TOKYO, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- He's stocky on the verge of being overweight, and often short of breath as a result, but some people just can't seem to get enough of him.
"Jimu-chan is just so adorable! I've always enjoyed coming here, but he makes this place so much more special," cooed Mayumi Takabayashi, a 28-year-old administrative assistant.
Jimu is none other than a French bull terrier, and so-called son of Mugi Sasaki who owns Riff, a hair salon in central Tokyo. Amid the cool, industrial white interior of the store, Jimu provides entertainment to the clientele that flock for the latest hair cut and coloring simply by being himself. The grey-and-white dog can easily spot those customers who are particularly appreciative of canine company as their tresses are being tended to, and he makes a point of getting a good belly rub from them.
"Isn't he just so cute?", Takabayashi squealed.
Not too long ago, it would have been impossible for a dog or cat to be roaming around in any upscale public venue in Japan, be it a restaurant, boutique, or office building. While a vocal minority were pet-lovers, dogs and cats were by and large seen by many, especially the pre-war generation, as unhygienic animals that should be kept outdoors.
But as the population ages, and fewer people are having children, pets have come to fill an emotional void found in many urban dwellers in particular. And advertisers have not failed to see that posting a plump puppy in promoting products ranging from new homes to beer has been a boom for business.
Still, no company can be as grateful to a little chihuahua than Aiful. The consumer loan company that is effectively a predatory lender started airing ads with a dog named Qoo earlier this year. In the commercial, Qoo sits by the window of a pet shop, and is spotted by a middle-aged man. Their eyes meet, and the man, who until then appears unfeeling, cold, and presumably drowning in debt, melts down completely, and is driven to buy the dog using his Aiful credit card.
The ad worked to make the loan company not only more famous, but also more human and approachable, even to those who would usually frown upon consumer loan providers.
It also sparked a boom in small dogs like Chihuahuas and French bull dogs, which are easier to take care of than their larger brothers. In fact, so popular has the French bull dog become over the past few months that the waiting list for a pup can be for a few months.
From the beginning of the bubble economy in 1985 up to the early 1990s, people were more eager to buy up big dogs such as Labradors and Golden Retrievers with large appetites and greater need for long, strenuous walks. Since the burst of the bubble, however, pet ownership had steadily declined to below 17 million dogs and cats nationwide, with felines accounting for more than half the pet population.
But dog ownership is now up to about 10 million, and that number is growing by the day, especially amongst empty-nesters living in big cities. Dogs are also often the single professional women's best friend, too. Oggi, a glossy, monthly fashion magazine that caters to the Chanel suit-aspiring, Hermes scarf-appreciating woman, has a column dedicated to readers' questions about dogs, ranging from anything between giving the puppy a massage and how to find a good veterinarian.
And like dog owners worldwide, Japanese dog lovers are often willing to spend an unseemly amount of money on their latest family additions. From dog bakeries to puppy salons, the pet industry has ballooned into a $10.7 billion (1.2 trillion yen) market, and it is one of the most resilient to economic doldrums.
"I would rather eat frugally than let my dog's living standard suffer," said hair stylist Sasaki, echoing the voice of many canine lovers everywhere. "After all, he won't understand why his lifestyle is being curtailed, whereas for me, it will be a conscious decision, to keep my dog happy," she added.
Nevertheless, the biggest stumbling block for many would-be dog owners is that the majority of rental apartments still don't allow pets in the building.
Of course, such limitations can provide opportunities for many well-attuned enterpreneurs. At pet store Top Dogs, for instance, customers can rent a Labrador, Chihuahua, or several other types of dogs for about $40 (5,000 yen) per day, for up to three consecutive days. The dogs come with an instruction booklet on what to feed them and how to look after them.
There are also other alternatives, too. Electronics manufacturer Sony produced the world's first electronic pet in 1999, which despite its price tag averaging $2,000, has proved continually popular, especially among young, professional men. So popular is Aibo to this day that Sony is launching a new version of the robotic dog later this month.
(GoToShop is a biweekly musing on where or where not to spend one's hard-earned paycheck. If there is, indeed, an opposite and equal reaction for every action, then shopping is no exception. The fine art of shopping can be a political statement, a social manifestation, an economic triumph -- or simply a dud decision on the part of the consumer.)
