Bringing your dog into stores

I haven't taken Max into any stores. He might have been ok before getting neutered. He didn't love men, but he wasn't too bad. Post neuter he has hated men, so I can't do it. Plus, the stores here that I would think of taking him in say no dogs. The Home Depot here says no dogs, but i've seen small dogs in there. Mostly I see small dogs in carriers, and nobody cares. I don't think I would get away with a big dog in the same places.
I have however seen a dog around college campuses. I saw a puppy once at the community college I went to. It was in the building. I also just saw an Irish Setter puppy in one of the buildings on campus where I go now on Friday. She was just laying on the floor, and I was surprised that more people weren't stopping to say hi to her. I had gotten up to get a soda and left my bag with my friend, but when I saw her, I went racing back to get my friend to come meet the puppy. I thought maybe they didn't want people petting her since no one was, but nope, we were allowed to pet her.
My friends and I used to take our bearded dragons into places. We had them in Bed Bath and Beyond and a few other places. Nobody ever said a word because they wouldn't move, and I don't think most people realized they were real.

I'd LOVE to take Roxie to the stores around here, but I'm not willing to push the "rules".  People aren't dog crazy here, either, so it probably would not work well.

I haven't read all the responses, so forgive me if I repeat other posters.   These are the stores that are dog-friendly where I live:

-  most small, independent clothing stores
-  small record stores
-  banks (my bank has a big dog treat bowl)
-  bookstores
-  Banana Republic (I think most Banana Republic stores are)
-  Club Monaco

And the McDonald's drive-though has dog treats they give you if they see a dog in your car.

Wow I must be living in the wrong place, I have NEVER seen a dog brought in to any of these places!! The most I've ever seen is a chihuahua in a lady's purse at the movie store.
 
Pretty much every single store of every type around here has a no dogs sign..... darn.

I know whatcha mean on that one! I've got two 50+ pounders, and am often jealous when I see the little dogs able to go into stores I wouldn't be able to take mine into. Oh well - such is life, I suppose. []

I guess that is just something to consider before you decide on a dog breed. If you are looking for a dog that can go 'everywhere' you do, one you can carry or bag is probably a good choice. It's like buying a house near an airport and then being upset with the noise.

very well stated.  i know that lots of dogs are allowed in because of size.  also been to places where children are not allowed too but it didn't keep me from having one

One caution I do have is that if you do take your dog places? Please don't automatically assum;e that any other dog you see in them is another pet!

I had Mal with me in Home Depot yesterday- we'd gone specifically to train and practice two specific skills. Mal is a SDIT, he had his bandana on (he's growing so fast at this point that I hesitate to order him a vest- he'll fit into the smallest vest I have in another week or two anyway) and I was working on having him pratice sit-stays for lines- we went through the customer service line to ask a question and then again to check out. A lady with a large, not-exactly-controlled lab let her dog run right up on Mal and start trying to play with him without even asking me if that was okay!

I am with you completely - could you imagine if people were discriminated like that - sorry no one over 250lbs allowed.  Oops you are too tall for our store.
I've been stunned at how many small dogs are in shops that specifically say no dogs.  I'd love to bring Bugs in at the same time and see what they say.  Either they are both OK or they are both not allowed.  I have also seen small dogs poop & pee in shops but I have never seen a large dog do so.  Lastly small dogs IMO are the more aggressive and noisy sort and are often not properly restrained/leashed.  What's on with that?

yes this is a rant by a large/giant dog owner

kpwlee, I am so with you on that! Double standards burn my biscuits!

i wouldnt dare take my dog in a store, i have no doubt in my mind that he would pee on something. the only store i've ever seen anyone in with a dog was a girl that had an itty bitty puppy in walmart one day, im pretty sure they have a no dogs policy but he was so little and cute that i doubt anyone would've had the heart to tell her to leave. i know our local petstores all allow dogs, but i think the only one i would dare take berserker in is the little pet supply down the road, since it doesnt have any little caged creatures like petsmart. i can just imagine how impressed the petsmart staff would be when my dog started baying at the rabbits and other little animals they have for sale, and dragged me across the store growling like a maniac once he spotted the cats. as much as i love my dog, weather permitting- he gaurds the car.

I'd have to agree on the dbl standard thing. While out walking my 80lb'er through town last week, I came across a sign in a retail store that read "If you can't carry your dog in your arms while shopping, we ask that your dog remain outside." Very tempted to make a point and pick him up to go in browse, but common sense and a bad back won out.

As a responsible dog person, its frustrating, but on the other hand there sure seems to be alot of unresponsible dog owners out there too. I would venture to guess that most of the people who visit this forum are probably a bit more contientious of their dogs than the Average Joe. Given what seems to be the current attitude in regard to children and and dogs (My children and dogs can do as they damn well please, no matter what; ok thats a WHOLE different topic) I guess I sort of understand business owners being reluctant to becoming dog friendly. But its a bummer for the rest of us.

I'm tempted to try to take Mags in some not traditionally "dog friendly" stores (i.e I never thought about bookstores or video places allowing dogs) - she's 35lbs so not a purse dog, but not a giant either.

And a related question: I've often thought about seeing if I (or an organization) could get a certification program going that, once dogs meet certain behavior standards, they are allowed in stores displaying a sign of some sort. Obviously food places would be out, but pretty much everywhere else would be a possibility.

The test would be designed off of the Delta Society Pet Partners exams, but a bit more strict on leash behavior, ignoring people/dogs unless allowed to greet, and might specifically test house training (i.e. various surfaces to walk over, some w/ animal smells or something).

What do you all think? Could that work? It would solve the concern of business owners about their store and products being ruined and customers being harassed, would ensure pet dogs could coexist w/ working service animals, and would prevent the average untrained dog from messing things up for the rest of us, all while allowing 'tested' dogs to accompany their responsible owners on more errands and encouraging the training of pet dogs in general.

I'm a large dog person myself, but I can understand why stores will allow small dogs and puppies but not bigger dogs. With small dogs it's easy to carry them so they aren't in anybody's way and they dont have the chance to pee or poop on the floors, they also can't break things very easily because they dont weigh very much. The problem with letting large dogs into stores is that one irresponsible owner + 1 large dog can equal complete and total havic plus a lot of broken merchandise and possibly hurt customers. Basically I think the risk is lower with small dogs. Although I do wish stores would make exceptions for large dogs like mine that are perfectly well behaved.

I think CGC (or CGN for our neighbors to the north) goes a long way towards some kind of basic public access certification. It does not include "leave it" or a potty training component (though the dog fails if it eliminates during the test!), but it does require loose-leash waling, polite handling by strangers, ignoring other people and dogs and that kind of thing.
 
When I lived in the country, this whole deal was so not an issue. If I had Conrad with me, he could stay in the car while I ran in somewhere, but frankly we almost never had him off our property anyway. Now that I literally walk by all the stores that I need to run errands inside while I'm walking my dogs, it's really irritating to have to walk right by them, go home, settle the dogs for alone time, then go back out and run my errands. Especially if I've been at work all day and I don't want to leave the dogs again, an hour after coming home.
 
I will be working on "sit outside the store tied to something and be sedate" very soon because that is the only other option.