Catherine Nowak featured on Chicago's NBC News

Catherine Nowak the owner and founder of the upscale e-commerce dog boutique, "The Diva Dog" was featured on NBC, Chicago news, May 3rd, 2007. The news story "Some Spare No Expense To Pamper Their Pups" showcased the Pet Industry and the very unusual offers for dogs.



Catherine Nowak, owner of The Diva Dog in Colorado, knows all too well how pet owners want to spend money on their pets. She offers designer-inspired beds and toys, such as the Chewell No. 5 toy -- $12.95 -- as well as the Sniffany and Co. and Furcedes dog beds, which cost about $349 for a small bed and $400 for a large.

She also offers high-end items from Paris Hilton's dog clothing line and Juicy Couture. The high-end dog clothing starts at about $60 and runs to hundreds of dollars.

Nowak said she once got a call from a customer who wanted to spend $2,000 for an entire pet wardrobe.

She said that pet owner believed that their pet deserved the absolute best.

Pampering In Stages

Nowak also said pet owners fall in different stages of pet pampering.

An entry-level pet owner that pampers will buy a T-shirt or a diamond-studded dog collar. After the owner becomes more comfortable spending money, they move to the next stage.

She said that's when the human realizes that there is "an ugly dog bed is in the corner of their nicely-decorated home, and they need a chic dog bed" to complete the look.

After reaching that level, there is no turning back. Regular toys will just not do, she said. Instead, there is a need for martini glasses and Jimmy Chews shoes.

"If you are going to have squeaky toys lying around your house, they should be fabulous," she said.



To read the story at NBC, click here.