We believe bike and run specialty retailers, as a group, should merchandise their stores with more care. Proper merchandising starts with the shop dog.

The dog comes before the Pasquini Cappuccino machine or the saddle-tone leather sofa. Okay, the sofa comes first so that the dog can feel right at home.

I was at Pacific Cycle and Triathlon, in Stamford, CT, last month for a Slowtwitch Road Show. These people have a GURU fit bike. Good. They have a rockin' Computrainer studio. Better. They treated Sunday morning Slowtwitchers to a Bloody Mary bar. Necessary. Best yet are Linus (the yellow lab) and Paco, who are an inseparable pair. I could have published a gallery of pics just of these two.

Meet Tank, a 2-year old English Bulldog. Tank is the shop dog at Amphibian Multisport in Libertyville, Illinois. I met Kristin Taylor this past weekend, who drove a 2.5hr round trip to request in person that she and husband Marty host a Slowtwitch Road Show at their shop next year. I'm inclined in that direction because of the thoughtful effort and because I'd get to meet Tank.

"Echo rules the roost here at Bike Surgeon," says Echo's owner. This Shiloh, Illinois shop, "puts up a post of the latest eTAP equipped hot rod and gets 20 likes, puts up a post of Echo and gets 200!"

Inside Out Sports in Cary, North Carolina has the Cid Cardosos, both Junior and Senior. Inside Out Sports in Charlotte counters (effectively) with Snoop, the 2-year old Aussie Shepherd.

Zurri hangs at 51 Speedshop Indy with owner Dave Ripley. I'm advised that Zurri has a tongue like a frog and if your face is in range you'll certainly be slobbered.

Naperville Running Company in the West Chicago suburbs might be the most respected tech running store in the country. This is partly due to owner Kris Hartner, and partly to shop dog Bebe.

I love this dog! This is half-yellow-lab, half-pit-bull Lola at 18 months. This shelter dog rescued South Lake Bike & Tri (Minneola, FL) owner Brett Schaeffer. Notice Lola's CAT 5 tattoo.

Overlook Mountain Bikes in Woodstock, NY, accessorized in the correct order. They got the saddle-tone couch, then they got their Rottweiler and Australian Shepard mix Lola (popular shop dog name), and most recently they got a new Purely Custom fit bike to go with their new designations as F.I.S.T.-Certified bike fitters.

Sweetpea has a dog bed. Two, in fact. I've seen pics of them. But nothing quite feels like a pile of old blown bike tubes (don't knock it 'til you've tried it). You'll find Sweetpea at Big Shark in St. Louis.

At Pro Cycle & Tri in Fairhope, AL they've got a zoo masquerading as a bike shop, from Fabulous Fabian CATcellara to a number of dogs (like this one, getting a scrub). I'm not sure but I think this is Mr. Frank, aka "The Doodle." He's afraid of bikes, by the way, which of course is why he's a bike shop dog.

I saved this for last because, come on! There's nothing like a dog and his boy. Meet Cody, the yellow lab at Two Wheel Jones in Gilbert, AZ. Cody is one of 2 shop dogs here.

So concludes Shop Dogs Part 1. Shop Dogs Part 2 will include Shop Cats.