pamperedpuppy // luxury lifestyles for dogs

Sweet Dreams

Isn't it amazing how dogs always manage to find the most comfortable seat in the house? This can be problematic if the cozy spot happens to be your favorite leather chair, or on top of your gorgeous new Italian bedding. Pampered pups give little consideration to your fears about shedding and drool stains.

Helena Pechacek, co-owner of Bulldog Bed and Company (www.bulldogbedandcompany.com), discovered this rule of pet ownership the hard way. Her bulldog, Margaret Louise Potato, had an untimely upset stomach on Helena's new bedding. After cleaning the mess, Helena decided little Maggie needed a new spot to rest her furry head. But the average dog bed just wouldn't do. Helena didn't want to buy a frumpy-looking flannel pillow; she'd worked too hard on getting the interiors of her home just right.

"You spend thousands of dollars decorating your home. You need something to compliment your choices," says Helena. She knew that Maggie deserved a plush bed fit for a princess, but she just couldn't find anything regal enough for her pet.

For years, Maggie had considered Helena's bed her rightful spot for nighttime rest and midday snoozes. The pup wanted to recline in comfort, just like her owner. The ever-resourceful Helena decided to design a custom-made trundle bed for Maggie. Her design solution turned into a new business.

Her mother had taught her to be handy. A competent carpenter and seamstress, creating this bed was a natural extension of Helena's gifts.

She thought Maggie deserved a chic bed of the same quality people are used to. "It wouldn't make sense to Maggie that she shouldn't get her own furniture," says Helena. The bed was a delight for both pet and owner. Helena and a dear friend Pepper Mintz decided to see if they were on to something. Was there a market for high-end dog furniture?

After putting in a full year of research, they found a big gap in the market and agreed that there was a business opportunity for well-made dog beds. All the furniture out there for pets was dainty and tended to be pink. Helena and Pepper wanted furniture that would complement grown-up décor.

Once they settled on their business model and selected three designs, the two dog lovers (Pepper owns a miniature Schnauzer) set about developing prototypes. Bulldog Bed and Company is based out of Los Angeles, but the owners found China to be an economical choice for production.

The ladies split ownership duties of Bulldog Beds. Both have kept their full-time jobs and they tend to their company as if it were a child not a business. Helena, 35, is a writer and bartender and Pepper is in pharmaceutical sales. Helena's flexible schedule allows her to provide thorough customer service and dream up new design ideas. Pepper's background makes her the natural sales and marketing leader.

Maggie remains connected to the business in many ways. She tests all the prototypes and gives them the "paws up" before the beds go into production. Her image can be found on the company logo and her signature high-five move is shown on the website.

The beds retail for $199.99 on the company's website (before shipping and tax). There are three designs currently offered: Nights of Arabia, Pawdora's Box and Once Upon a Trundle. The Nights of Arabia is a canopy bed with a plump olive suede cover and pillows. Pawdora's Box resembles an antique trunk; the dark-stained wood is topped with chocolate faux leather and the lid opens to reveal a chest, the perfect spot to store doggie supplies. Once Upon a Trundle looks like a traditional trundle bed; underneath the mattress there is a drawer that slides open to reveal a place to stash treats for your pooch. Bulldog Beds will also consider custom fabric orders.

All the beds are made out of pine and held to strict safety standards. According to Helena, anyone can figure out the simple "tools free" assembly instruction. Helena is insistent on maintaining high quality in her company and she says she personally inspects each bed before it leaves the warehouse. The wood is triple heat stained for durability and imitation hides and skins are used to cover the beds (Helena asserts that no animals were harmed to produce the furniture). The covers have a zipper and can be laundered or dry-cleaned.

Helena and Pepper provide simple instructions for teaching a dog how to use the doggie furniture: "Sit next to the bed with a few treats. Gently coax your pet to get on the furniture and reward with a treat. Keep repeating until the little one knows it's a desirable place to be." Pepper and Helena also recommend locating the bed in a convenient spot where the dog likes to rest and relax.

Bulldog Beds are meant for toy-sized dogs, as they are the perfect size for the scale of the design. The best clients are Chihuahuas. Apparently they instinctively "get" the furniture concept. And remember while the designers kept safety in mind when designing these pieces, they don't recommend Bulldog Beds for pets with a tendency to chew furniture.

While a few high-end dog boutiques in Los Angeles carry the Bulldog Beds, the best bet is to order off the website where most styles are in stock and ready for shipment. Helena and Pepper have decided against owning a storefront for now, feeling that they can better service their customers via the Internet. The owners hope to grow their business at a slow and steady pace. There have been requests for doggie smoking jackets, collars and even pink beds! The owners are taking all of these product options under consideration.

Word of mouth has been a great sales tool for the business. Celebrities, such as Claire Danes, own a Bulldog Bed. The company is also getting good free press from a new television show, Related, where the show's pug frolics on a Bulldog canopy bed.

Sadly, Margaret has outgrown the original design. If business ever slows down, Helena will get to work on a new throne for her furry princess. For now, the Helena keeps busy making sure beloved pets have perfectly majestic spots to lay their furry heads each night. Helena's dream is clear; "I hope that eventually furniture for pets is not seen as unusual, but as a common as furniture for children."