Paws for thought

LALIDA VIRAVAIDHYA loves her pooch so much that she treats him much as she would a precious child. But for years she was thwarted in her drive to provide young Happy with quality bowls and toys, never mind ensure he had a comfortable bed in which to sleep.

That all changed three years ago when Lalida dropped into a trade fair in Hong Kong and fell in love with a range of doggy products that she knew would please her pooch. Returning home and receiving the nod from a happy Happy, she teamed up her sister and the pair came up with beds, bowls and other accessories that would make any canine or cat proud. Soon she was selling them online through her Coccola website.

“I love Happy and think of him as my child. I think our pets deserve the same quality as we enjoy,” she says. 

In March, the siblings opened a real-life Coccola shop on Thonglor Soi 5 and turned the space they didn’t need into a coffeeshop called Luscious.

Coccola – which is Italian for cuddle – occupies the first floor and is a comfortable space with white shelving and plenty of clothe racks.

Here Fido and Fifi can choose their own cute travel mattresses, detachable cotton beds and soft quilt blankets and even have their names embroidered on them for an extra Bt100.

The doggy dressing room boasts funky cotton T-shirts and dresses with graphic, flower and cartoon prints, bows and collars in genuine leather and printed fabric that come with a tag on which you can have your pet name and telephone number engraved for free.

For the gourmet canine, there’s a range of colourful toxin-free ceramic dishes, melamine holders with a removable stainless bowl and wooden feeders in different sizes and designs.

You can liven up your pooch’s (or kitten’s) playground with catnip toys filled with herbs, dolls and cotton rope 

 balls shaped to resemble animals, bones, rugby balls and cartoon characters.

“We’re concerned about pet health, so we use only toxin-free materials. We never produce plastic bowls because bacteria can become embedded in the scratches. All beds are made from quality cotton that is well-ventilated, soft and easy to wash. We’re launching a collection of shirts for male doggies and canvas bags that look stylish but are ideal for carrying a dog or cat,” Lalida says. 

Next week, Lalida will be releasing the newest selection of double feeders with stainless bowls that she says are ideal for the older and arthritic pooch.

 

 

DOGGONE IT

>>Coccola is situated at 111/1 Soi Thonglor 5. It’s open daily from 10am to 8pm. Call (02) 712 8225 or visit Facebook.com/Coccolapet and www.CoccolaPet.com