The potter unmolds a freshly-made dog bowl. 

Just down a small, industrial-lined side street near the DeKalb Farmers market lies a hidden treasure, and one of the last of a dying breed: an American-made pottery workshop, teeming with wonderful hand-made items.

The better news? Most of their work is for dogs and cats!

Melia Luxury Pet is a family-owned business that started in 1992 here in the Atlanta area. At that time, Rebecca and David Volandt had a black lab named Melia, and that's how Melia Luxury Pet got its name. She's long gone, but the business is thriving. The first product to bear the Melia name was Southern Style Corn Biscuit Mix, which Bloomingdale's picked up and made a success. Next up, it was extra-tough tennis balls impregnated with bakers-grade spearmint, for a toy that freshened a dog's breath while it entertained him.

Then came the pottery, and that's where Melia has come into its own as a world-renowned maker of custom dog bowls, treat jars and home accessories. From raw clay to finished products, Melia does it all...there's a press to shape the bowls, rack space for the blanks to harden off, kilns for the first firing, a painting room where artists work their magic with slip, then it's back to the kiln for re-firing to turn the slip into the brilliant colors and patterns incorporated in the pottery.

And just when you think that there's nothing else that can be accomplished in this space, you see the flash of a welder working, soldering together the metal legs for the raised dog feeders. Yes, that part's made here, too.

Each item is designed for innovation, functionality and the highest of quality. Each bowl, jar, frame, coffee mug...every item...is inspected six times during the manufacturing process to ensure that only the best go out the door. Oh, and each one is signed by the artist, too.

Melia Luxury Pets products are sold in boutique pet-supply stores all over the world, but the best way for you to find them is here.  They don't have a retail location yet, but they're thinking about one someday.  Meanwhile, their website showcases their products and lets you personalize anything you wish to order.

So no more hiding the dog dishes before company comes in the door. The dishes from Melia are so beautiful you might find yourself redecorating your kitchen around them!

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