Small dogs, which have become the latest must-have fashion accessory for Hollywood types, can also get massages, hairstyles and, yes, even pedicures (with painted toenails) at the Cesar day spa for dogs on Main Street. While waiting for their dogs, pet owners can get their own massages and manicures.
Like their human counterparts, dogs must be on the guest list to attend the free spa. Unlike them, the dogs also get day care and consultations from Patty the pet psychic.
Cesar has been an official sponsor of Sundance for several years, but this is the first time the company has staffed a spa. David Manning, managing partner of LIVEstyle Entertainment, set up the spa; he says a company that makes gourmet food for small dogs is a good fit with the Sundance demographic. Events like the day spa are a way to market the company while giving celebrities and their dogs a break from the Sundance bustle.
"Celebrities and their pets come in and have a great time enjoying some spa treatments so they can both be ready for the red carpet at the festival," Manning said.
Most of the year, Alice Reis and Donna Smith live in Salt Lake City, train dogs and raise their beloved "westies" (west highland white terriers). Since that's the breed Cesar uses to represent its dog food, they've been invited to bring their dogs to act as "ambassadors" at the dog spa. Hope, Piper, Salty and Miles hang out with Reis and Smith at the spa for stints of up to several hours at a time, having their pictures taken with celebrities and playing with the canine clients.
They also do obedience demonstrations - "We who have dogs as a hobby appreciate it when other people have well-behaved dogs," Reis said. As of Sunday, they hadn't seen any bad behavior from celebrity dogs.
The women agree that dogs have become the new status symbol for celebrities. They've noticed that for men, a tiny dog is a "chick magnet," and for women, it's a purse-sized companion and symbol of style.
Fashionable people walk around town with tiny dog noses poking out of their jackets or bags; often, the bigger the celebrity, the smaller the dog.
The spa brings in some big names at the festival, who pack their portable pets along for the trip. Actress Shannon Elizabeth hosted a benefit party on Saturday for her Animal Avengers charity, which helps find homes for pets. The event drew Kelly Osbourne and Jessica Biel, among other celebrities, to bid on dog-related packages with clothing and other accessories such as Chateau Marmutt aromatherapy dog sprays and a designer Puchi dog-bag. Think diaper bag for dogs - you have to carry all those toys, perfumes and sweaters somehow.
