It is very common in my area to bring dogs into all kinds of stores, including Bloomingdales and other department stores, and big dogs too, not just those little toy things. I don’t think I have seen any in food stores or restaurants though. Many of the small ones have their own strollers. All that I have seen are very well behaved, no barking or making a mess, I prefer them to the obnoxious children some people bring into the stores. 
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During Christmas while in Steinmart a lady had a cute, small dog in her purse while she shopped…It was quiet. Fine with me as long as I am able to take in my very polite and well trained Rottie into the same stores! But taking your dog into the Grocery store…really?!?..Course I find it tacky when people sit their diaper butt children onto the food counters at fast food places.
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In the last year I have started to see dogs quite often in my local grocery stores, including many not even masquerading as service animals. I adore dogs and own three, but it offends me when non-service animals are in the grocery store, and I’ve thought before about what a problem it must cause for people who have allergies, or fear/dislike dogs. They should not be subjected to someone’s whim to bring their pet in the store. The people who feel entitled to break the rules with their pets are causing huge problems for people with legitimate service animal needs.
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I see a few dogs when I’m out and about. Mostly at TSC and Home Depot. I think it is a very nice privilege especially if you want to socialize your dog. However, one must be respectful of others. I would never allow my dog to actually touch someone with their nose or jump on them. And cleaning up after your dog is fully your responsibility. Sad that lazy, irresponsible people ruin it for others.
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How do you know that someone’s dog has not cocked a leg on the bottom row of cornflakes?
There are strict limits on dogs here - they cannot go onto our buses, they cannot go into restaurants or pubs or grocery stores or pharmacies.
In Britain they are much more lenient and dogs can go into pubs, but just to the bar area, not to the eating restaurant area. I think if I was not a dog lover I’d not take well to a dog begging at my table, slobbering on my good clothes, etc?
If my dog needs socialising she can go to the tack shop, pet store, feed store, even the bank, and to nice friends who will let me bring her into their houses for training on a leash. Cannot see why some people have to push the envelope and in summer the dogs should be left home.
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You would know a dog had cocked his leg on the cornflakes because the box would be wet and a puddle on the floor. The owner would inform staff about the puddle and buy the cornflakes.
problem solved.
Owner would then exercise the dog before shopping.
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Ha! More like the owner would sneak out of the store before anyone noticed, and then a minimum wage employee who hates his job would be sent to clean it up.
I love dogs but they have no place in grocery stores. I’d be ok with them at restaurants if they were out of the way on a patio, etc. But as someone who served through University, a dog laying beside a table in a low lit busy restaurant is just asking to get tripped over. Even if they’re quiet and well behaved.
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Ehh. I do not see it except in the pet food stores and TSC. Never seen it in regular stores.
There are worse things than a dog. it is not climbing into the food so who cares. Kids are sometimes much worse.
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I went to a dollar store a few weeks back and while waiting in line I noticed an already dried pee puddle from a dog that had clearly been just left and ignored by the pet owner.
I also went to dairy queen last year and someone had brought in their yorkie puppy in a little cooler. Staff didn’t say anything, but some of them seemed to be friends/family with the person.
I love dogs, but I do think that indoor restaurants and grocery stores shouldn’t really allow pets. Not everyone loves dogs, some people are allergic to them, there are a lot of irresponsible people who let their dogs potty inside or allow bad behaviour.
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Dogs have less germs in their mouths than do humans. I love seeing dogs in stores. In europe, they are in restaurants.
The germ-y human standing behind you in a store is likely to give you a disease by coughing on you. The dog is not.
My dogs have better manners than 90% of children and adults we’ve encountered.
OP should not complain about a tiny dog in a cart, a well behaved dog not bothering her… Why get mad and post here about a nice dog?
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I’ll preface this. I love dogs. As a kid, I showed dogs in obedience; unfortunately, now I’m allergic to dogs. Unless they’ve been specifically washed with anti-allergen solution and skin soaked for at least 10 minutes, I don’t want to be near them or go where you they have been. It’s a physical thing. I haven’t had to be hospitalized for the allergy but that day could come any time. Touching a counter where a dog has brushed against it causes issues, especially if unwittingly touch my eyes or face. Saying “take benadryl” is naive.
As for germs, yes for the average person, dog germs and fecal trail will not cause a problem but anyone who is getting chemotherapy or who is immuno compromised does have to worry. Dogs NEVER belong in a pharmacy or supermarket. Those places are not a choice, they’re unavoidable cesspools, don’t make them a full sewer system. Most people with real service dogs are more aware of it and generally have thought about things like allergies and try to be respectful. Almost all therapy dogs I’ve encountered have not, including the jerk whose “therapy” dog keeps defecating in the grocery store aisle.
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How does your allergy to dogs express itself?
That think about the dogs mouth being cleaner, is a myth. I forget where I read it. but it was a vet thing I believe.
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Not only does a dog have less germs in its mouth than a human does it cleans its wounds with saliva. Ask your vet why dogs lick wounds. My cats have gone into stores on leash and are also better behaved than a lot of children. It’s all a matter of training.
I think any store could ban an individual who let his dog defecate in the store. A responsible pet owner walks his dog and cleans up before taking the dog into a store.
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In Germany (where I grew up) dogs are allowed in a lot more places and I often wish it were the same in North America. Especially in the summer, when it is too hot to leave the dogs in the car.
When I was a poor student and didn’t have my own car, my dog and I used to go on multi-day hikes. It was a fun, healthy activity for both of us. Would have been impossible if the dog wasn’t allowed on buses, trains, in cafes or restaurants.
It’s a different lifestyle, dogs are part of society and don’t get left home anytime there is a chance they could be an inconvenience to someone. It makes the dogs much more relaxed too, since they get used to outings and to other people.
That being said, they’re not allowed in grocery stores in Europe either.
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I was at the feed store today, where I always bring my Springer, Brandon, in (he made their FB page!) and a lady had her adorable baby goat in there on a leash. The only goats I have known were not house broken, but hey! It was a cute goat, and Brandon loved him!
I have no issue with well mannered dogs going anywhere with their owners.
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They are probably " comfort/ companion animals"( something like that) . Seems that people need them everywhere they go ( or they can’t cope) which is the reason the lady was not allowed to board the plane since her companion/ comfort animal was a peacock…
The dogs I’ve seen in stores are cleaner and better behaved than some of the customers.
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http://www.akc.org/content/health/articles/is-dogs-mouth-cleaner-than-humans/
I suggest you read this. It was proved long ago that a dogs mouth isn’t cleaner than ours, they just contain different bacteria. And virtually every animals saliva has properties that could help wound healing
That being said I would never let a dog lick my face, and if they lick my hands I wash them. Even the best trained dogs drink from puddles, eat rotten food or animal carcasses in the bush, and they all lick themselves “clean”.
And while a well trained dog may be better behaved then many children, most house pets are not well trained. Just go to your local dog park, do you want that mayhem in a restaurant or a grocery store? That’s a big fat no for me.
For what it’s worth my dog has taken advanced obedience classes and has her Canine Good Neighbour certificate. I only take her to pet stores though because she’s big and hairy, not good for anyone who is nervous around dogs or who has allergies.
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Yep. I’ve never had a problem with a dog being in a store, restaurant, or other public place. Human children, on the other hand…
…but they keep letting them in :lol:
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Service dogs are allowed everywhere, even the grocery store and pharmacy. What makes them any less allergenic or less fearful than a non-service dog?
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