There is a trend underway as pet owners treat their pets to all manner of spa treatments usually reserved for humans. Pet spas are increasingly opening up across the country, offering services such as pet massages, joint therapy, aromatherapy, acupuncture, dyed fur, and peticures - as in having one's claws and nails buffed and painted.

Fashionista Victoria Beckham has been showing off her bulldog Coco's hot pink manicured nails in interviews lately.

And while it isn't become a trend yet, by next year we might see dogs and cats getting ear piercings at the rate things are going.

And as we know, when a celebrity starts a trend, the public is sure to follow. Painting dog and cat nails with non-toxic nail polish has become a trend, and one veterinarian even came up with a stylish way to keep the claws from scratching the furniture. He developed little colourful caps for the nails that are applied with adhesive (see http://www.softpaws.com).

Dina Leclerc, co-owner and founder of Spaws in Montreal, opened her luxury pet spa and daycare four years ago, but with a twist. The long-time animal lover wanted to offer an alternative to the old-fashioned kennels of yesteryear, but still be affordable to the average pet owner. She spent two years devising a business model before she opened in 2006, and she was at the forefront of the luxury pet spa movement. Leclerc studied progressive pet therapy techniques in the U.S. and England, and now offers a special form of massage to her fur clients, but she draws the line at painting the nails.

"In the States, it's very, very popular, and some places here do it," she says. "They want their doggy to match their purse or outfit.

Leclerc's Spaws is the rare spa to offer a rehabilitation pool for sore muscles and arthritis therapy. There is also a web cam service so pet owners can see what their fur kids are up to. That service

Her "condos" are made of ceramic, which is easy to clean. And the smallest size is five feet by six feet, available for $20 a night. A bigger condo for dogs that want to stay together is seven feet by 10 feet. There are cameras in the common areas to monitor the dogs and 24-hour staff on hand. There are small wading pools, and in summer, an outdoor water park. There is music playing at all times, as well as television sets. To keep the guests from getting stressed, there are also calming hormones released into the air.

Another trick of the trade is something called a "thunder shirt," which is a special T-shirt that the dog wears to stay calm.

"As crazy as it sounds, we have noticed it helps the dog," she says. "They focus more. The thunder shirt does wonders. It's unbelievable."

As well, there's a special animal massage called T-touch that hits all the pressure points, an extra for her guests that costs $20 a session.

Meanwhile, near the Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, the Jet Pet Resort has recently opened and offers a deluxe package at $1,000 a night for pets. It includes the usual spa treatments, catered meals, Stanley Park picnic, limousine service, walks, and a casting of the pet's paw and photo album of memories. Cats have the option of a classic or waterless bath and 50 per cent off spa services.

Leclerc believes that pet spas are becoming more popular because people are having less children and regarding their pets more as family members. As well, they are becoming more discerning about where they want to board their pets when they are away. Leclerc knows from personal experience. Eight years ago she left her two young labs at a doggy daycare for three hours and later discovered that they'd been abused. To her horror, Leclerc discovered that it was the daycare's practice to apply a mild electric shock to dogs to keep them from barking. Her dogs were left traumatized, but Leclerc, who is a psychologist by trade, was awakened to the need for a truly caring full-service daycare.

"The pet is really a member of the family I find," says Leclerc. "There is that bond. I see when people come here, it's really like taking a kid to daycare. They call from overseas to make sure they're ok. From work they call. We take videos for them, to show how their dogs are playing."

Leclerc says that pet spas will only continue to increase in number. She hopes that they keep prices easy on the pocketbook so that pet owners don't have to risk leaving their pets with dubious daycares, such as the one her dogs experienced.

"We make less money, but by keeping it affordable we hope we can abolish that kind of place."