Nobody likes a smelly dog in the summertime (or anytime for that matter). For your pooch freshening needs, Pepper & Tanky offers relief. This new brand of dog perfume uses natural oils and less alcohol so as not to irritate sensitive skin. The brand creators recommend that you spray Pepper & Tanky eau du parfum onto your hand or washcloth and gently massage or pet your dog. The scent should be applied after bath and can last several days. Today we are giving away a two-ounce bottle of Vanilla Woof, a chypre floral fragrance, with fruity hints and sweet vanilla. To enter the contest leave a note telling us about your dog.

Some other important details:

* To enter, leave a confirmed comment below.
* The comment must be left and confirmed before Friday, June 12, 2009 at 5:00PM Eastern Time.
* You may only enter once.
* One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
* One winner will receive the Pepper & Tanky Vanilla Woof dog perfume valued at $44.
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia.

See complete contest rules here.

This contest is closed. Thank you for your participation.

Expensive and opulent pet accessories abound for those who wish to spoil their furry friends including where they rest their fluffy heads at night. The Dog Pod by designer Glenn Ross is no exception offering contemporary design with a comfort and utility. Constructed from bent ply wood which curves in a "C" shape holding a removable and washable faux fur pad, the Pod surrounds your pooch and comforts it into sweet slumber. Size wise I'm not sure if they only accommodate lap dogs or big beasts but I appreciate the sleek design which will easily blend into any home's surroundings. Choose from a variety of finishes including maple, cherry, wenge, and bamboo or aluminum for an extra $100 on top of the $730 price tag.

A dog perfume you might want to spray on yourself? Pepper & Tanky is a collection of fine French, animal cruelty-free eau du parfum for dogs that use natural oils and less alcohol so as not to irritate sensitive skin. It comes in a couple of sweet scents Vanilla Woof and Peaches n' Cream as well as a pair that are more complex. Puppy Love is a bergamot-amber-jasmine blend and Big Dawg is a less floral combination of bergamot, neroli, lavender and musk. Pepper & Tanky is at upscale boutiques, pet-friendly hotels and pet spas and sells online for $44 for a two-ounce bottle.

Your dog doesn't have to go to a dog hotel like Chateau Poochie (shown above) to get the luxury treatment. Knowing how attached many of us are to our pets, these days many hotels are luring customers by offering treats for your furry friends. Dog massages, special dog menus and even a pet psychic are just some of the amenities on offer. Check out the complete gallery at Lemondrop.

There just seems to be something wrong about a fur coat for a dog, an animal that nature has already provided with a coat of its own. But for small dog without a thick winter coat of its own there is the chinchilla fur coat from Tails and Company. There are plenty of fake fur dog coats on the market but this coat is real chinchilla with a price tag that might be higher than what it cost to buy your purebred pup, $1,700. As the description on the website says, "or the person who has it all, we are sure that you don't have this." But is there something fundamentally hypocritical about draping an animal in another animal?

[Thanks, Angie!]

Traveling across the country with your pet has often left owners with only less than appealing options. Either stow Fido in the cargo hold of a plane or drive across the country with Fifi in a carrier. Finally, pet travel has a first class option with Pet Airways. Your precious animal can stay in the main cabin of a pet-only airline, without their owners, for just $149 and up! Fly them from coast-to-coast through the chosen inaugural cities of New York, Washington DC/Baltimore, Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles. Simply drop your pet at the airport Pet Lounge, where they will be cared for up to 72 hours in advance of the flight, track your pet's progress through Pet Airways' online system, and pick up your furry friend at the destination's Pet Lounge.This innovative airline will launch July 2009.

[via The Informed Traveler]

Your dog is an integral part of the family, there's no doubt about that, so it's no wonder people are always looking for new and fun ways to treat their pets to some luxury and show off their little personalities. The Weizhi Pet Collection features collars and leads for dogs of exotic skins like snake, ostrich, and crocodile along with accents of pure silver and jeweled hardware. Weizhi was founded by designer Zhoucheng Shi and is based in Japan, with offices in Los Angeles. $3000

I'm always on the lookout for interesting, functional products that (I hope) my cats will like and that won't make my home look junky. I recently found these cool corrugated cardboard cat scratchers at Design Public. Created primarily with recycled materials and with water-based glue, the scratchers/loungers are non-toxic and 100% recyclable. Several are from Elizabeth Paige Smith, others are from Marmalade Pet Care. See the gallery for the different styles and prices (from $35 - $320).

