Pomeranian gets Pampered at the Harrods Pet Spa

With all the stress of the holiday season, back to back shoots, endless parties and whatnot, I'll admit, even this diva doginista started to look a little rough around the edges. And that's no way to start a new decade. Thank god the lovely folk at Harrods responded to a tweet of mine that I was in dire need of a day at the spa and came to my rescue.



The day began with a much-needed full groom. My groomer was a lovely lady who really knew what she was doing, I don't put the fate of this face in just any hands. A delicious bath with two shampoos, I soaked up the luxurious suds as if in a doggy hot tub, it felt SO good.

 

Then the groomer stripped off some of my dead hair, allowing my luminous coat to shine through, trimmed my claws and cleaned between the paw pads. Then she cleansed my ears (sooo satisfying) and ruffled me up with a warm blow dry. Then my coat was styled according to what I usually like: puffy as can be around the tail and body, but neat and trim round the behind so as to avoid messy poo.

Rub a dub dub, Pommy in the Tub

Next came the pawdicure, much needed, might I add, all these photoshoots and press days, traipsing up and down Bond Street can really do a number on your claws. The relaxing pedicure lasted all of 30 minutes and began with a luxurious vanilla and milk-thistle paw soak, if only Mommy would hop to it and end all my evenings in this way. Then came the nail clean up, finished with my little tootsies being wrapped in steam towels to soften paw pads and a heavenly gentle paw massage. The treatment helps to heal paws damaged by gravel, asphalt, snow, salt-treated roads and hot pavement (not that Mommy ever deigns to let me tread on such un-glamorous surfaces) and the vitamin-enriched conditioners keep paws soft, making them less likely to crack.





Then it was time for my facial, my favorite part of the whole experience, literally, if Mommy doesn't schedule me regularly, there will be puppy hell to pay. The blueberry and vanilla facial began with a
hydrating facial scrub to cleanse, soothe and balance. The mask has a natural and gentle exfoliating effect, helping to remove dirt and wipe away the unsightly tear stains around my eyes that had built up over the weeks since my last groom. The treatment was topped off with a relaxing head massage, I was literally in doggy bliss--there's a reason Pomeranian and Pampered alliterate. 


The finishing touch to my treatment? SPARKLE! That's right, tis the season for pooches to shine, with red carpets to hit and parties galore, forget the NYE Snooki-drop, I AM THE NEW YEAR'S BALL. I opted for gold glitter (to compliment my blonde locks) and they coated my coat with shimmer spray  (non-permanent and safe for pets). I literally glowed from the inside out when Mommy came to collect me.

 

Now, the pet spa offers a whole range of treatments geared towards maintaining our canine fabulousness from the inside out. For my slightly chubbier peers, the Pet Spa offers a Weight Management Programme in association with Hill's Pet Nutrition. Offered in 30 minute sessions, overweight doggies sign up to a weight watchers type program where they must keep a food diary and pop in for regular weight checks.

 

The introductory session is followed by five weekly weigh-in and assessment sessions lasting from 10 to 20 minutes. So if you're resolution in 2011 is to shed those extra pesky few kg, there's also the personal trainer, who guides you through routine exercises to help slim down. Complete with a doggy treadmill (flatscreen playing all the latest in canine reality TV), not that I'll ever need it, but nice to know the option exists should I overindulge on the chicken in the years to come.

The other luxury of which I didn't get a chance to partake but will certainly be going back for? Doggy massage. And I don't mean Mommy's half-assed attempts to stroke me whilst watching Mad Men. No I mean trained professionals. The Luxury Canine Massage lasts one hour and is based on human Sweish massage, working to relax muscles and release soothing endorphins. Not just for pampering, the Pet Spa also offers rehabilitation for injured doggies with a qualified pet physiotherapist. And finally, I simply MUST try this, the Pet Spa also offers alternative treatments, namely, "Animal Communication and Reiki Healing." Reiki is a healing method administered by laying on hands, or by absenthealing, and channelling energy to the animal enabling them to heal faster. The introductory session provides an opportunity for the Harrods reiki master to learn about your pet’s issues and to begin communicating with your pet. A consultation with the pet owner is followed by 40 minutes of reikiand 20 minutes of animal communication.

To all my civilized canine friends out there (listen up, Mommies and Daddies), I say this: the Harrods Pet Spa is pet pampering at its finest, the way it should be, and there's a treatment for every doginista. These two years I've spent in London, I've longed for luxury of this sort, which is considered the doggy norm back in my hometown of NYC. I would recommend this spa to every and any doggy I know, and cats too. From wholistic approaches to classic spoiling, every doginista deserves her day at the spa. So if Doggy Santa didn't bring you what you wanted this year, nudge your parents gently in the direction of the pet spa, because at the end of the day, it's not just the pup that gleans the reward of a fabulous groom. It's a new decade, doginistas, time to get glam!

Click here to check out the full offerings of the Pet Spa and make your reservation today!

BEFORE

 knots behind my ears, overgrown body fur and shamefully un-pawdicured paws and shaggy bum

AFTER

 Radiant, fluffy and oh so fresh and so clean clean

Pomeranian Perfection