Jingle Bones! New York dogs set for merry Christmas

Spending on dogs has surged in New York -- a city famous for its eccentrics -- with doggie outfits, spa treatments and edible Christmas cards in hot demand this holiday.

Bones and squeaky toys? No thanks. New York's pampered pooches want cashmere and baby alpaca sweaters for Christmas this year.

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Spending on dogs has surged in New York -- a city famous for its eccentrics -- with doggie outfits, spa treatments and edible Christmas cards in hot demand this holiday.

New Yorker Howie Binder, a pet salon owner who has two dogs, said a "Rex in the City" craze in the last five years made New York the world's dog capital -- although there are no official figures to prove this -- and was big business.

New York dog owners love to spend, with cashmere sweaters at $100 each and alpaca sweaters from $55 proving to be the big sellers this season.

"My dogs have bigger wardrobes than most people," said Binder, owner of the Doggie Do and Pussycats, Too! store that offers grooming, day-care for dogs and upscale pet products.