Here's a classy and simple cat condo by Purrplex that looks nice and should keep your cat happy too. It's like a 1-BR home for your feline friend -- bathroom, bedroom, dining room and pantry, all in one. Constructed of high-density plastic laminate on high-density 3/4" particle board, Purrplex's surface is countertop grade laminate that withstands moisture. Cats enter through two ports in the left side. The lower leads to the sleeping area, the upper to the litter box area and then another jump up to the dining area. The pantry has one adjustable shelf. Comes in Wilsonart Antique White, Black or Wild Cherry. Dimensions: 30.75" W x 22" D x 34.5" H. $314.95; also available -- different cushions ($19.95). Free shipping!

[Thanks, Raeann]

For pampered pets in modern homes there is this luxury pet bed. The Urban Dreams bed from UDX Designs is made of curved birch wood accented with a stainless steel plate. It sells for $845 in the large size when stained dark brown or $805 plain. For truly fancy pets you thrown in a faux fur throw for $145. The company also sells pillow feather beds and luxurious little fabric catnip pillows for fancy felines.

[via Cool Hunting]

Mija Dog Beds, manufactured by Wowbow and offered through the Swedish online store PID.se, offer a clean-lined, more modern look than many traditional pet beds. Crafted from 10mm thick acrylic and furnished with luxury faux suede cushions filled with shredded memory foam, the line is from London-based designer and dog owner Kim Bull, who got tired of dog beds emblazoned in plaids or paw prints. The bed comes in small (8,332 SEK = $911, in today's exchange rate), medium (9,723 SEK = $1,062), and large (12,505 SEK = $1,366) and in different colors.

Finally, some bling for cats! UK pet door manufacturer Doors4Paws now offers a Swarovski crystal-encrusted cat flap decorated with more than 1,000 crystals. The Hertfordshire-based firm sells a number of standard designs as well. Sarah Gildersleeve, Doors4Paws co-owner, told The Daily Mail, "We've already received a barrage of calls, and people are requesting all sorts of individual designs -- from getting their cat's name painted on the top to the crystals. ... At the end of the day, they're a bit of fun. There's so much doom and gloom these days. We want to put a smile on people's faces." £1,000, or about $1,407, based on today's exchange rate. Not yet available on the company's site, but check back -- the company seems to be just getting going.

The title of this post does a good job at explaining exactly what this product is: it's a very large, very pricey house for your dog. I would argue that it's really more of a kennel because it has both a 6' x 8' fence-enclosed play area with a separate sleeping nook that's actually the dog house. The exterior is Victorian-themed with gables, gingerbread trim, and darling little shutters on the windows. Be careful if you have kids -- they'll probably want to take it over as a playhouse! $4,300

Via Bornrich

A couple in Boca Raton, Florida, just took ownership of their new puppy, which just happens to be a clone of their old yellow lab, Sir Lancelot, who died last year. The couple had Lancelot's DNA frozen 6 years ago, and then paid $150,000 to have the dog brought back to life as a clone. It's the first time the procedure has been performed commercially.

I love my Maltese, but I don't think I would ever choose to have her cloned. I don't think I could ever look at the clone and not get a weird feeling! Someday I'll have to find some other way to cherish her memory.

A pet carrier for people who don't want to necessarily look like they're carrying a pet, this Ceramic Travel Doghouse looks more like a suitcase than a carrier. I like its crisp contemporary design, but can't help but wonder about two things: I don't see any openings other than the door, is there really enough airflow? And being made of ceramic and platinum, how much does the darn thing weigh?

I have to admit that as pet carriers go this one does have style appeal. Designed by Marco Morosini for Bosa, €670.

Via Bornrich