Posh Pets: Healthy or Too Much?

While we live in an age where the bling-bling lifestyle reigns supreme, it shouldn't surprise me that some pets are living a life many can only imagine. From regular trips to the salon for pampering and relaxation to cashmere and diamond encrusted collars. If reincarnation were possible, I would definitely consider returning as a pooch. The first class alone coupled with the security of trust funds would give us all a reason to live the life of a posh pet.

I never understood the fascination with pets and why people are so obsession until the day we got a pond installed in our backyard. I find myself gazing at the fish in the aquarium every time I pass by the pet store. Just the other day I just had to bring home a new goldfish to add to our already large fish family. He was so cute. He was orange and outlined in black making "him" appear as if he had a Mohawk and a mustache. I packed him up, brought him home and placed him in the pond inside the plastic bag hoping he would soon be acclimated to the pond temperature. I stepped away for about 15 minutes only to find my sweet little goldfish floating sideways in the plastic bag. If I had considered a few things like the heat (which had reached well over 100 degrees), and the already nearly boiling water of which any fish would find orientation difficult, there would be one less dead fish in the world. Steamed fish. Who knew?

But am I really like those pet owners who can't go anywhere without their pets toting them around in handbags which cost more than my bargain bag from Kohl's? Or how about when they come up to me while my six month old is on my hip and tell me how they have a newborn cocker spaniel who keeps them up all night but is a doll. Oh really, are dogs really like infants? Do they keep you up at night, and want to be held all times of the day? When you want to go get a pedicure do you have second thoughts before leaving your "infant" at home alone?