We never tire of bringing you new and even stranger tales of Japanese pet obsessions. The latest over-the-top gadgetry meant to comfort Japanese dogs is called the Wan Love Yu. (In Japan, dogs are thought to utter "wan, wan" rather than the Western "woof, woof," thus many children grow up referring to dogs as "wan, wan.")

Created by IDEC Corp., the device is a microbubble generator that washes the skin and hair of your dog without the use of doggie shampoo. According to the company, the negatively charged microbubbles attach to positively charged organic substances, thus dissolving grit and grime and leaving your Japanese speaking pooch clean as a whistle. The technology is suspiciously reminiscent of the non-water, sonic baths of "Star Trek," so it would be nice if humans were allowed to get in on the soapless bath action soon, too.

Via Nikkei