dog in shopping cart rant

Yes, it would be great to take our well behaved dogs out to the stores.  But some people are not very responsible dog owners but alot of us are and those few make it difficult for the rest of us.  Thanks Dasher!

ORIGINAL: willowchow

My honest answer to that would be yes, leave him home.  First, he needs to be walking nicely without distractions from a situation like a store before you advance to training with distractions. 

he does walk on the leash well without distractions. we are trying to introduce more and more distractions while he is on leash so that he will walk well on leash no matter what. the only store we have ever taken him to is petsmart. i dont think i would take either of our dogs to a home improvement store anyways, so that is kind of a moot point. actually we only took him to petsmart to get his nails trimmed anyways, otherwise we would leave him home. i was really only trying to offer some perspective on this subject.

You can take your dog into stores in the states my god I think that#%92s just so cool in the UK they would go mad like tell you to get out only guide dogs are allowed in shops in the UK
 
 
I now live in France but think the same applies

(though the mental image of me getting 110 lb Kahaus into a cart is causing some giggles).

Lissa, you might have room for a pack of gum or a little bag of chips![sm=rofl.gif]

Ok, here is another possible comparison.  I know some people will agree and others will not. But take smoking for example. I don't like it, I think it is gross, and there are people that have medical concerns with the second hand smoke. I'm sure the smokers see no problem and think they should be allowed to smoke anywhere (some not all).
 
I would not appreciate having to deal with smoke everywhere I go, just as I am sure there are people that don't like, are scared of, or have an allergy to dogs. I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate having to deal with dogs everywhere they go. They are the people that will likely avoid stores that may have a large amount of dogs in the store, just as I avoid bars because of the smoke.
 
The world is a very diverse place with a diversity of likes \ dislikes. Why should a dog hater be "put out" because of a "dog lover". I think it is great that some businesses are trying to accomodate the "dog lover" with as little inconvenience to the "dog hater" (like allowing dogs in carts so they can be easily avoided by those who don't want to be around them).
 
I know this isn't the best comparison, but it seems close enough to me.

I know you said not all, but I am a VERY considerate smoker.  I am very careful where I smoke and when, and I absolutely HATE seeing butts all over the ground

Glenda, I did say "not all"........most of the people I know are very considerate also, and I am grateful for that.  But that just re-iterates my point. You are a very considerate smoker, just as you are a very considerate (and good) dog mom. You would never let your little ones misbehave in public etc.... but not everyone is as considerate.
 
Some people have the mentality that it is their right to smoke when and where they please without regard to others, just as some believe it is there right to have a dog and raise it anyway they please (with or without manners) without regard to how "the dog" will affect others or how their "raising" will affect the dog.
 
Please know that I was not trying to come down on smokers. It just struck me as a great way to show that just because some people are considerate, others are not......and that is why policies are made to restrict that activity in some places (be it smoking, or bringing a dog in a store, and probalby a host of others that I can't think of right now).
 
And just to re-iterate: I am not a smoker (just as I am not much of a drinker) but I don't fault people that are, or lump them all into a generalization group. (I am sure I have habits that others dislike).  I just have issues with those that are inconsiderate of others (regardless of what they are doing that is inconsiderate).
 
One person being inconsiderate can ruin a good thing for everyone else, and that sucks....it isn't fair but, then again, nothing is.

(Being forklift certified) I would have had to borrow a forklift to put Mack into a shopping cart or perhaps strap him onto one of those big six wheeler flat carts.  He's 134 pounds.  There would have been no room left for me to put items in the cart.  While I can lift a human that weight, no way in hello could I lift this dog. I'd have just left the store with the thing I intended to buy sitting in the cart for that mgr to put back onto the shelves.   Jules[]

AFAIK, no HD's around here allow dogs.  The one we go to has a huge sign out front that says dogs aren't permitted in the store.

Interesting discussion. I am always a little jealous of people with smaller dogs who are able to take them into stores. I would LOVE to be able to take the Saints in stores with me. Out here in the country it's okay because they are allowed in one of the bars and the feed store, but when we go to town they are not allowed anywhere. (Too big!)
 
I agree that the employee needed to use better customer service skills with you, and should not have tried to pick up your dog. (VERY dumb thing to do!) But I can also see why they would have a policy like that in place. They just need to post it!

Question How do I get Abby in the Cart[&:]

We had just taken Jake to Lowes with us and everyone was very nice the whole time that we were there now Jake is scared of everyone so don't have to worry now that he would knock anyone over most the time he wont get that close to them. Will have to see what Home Depots policy is here 

And if the dog is too big to carry, how do you get him in a shopping cart?  And if you manage to wrestle him up and over, how do you fit anything else in the cart?

Same way I get Shaq and Marley in the cart : You don't!! [] 
 
Maybe we could ride, and they could pull the cart. They are drafting dogs.

Hey All,
 
I actually work at HD and our store policy (with a sign on the door) is "Dogs NOT Allowed"...However, I see dogs every day in my store, big dogs, little dogs, dogs on leashes, sitting on the flat carts, in the shopping carts, heck, one man comes in practically every day with a large bird on his shoulder.  We have another man (doesn't come in much) with an iguana perched up on him.  I have even seen large dogs off leash walking nicely beside their owners.  No one ever says anything to these customers and unless there was a complaint or a problem, nothing will be done.  Every stores manager is allowed to set their own rules and decide what to accept or not in their own "box".
I agree the manager (more likely an ASM) should never have touched your dog.  And by all means, fill out the complaint card, but I think the upshot will just be that no dogs except service dogs will be allowed in that store.
I live in Wa state, where everyone seems to have a dog and everyone takes them everywhere too, so the WA HD's just may be more lenient on the dog issue and just see it more.