The Pawprint Market has a six-member sales staff, but only two of them are human. Co-owner Vicki Hoch says Trixie, her 2-year-old Labrador, is one of the pet supply store's best salesmen. The other pups that help customers feel welcome are a German shepherd named Cole, a red Doberman named Fritz and a black-and-tan Doberman named Naughty.
Vicki adopted Trixie from Arkansas when she was a puppy. "She had nowhere to go," Vicki says. "I got very lucky, she's a good girl." Trixie often gets up to greet customers at the door with her tail wagging. "She does a lot of selling," Vicki says with a laugh.
Vicki and co-owner Jennifer Scott opened the Pawprint Market's doors in 2003 and have been at their location on the Boston Post Road for the past two years. They sell food and supplies for cats and dogs of all ages, specializing in natural and holistic brands that customers won't find in most grocery stores. They also sell collars, chew toys and pet-themed decorative items, often giving good advice on the side.
Jennifer has been working with animals for more than 25 years, so she helps customers pick out the correct dog food or toys. "She's helped a lot of people in town raise their puppies," Vicki says. The two women bring their own dogs to the store and invite their customers to bring their own pets in for a treat.
Though caring for a pet takes patience, the Pawprint Market owners say the rewards are well worth the effort. "You put the time in and you get out what you put in. We try to tell our customers that all the time," Vicki says. "When you have dogs here like we do, people can see that."
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