A DOG’S life just got better. A study has found British dog owners are demanding the ultimate in canine luxury when they go on holiday and leave their pets in kennels, writes Jon Ungoed-Thomas.

Out has gone the spartan image of bare concrete walls and cramped cells. In have come spas, sofas and gourmet diets. These range from quails’ eggs to champagne in the most exclusive establishments, which have renamed themselves “apartments”.

The canine resorts are ready to cater to the whims of the most attentive owners at a cost of up to £60 a day. Some dog owners even phone to talk to their pets while others leave pictures and videos of themselves.

Kim Bruce, a spokeswoman for K9 Media, a publishing firm that questioned 200 kennel owners for the research, said: “One owner wanted a carpet put down and even specified the colour. One dog had to be played Placido Domingo on a continuous loop and another had to have his kennel decorated with Aston Villa posters.

“Some of the requests may seem bizarre, but many people view their dog as an extension of the family. They want to ensure they have the very best treatment.”

The 10 canine guests at Elmwood Exclusive Hotel for Dogs near Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, have televisions in their rooms, which are furnished with carpets, a sofa and an armchair.

John Burton, 62, who runs the “hotel”, said: “We want to give the comforts of home to the dogs. Some owners even want fresh flowers put in their dogs’ rooms when they arrive. The rooms have music systems and television.

“Some of our clients are rock musicians and we play the dogs their music because that is what they are used to at home. There was one dog we even had to take out on a boat because that is what the owner said he liked.

“Some of the dogs arrive with their own suitcases with their names on them. They sometimes turn up in chauffeur-driven cars.”

The dogs are fed at Elmwood according to their owners’ request, providing Burton is satisfied that it is a suitable diet. One owner requested champagne in a silver bowl for their dog and another owner wanted their dalmatian given crème de menthe and a biscuit before bedtime.

Simon Gilbert, a drummer in the rock band Suede, leaves his labrador George at Elmwood when he is touring or out of the country. He said: “They have a park with trees, bushes and a large patio under a horse-chestnut tree. On a sunny day, George and the other dogs relax in the shade with a bucket of freshly iced water.

“It’s just like a hotel. You would be happy to stay there yourself.”

Constance Bond, 49, who lives in Buckinghamshire, sends her miniature pincher Elvie to Elmwood with her own Elvis Presley blanket, bed and toys. She said: “People said to me it was so exclusive we wouldn’t get in. But I went along for the interviews and we were accepted. I think Elvie charmed them.”

The Triple A Pet Resort near Newcastle also emulates home comforts at the request of dog owners. Cristen Seddon, a “brand manager” at the resort, said: “We don’t call them kennels — we call them dog apartments. The dogs can also have hydrotherapy. The pool is heated and the dogs just sit there and let the bubbles massage them.”

The luxury of dog accommodation now available for pampered pets reflects how owners are spending more than ever on their pets. Owners now spend an average of £20,000 on a dog during its lifetime.

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