Luca for Dogs

Dog Personality Drawing

2011-03-10T19:02:00.000-08:00

Welcome our newest personality ad, Ozzy, our aspiring artist. He is much more free spirited than our venture capitalist, Bentley. Of course, Ozzy digs his Funky Mutt sheets, loves bones and good vibes. Check out Ozzy and Bentley up close and personal on our website at ww.lucafordogs.com/press.html.

Dog Personality Drawing

We want to hear all about your best friend. Is he or she a rockstar like Ozzy, a little more on the classy side, or an all out ham? Post a photo on our Luca For Dogs facebook page, along with the unique personality traits of your pooch (i.e. hobbies, favorite toy, bad habits, funny stories, etc.). All entries are entered into a random drawing to win a Luca Studio Mat. Deadline: 5/31/11- do it now!

Ozzy is featured in the spring issue of The Modern Dog magazine. Bentley was featured in the winter issue.

Sneak Peak at Spring Fabrics

2011-02-14T10:48:00.000-08:00

It’s my favorite time of year again at Luca headquarters. There is nothing more exciting than adding new fabrics to our current collection. The process takes several months and is never easy, but so much fun! It takes a lot of staring, many wardrobe changes, and then one day, the decision is final.

Criteria for choosing a pattern that is simple, sensible, and stylish:

1.) Must look stunningly gorgeous, regal enough to display, or just plain adorable.

2.) Preferably goes well with more than one lounge bolster. I love to mix and match. It's what Luca beds are all about.

3.) Washable and dryable fabrics are a must! Nothing more to say there.

Let the preview begin...
Here are a few of my personal favorites. Could you see any of these patterns in your home? Would your precious pooch look gorgeous on one of these beds? I really think they're fabulous, but I have enough dog beds, so what do YOU think?

Name That Print
Do you have a special talent for naming fabric? What feelings do these fabrics stir up in you? We would love to boast about your creative names, so please share.

What's For Dinner

2011-01-30T18:29:00.000-08:00

What is it about the New Year that kicks everybody into high-gear? While it was simple for me to get my priorities straight (at least for now), it was surprisingly a little more complicated to get my dogs living their best 2011!

Healthy, Affordable Food

I’m mostly talking about their diet. It seems to be what everybody is talking about these days: organic, raw, home-cooked, filler-free, the list goes on and on. I’ve actually been steaming vegetables for the past year to help my Pitty keep her girlish figure (post two ACL tears). I am committed to the cause, but wanted to step up the kibble, if you know what I mean. With all of the great choices, I was seriously overwhelmed. Is the most expensive really the best? How can you go wrong with middle-of-the-road? Raw food and two large dogs, I knew it wouldn’t fly. I wanted quality, affordable, simple food.

When In Doubt, Ask The Experts

Retailers, like Pussy and Pooch in Long Beach, are quick to recognize the confusion. They have launched an annual Pet Wellness Campaign, bringing in experts in nutrition and health. My Pet Naturally in LA, is also leading the way with great information on their website. It’s actually not that difficult to get quality information and quality food for your pets.

Ask the experts at your local retailers or vet. Plus, some great sites are putting together great content. Big box stores are carrying higher quality foods, but it seems the strongest opinions are coming from reps pushing their own products. You can certainly do your own research.

We all love making our pooch's day with a special treat or two. I like the colorful blog Phetched.com for their reviews on the latest treats and food. Dogster.com also gives a super-thorough review of four-legged foods.

Share Your Ideas

If you have a great nutrition tip, or nutrition website, spill it!

Lucky Dog: Ads That Inspire

2011-01-11T12:04:00.000-08:00

One of my goals this year is to get the word out about Luca Beds and our unique concept. Our first print ad was featured in the fall and winter issues of the fabulous Modern Dog Magazine. Whenever I see great ads, I always wonder about the process it takes to come up with great material.

