FOR many women, shopping is a born right - a chance to escape from the everyday hustle and bustle and enjoy pampering and spoiling themselves rotten. And now dog owners in Great Yarmouth can do the very same with their pets as the town's first pet boutique shop opened on Saturday.

FOR many women, shopping is a born right - a chance to escape from the everyday hustle and bustle and enjoy pampering and spoiling themselves rotten.

And now dog owners in Great Yarmouth can do the very same with their pets as the town's first pet boutique shop opened on Saturday.

Posh Pup, on King Street, is high street heaven for pampered pooches, stocking designer clothing, collars, leads, beds and even doggy wine and beer - obviously non-alcoholic!

And in an era where pets have become such an important part of people's lives owners Amanda Hartmann and Clark Sim believe the business will flourish.

Already operating online for almost a year, Posh Pup has seen orders from America, Spain, Germany and Lithuania, and it's the popularity of the online venture which has prompted the couple to open a store.

Dog-mad Amanda, 23, said: “The online sales have been going really well and we are selling all over the place.”

The top floor of the couple's Rodney Road home previously acted as the business stockroom filled with boxes upon boxes.

Amanda said: “We have had a really good early response from customers. People can come in with their dogs and we have a sofa so people can try the outfits on their dog before they buy. When people go shopping for themselves they like to try clothes on - it is the same with dogs.”

Clark, 28, explained fancy dress outfits will be available to hire.

The shop stocks a variety of clothes from Disney, novelty t-shirts, football shirts and gowns, all different sizes able to fit the smallest doggies from Yorkshire terriers to Great Danes.

Posh Pup came about after Amanda tried to get one of the couple's own pooches - May, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - into modelling.

She said: “That is how we got to know about the designer clothing but I found it really hard to get hold of novelty outfits.

“This is a growing industry and it is already big in America. It is quite common now for people to spoil their pets, a lot are treated like children.”