Explainer: The craziest new pet products
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The Global Pet Expo is a showcase for the latest breakthroughs in pet health — and also a stage for the whimsical and wacky. In a purr-pet-ual quest to set trends for our furry friends, vendors presented more than 3,000 new products in Orlando, Florida, last week at America’s largest pet industry showcase.
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Diva dog
AnimalPlanet.com
Starstruck pet parents can turn their pooches into clones of “California Gurl” Katie Perry. A canine outfit complete with cupcake bra, blue wig and sunglasses is just one celebrity look that Animal Planet will be releasing shortly in its first clothing line for pets; other options include Jurassic-age monsters like the stegosaurus and the raptor. AnimalPlanet.com
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Pooch pop
An outfit called Pet Pop is marketing what looks like soda pop for dogs (actually it’s bottled Australian spring water in a variety of bright colors such as Betty Blu and Tiger Lily). petpop.com.aupetpop.com.au
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Doggie treats
To go with your Pet Pop, how about some Barksters — treats from Living Pet Products that resemble air-puffed crunchy chips for humans? They come in nine flavors, including alfalfa and chicken and sweet potato and beef. Instead of pooches begging for human snacks, perhaps pet parents will now nibble from the dog bowl instead (they’ll probably be better off — Barksters are low-calorie and made from natural ingredients). lovingpetsproducts.comlovingpetsproducts.com
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Security blanket
Hate to air your dirty laundry in public? Give it to your cat or dog instead! The Scents of Security is a soft toy that can be stuffed with dirty socks and other personal items. Pets won’t suffer from separation anxiety when left home alone because they have your scent to keep them calm and content until you return. petlinkssystem.comLennette Newell / petlinkssystem.com
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Fishing for talent
For those that prefer larger aquariums but are concerned that the fish are bored swimming around all day, the R2Fish School will teach your finny friends the aquatic version of soccer and how to nose a ball through a basketball hoop. r2fishschool.comr2fishschool.com
Desktop pets made an appearance at the Pet Expo. The Betta Box plugs into a computer via a USB cable to provide betta fish, hermit crabs and lizards with mood lighting options such as sunlight yellow and moonlight blue. aa-aquarium.com
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Jeweled jelly tones
The latest aquatic pet? Jellyfish. They are being specially bred in San Francisco and come in a circular aquarium with a specially designed water flow so that the jellies keep floating and appear to change color according to the programmable LED lighting. The sealed tank serves a dual purpose: It also offers excellent entertainment for cats. Jellyfishart.comJellyfishart.com
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Flown the coop
crazykfarm.comBackyard chicken products popped up all over Global Pet Expo, from state-of-the-art chicken coops to hen aprons, devices worn by hens to protect them from being attacked by roosters during mating. The poultry clothing comes in a variety of fabrics, from camouflage to pink. Then there’s the Birdy Bra: a supportive chest protector for birds suffering from crop stasis, a condition which causes the crop to droop — rather like pendulous breasts on women. It's available in sizes from A to double DD. crazykfarm.com.
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Pooper scooper
Talk about a super pooper scooper: The Pooch Power Shovel is designed to suction poop directly into a throwaway bag. This rechargeable battery-operated gadget is designed to work on any terrain and even deals with (ew) doggie diarrhea. petpowerproducts.competpowerproducts.com
Love your pets, but hate their shedding hair? The Zoinks is an upright vacuum loaded with tools, including a de-shedding blade that fits onto the suction hose so that it captures flying fur directly into the machine while you groom. Bissell.com
No need to flee from fleas anymore: The FleaVac is a suction tool with a patented nozzle that fits on to most standard vacuum cleaners and is designed to suction fleas and dirt directly out of the fur of cats and dogs. FleaVac.com
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Petcasso
Many doggie daycare centers around the country offer painting classes for pooches. Now Art-Casso painting kits let both Fluffy and Fido create a design for their own home dinner mat. The non-mess system produces canine and feline masterpieces in minutes. Artcasso.comArtcasso.comOnce you pooch has painted his work of art, you can hang it inside The Lodge, a dog’s ultimate home away from home that you can set up in the backyard. It has a balcony that can be customized with a pet drinking fountain, and a spacious interior that can be fitted with a flat-screen TV so that your pet can watch his favorite Animal Planet shows in the comfort of his own, er, dog cave. advantagemarketing.com
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IPup
For the techie pet owner, teeny T-shirts emblazoned Ipawd and IBark are available from IStyleOriginals.com.IStyleOriginals.com
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Keeping track
The Pet n’ Place is promoted as “a humane portable pet management system.” Fill this large polypropylene tote bag with books, rocks or up to 80 pounds of sand, then leash your dog to it. The weighted bag will restrict his movement, improve his behavior and stop excessive jumping. (It's surely designed for home use, because with an 80-pound dog on a leash in one hand and an 80-pound bag of rocks in the other, no outing is going to be a walk in the park.) petnplace.competnplace.com
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