I am fascinated with creative minds that capture the attention of millions with just the flip of a page or a 30 second spot. Here are a few of my favorites:

1. New Zealand Lottery's "Lucky Dog" My all-time favorite for dog-lovers.

2. Old-school ads from The Doggie Stylish Blog. These really take you back to the good ole dog days. How food has changed!

3. Hongkiat.com's 70 Creative Advertisements That Make You Look Twice.

As for the Luca Ad Campaign, we will run a series of ongoing “dog personality” ads via print, website, mailings, etc. Every dog has a story, right? Bentley, our “Venture Capitalist,” was our first dog personality. “Ozzy” the rock star will be featured in the Spring issue of Modern Dog Magazine - wait until you see this one! (Thank you, Deborah Lawrence-Templin, for your amazing talents.)

If you have a dog that you think is worthy of his/her own ad, send it in to kimi@lucafordogs.com. We will choose the winning pet personality, to be featured on our Facebook page once a month. The winner receives his/her own Luca Bed with extra cover, of course!

Gift Ideas: Make It Personal

2010-12-21T09:12:00.000-08:00

Since it’s holiday time, I couldn’t resist but talk about a few of my favorite things this year. In traditional Luca Style, they are all practical with a fabulous design twist.

Personalized Doggy Stamp

First, I love, love, love this personalized doggy stamp. You send in a picture of your pooch and it is transformed into a stamp for all your mailings. So many of our homes revolve around our four-legged family members, so give them a little more respect with their very own stamp. Stamping also saves on the hassle of making labels, which I seem to be scrambling around doing too much of the time.

To order, contact Laura Taylor at http://www.laurataylorstationary.com/ or email westport11@aol.com.

Modern Dog Gift Tags

Give your gifts a little pizzazz (did I just say “pizzazz”?) with these Modern Dog gift tags. You print and cut them out, my favorite part. Anything that’s easy, I love. I’m not the best at it, but when I receive a gift with a little extra love put into the wrapping, it does make it extra special. D.I.Y. Holiday Gift Tags are featured in The Modern Dog Magazine.

Runaway Train

2010-12-13T20:34:00.000-08:00

Most people who find out I have a business selling dog beds say, jokingly, “one day you just decided to start a dog bed business?” I usually say, seriously, “yeah, pretty much.” Then I proceed, with as few words as possible, to explain the actual reason why I dove into this little business of dog beds (not so little it turned out).

Why Dog Beds?

I began sewing sheets for my dogs’ beds about 5 years ago after realizing that I needed a cover that was easy to wash. It was a runaway train from there. Seriously, I couldn't get this fabulous idea out of my head. Slowly, I began to take it to the next level, over and over and over again, until Luca For Dogs was born.

People who know me know that I can become a little obsessed when I really want something. In my early twenties, it was a red jeep wrangler, and now in my thirties it’s dog beds. (With two kids in between.)

I honestly cannot live without my dog bed sheets, and that’s why I started Luca. I love my home, but I'm definitely not obsessed with cleaning it. I just appreciate when something makes my life a little easier. If you appreciate a beautiful home, don’t enjoy the thought of washing your dog beds, and most importantly, love your precious pets, you will appreciate Luca dog beds.

To read more about the background of Luca For Dogs, see our latest fabrics, and the dog who inspired the company, visit our website.

Above: Our most popular bed and fabric - Chocolate Lounge/Daisy Dots Cover.

Engineering Fashion: Details Matter

2010-12-06T22:20:00.000-08:00

I picked up the latest “gift guide” on the counter today. It was loaded with the latest winter gear. As I dreamt about the upcoming ski season, I couldn’t help but notice all of the engineering that goes into the ultimate winter jacket. Insulated, layered, lined and a lot more style than I had seen in years. I quickly switched from thinking about snow gear to dog bedding since the parallels were so obvious. Just like winter gear “done right,” Luca bedding leaves no detail behind.

