New and Established Pet Businesses Confident Despite Economy [Video]

While the economy may have gone to the dogs, local owners of pet-related businesses say they are confident that even in a recession, people will spend money on pets.

"People always seem to have enough money to spend on their animals," said Vicki Kocher, who manages a new store selling dogs called Puppies, Puppies, Puppies, which opened Aug. 5 at 742 Bedford Road in Bedford Hills. She reported that in their first two weeks, the store had sold seven puppies.

Jessica Riina, owner of , a new dog grooming business that opened last month at 45 Katonah Avenue, applied similar reasoning before deciding upon her new venture.

"I think people will always need dog groomers, said Riina, a former NBC photographer who changed careers over eight years ago. 

And though an established pet supplies store in Bedford Hills, recently experienced some construction-related interruptions to their business when it moved to make way for the , owner Joe Sanoguet said he's confident that his products and customer service will keep his loyal customer base coming into the store—even with PetCo's reported plans for an 11,000 square foot superstore just down the road. 

"Pet owners don't scrimp when it comes to the care and feeding of their pets," said Sanoguet. "And though I'm concerned about the PetCo opening, we found we are very competitive in our pricing, and I think our service sets us apart—I think we'll be OK."

Kathleen Tramontozzi, 39, a Bedford Hills resident who was shopping for a puppy Monday at Puppies, Puppies Puppies, offered her own theory for the confidence of the new business owners.

"I think people are making careful decisions on how to spend their money, and if you travel less and spend more time at home, you want to enjoy your time at home—with a pet," said Tramontozzi, pregnant with her third child and shopping for what would be her family's fourth dog.

The businesses are also looking out for each other, with new owners planning to reach out and refer business to one another. Both Riina and Sanoguet said they planned reach out to Lou Gaudio, owner of Puppies, Puppies, Puppies to see how they could work together.

Sarah Hodgson, dog trainer, said though she has seen the affects of the economy on the pet industry, her business hasn't suffered. (Full disclosure: Hodgson is also a Patch columnist). 

"Owning and caring for pets is a luxury—one that many are pained to discover they can't afford in this economy," she said. "I am very fortunate to have established myself...and maintained my following throughout this downturn. This corner of the world does seem more immune to the pains of the economy and are thus more likely to continue to spend lovingly on their pets. People in Westchester see pets more as children and are more inclined to take care of them as such."

Owner: Jessica Riina

Located: 45 Katonah Avenue, Katonah.

Riina said she hoped to draw customers who were either too busy to do their own dog grooming at home or those who wanted it professionally done. "If you try to give a dog a bath at home without the professional tools we have, you may end up having to shave your dog." For more information on Riina's services click on the video posted with this story. The shop is open Mon. - Sat., 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. and closed on Sundays.

Puppies, Puppies, Puppies

Owner: Lou Gaudio, partners with Susan Di Francesco

Located: 742 Bedford Road, Bedford Hills

Gaudio said he's been selling puppies for 25 years. This location is his fourth store in Westchester. He works with about 45 breeders and said he often hand-selects the dogs himself by traveling to the breeder. Popular breeds he sells include Yorkshire Terriers, Shih Tzus, Rottweilers, Poodle mixes and English Bulldogs. The dogs are kept in small pens and are free to move around; if a family wants to meet and interact with a puppy, they can do so in a fenced-in area. If a family is interested in a particular breed not available at the Bedford Hills shop, the "puppycam" provides a video link to the available dogs in other locations. All dogs are subject to health examinations and vaccinations by a staff veterinarian. They're open Mon. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. and Sun. 10 a.m - 7 p.m.

Owner: Joe Sanoguet

Location: 719 Bedford Road, Bedford Hills

The shop just completed a move next door after the CVS arrived in the Bedford Green shopping plaza. Sanoguet said the pharmacy construction begun in April brought some in-store flooding and damage, but they are finally fully operational and the new layout is more streamlined. They're now offering Orijen pet food, an award-winning brand. The store is open Mon. - Fri., 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and closed on Sundays.