COEUR d'ALENE - For 15 years, Pam Nordby was the face that greeted folks at Dalton Gardens Elementary.

The office manager worked with students, teachers, parents - or as she says, "the whole system."

She loved waking up each day and knowing the hours would be spent with children learning at school.

"It gave me something to get up for in the morning," she said.

When Nordby retired five years ago, she looked around for something that could match the satisfaction and enjoyment of her career at Dalton Gardens.

She found it.

In fact, she owns it.

Call it GoodDog.

It's a store, as the business card states, that offers "Good Stuff for Dogs!"

"A health food store for dogs, it's been called," she said.

From collars to leashes to flying discs to chew toys to dog treats, it's not just what dogs want, but need.

And good stuff for Pam, too.

"Here, I get to see dogs all day long," she said. "After retirement, it's the perfect place to be. It's a very happy place."

Nordby employs three at the store, 3115 N. Government Way, that opened three years ago.

She greets customers quickly and with a smile.

"How's the dog," she says to Jay and Merna Walden during a recent visit.

The conversation flows back and forth as the Waldens explain that Lilly, their Pomeranian, had become a finicky eater.

Dog food from GoodDog did the trick.

"She's eating again," Merna answers.

Diane Drake, a friend of the Waldens and Pomeranian owner, nodded. The Coeur d'Alene residents have been coming to GoodDog since it opened.

"They really work with you to get the right food for your dog," she said.

"They know what they're selling," Jay Walden added.

Nordby walks into the back room, where the shelves are filled with bags and bags of food, large, medium and small.

"Our favorite room is the dog food room," she said. "We're very passionate about the food we carry."

Brand names include Orijen, Taste of the Wild, Acana, Pure Vita, Skoki and Nature's Logic.

Nordby likes those, she explains, because they have ingredient names you can understand. Beef, lamb, chicken and pumpkin seed are listed on one bag.

"They're using things you've heard of," she said.

She studies food ingredients, and keeps reference materials handy in her store.

"There are a lot of interesting things you can find out about food," she said. "It absolutely is important we try to find out as much as we can."

On another dog food brand, the list includes potatos, peas, sweet potatoes, boneless turkey, cranberry, organic spinach, whole egg and chicken liver.

"Not chicken liver flavor," Nordby says. "Just like in human food, there's a lot of word play."

"Chicken meal, good, chicken by product meal, not so good," she said.

The health food runs from $40 to $60 or so for bags ranging from about 25 pounds to 40.

Absolutely worth it, says Nordby.

"You're getting a really food meal for them with the things that they need," she adds. "These are things you can almost put together in your kitchen."

GoodDog also carries frozen and dehydrated dog food, chew bones.

"I've always loved dogs, I've always had dogs," said Nordby, owner of two rescue dogs. "I don't always choose well for myself, but I choose well for my dogs."

Dogs are welcome to join their owners on shopping visits to GoodDog, which is open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday.

When Nordby opened her store, she wasn't sure if people would really care what was in the food they were feeding their dogs.

Turns out, they do.

"We are a very lucky business," she said. "Every day, we count our blessings."

Info: 664-4364