Fashion house Dolce & Gabbana has launched a new perfume for dogs called Fefé — named for Domenico Dolce’s poodle — that has some vets and pet owners saying wait just a doggone minute.
The perfume, which costs $108 for a 3.4 ounce bottle, is Safe Pet Cosmetics certified and approved by vets, according to Dolce & Gabbana. The fragrance is 100% “gentle” and “well accepted” by their pets, according to a consumer test with dog owners.
However, not all vets are sold on the idea of perfumes for dogs.
“Dogs recognize themselves by smells, they recognize a person by a smell,” Federico Coccía, a veterinarian in Rome who holds a doctorate from the University of Teramo, tells ABC News.
Adds Coccía, “When the dog arrives, he sees you, wags his tail, but first smells you and then recognizes you because you are stored in one of his ‘smell drawers.’ Therefore, this world of smells should not be changed.”
Additionally, becoming aware of an ongoing dermatological disease can be problematic if dogs’ natural odors are covered up, according to Coccía.
It’s a debate that is bound to dog pet owners for years to come.