Top 30 Pet Trends in 2008 H1

People love pets, but some people love pets WAY more than others.  And that’s the kind of love that gives birth to innovations like the ones you’ll find in our list of top 30 pet trends in 2008. 

See you at the pet tanning spa…

This is one of many features in our new FREE Micro Trend Reports section.

Top 30 Pet Supplies and Trends for Animals

1. Pet Tanning Beds - Sunspa (GALLERY)

Do have you a miserable mutt, or an unhappy tabby? This may be just the answer to cheer up your glum four legged friend. The Sunspa simulates sunlight and provides a warm and soothing haven for cats and… [More]

2. Avian Aquariums - Fish Bird Tanks

As far as traditional pets are concerned, fish aquariums have become mainstream, as have bird cages.  But how about somewhat enclosed fish cage inside an aquarium?

The picture seems somewhat odd, and… [More]

3. Top 8 Great Dog Houses (SUPER GALLERY)

Think you know someone with a spoiled pet? Unless they have a luxury dog house or an extreme green eco-friendly house, think again. There are dogs out there who are really getting the royal treatment.… [More]

4. Glow-in-the-Dark Animals - Fluorescent Green Pigs (UPDATE) (VIDEO)

If glowing cats and fish weren’t enough for you, what about a set of glowing pigs? Yes, we’ve seen them before, but these green glow-in-the-dark pigs are said to be the best bred by the Taiwanese researchers… [More]

5. Monkeys As Children - Monkids (VIDEO)

If you can’t get approval for adoption or are an empty nester and still want a kid, there is another option: Get a monkey, dress it up, and treat it like a kid.

“More and more people in Florida and… [More]

6. Double-Take Animal Photography - Intimate Views by Tim Flack (GALLERY)

Tim Flack’s portfolio of photography is astonishing. He captures stunning images of animals using unexpected perspectives and extreme close-up points of view.  Flack’s photos of bats are genius, he… [More]

7. Animals Painting Unaided - Thai Elephants Paint on Canvas (VIDEO)

It’s really incredible what elephants are capable of doing with their trunks, but did you know that by sending them to art school, they can actually learn how to paint portraits of each other?

Thai elephants… [More]

8. Multi-Room Fish Tanks - The Silverfish Aquarium from Octopus Studios (GALLERY)

There is a more pristine and acceptable way to get tanked. Install the Silverfish Aquarium set up from Octopus Studios. Having fish around adds calmness and serenity while adding glorious natural colors… [More]

9. Pets on the Runway - New Year Dog Party in Tokyo (GALLERY)

If it’s become almost main-stream to dress dogs in human-inspired fashions, then why not host a fashion show for them? In 2007, we saw Pet Fashion Week take place in New York, but this weekend, Tokyo held… [More]

10. The Next LOLCats? - Fail Dog (GALLERY)

Meet Fail Dog, the most pitiful blog on the web. While LOLCats stars get all the glory and fame for their superior attitude and special language, man’s best friend gets nothing but FAIL.

The blog features… [More]

11. Oil Pooping Bugs? - Scientists Create Unlikely Source of Petrol Energy

Biofuels are expected to be a hot new source for energy, but oil-pooping-bugs?  It’s true.

Scientists at LS9, a Silicon Valley research firm, have been experimenting with this unlikely source of energy.… [More]

12. Extreme Dog Photography - Flying Puli (GALLERY)

Fee is not a mop! This a wild image was recently taken at a preview of a purebred dog show in Dortmund Germany. The Puli named Fee, a sheep herding dog, was jumping over a bar...the type used in the sport… [More]

13. Canine Mansions 2 - Doggie Dream Homes (GALLERY)

Believe it or not, this is a dog house that, in all likelihood, was patterned after the dog owner’s own house design.

Doggie Dream Homes will build a smaller version of a real home for dogs that may… [More]

14. Fake Animals - When Taxidermy Goes Awry (GALLERY)

You’ve never seen a rabbit with antlers?  I was told these odd animals, named Wolpertinger (Crisensus bavaricus), once lived in the forests of Bavaria. My German hunter friend said that before they were… [More]

15. Animals as Babies - Dog Backpack (GALLERY)

You’ve seen people strap their babies on their backs and on their stomachs, so why not do the same with their dogs? People treat them as children these days anyway, so it really isn’t that bizarre.

