The Perky Puppy Named Best Local Pet Shop for 2007

            The Perky Puppy is a unique little pet store located west of Saint Clairsville, just off Exit 213 of I-70.  There are many things that make The Perky Puppy unique, but the most dominant is that they sell only puppies and puppy supplies; no cats, fish, birds, rodents, reptiles, or snakes – just puppies. “We make it our job to know puppies better than anyone or anything else,” stated Co-Owner, Vanessa Craig.  “We’re very honored that the Ohio Valley would vote our small business Best In The Valley.  We work hard and strive for excellence and are excited that our customers noticed and appreciate that.” 

            Store founder and co-owner, Jessica Barclay, has a long history in retailing pets in the Valley.  In 1986, she began Barclay’s Birds, which also included The Puppy Place and Kitty Korner.  She then left the field for a short time and in November of 2003, after self-evaluation, realized that the puppy business is what she was created for.  Barclay stated,  “Puppies are what I love.  There are so many people who don’t handle them properly, and I wanted to have a puppy shop that does right by the pups and by it’s customers.”  Starting with just two Yorkshire Terrier pups in the foyer of her home in Morristown, she began The Perky Puppy and has never looked back.

In March of 2005, the growing business moved to its current location where it offers a nice selection of 15-30 adorable puppies of different breeds, such as Yorkies, Shih Tzus, Poodles, Schnauzers, Puggles, Pugs, Boston Terriers, and more.  Trained and experienced staff of The Perky Puppy handpicks all of the puppies, from select breeders who have proven to meet their required standards of care.

            The cornerstone of The Perky Puppy is it’s website, www.ThePerkyPuppy.com.  The website has allowed customers all over the world to view pictures and information on available puppies at all hours of the night and day.  Although the owners refuse to ship puppies to customers by airplane and require that all pups are picked up, the website has attracted many customers from all regions of the United States and Canada.  “At our last count, we had customers who came from 21 different states including California and Florida,” stated Craig. “We also have a few pups in Canada.”

. Another unique characteristic of The Perky Puppy is that it is only open to the public from 1p-5p on Saturdays and all other hours are by appointment. The friendly and knowledgeable staff specializes in helping customers in the selection of a breed that is right for their family. “We talk with potential owners about breed personalities, exercise and grooming needs, and the care, training, and commitment required when adding a puppy to their home. We want our customers to be successful, so we talk with them in detail about important topics such as health issues common to breeds, veterinary requirements, spay/neuter, housetraining and obedience training,” stated Barclay. “ In addition, all pups are current on vaccinations and de-worming and come with a written health guarantee.”

To help ensure housetraining success, The Perky Puppy has assembled the “Perfect Puppy Starter Kit” which includes everything needed to care for a new puppy (crate, bed, shampoo, bowls, collar & leash, puppy safe toys, food, treats, etc…).  “This is our most popular puppy supply item.  It allows successful and convenient one-stop shopping for our customers,” stated Barclay.

The Perky Puppy recently took another opportunity to grow and better serve its customers.  In the summer of 2006, they acquired the neighboring property and remodeled the house into a fun, interactive dog boarding facility, Play-N-Stay Pet Camp, where the dogs have individual bedrooms (rather than cages) and get to play in supervised playgroups with dogs of similar temperament.  “This has been a HUGE success.  People LOVE to have their dogs spoiled while they’re on vacation,” stated Craig. “The dogs have a GREAT time and love it here.”

In addition to puppy sales and dog boarding, The Perky Puppy also recently added obedience training by a certified dog trainer.  “All training is done by appointment in private sessions with the trainer, the owners, and the dog.  This allows the owner and the dog to progress at their own speed and to work on the dog’s specific needs without distractions.  It also allows flexibility in scheduling for the customer,” Craig said.

The Perky Puppy continues to look for new opportunities to expand its services.  “In the future we’re hoping to add a small scale rescue operation/no kill shelter, as well as professional dog grooming,” stated Barclay. “Our ultimate goal is to offer our customers everything they will ever need for their four legged family member.”

The Perky Puppy can be reached by calling 740-695-4566 or by visiting their website at www.ThePerkyPuppy.com.  They are located at 67740 Airport Road, Saint Clairsville, and are OPEN Saturday 1p-5p (other hours by appointment).