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Los Angeles Times

Whether it's canine massages or ‘pawdicures,' Los Angeles pups get five-star treatment

It's no secret. Los Angeles loves dogs. Everywhere you go is crawling with dogs, and they are living their best lives. I even wrote about it in a previous edition of this newsletter. I've certainly seen dogs seated inside restaurants and being pushed around in strollers. But I've never seen one at a spa. I've also never heard of a dog having more frequent-flier miles than some humans. Canines enjoy these things and more in The Times' newest series, Dog Days of Summer, in which my colleagues dig into the city's obsession with dogs and the most extravagant things L.A. humans do for their furry best friends. Wellness for dogs mirrors the spectrum of wellness treatments for humans — be they relaxing and rejuvenating or dubious — my colleague Deborah Vankin writes. Deborah followed Dug the dog around for a week as he experienced L.A.'s dog wellness scene, including sound baths for hounds, canine massage, 'pawdicures' and reiki meditation for mutts. Dug, an 8-year-old golden retriever, was chauffeured to his spa treatment in a presidential Cadillac stretch limo. While at Collar & Comb in West Hollywood, he received a blueberry facial and exfoliating mud mask from the same professionals who groom the dogs of Gwyneth Paltrow, Mark Wahlberg and Dakota Johnson. And that's just on the pampering end of the spectrum. There are also vet-affiliated treatments including acupuncture, hydrotherapy and chiropractic care. As self-care for humans becomes more popular, there are more wellness products and services being developed for dogs. Plus, an increasing number of pet owners now view their dogs as children, 'Pet Buzz' radio show co-host Charlotte Reed told Deborah. 'People are worried about the world. So a lot of people are not having children — and they're treating their dogs like kids,' Reed said. 'Dogs — like kids — are a reflection of your lifestyle. If you're into health and wellness, that's what you want your dog to be into.' Be careful not to project your human desires onto animals that don't share the same tastes, warns American Kennel Club chief veterinarian Dr. Jerry Klein. 'A lot of this stuff, it's geared to the humans. But what we derive pleasure and relaxation from might create the opposite for a dog that might not want to be touched or handled. People should get their vet's opinion, always, before doing anything that might affect the dog's health.' But who are we kidding? That's not going to stop Angeleno pet owners from taking their dogs for deep-tissue massages and inflammation-fighting red light therapy. Here's more from our series on extreme dog pampering, in case your furry besties aren't already participating: Email us at essentialcalifornia@ and your response might appear in the newsletter this week. Today's great photo is from Times photographer Gina Ferazzi at the home of Nauzhae' Drake who has four children all born on the same date, July 7. Jim Rainey, staff writerDiamy Wang, homepage internIzzy Nunes, audience internKevinisha Walker, multiplatform editorAndrew Campa, weekend writerKarim Doumar, head of newsletters How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@ Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on