Luxury Italian brand Dolce & Gabbana has created a “scented mist for dogs” – and it costs upwards of $100, making it some seriously spenny puppy perfume. Outrageous price tag aside, is it really a good idea to be dousing our dogs in this, or any other, fragrance?

Fefé – named for Domenico Dolce's beloved pet – is “an olfactory masterpiece”, reads the brand's website. It features “the cocooning and warm notes of Ylang, the clean and enveloping touch of Musk, and the woody creamy undertones of Sandalwood” and is “a tender and embracing fragrance crafted for a playful beauty routine.” It’s easy to forget this is perfume for a pet they’re talking about.

Retailing at €99 ($108), the luxury fragrance mist comes in a green lacquered glass bottle, replete with a 24-carat gold-plated paw – just what every hound wants, right? Pampered pups also get a complementary dog collar with every purchase.

According to Dolce & Gabbana, Fefé has been certified by Safe Pet Cosmetics, is alcohol-free, “approved by vets”, and “enjoyed by dogs” – but it seems independent veterinarians are less convinced. Though it may not always be harmful, canine cologne has some downsides for pooches and their notoriously sensitive noses.

“This is entirely for the owner’s benefit, not for the dogs,” Daniel Mills, a professor of veterinary behavioral medicine at the University of Lincoln, told The New York Times. “Dogs have a fantastic sense of smell, and changing their odor can cause significant issues.”

“Overall, it’s a very bad idea.”

These sentiments were echoed by the senior scientific officer at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Alice Potter, who told The Guardian: “Dogs rely on their sense of smell to communicate and interact with their environment as well as the people and other animals within it. Therefore we advise that strong-scented products such as perfumes or sprays are avoided, especially as some smells can be really unpleasant for dogs.”

As well as potentially causing social issues and sensory overload, messing with a dog’s natural odor could mask underlying health issues, Anna Judson, the president of the British Veterinary Association, explained to the NYT. Smells can be indicative of skin conditions, for example, and covering them up could result in delays in treatment.

There’s also no evidence, of course, that dogs want to smell like ylang ylang, musk, sandalwood, or any other aroma. Ultimately, Mills adds, “we need to be far more respectful of dogs and their wishes.” 

So maybe cool it with the paw-fume – your bank account will certainly thank you.