Hearts Melt as 'Misunderstood' Dog Treated to Private Visit to Pet Store

A dog who struggles to be around other canines was treated to a V.I.P. shopping trip by a New York pet store owner.

In December, Cait Cassagne opened Spoiled B**** Dog Boutique in Nesconset with the simple mission of "spoiling each and every dog."

"I started it as a little side business because I am just a typical dog mama who is obsessed with her American Bully," Cassagne told Newsweek. "People loved what I sold, but loved how I treated their dog even more."

With her mission in mind, Cassagne began offering private appointments to certain dogs and their owners. "One of my loyal customers always came in without their dog," Cassagne explained. "They shop around every time but never with their pup."

It turned out the customer's labradane, Raven, was reactive—meaning she responded to normal, common occurrences, including the appearance of a stranger or another dog, with abnormal and often excessive levels of arousal, i.e., barking.

With Raven's 11th birthday fast approaching, Cassagne was determined to do something to mark the occasion. "I knew I had to get her in the store somehow," she said. "So I went in early one day when the store was closed, and I privately opened it for Raven to shop for her birthday with no other dogs around."

Raven loved her trip to the store, and Cassagne said she was more than happy to host. "It was so rewarding, I knew it had to become a service at my store," she added. That's how Lucy, the dog in the video posted to Spoiled B**** Dog Boutique's TikTok, ended up dropping in.

"Lucy's mom reached out to me to set up a private shopping experience for her," Cassagne said. The store owner said she posted the footage to try to show a different perspective on reactive dogs. She added: "A lot of people don't even know what a reactive dog is. They aren't bad dogs, just misunderstood."

Various emotions are thought to trigger reactive behavior among dogs. Though fear is the most common, excitement and frustration can also play a role. What's important to note is that research suggests a significant proportion of dogs exhibit emotions of this kind. In 2020, a study published in Scientific Reports quizzed the owners of 13,715 dogs on their canines' age, socialization and behavior around humans, around other dogs and in new environments.

Around 73 percent of dogs were found to exhibit behaviors such as aggression and fearfulness. Cassagne said she hoped videos of dogs like Lucy visiting her shop help dispel some of the misconceptions around the word reactive in relation to dogs.

"When people hear reactive, they think it means the dog is going to bite them," she said. "But a reactive dog could also be a very nervous dog."

Lucy seems to fall into the latter category, though she appears happy exploring Cassagne's store. In the video posted to TikTok under the handle @cee_eight, she can be seen pursuing soft toys, picking one to play with and even enjoying a "pup cup"—a small cup of whipped cream.

Cassagne loves to see dogs like Lucy feeling at home in her store, but there's one thing she likes more than that. "What's even more rewarding is to see how stress-free it is for the handler or owner," she said.

She's posted several videos of these private visits involving reactive dogs with various behaviors. While Lucy's is by far the favorite, with 1.3 million views and counting on TikTok, Cassagne's ultimate hope, she said, is that each clip helps spread awareness of the realities of life with a reactive dog.

"More people have to understand that reactive dogs are not bad dogs," Cassagne said. "They just need some extra help and love along life's journey!"

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our "Pet of the Week" lineup.