For the first-time puppy owner, finding the right products can be daunting. Beyond offering shelves of puppy products, successful pet retailers recognize that they serve a vital role in the success of socializing puppies.

“We’re not just a pet store,” says Mort Brown, owner of Cindi’s Pets and Aquarium Center in Vero Beach, Fla., winner of the Pet Product News 2004-2005 Retailer of the Year award for industry service. “We define ourselves as a pet education and entertainment center. I stress to my staff that it is up to us to educate and to entertain our customers. If we can help educate a customer on the right puppy care, we can have that customer for 10 years or more.

Puppy care goes beyond finding the right leash or food bowl. It extends to socializing to ensure puppies grow up to become friendly, contented dogs.

“Puppies take work to raise,” says Nicholas Dodman, a veterinarian and director of the Behavior Clinic at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in North Grafton, Mass. “In many ways, they are just like babies. The more attention that you pay them as puppies and arrange for them to experience pleasant and happy circumstances, the more they will develop into happy, well-adjusted adults.”

Stephen Zawistowski, Ph.D., a certified applied animal behaviorist and senior vice president of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, based in New York City, agrees.

The more attention a dog gets as a puppy, the happier it'll be as an adult.

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“Puppies need to interact with you,” Dr. Zawistowski says. “If you think buying a product is a suitable substitute for spending time with your puppy, you’re wrong. Safe pet toys are important, but so is spending time each day with your puppy.

Play with your puppy with a positive purpose, and be his tour guide to your world.

That’s a goal embraced by Complete Petmart, a chain of 28 retail stores in the Midwest, primarily Ohio. The 300 employees attend training seminars each year that are taught by veterinarians and vendors knowledgeable in the best pet products. The chain’s 28 managers attend monthly training seminars.

“We want all our employees to be knowledgeable in pet care so we can better assist our customers,’ says Kim Rogers, a corporate executive at Complete Petmart 2004-2005 Retailer of the Year for employee training. “We want to keep up on the latest products that are best for pets.”

Retailers should remind customers that buying things for their puppies is no substitute for spending time with them.

Rogers and Brown work hard to inform their customers about the right ways to socialize their pets, especially puppies. They recognize the need to customize suggestions based on the breed, size and activity level of the puppy as well as the locale.

“We first find out if the customer is a first-time dog owner or experienced owner and then we start with nutrition,” Brown says. “We move from advice on food to dishes to grooming and then on to training.”

They recommend reputable groomers, dog trainers and veterinarians to their clients.

Rogers and Complete Petmart employees strongly urge owners to enroll their puppies in training classes to teach proper manners and basic obedience commands.

They help guide owners toward safe puppy products, such as flat nylon collars and stainless-steel bowls, and away from dangerous products, such as choker collars or plastic bowls that can be chewed.

“We want to make the experience of walking on a leash a pleasant one for puppies and help them think the world is a wonderful place,” Rogers says. “We know that bored puppies chew and destroy items. That’s why we recommend stainless-steel bowls. They are also easy to clean and don’t harbor germs.”

Puppies need safe spots to sleep. Retailers can help customers select the right crates and beddings.

“A crate is a big-ticket item,” Rogers says. “Rather than buying a crate that a puppy will outgrow, we tell owners about crate models that offer dividers that can he removed as the puppy grows.

The joy of toys ranks high among puppies. Rogers and Brown steer clients toward sturdy, durable toys that do not contain small parts that can be swallowed. They showcase interactive toys and the need for rotating toys to prevent boredom.

“What they buy or don’t buy is not as important as having us build credibility with our customers,” Brown says. “We strive to educate our customers on how to raise a well-behaved, well-socialized dog because then all of us in society benefit.”

Arden Moore, a freelance writer in Oceanside, Calif, has authored more than a dozen pet books.