These… [More]

16. Four-Legged Wetsuits - Scubahuahua? (VIDEO)

It’s a given that most cats don’t like water, but did you know there are dogs that don’t like getting wet either? That’s why there is now a wet suit for dogs, specifically small, rodent-like ones like… [More]

17. Doorbells for Dogs - Pet Chime

I’m a little surprised this nifty little wireless device is not more commonly used, as the typical doorbell is not as easily accessible to most household pets.  According to comforthouse.com, it is possible… [More]

18. 1st Microsoft Surface Game - Firefly (VIDEO)

Just about everyone who’s seen the Microsoft Surface is captivated by its possibility, and eager to see more of what it does. I know I can’t wait to see it live.

This video shows a new game for the touch-screen… [More]

19. Celebrities Strip for Animals - Kimora Lee Simmons for PETA2 (VIDEO)

Kimora Lee Simmons is the face of PETA’s latest campaign against cruelty to animals.

The fashion designer behind Baby Phat and former model posed with a small dog, wearing nothing more than a set of… [More]

20. Kitten Rentals - Tokyo’s Cat Cafe Calico

A cafe in Tokyo, called the Cat Cafe Calico, has 14 felines in residence which people can hire to play with whilst they relax over a cup of tea! Sound odd? The shop is not alone in offering this service,… [More]

21. Green Eggs - Mexican Chicken Lays Modern Marvels (VIDEO)

A chicken named Rabanita from Huecatitla, Mexico, has become a local celebrity after laying green eggs. Rabanita has been in all the local papers, featured on YouTube, and on Televisa TV.

“My children… [More]

22. Hang Gliding Penguins - Washington State Lottery Ad (VIDEO)

This ‘uplifting’ ad for the Washington State Lottery suggests that anything is possible… perhaps even winning the ‘big one’?  Pigs aren’t flying here; but penguins, chickens and even an emu… [More]

23. Celebrity Animals - Rare Black Jaguar Cub (GALLERY)

Remember Knut, the lovable white polar bear cub at the Berlin Zoo? Now there’s another adorable baby animal on the scene. This tiny black jaguar cub is the third of his species to be born in captivity.… [More]

24. Dogvertising - VW Polo Singing Dog Ad (VIDEO)

We’ve talked about catvertising, but canine commercials are just as popular.

People love animals, some think they’re cute, other hilarious, but regardless of the reason, the point is, animals with character… [More]

25. Catartic Cures - Politician Cat Nip Toys (GALLERY)

I was appalled and delighted this Christmas when under my mother’s Christmas tree her deranged cat was tearing apart a stuffed Hillary Clinton toy.  What a cathartic cure for disenfranchised voters! Fat… [More]

26. Computers Analyze Canine Emotion - Better Dog-to-Human Communication

In a recent study of dog owners, who claim to know their pets, only 40% of the owners could accurately interpret their dog’s emotional state based on the sound of its bark.

Scientists in Budapest are… [More]

27. Capitalizing on Zoo Attacks - BokitoViewers (GALLERY)

Health insurance company FBTO saw a great opportunity when a gorilla named Bokito escaped from the Rotterdam Zoo on May 18 and attacked a female visitor who had repeatedly made eye contact with the primate.… [More]

28. Bathtub Aquariums - Even Moody Acquario (GALLERY)

Ready to play Little Mermaid? If your obsession with tropical fish isn’t satisfied by your multi-room aquariums, then why not try bathing with the fish in the Even Moody Acquario?

No, you’re not literally… [More]

29. Extreme Digital Reflections - Canon Optical Image Stabilizer Ads (GALLERY)

These print ads for Canon Optical Image Stabilizers simulate extreme digital photography… or at least I hope they’re simulated. It features reflections in the eyes of dangerous wild animals to illustrate… [More]

30. Robotic Toys - Inud the Robo-Dog (VIDEO)

Did you ever want a dog that doesn’t pee on the rug? Inud the Robo-Dog by Segatoy is for you. He responds to human touch, voice commands, and movement, and will even let you shake its paw.

At $270,… [More]