Image via per_anderson on Flickr

As a new pet owner, I am beyond obsessed with my new pup. What can I say? She's gorgeous, she's perfect, she's an adorable bundle of love and I'll do anything for her. And just like I won't wash my own face with just any old cleanser, my dog Violet also gets the red carpet treatment (she's a Product Fiend, just like her mom). If you're a crazy dog owner, then you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Thing is, there are lots of fancy dog grooming products available, but I have to draw the line when it comes to pet perfume and the like. Yes, sometimes I like to douse myself in Tom Ford's Black Orchid, but until my puppy learns to talk and expresses her undying love for Chanel No. 5, I have to assume that she does not wish to smell like a human (or a trollop, at that).

Seriously, I don't know where this whole masking your animals' natural scent trend came from, but the flower child in me thinks it's not cool. Instead of spending a lot of money on something my pup will probably hate, I just came across AvoDerm Natural Puppy Shampoo, an $8.00, 16 oz., natural, gentle, hypoallergenic, avocado oil and aloe vera-infused therapeutic wash formulated to help relieve scratching and itching caused by dry skin, and now want to invest in the company. It has a subtle, clean scent that doesn't make my dear Violet sneeze, and her coat looks and feels soooo silky and glossy after bath time (so very much so, in fact, that I'm considering washing my own hair with it, a la Mane N Tail).

Bottom line: Buy your little pet all the dumb outfits you can coerce her to wear, but please spare her the rancid doggy perfume and treat her to this gem instead!