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Highlands Today

Pet Owners Bring Best Friends To Work

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By Bill Rettew Jr. | Highlands Today

Published: June 21, 2008

LAKE PLACID — 'Lynn Weber brings her 9-pound-dog "Fang" to work with her five or six days a week and was amazed by how many customers carry dog treats with them when they shop.

"I'm surprised I don't have the world's first 300-pound shihtzu," quipped the owner of tj's Leather.
Although Weber's shop attracts bikers from all corners of the state, almost every customer seems to know Fang, a 2-year old "biker dog" who wears a custom made lather scarf with studs.

"It's funny," said Weber. "Even the most hard-nosed biker who comes in here, they fall in love with him.

"He's like an icebreaker with the customers."

Friday was "Take Your Dog To Work Day." Many local business owners bring their dogs to work every workday and for them, Friday's designation made no difference.

Charles Stuart, owner of Highlands Jewelers, works side-by-side with Bo ("The Guard Dog") and Johnson ("The Customer Greeter").

For 28 years, Stuart has worked around dogs in a business setting.
"It has a calming effect," he said. "They make everybody happy. We're more relaxed and calmer – they're our friends."

At 80 pounds, Johnson, 6, a mixed breed stray, is anything but intimidating, even when he howls on command. Customers revel in Johnson's wagging tail and love for kids.
Bo, 5, was a rescue dog and stays mostly behind the counter at the jewelry shop. Stuart said he could count on one hand the number of customers scared by the pair of pooches – and no customer has ever been bitten.

"He looks tough, but he's a big teddy bear," said Stuart. "He's very friendly and lovable."
Gini Shevick owns Lake Placid Embroidery and More.

Harley is a 102-pound female rottweiler who gets dressed up for Halloween and to celebrate the canine's Oct. 17 birthday.

"She's one of the best doses of medicine or therapy you can have. She's as gentle a little Chihuahua," said Shevick.

Even busy Federal Express and UPS drivers visit the shop even on days when they have nothing to deliver, just to feed Harley a treat.

Molly spends working hours with Neyda Blake at the Tobacco Pouch. The 15 pound mixed dachshund and cocker spaniel loves to sit on the sales counter.

"She makes the customers feel at home," said Blake, about the dog who was named after movie actress Mollie Ringwald. People often say they came to see her but they really didn't' need to buy cigarettes."

Shop owners look to their dogs as security systems or as "watchdogs."

"If anybody ever walked in here and Fang didn't' like them, we'd have to call the police," said Weber.

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