No dog days for them

Lolita Harper

Rover is more than welcome to slobber, shed and drool all over these

chic chenille couches from Newport Beach-based Dogmopolitan.

Lex Gable and Brian Elparin, owners of the upscale furniture

company for dogs, said their business was inspired by their bulldog,

who “kind of has a slobbering problem.”

Guests would visit their Corona del Mar home, sit on their couch

and get a cheek’s worth of what Elparin calls “splooge” on their

pants.

“We thought he deserved his own furniture,” Gable said.

“He can slobber all over his own sofa all he wants,” Elparin

added.

And so Dogmopolitan was born. It’s luxurious creations, made of

velvet, jacquards, brocades and more, cost between $350 and $2,000.

Best described as “mini-couches,” the furniture can be custom made to

match a home’s interior, affording pets a perching point in the hub

of social activity.

This way, people won’t always have to shoo their dogs away when

they have company over, Gable said, or constantly reprimand them for

getting on the furniture.

There are more than 80 fabrics for pet owners to choose from,

making it hard for these canine couches to clash with the design

scheme, they said. Each chair and sofa are made domestically from a

sturdy hardwood frame and then upholstered with the material of

choice.

Drawing on the Elparin family furniture business and Gable’s

artistic abilities, the duo combined forces to launch Dogmopolitan.

Gable has the visions -- and personally inspects each piece -- and

Elparin keeps an eye on the bottom line.

“I am so picky,” Gable said. “They know they better make it just

perfect before they show it to me because I’ll make them do it again.

Not that the dogs are going to care, but we sell to people who love

to buy beautiful things.”

Dogma, a retail store in Newport Coast, carries the Dogmopolitan

line. Pieces can also be ordered at (888) 66-DOGMO or at

www.dogmopolitan.com.