Haute Dog!

Whether you’re a well-heeled purebred, an orphan rescued from a shelter, or a middle class mutt, you’re welcome at both Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom.  That’s right, these two department stores are dog-friendly and not just to our little friends who fit into people’s purses!  They even let big ole clumsy me in!

I’ve visited two of the Neiman Marcus locations so far --  their downtown flagship store and the one at the Shops at Willowbend in Plano – and I’ve been to Nordstrom at the Galleria.  All three trips were very good experiences and the staff and other shoppers didn’t seem to mind that I was enjoying a little retail therapy with them.  I got quite a few pats along the way from admirers and grabbed a little shuteye in the men’s shoe department while my he-human looked for a new pair of wingtips.  The only downside is that most of the malls attached to these stores are not pet-friendly, so you can’t plan to spend an entire day there and it’s definitely not safe to leave us in the car while you shop. 

My she-human did a little research and learned that the Shops at Willowbend in Plano is sort of pet-friendly, but only if you’re little enough to be toted around in a carrier or your human’s arms.  Even then you’re not welcome in their food court. 

Now it’s important that you’re on your best behavior when visiting these stores for many reasons, some of which are: 1) if you behave yourself, there’s probably a treat waiting for you (maybe a new Burberry collar or, in my case, a lovely little liver treat), 2) if you chew on a Jimmy Choo, it could cost your human a lot of bones to pay for the damage, and, most importantly, 3) you don’t want to be “that dog” who peed on the floor near the cosmetics counter and ruined it for everybody.  
So far I’ve been a very good boy on my shopping trips.  Admittedly, I did lose a little control and licked a boot on the sale rack, but I reigned myself in before I snatched a loafer from the display.  Thank goodness we didn’t go to the sock department or I don’t think I would’ve been able to contain myself.

My fashion tips for Spring 2014, you ask?  Well, I think Hushpuppies are going to make a serious comeback and houndstooth prints will be all the rage.


Well, I hope to see you out and about soon.  Just remember, be a good dog citizen so that more stores will start welcoming us in their doors.

As always, my review comes with the caveat that it's a good idea to check with the store first as individual stores may have their own pet policies.


Happy Tails, my friends.  Let's shop until we drop!