Luxury fashion house Dolce & Gabbana has unveiled “Fefé,” an alcohol-free perfume for dogs, named after co-founder Domenico Dolce’s poodle. Priced at €99 ($108) for a 100ml bottle, the product has been certified as suitable for animal use under the Safe Pet Cosmetics protocol, a standard that aims to ensure safety for animals akin to that required for humans.
While Dolce & Gabbana claims that both veterinarians and dog owners find the fragrance “gentle and well accepted” by pets, not all experts agree. Some veterinarians express concerns that perfumes may interfere with dogs’ heightened sense of smell, potentially affecting their ability to recognize scents crucial to their well-being. “This world of smells should not be changed,” said Federico Coccía, a veterinarian in Rome, emphasizing the importance of natural odors in diagnosing conditions like sebaceous dermatitis.
Despite these concerns, the pet perfume market continues to grow, with some groomers and pet owners favoring the use of fragrances for aesthetic reasons. However, critics argue that using brand-name perfumes on pets may be an excessive form of humanization.