pamperedpuppy // luxury lifestyles for dogs

A Beautiful Find

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It's no news that Americans are crazy about their dogs. But thanks to a new book from teNeues Publishing, Luxury for Dogs, it's apparent the insanity is global.

Luxury for Dogs (available at Amazon.com) by Manuela von Perfall is the latest in a series of "luxury" picture books (Luxury Private Islands, Luxury Toys, etc.) from this esteemed German publishing house. Adding dogs to the long list of high-end categories was a natural extension of the concept. As the author Manuela von Perfall puts it, "Today cynophilia has completely emerged from the closet and is running rampant." Apparently so. Since the July 2007 release, the book has sold close to 10,000 copies!

Teeming with gorgeous full-color photos, the book wisely incorporates five different languages into the text, guaranteeing to capture the increasingly wide audience for dog products. After all, Germany is leading the pack in Europe (they spent 3 billion Euros on 5 million dogs) on canine spending. Next in line: France, Italy and Spain. According to the author, Manuela von Perfall, "The thirst for cultivated dog propriety is gigantic and global."

Once you've given a proper look to all the gorgeous pictures - such as the splendid three meter high iridescent blue "Balloon Dog" sculpture from Jeff Koons - it's time to give the text a once over. The assessment: The book is fecund with doggie facts. With each new glance, you just might learn something new. For example, in China there is a dog dating agency called GouGou and in Japan there are more dogs than children under the age of 12 (12.5 million dogs)! Aside from fun facts and scintillating statistics, the books offers dog-lovers a round up of the best-of the-best when it comes to accessories, toys, fashion and more.

The one main criticism: The illustrations aren't attributed with the brand names, making it nearly impossible to track down these finds (to look up an item you have to troll through the photo credits in the back of the book) -- a major problem since upon finishing the book no doubt you'll be in the mood to whip out your American Express card.

Keeping up with puppy trends and furry fashion is challenging (the books reports the market has grown by 30% in the last six years). There's the "Puppy Love Package" at Harrod's department store in London where owners can splash out for a £2,500 doggie wedding with honeymoon included. Or how about the trend in France and Italy where canine dog stylists compete to win medallions for the best doggie hairstyle.

The mastermind behind the book is lifestyle author, Manuela von Perfall. She has a keen eye when it comes to weeding out the most stellar designs, such as the eye-popping, diamond studded "Collier de Chien", quite possibly the most alluring dog collar around.

Von Perfall's writing matches the whimsy of her subject matter. She deftly justifies the extravagance of a bejeweled collar by saying, "The collar is to the faithful dog what the cufflink is to the conservative man: namely the only acceptable piece of jewelry."

Never lacking in humor, the book takes a look at some of the wackier items out there for pups. Under the category of toys, there's everything from racy "panty" chew toys to doggie brainteasers to boost intelligence.

An avowed dog lover, the author grew up in Germany around dozens of dogs (her grandfather bred spaniels and sometimes there were 30 or 40 pups in her home). In her career as a lifestyle journalist and event coordinator, she's been leading the pack in Germany when is comes to promoting a high flying doggie lifestyle.

This woman definitely knows her audience. The author founded the "h.und" festival in Upper Bavaria -- a celebration of dogs and dog lovers showcasing some of the finest canine accessories and food available. Von Perfall aims to offer dog lovers enticing lectures and inspiring entertainment. Last year 7000 people attended and over 90 exhibitors set up shop (details at www.hundefestival.de -- German only). Thanks to her extensive network of those in the luxury dog world, she knew just who to contact to get the ball rolling when commissioned to write Luxury for Dogs.

With a tight deadline (she had only three months to complete the first draft), von Perfall got right to work. Her first task was, as she says, "to find the most beautiful, special and high quality objects in the world." Despite the grueling schedule, von Perfall never lost sight of the sunny side of the assignment. "I tried to make it a fun book... no taking things too seriously," says the author.

Once she'd gathered all her research, the hard work began -- narrowing down the options to the most exquisite and most outrageous. Finalizing the picks was the hardest job says von Perfall, "As soon as you close the book you find more and more and more... it is endless." When pressed for her favorite find, she chooses the outfits made by a German designer who sews special Bavarian clothes for dogs. Her favorite photos include those featuring her three dogs: Fidel, Nellie, and Chili Con Carne.

Luxury for Dogs is full of diverting statistics and canine lore (here's one more: it is said that in China during the Han Dynasty that Pekinese were breed to become small enough to fit inside a lady's sleeve), but what it does best is highlight all the wonderful and wondrous creations for available for dogs and their wealthy owners. If you can't hop on a plane and travel the world in search of these doggie delights, escaping into the pages of this book is the next best thing.