Fabulous dog day afternoons

BY LAUREN JOHNSTON | amNY.com Staff Writer

5:41 PM EST, February 10, 2006

If show dogs are the Olympians of the canine world, Manhattan dogs are surely its socialites.

Hundreds of these hard-working show dogs are prancing into midtown this weekend, poised to battle for "Best in Show" at the annual Westminster Dog Show, which kicks off Monday at Madison Square Garden.

These pups are the cream of the kennel crop, and for them, expertly cut coifs and impeccable etiquette are requisites for the rigorous competition.

For their well-heeled New York City counterparts, they are the marks of a life of leisure.

Just like their owners, these city pups are pampered. Custom haircuts, manicures and massages are just a few of their many indulgences. Some are even bathed in Evian water and sport diamond collars.

amNY tracked a day in the life of two spoiled pups Trevor and Jessica -- to see just how good the good life can be and how much it costs.

Their owner Howard Binder, who also owns the East Side spa/boutique/day care center Doggie-Do and Pussycats Too!, admits they have a fabulous life.

"They eat great food, they play all day. They have no worries, no troubles," he said. The dogs even weekend in the Hamptons.

Here's a typical day:

7:30 a.m.: Personal training

A private dog walker picks up Trevor and Jessica at their Murray Hill apartment for an early morning jaunt ($20 for two walks a day). The dogs get dressed to fit the weather. They have leather-trimmed winter coats ($120), boots to protect against ice and salt ($80), and Italian leather or Swarovski crystal collars ($150).

Mid-morning to early afternoon: Let's do lunch

The walker delivers them to Doggie-Do. Sometimes they walk, sometimes they arrive via dog bag or carrier ($285). Day care supervisor Mario Ramos gets the day of play started. Trevor plays tug-of-war with Ramos' shoelaces and jeans leg. Jessica lounges on a cushion. They munch organic biscuits and hang with friends. Ramos organizes parties when the dogs celebrate their birthdays. They sing, eat cake and hand out party favors. ($33 per day, per dog)

3 p.m.: At the spa

Judy Regusa bathes and fluffs the pups once a week. "They get a royal treatment," she said, which includes a manicure/pedicure, mini-massage, a sudsy scrub in a mix of soothing botanical shampoos, a brush and blow-out under a high-power dryer to fluff their fur, a spritz of salon quality product designed to bring out the shine in their coats and finally, an overall spray of pooch-safe cologne. Ooh la la.

4 p.m.: In the stylist's chair

Groomer Walter Prince takes over. There are no clipper buzz cuts at Doggie-Do. The dogs are cut almost entirely with scissors, so the shape of Jessica's face and her puffy "Don King do" is more precise and Trevor's legs go from shaggy limbs to perfect cylinders. When it comes to grooming, Trevor and Jessica are "old pros," Prince said. He gives Trevor a "Teddy bear head" and Jessica gets the close, short cut appropriate for an older girl still on the go she is nearly 16. (Bath/grooming session: $85 per dog)

5:30 p.m.: Dinner reservations

Another dog walker arrives to chauffeur the gussied-up pups home. Again, they don their designer winter duds and trek back to their digs while pop Binder closes up shop at Doggie-Do. On his way home, Binder grabs dinner for the dogs. Organic, freeze-dried dog steaks from Stella & Chewy ($15) and a rotisserie chicken from Citarella ($15). Then they watch TV.

After a full day of primping, and about $800 later the dogs are blown-out, blinged-out, dressed to the nines, and ready for it to start all over again tomorrow.

(Note: Some are periodic costs, like the clothes, but these fashion-savvy dogs do keep up with the trends, so the couture buys are frequent.)