Just like a ski jacket would be useless without an insulated layer, a fashionable dog bed is useless without a water-resistant liner. Check out the Bed Features section of the Luca For Dogs website to see how our layered bedding system is truly the “ultimate” bed for your furry friend.

Take Two at Superzoo

2010-09-13T06:47:00.000-07:00

I have prepped for months for the Superzoo show, and now it is here! A year has gone by since we debuted our line last year. Superzoo marks the start to a new year. The nerves settle in a bit as we approach opening day. Will it all come together as planned?

There is no doubt that our products will shine this year. Tons of beds, new styles and fabrics, and of course our amazing team is ready and willing to help.

Looking forward to major growth in 2010-2011, and this is only the beginning.

Booth #1675- Good Dogs Deserve Great Sheets

Two New Locations

2010-06-01T21:44:00.000-07:00

Two great stores are now carrying Luca Beds and we can't say enough about them. From coast to coast Luca beds are making their way into spectacular stores!

Pet Joy in Brentwood, CA specializes in grooming and pampering. They have been adding an amazing collection of boutique items to their adorable store in Brentwood Village, including Luca Beds!

Onblonde Pet Spa in Palm Beach, FL is offering only the finest and most unique pet products to their pampered pet customers. Onblonde boutique and spa is a brand new addition to the years of experience the owners have training, walking and pet sitting.

Spring picks!

2010-03-15T19:48:00.000-07:00

Two new fabrics made the Spring cut! Star Struck Chocolate (Alexander Henry) and Deer Valley (by designer Joel Dewbery) are our newest fabrics. Bring in the warmth of Spring with these two earthy fabrics!

Heading to the LA Textile Show this week. Plenty of beautiful fabrics await.

Modeling Debut for Sophie

2010-03-15T19:38:00.000-07:00

Superzoo

2009-10-07T18:03:00.000-07:00

A very wise person told me that my jitters about launching my business compare to the anticipation of childbirth. I’m happy to say that Luca For Dogs has officially launched or better said, has been born. We debuted the Luca Collection at Superzoo in Vegas in September. I say we, because it was a robust group of family and friends who were all in the delivery room with me. We were thrilled to share our collection with retailers far and near, while keeping our ears tuned in to all the feedback, which of course was off the charts good! Our coming out party was a success beyond words. Thanks to all who came, bought, browsed, or just took a mint. Found this book, appropriate for the occasion-http://smallbusinessprof.com/birthing-the-elephant.htm

About Luca For Dogs

2009-10-07T10:43:00.000-07:00

GOT SHEETS? Luca For Dogs brings you designer dog bed sheets that strip off and slip on in seconds! Our idea is simple, but our fabrics are off the "hook" "chain" "collar!" Our beds are made from recycled plastic bottles, and our nylon liners keep your bed protected for years. Check out our beautiful fabrics on our website to see why our beds are simply the best!

A Little History…
When my husband and I adopted our first dog, Sophie, 7 years ago, we dove right into doggy-parenthood. Sophie was frequenting dog parks, sun-basking at the beach, and soaking up all the love and attention a new puppy deserves. While she was enjoying her active lifestyle, her beautiful new dog bed was feeling the effects. No matter how hard we tried to keep her bed clean, it was never fresh for very long, and while most of our dog beds were washable, the bulky covers were difficult to get on and off. I was driven to give Sophie the fresh bed she always deserved, while making my life carefree and easy. The signature feature of Luca For Dogs is having two or three covers to rotate. Our beds are not just about cleanliness and sensibility but style and luxury. Now I am excited to bring all dog lovers my signature line of dog beds and bedding. I can’t live without mine, and believe me you and your best friend won’t be able to live without yours. Enjoy!

Kimi Proffer
Owner

How perfect is this dog!

2009-10-07T09:39:00.001-07:00

cut dog pic for beds, originally uploaded by kimiproffer.

Happy is so happy!