NEW YORK (CNN/Money) -
This new brand of doggie diapers has a funny name -- 'Pee Pees -N-More' -- and it looks comical on a pooch. So could a puppy burp cloth be next?
Believe it or not, disposable doggie diapers are one of the hottest fads in petcare that debuted this week at Petco's 14th Annual Trade Show in Anaheim, California.
Over 400 vendors participated in the week-long event that showcased the new inventions in petcare and supplies expected to hit the market in the next six to 12 months.
Doggie diapers are one option when nature calls. On the other hand, if Fido absolutely prefers a walk around the block, you can use 'Poopiks' to clean up after him. These are lavender-scented, purple mitts, convenient for quick pick ups.
For man's best friend, life is certainly becoming more cushy.
Industry watchers say the pet industry is truly the top dog when it comes to spending. According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA), pet spending has doubled to a projected $34.3 billion in 2004 from $17 billion in 1994.
"Petcare is a high-growth industry. It's seeing about 6 percent organic growth per year," Petco CEO James Myers, said in an interview with CNN/Money. San Diego-based Petco (PETC: Research, Estimates) is the No. 2 pet supply specialty retailer behind PETsMart (PETM: Research, Estimates).
"This is an emotional category in the sense that people won't hold back spending on their pets because the economy is doing badly," Myers said. "Pets are an important part of the family and people like to indulge them."
One trend that Myers is seeing more of is organic food products for pets. "We're less active as a society in general, and that goes for our pets too. This has made health issues for pets become more important."
A few other trends that emerged at the Petco show included luxury dog houses, fancy travel cases, car booster seats and licensed apparel such as SpongeBob Squarepants sweaters for dogs.
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