“Animals are such agreeable friends – they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms” -George Eliot
During the past two decades while traveling throughout Europe, we have made many great friends~ and some were creatures of the warm and fuzzy nature. Dogs go everywhere in Europe – to shops, fairs, even restaurants. Cats are often a fixture at the antique warehouses and stores. Meeting and photographing these cherished creatures is always a fun part of our trip.
In the retail antique business the hours can be long and the job usually requires a fair amount of traveling. Many antique dealers we know in Europe live near or sometimes above their shops and the work is often shared by family members. So their family pets become part of their business family ~ traveling from store to store, greeting customers, checking out new arrivals and testing the comforts of chairs and sofas.
If you have visited our stores, you may have met our own furry family members ~ Louis and Zoie. They often greet customers as they come in and John jokes: “They used to be Wal-Mart greeters but got fired, as they devoured an entire isle of dog biscuits.” They are the two quietest Bichons anywhere; but I’ll admit we are partial. Louis and Zoie are great travelers and are very well behaved dogs, so just like Europeans we take them everywhere we go. Our puppies are great companions and often follow us around the store. They are exceptionally fond of my husband John ~ the “Dog Whisperer” who has an amazing connection with animals.
Now that our kids are grown and we are officially “empty nesters”, these little fluffy creatures taken a special space in our antique stores, our home and our hearts.
