Saturday, December 6--Gone to the Dogs

When I die, I want to come back as a dog in Japan, preferably something small like a miniature daschund or a Yorkie. I have never seen a population as a whole more devoted to their dogs. I knew the Japanese cared about their pets, just by observing the rituals of the neighbors’ daily dog-walking routines. After each walk, the lady across the street lovingly wipes her dog’s paws before he goes back into the house. While taking out the trash, I have seen countless pooches dressed in sweaters on chilly days. I even saw a golden retriever in full rain gear, including yellow slicker, matching hat, and boots, although quite frankly he did look extremely embarrassed. But I did not understand the true depth of the Japanese people’s devotion to man’s best friend until we went to Grandberry Mall this weekend.

First of all, the mall (an outdoor type, like many of the outlet malls back home) was teeming with dogs of every size shape and color. It reminded me of a car show on four legs—the owners cruising around, showing off their pride and joy, hoping to see and be seen. When we stopped for coffee at Starbuck’s, we had to wade through a swarm of Yorkies, reminiscent of a (well-groomed) biker gang congregating at the local bar. Dogs were sitting in chairs at many tables, and those who found themselves without a seat had warm, cozy blankets to cushion the hard ground. Many of the pooches were dressed better than we were, in skirts with matching sweaters or designer jeans and leather jackets.

If the only dog accessory shopping you have ever done is at PetSmart, boy, are you missing out. Grandberry Mall had several stores catering to four-legged customers, but the most impressive by far was Joker (see photos in A Dog’s Life album). The first thing we noticed when we walked in was the wall of glass on the left which looked into the nurseries. I guess it’s hard to sell $2300 puppies if they are behind bars in individual cages—they had to up the cute factor. Each nursery held about half a dozen puppies, some napping in cribs while others were romping around on the floor with the nanny, chasing toys under the table, trying to climb up the dresser, or learning how to sit for treats. After oohing and ahhing over the babies, we ventured through aisles and aisles of doggy clothing, ranging from traditional kimonos to ultra-modern rhinestone-studded evening wear—there were even 50s-style poodle skirts! And since it would be a shame to take an outfit home only to find it didn’t fit, or looked better on the rack, there was a fitting room so furry customers could try on potential purchases. (And yes, there was a line of canines waiting to eye their new outfits in the three-way mirror.)

After acquainting ourselves with the latest in doggy fashion, we moved toward the back of the store, passing the beauty salon (groomer) and health spa along the way. Once we had forged through the aisles of every imaginable dog toy, we came upon the most magnificent display of cakes, cookies, and pastries we had seen since coming to Japan. Never one to pass up a cookie, Jim was starting to seriously contemplate his many options when we realized they were not meant for human consumption. But if Fido were having a birthday party, there was a perfectly frosted layer cake just waiting to be inscribed with his name.

People say “it’s a dog’s life” when times are tough or they are faced with an unpleasant task. Obviously the person who invented that phrase hasn’t lived a day in the life of a Japanese dog.