It's a small dog's world after all

Canfield's Sporting Goods is inviting canines into the store as a strategy to survive today's dog-eat-dog retail world.

In this competitive economy, retailers need to stand out, said Rick Canfield, owner of the outdoor equipment and apparel store at 84th Street and West Center Road. And that includes allowing customers to shop with and show off their four-legged family members.

“It's really one of those inexpensive ways to get people in the store, and it's a nice thing to do,” he said. “We don't care if they buy anything or not. It lifts the spirit of the store to have them in here.”

It also could lift sales.

Since posting a sign reading “Dogs welcome — must be on a leash,” about a month ago, about 50 dogs have accompanied their owners into the store, Canfield said, and the owners have tended to buy things.

“Sometimes we'll have six, seven dogs on a Saturday.”

Employees provide water and doggy treats and request permission to take their pictures for a sort-of doggie guest book on Canfield's Web site. People who go to the site will see photos of Picasso, a 15-week-old Pomeranian mix, Peewee the pug and Emo, “the first Rhodesian Ridgeback to visit Canfield's.”

Last Saturday, Yogi, a Pekingese, ventured in with owner Jennifer Schlitter of Bellevue.

Schlitter said she bought the pup that same day from a pet store and then went to Canfield's with her husband, who needed boots. She remembered previously reading the sign that dogs were allowed and liked that she didn't have to leave Yogi in the car.

Canfield's employees treated the pooch like a king, Schlitter said.

“We had a really good experience,” she said. “It was really enjoyable being able to take him in.”

The dogs have behaved so far — none has bitten other dogs or people or had accidents on the floor, Canfield said. “There's no down side to this at all.”

Canfield came up with the idea after his wife, Sandy, commented that she wished she could take her three dogs into more stores.

Pam Wiese, spokeswoman for the Nebraska Humane Society, said doggie boutiques and national pet supply chains like Petco and Petsmart have long allowed leashed dogs to accompany customers. A few Old Market businesses and other shops do as well, Wiese said.

After making sure it was legal to allow dogs in the store, Canfield decided to give it a try.

“I put a sign up just for fun, and all of a sudden, people started coming in,” he said. “It's really become kind of an event.”

Canfield's caters to hunters, who generally own dogs, Wiese said, so allowing dogs inside makes more sense there than for, say, a kitchenware store.

Canfield's carries some dog supplies and toys, but those items aren't its focus.

“It's somewhat uncommon, I think, to allow pets into stores unless it's a store that specially caters to pet supplies and pets,” Wiese said.

Sales at the longtime Omaha retailer were flat in 2006 through 2008 but improved after the company changed its strategy, Canfield said. As destination shops such as Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's entered the market, Canfield's shifted its main emphasis away from fishing and hunting and toward camping, kayaking, rock climbing and snowboarding.

Sales increased 10 percent in 2009 and are up 15 percent in the first two months of this year, he said.

By defining a new niche and watching expenses, Canfield's survived the recession, he said. By welcoming dogs, he hopes to keep on surviving — and to have a lot more fun doing so.

“Dogs have magical powers.”

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Contact the writer:

444-1183, christine.laue@owh.com

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