Tuesday Topics #30 - Pet Dogs in Stores
Last week, Cabana and I were killing time while my daughter was taking an art class. We passed a Bath & Body Works, and I remembered that we were out of hand soap. So I poked my head in and asked the employee if I was allowed to bring Cabana inside. She said, "We don't have any food products in our store, so of course, you can bring your dog in."
I was pleased that Cabana was allowed inside, but I was also a bit surprised by her answer. She acted as though it was fine for pet dogs to come into any non-food store. I wondered if that was really true, so I came home and Googled it.
I didn't find a definitive answer, but I did come across some pretty heated conversations about the subject, like this one. Be sure to scroll down to read all the supercharged comments. The basic issues surrounding the topic seem to boil down to owner responsibility (is your dog safe to be around, under control, not being a nuisance or health hazard), as well as the rights and comfort of other shoppers (allergies, fear issues).
Cabana, having had a lot of practice being in stores as a puppy-in-training, was wonderful in Bath & Body Works. I kept her very close to me, and she didn't touch anything in the store--except some baby toes! A mother was shopping with an adorable 9-month old baby girl in a stroller, and she asked if she and her baby could meet Cabana. Cabana is great with babies, so I felt 100% confident in Cabana's ability to manage herself. She very gently nudged the baby's naked toes with her nose, making the baby laugh. The mother said that her older children are afraid of dogs and she hoped she could help this baby learn not to be, by exposing her at an early age. I was gratified that we could help by giving this baby a positive association.
Of course, not all dogs have the benefit of being a service dog dropout like Cabana, or have had as much opportunity to practice their baby socializing skills. I think it's great to have the option of bringing Cabana shopping with me, but I also am fully aware that even though she's well-behaved, not everyone will be happy to see her inside a store.
So how about you? Do you bring your pet dogs into stores?
