ROME (AP) — Fashion house Dolce & Gabbana has launched a new alcohol-free perfume for dogs called “Fefé,” in honor of Domenico Dolce ‘s Poodle, but not all veterinarians and pet owners agree that it is safe or appropriate.
The perfume costs 99 euros (108 dollars) for 100 milliliters (3.4 ounces) and is certified for use on animals. It follows a Safe Pet Cosmetics protocol designed to ensure a level of safety of cosmetic products for animals comparable to that required for humans. Dolce & Gabbana said.
“By recognizing compliance with this protocol by Bureau Veritas Italia, the participating companies demonstrate their sensitivity in developing products that ensure the safety and respect of the animal, in accordance with the established standards,” said the company’s statement on the launch of the perfume.
Dolce & Gabbana’s new dog perfume is called “Fefe” in honor of Domenico Dolce’s dog and was launched earlier this month. It will be displayed in the window of the fashion brand’s boutique in Rome on Tuesday, August 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Bureau Veritas Italy is a publicly traded company that provides inspection, laboratory verification and certification services.
All dog owners surveyed agree that the scent is “gentle and well-received by their animals,” and veterinarians are also enthusiastic about the product, according to the company website dedicated to “Fefé,” which cites performance reviews from veterinarians and customers.
However, not all veterinarians agree with the use of perfume for dogs, as it can impair the animal’s sense of smell and mask bad smells that could be a symptom of disease.
“Dogs recognize themselves by smell, they recognize people by smell,” says Federico Coccía, a veterinarian from Rome who holds a doctorate from the University of Teramo.
“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,” added Coccia.
Coccia said that masking the dog’s natural scent can make it difficult to identify an existing skin condition. “For example, with sebaceous dermatitis, the smell kind of completes my diagnosis.”
“The smell of bad breath and ear wax is masked by the perfume. So this could be a problem even for us veterinarians,” said Coccia.
Among the enthusiastic users of animal scents are dog groomers who take care of the coat and aesthetics of dogs.
Aliof Rilova Tano, a dog groomer at Morgana Carpentieri’s salon “La Boutique delle Birbe” in Rome, said he was fundamentally in favor of using fragrances for pets.
“Our dogs live with us, so a little dog with perfume at home on the couch next to us is always nice,” he said.
Customers in the hair care sector often feel the same way. Customer Mariarita Ricciardi even said that she was in favor of “anything that has to do with natural fragrance… and that can also benefit the quality of the hair.”
However, there are also pet owners who would never perfume their animals.
“It seems to be a very exaggerated process of humanization, especially with branded perfumes,” says Francesca Castelli, a dog owner walking through the Villa Borghese in Rome.
