Dogs used to play second fiddle to humans. Now more and more of us treatthem as well as we do our children. What's happened to us, asks Ed Power.

When it comes to pampering your pooch, Irish pet lovers have nothing on their counterparts across the Atlantic. The US is a pet's paradise where no owner's whim goes unfulfilled.

In New York, for example, "doggy hotels" are increasingly common. One of the best known is Biscuits & Bath, which boasts a dog gym and spa and is rumoured to number pets belonging to Kevin Bacon and Julia Roberts as occasional guests.

This luxury hang-out offers indoor lawns - so snookums won't get wet during walkies - parties for dogs celebrating their birthdays and organic menus. They'll also put your pooch on a vegetarian diet or a canine version of Atkins, if you ask. The hotel even sells its own brand of doggie mineral water, called Champ Pagne.

If that all sounds a tad understated, you could always drop your pet off at Bonnie's K-9 Corp, in Greenwich Village, which has a swimming pool for dogs - and, if they refuse to venture near the water, also offers massage and acupuncture.

Some US yoga clubs hold dedicated classes for dogs. At New York's Crunch, you can take part in combined human-dog sessions, achieving spiritual harmony while your pet connects with its inner pup.

Nor does the US lack pet apparel. Some cities have vast animal malls, featuring designer pet accessories at prices many of us would blanche at spending on ourselves. Stores such as Fetch, in New York, stock Day-Glo collars, industrial-chic coats, hooded tops and minimalist T-shirts - all for your dog.

The biggest sellers by far, however, are canine-carrier bags, which often cost up to several thousand dollars and save your pet the trouble of having to walk anywhere. Twenty years ago a pet was an animal you kept in the backyard, fed scraps to and played catch with. You did not fret about its psychological well-being or nutritional requirements. You certainly didn't dress it in designer knitwear or treat it to beauty-parlour makeovers. Many of us could scarcely afford such luxuries for ourselves, let alone lavish them on our dogs and cats.

Prosperity has triggered a dramatic change in our attitude to pets, however. Animal pampering is now a booming business, with dog-grooming salons and "petsitters" setting up by the dozen. Today you can hire someone to walk your dog, bring it on a countryside "adventure", restyle its coat and even dye its roots.

We are also increasingly attuned to the emotional needs of our pets. No longer is it commonplace for a dog to be left languishing in a small garden all day or to fend for itself when its owner is on holidays. Many city dwellers are opting for smaller breeds, recognising they lack the time and living space to properly care for large animals. It's a trend reflected in the most popular breeds for show, which in recent years have included the shih-tzu and the West Highland terrier. As a nation of pet owners, Ireland is maturing, cultivating a new, touchy-feely view of animals.

"Things have definitely come on a long way. Until fairly recently people only bothered getting a dog trimmed once a year, if ever. Now they're in every few months, demanding the works," says Bernie Noonan, who runs a pet-grooming service in south Dublin. "The works" usually consists of a shampoo, a coat trim, nail clipping and ear dewaxing. It costs between €30 and €50, depending on the size of your dog.

Owners are often surprised at how much they have to pay, according to Margaret Morris of A1 Grooming in Glasnevin, Dublin. "I don't think they realise how much work is involved. You've got to shampoo the dog. If it has a long coat you sometimes have to apply conditioner. And then you have to carefully blow-dry it. It is a long process. I think there seems to be a perception that we take the dog out the back, hose it down once and then let it run around until it's dry. The business is far more professional than that."

For many this is just a starting point. Some want their pets cut to a certain style, others request dye jobs, restoring colour to greying animals or enlivening a dull coat. They aren't professional breeders preparing for a show, merely pet lovers showing an interest.

"There's no doubt that we're becoming more Americanised in the way we treat our pets. We want them to feel good and to look good," says Suzanne Sullivan of Dogsbody grooming parlour in Donnybrook, Dublin.

A popular example of pet pampering is the practice of dog makeovers: trimming an animal's coat so that it looks as if it is of a different breed, she says. With a few well-chosen snips and a skilful blow-dry, a Yorkshire terrier is transformed into a West Highland, a poodle into a bichon.

And when not treating sir or madam to a perm or sprucing up their coat, we are spending huge amounts on their apparel, says Catherine Welsh of Baumann's pet shop in Stillorgan, Co Dublin. "Petwear has really taken off. Owners are very fussy about dog coats nowadays. They want them to be seen in the most stylish fashions going. We get big demand, particularly in winter, for all sorts of designer wear: tartan, fur-lined, rainproof, wax-jacket finish - you name it."

The pet-care revolution has even extended to kennels. With insulation and dry-lining standard, being banished to the doghouse isn't quite the punishment it once was. "Modern kennels are made from Scandinavian wood, which is totally dry, so there's no fear of damp," says Welsh.

Perhaps as significant is our growing sensitivity to the emotional requirements of animals. Giving deep thought to the inner life of your dog or cat would have had you laughed out of the pet store a few years ago. Today a pet's mental health is regarded as no less important than the glossiness of its coat.

"We are much more attuned to the fact that our pets have requirements other than food, water and the occasional pat on the head, " says Eibhin Butler, who runs Small Animal Care, a Dublin petsitting service for owners of rabbits, hamsters, caged birds and reptiles.

One result of this has been the advent of professional dog-walkers. Outfits such as Walkies and Animal Adventures, both based in Dublin, promise to bring your pet on a stimulating and fulfilling outing, with a guarantee of individual attention and a loving environment. They could be talking about a crèche. "People aren't as prepared to leave animals to their own devices as they used to. We know now that animals need to be handled regularly if they are to be happy," says Butler.

But some in the business fear that ignorance is preventing pet owners from treating their animals as well as they might. And they worry that, as demand for grooming services continues to grow, cowboy practitioners will be able to prey on our lack of knowledge.

"There is a problem with the public not being aware of the full range of services available and of a number of individuals getting into the game without enough training," says Suzanne Sullivan. "You get a few newcomers who will only be able to trim a dog's coat and cut its nails: they aren't trained to do anything else. As a result some pet owners may not realise what else is out there for their animal."

All in the pet-care industry agree, however, that our attitude towards animals has altered beyond recognition. "In the past the dog was thrown out the back and fed scraps," says Margaret Morris. "Now it's in the house and regarded as one of the family. Pets are treated almost like children today."