilarious! And yes, we’ve been known to do kooky things for our pets here at the Nawrot house.
A lot of that stuff sound so crazy and ridiculous! One of our friends (without children) had a beloved dog who got cancer and lived for almost a year after the diagnosis. He fed his dog steak every day, and I thought under the circumstances it wasn’t extreme, but actually quite touching knowing that he was making a special meal for his dog each day.
Sounds cute! I can’t believe the extent people go to with their dogs, but I’m not a pet owner.
I see a few creatively dyed dogs in SoCal and can think of several people I could gift this book too. Sounds like a very fun read!
I definitely will have to read this one, sounds like a fun read.
We just got a puppy last week and I think I’m pretty “rabid” for her. See the pics over at http://www.thecuecard.com/ … I can see how people love their dogs — but I wont go nuts with dog manicures or anything
This sounds like a good one! Love that cover.
I adore my chihuahua but I’d never take him to a spa or get him plastic surgery.
I’m pretty sure our dogs are deprived too!!!
This book sounds fun just to read about the extremes some people go to!!
This sounds cute and crazy! I love pampering my dog, but not so much that I like giving her spas!
Ok … wow. Plastic surgery on a pet!!??? That is crazy. I’m not sure I want to know this stuff. It sounds a bit disturbing in a way. I love my dogs but I have my limits.