They used to be a celebrity accessory as essential as a pair of designer sunglasses. but as we know, anything ‘in’ fashion can just as quickly go ‘out’ — as the owners of handbag-sized dogs can now attest.
Animal charities are reporting soaring numbers of ‘toy dogs’ — so-called because they’re so small — being abandoned as their airheaded owners discover there’s more to looking after man’s best friend than making sure you have his Tiny Paws faux fur coat perfectly tailored to flatter his pert rump.
According to the Dogs Trust, the number of toy dogs handed in for rehoming soared last year by 44 per cent compared to 2009. It’s the same story at the Blue Cross charity, where in the past 12 months 177 of the miniature animals have been found abandoned, compared with just 53 in 2006.
A dog’s for life: Celebrities like Paris Hilton, left, and Geri Halliwell set a trend for ‘handbag’ dogs, but not all followers found they could care for them
And come to think of it, it’s been ages since we’ve seen Paris Hilton in what used to be her trademark pose, snuggling up to her chihuahua Tinkerbell, both dressed in co-ordinated vile outfits.
For several years, female A-listers have considered no red carpet appearance complete without a furry friend. perhaps they hoped that some of that fluffy cuteness would rub off? (Or perhaps they simply had no one else to talk to?)
At any rate, the big hitters were all at it: Britney Spears and Madonna favoured chihuahuas, Kate Hudson had a Pomeranian, Eva Longoria a pug and Jessica Simpson a maltipoo; more recently, Cheryl Cole and Coleen Rooney got in on the act, with Coleen, memorably, dressing herself and her bichon frise in matching hoodies.
When I attempted to interview Geri Halliwell at a London restaurant in 2005, she ordered a fillet steak, and, when it arrived, started feeding bits of it into a cream handbag that I later learned contained Daddy, a Pomeranian in a jewelled collar. Geri thought it was cute — I thought it was unhygienic.
To service these pampered (others might say persecuted) pets, an entire bad-taste industry sprang up overnight. all the big design houses brought out some version of pet carrier: Portia de Rossi and Halle Berry reportedly invested in the Hermes doggie bag, while supermodel Gisele toted her pooch around in Louis Vuitton’s Sac Chien (around �1,400), and Ralph Lauren offered owners with more money than sense the option of parking their pet in a �11,000 crocodile satchel.
Celebrity dogs were squirted in Les Poochs osmanthus flower perfume in a hand-crafted crystal bottle (�1,400 for 4oz), had their toenails painted in ‘pawdicures’ and were married off in costly ceremonies to other bored (and probably neutered) pets.
Kennels swiftly rebranded themselves as dog hotels, offering their canine guests aromatherapy, massages and fitness suites. And, naturally, there was a new-found need for dog psychiatrists (Mariah Carey apparently sent her Jack Russell for sessions at �212 an hour).
No place for a pet: but Britney Spears thought nothing of taking her dog on the red carpet to face the pappazzi
And then, of course, there were the clothes. Paris Hilton, who adopts dogs the way Brangelina adopt children, had a miniature pink replica of her house designed to house her numerous canine companions, complete with wardrobes for the designer dog coats, Philippe Starck furniture and a ‘Chewy Vuitton’ bed.
She even launched her own brand of dog couture, Paris Hilton by little Lily, for those who wanted to ape her inimitable style: we’re talking denim miniskirts, pink snakeskin dresses and sparkly chokers.
All topped off, of course, with a pair of customised Doggles (that’s dog sunglasses) to don when the ‘pup-arazzi’ get too intrusive.
The tragic irony is that despite the untold fortunes lavished on them, such ‘handbag dogs’ are fundamentally deprived compared to their mongrel brothers, who are allowed to roam the streets.
Dragged to noisy movie premieres and concerts and confined to their designer handbags, it’s no surprise if they become stressed or snappish, even losing their hair.
‘People assume that just because dogs are small, they require less exercise and mental stimulation, but this is often not true,’ says Ryan Neil, Blue Cross’s animal behaviour expert.
‘”Handbag dogs” are fundamentally deprived compared to their mongrel brothers, who are allowed to roam the streets’
‘People pick them up, put them in handbags and kiss and cuddle them and they go along with it because they have no choice. Despite their size, they are still dogs and should not be denied the opportunity to engage in normal dog behaviour. These small breeds often have big personalities.’
What’s more, owners usually find that the expense doesn’t stop with the Hermes dog collar. Insurers say pedigree breeds result in higher vet bills than cross breeds or mongrels because they are more susceptible to hereditary conditions.
Tiny dogs tend to have liver and bone problems, not to mention low blood sugar. Pugs, a current celebrity favourite, often have breathing problems as a result of inbreeding.
And the fad for smaller and smaller dogs has only made the problems more acute, with unscrupulous dog breeders mating the weakly runts of the litter, and resorting to intensive puppy farming to meet the increased demand.
No wonder the RSPCA and other animal groups have expressed concerns about breeding practices that they claim border on cruelty. Small is not always beautiful.
Perhaps the final nail in the coffin for the handbag dog trend has been reports last month from vets in Chelsea (home to vast quantities of micro-canines) that hawks have been swooping down on small dogs as they walk in London parks, subjecting them to nasty peck wounds.
Faced with aerial assault on top of everything else, perhaps it’s not so surprising that modern celebs and their followers are turning tail and abandoning the trend.
And in these times of austerity, they are probably wise to do so. It is never a good idea to be seen splurging on designer gifts for a lapdog when people are losing their jobs.
After all, Marie Antoinette was an early adopter of the handbag dog trend (they were called sleeve dogs at the time). And we all know what happened to her. in fact, it’s said she went to the guillotine with her papillon dog nestled under her arm.
