High-end shopping goes to the dogs at Newport Beach's Fashion Island mall

Welcome to Orange County's unofficial dog mall, otherwise known as Fashion Island -- an upscale collection of shops and restaurants in the even more upscale enclave of Newport Beach. Startling as it may be to out-of-town shoppers, dogs are everywhere, even inside Bloomingdale's, Neiman Marcus and Macy's.

The outdoor mall draws throngs of people and their four-legged companions of all sizes. Weekend crowds of pampered pooches sniff fountains, benches and each other.

In typical Southern California style, a flawlessly dressed woman glides by in black sunglasses, pink shopping bag slung over her shoulder, a white poodle tucked under her arm -- the dog coordinating perfectly with her outfit.

"Dogs have become the new kids," said Kathy Jones, manager of Muttropolis, a high-end pet store that's the focal point of Fashion Island's dog-friendly culture. "You tend to spoil them."

Such as the couple pushing their Chihuahua-mix Daisy through the shop in a pet stroller as they browsed for a new halter for her, killing time before the dog's turn with a pet masseuse.

"We usually take her with us wherever we go," said Gina Mirigliani, 30, an occupational therapist from San Pedro.

Some dog owners grumble that other malls bar pets, or that shoppers aren't exactly thrilled by puppy customers. The Grove, Los Angeles' huge shopping mecca, once limited canine visitors to 25 pounds but now allows dogs of all sizes -- as long as they're friendly, a spokeswoman said.

South Coast Plaza, the sprawling indoor mall in Costa Mesa, allows only service animals for disabled shoppers, according to employees.

But Fashion Island takes more of a dog's-eye view. One store staged a doggie fashion show to launch a doggie fragrance (yes, really), and arranged pet photo specials.

"Everybody loves dogs" at Fashion Island, said Joey Magazzu, 53, lounging at an outdoor table with his wife, Sandra, and their two Jack Russell terriers. The couple love chatting up other dog people and giving their pets the chance to socialize. "They need more places like this where you can bring your dog," he said.