Walking up Spring Street in SoHo is always an adventure. No matter how many times we’ve traversed this avenue, we always find something new. Last time we were in NYC with the pups, we made our way slowly up Spring Street. Fiona and Shelby started picking up the pace and their sled dog genes kicked in. They are generally pretty sedate in the city as there is so much activity every where we go and they are overwhelmed with the many scents and sounds and sights which are so different from our suburban New Jersey home. Not so on this lovely spring day.

Rob and I were being dragged along Spring Street by our two strong dogs and could not figure out why. There were no pet shops in sight… Usually the aroma of kibble and dog bones drives them wild. Fiona and Shelby stopped abruptly and mysteriously at 120 Spring Street. They clawed and sniffed at the glass door, which featured the head of a skeleton. Intrigued? The girls had discovered a classic New York City hip and interesting spot – ‘Evolution.’

I opened the skeleton bedecked door while Rob kept the dogs restrained. They tried to barge right on in behind me. Ninety pounds of charging husky is not easy to hold back. The tiny store was packed with people and merchandise. Glass showcases lined both sides of the narrow space. The polished wood floors gleamed. Every shelf was crammed with fragile looking goods.

I asked one of the clerks if dogs were allowed inside, figuring the answer would be a polite ‘no’. After all, the place had an air of antiquity and looked like a museum. The man behind the display case smiled and told me “of course”. I was shocked. I leaned forward over the immaculate glass counter and confided that our two crazy canines had literally dragged us to his shop door, and had this type of thing ever happened before? He winked and told me with an enigmatic smile, “yes, all the time.” I shrugged at Rob and motioned our little pack inside, the three of them making a rather grand entrance behind me into the small shop.

‘Evolution’ sells science and natural history collectibles, artifacts, jewelry, and home furnishings. This translates into a dog’s dream store – bones, some reproduction and some authentic, animal horns, fossils, taxidermy animals, cow hides and much more that would easily fascinate and entice both human and canine shoppers. Fiona and Shelby soon made many human friends in the store but it didn’t keep them from sniffing at everything on the shelves. I watched them nervously, delighted to be invited into this curiously quirky New York City SoHo icon.

Fiona, in her puppy-like enthusiasm, jumped up with her front paws on a counter top which featured a jar of small animal penis bones alongside some very interesting jewelry. Luckily nothing was broken, knocked over or chewed upon! Who knows how much penis bones cost?! I sure hope they take amex…

When someone is nice enough to let your dog in his or her shop, I do advise keeping your dog under control, but accidents do happen. I was embarrassed and apologetic but the staff at ‘Evolution’ didn’t seem to mind one bit.

So you can add Evolution to our list of dog friendly New York City shops. They have earned the Woofus Seal of Approval for the very warm welcome they extended to Rob, myself, Shelby and Fiona!