By Tom Momberg
A staple in the Bayside community for nearly a decade, Vanity Pups Boutique has been committed to pairing responsible pet owners with their ideal puppies and seeing them through their new responsibilities every step of the way.
Vanity Pups is a fully licensed nursery, and every puppy it sells has its required USDA, state and city documentation, shots, a vet checkup and a microchip. Most dogs come crated and paper trained, as well.
The owner, Michael Berger, has a longstanding history in the business, having started his corporation in 2000. He and his wife breed French bulldogs, and they work with a large network of breeders to bring healthy family pets to the people of northeast Queens and beyond.
“I worked in different pet stores throughout the years, and then had my own place by the time I was 30,” Berger said. “From the very beginning, from the time I was born, my family used to breed dogs.”
The nursery specializes in dogs, mostly teacup and toy breeds. But Berger said he works with families to find most any breed they are looking for. All dogs come with a two-week health money-back guarantee and the business stands behind all pets for a full year for congenital defects.
Vanity Pups, which also offers pet grooming and small-dog boarding services from a very experienced staff, as well as an array of doggy products, will celebrate 10 years this November at its Bayside location, 38-13 Bell Blvd.
Berger said customers have always come back, and referrals have built up his reputation as a responsible pet store owner. He said he loves serving the Bayside area, which is so central to Queens, Long Island and the Bronx.
“It’s all about customer service. You take care of the customer, and they will remember that,” Berger said. “When a customer purchases a puppy from us, the rotation is about a half hour. That’s because we want to make sure they can take care of the puppy from morning to night time. We always tell our customers, if they need help, call us 100 times a day. This is much more than a pet store.”
Most dogs are available for between $950 to $1,350 an adoption. Small-dog grooming costs between $50 and $60, but is also available for larger dogs at a higher price.
All new customers are eligible for a 20 percent first-time discount on dog grooming. And the 20 percent discount also applies to lifetime customers after they adopt a puppy from Vanity Pups.
Visit www.vanit
Reach reporter Tom Momberg by e-mail at tmomb
