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August 13, 2024
Do Dogs Need a $108 Perfume?
In another example of pet pampering perhaps going too far, Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana has launched an alcohol-free fragrance mist for dogs called “Fefé” in honor of co-founder Domenico Dolce’s poodle. It costs 99 euros, or $108.
The scent blends “fresh and delicate notes of Ylang Ylang, Musk, and Sandalwood” and comes in a green lacquered glass bottle with a 24-carat gold-plated paw on it. Dolce & Gabanna stated, “It’s a tender and embracing fragrance crafted for a playful beauty routine.”
Pet perfume, often used by groomers, is a growing category, valued at $1.44 billion in 2024 and expected to reach $2.26 billion by 2034, according to research from Quince Markets Insights. The growth comes despite several animal welfare organizations and veterinarians having expressed concerns that strong-scented colognes may interfere with a dog’s heightened sense of smell.
Dolce & Gabbana said Fefé has been certified as suitable for animal use by the Safe Pet Cosmetics program, an independent vet organization in Italy. The cologne is applied directly to a dog’s body — avoiding the nose area — or sprayed onto a pet owner’s hands and then brushed or rubbed into a dog’s fur.
“We’re distributing Fefé right away throughout Europe, in the U.S. and then, little by little, we’ll expand; it’s already available online,” co-founder Stefano Gabbana told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. “The market has reacted well; everyone went crazy at the announcement.”
Fefé’s introduction pushes the envelope around what’s acceptable for luxury selling. Prada, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci are among numerous luxury brands in recent years that have rolled out pet ranges, including clothing, leashes, carriers, toys, and beds, to capture increasing spend around pets.
Bloomberg Intelligence predicts the global pet industry will expand by more than 45% over the next six years, surpassing $500 billion by 2030. The surge is projected to be driven by increasing pet ownership, particularly in emerging markets like China; robust sales of pet food; strong growth of health and welfare therapies; and the humanization of pets, according to Pet Age.
Some reports indicate that pet spending has recently tapered off as pet adoptions have fallen off their peak during the pandemic. However, luxury pet spending is expected to continue, as exemplified by the strong growth in human-grade pet foods as well as luxury pet hotels and spas.
Many households continue to consider their pets as members of the family and treat them similarly to their children. A recent USA Today survey found that 81% of American pet owners plan to buy holiday or Christmas gifts for dogs, cats, and other pets.
Still, some pet owners remain skeptical of using perfume on their pets. Francesca Castelli, a dog owner from Rome, told The Associated Press, “Especially brand perfumes, it seems to be a very exaggerated process of humanization.”
Discussion Questions
What do you think about the opportunity around luxury perfumes for pets as well as fragrance and cologne products for pets in general?
Do you see strong momentum continuing around the broader pet category in the luxury space?
Do Americans pamper their pets too much?
Poll
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I suspect that this is more about generating some publicity for Dolce & Gabbana than it is about trying to enter a new category for pet products. On that front, it has succeeded as I have seen a lot of chatter around this over the past week or so. That said, pet spending is a big and growing area as people look to indulge and humanize their furry friends. However, I think for a lot of people, pet fragrance might be a step too far for anything other than a bit of light amusement.
Given canine’s acute sense of smell – poor pooch! – I would think this would last a lifetime (and given a dog’s lifespan, maybe several lifetimes). What do I think of the topic in general? Those with money can – and often do – spend it on all kinds of inane things; but no, I don’t see this particular kind of inanity having muxh potential.
I am speaking at SuperZoo, North America’s premiere retail pet event, this week. SuperZoo is huge. I am sure there are many fragrances to be found on the show floor. Pups get pampered and professionally groomed every day, why wouldn’t groomers add a good smelling spritz as a finishing touch?
$108 isn’t a push for luxury consumers, but I’m not so sure about Fefe’s description: “It’s a tender and embracing fragrance crafted for a playful beauty routine.” Somebody at Dolce & Gabanna wrote that with a straight face!
Considering how sensitive dogs’ noses are, this sounds super annoying to the dog!
I was thinking the same thing Cathy. We are a big fan of our dogs, but I would never spend that kind of money on something that our dogs probably wouldn’t even like. However, for every unsual or eccentric (or escentric) product there is at least a small segment of customers that will find it it appealing.
Americans spent over $103.6 billion on their pets in 2023 alone, according to the American Pet Products Association. This includes everything from food and grooming to luxury items like (guess what?) dog perfume. With such a hefty market, it’s clear that pet owners are willing to splurge to pamper their dogs.
Using dog perfume can have several potential health effects on pets. Some perfumes may contain chemicals that can irritate a dog’s sensitive skin or cause allergic reactions. Additionally, strong scents might overwhelm a dog’s keen sense of smell, leading to discomfort or stress.
It’s also doubtful that dogs want to wear perfume but you will need to do a focus group with dogs, to know for sure. Arf! Arf!
I believe that dogs prefer to smell like dogs. I may be mistaken. It is unlikely, however.
A few years ago, I launched a mouthwash for dogs, which owners greatly appreciated. But it took quite a bit of trial and error before we were able to find a flavor or non-flavor that dogs would accept. Nevertheless, dogs preferred the mouthwash over toothbrushes and paste.
My belief is that dogs will resist the smell of perfume, so I will not invest in products containing perfume for dogs. Arf! Arf! Db
Dolce & Gabbana understands its luxury customers and realizes the importance of their pets as an extension of their sense of identity. The copy obviously targets the pet owner’s sensibilities and connections to their pets. Fefé and similar luxury pet products affirm the pet’s “humanity” and family belonging for the well-heeled.
There was also baby perfume that came out a bit ago. The sales volume just won’t be there for either one, but fine to have some branded fun if that’s what these fashion houses want to do!
If someone cares about their dog, why would they interfere with its sense of smell?
Dogs’ sense of smell is critical to their daily lives. It helps them learn, make decisions, recognize individuals, and gather information about their environment. Dogs have a more specialized and sensitive sense of smell than humans.
.
Dog perfume is about a selfish owner, not the dog.
The real question is do dog owners need their dogs to have an $108 perfume. If they do, it will sell. Fun conversation starter at the dog park!
This topic opens itself for a little fun so, here it goes:
Pet Parfume
Fido’s Fragrance
Dior for Your Dog
Kitty Cologne
That’s it…for now…
Has anyone consulted the dogs about this? This is a tongue-in-cheek comment, but honestly, I can’t help but imagine someone putting $100 cologne on their pooch only to have him rub in something disgusting he finds on a walk 10 minutes later. It reminds me of when my local pet store was selling bottled water for dogs because “‘it’s healthier for them, and they deserve good water.” My dog had a number of water bowls around the house, and he still seemed to prefer drinking out of a certain porcelain one regardless of what I offered him.
Well, it would be very easy to simply comment “this is stupid”, however, people are spending $ in this category so who is anyone to say this is wrong?
Paraphrasing F. Scott Fitzgerald “the rich really are different”!
QWrong? It certainly isn’t good for the dogs.
Our pets nearly have more “rights” than women in this country in the modern era. As a toy dog owner (or offender), no category has gone through a bigger boom post COVID than all things Pets! The world is on fire for this burgeoning category ranging from insurance, pet vacas, to bow ties. It’s brilliant. The world effectively FOMO’d owning a pet with “loneliness” became the diagnosis during lock down. Don’t hate the owners, hate the game! While luxury items for pets may exist in a narrow domain, the novelty is for pet related “Bling” has just begun. Especially as those with kids need less meaningful ways to spend their coins.