With more than 65 percent of Australian households home to a pet, one of the highest rates in the world, there's no denying we are a nation of pooch lovers.

And also there's also no doubt that we see them as a memeber of the family rather than just a dog, with a study by

PIAA (Pet Industry Association of Australia) showing that only 15 percent of canine owners would reduce spending on their four-legged friends if their income fell.

The research also showed that before cutting down on their pooch's expenses, forty five percent of pup owners would look at strategies to reduce their power consumption; forty nine percent would cut down on their own essentials, thirty four percent would use more affordable products and seventeen percent would ever consider applaying for a second job.

So, it doesn't matter how you look at it, dogs are serious business, and small businesses are cashing in. Gone are the days of feeding your pup 50 cent cans of grounded beef, or throwing your pooch a dried up bone as a treat.

The last couple of years has seen an entire new kind of small establishments stocking, dog clothes, dog spas, and even luxurious pet accessories.

One such luxurious store is Australia’s small business, Life Health Max. An online-only shop, Life Health Max has a range of designer dog collars for your four-legged friends including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and more!. They also have high-tech products such as LED dog collars, GPS tracking devices, and no stink water-proof dog collars.

And the pet market keeps on growing too, from practical and useful items such as squeaky toys, slow feeding bowls, and waterproof crates, to the downright extreme; a $2000 18K gold-thread dog collar; Swarovski crystal leads that can cost up to $900, Roberto Cavalli-designed pet clothes and $100 bottles of doggy perfume called Hot Doggie.