Taking Your Dog Shopping

I think most of us would agree that shopping with a friend is much more fun than shopping alone.  Dog lovers already know that a trip to the store with our four-legged buddies is particularly awesome when they are allowed to come with us.

There are some major retailers that are pet friendly, provided that your dog is always under your control and as long as you clean up after them should they make any messes.  It is important to call first and confirm their pet policies, as many stores leave it up to the individual manager’s discretion whether their store will allow dogs.  Best to check first!!

Also, remember that while the store may be dog-friendly, the shopping mall where it’s located might not be.  If the store you plan to visit, like Nordstrom or Macy’s is in a mall, you’ll need to call the shopping mall office ahead of time and find out their policy on pets.

Stores That Allow (Well-Behaved) Dogs

Taking your dog to pet friendly stores helps her to socialize and builds her confidence

The obvious stores that are pet friendly are, of course, Petco, PetSmart, Pet Valu, and other pet stores that deal in pet products. Here are some others:

·         Home Depot

·         Lowe’s

·         Barnes & Noble

·         Macy’s

·         Pottery Barn

·         Bass Pro Shops

·         Restoration Hardware

·         Bloomingdale’s

·         Anthropologie

·         Gap

·         Nordstrom

·         Lush Cosmetics

·         Urban Outfitters

*Keep in mind that there are stores with policies that allow dogs but specific store managers will not.  Conversely, there are stores that prohibit dogs, but certain store managers welcome them.  The safest plan is to check first before you and your buddy head out for your shopping trips.

*Also, dogs are usually not allowed in the restaurant areas of the stores that allow dogs, like Nordstrom and Bass Pro Shops.

Some local stores also allow dogs to accompany their owners while shopping. You can check to see if your local stores, restaurants, and attractions are dog-friendly at BringFido.com.

Shopping with you in a store is a new experience for your dog, so it’s best to start small and work up to the bigger stores.  Start with an outdoor mall before taking her into a big business with shelves and racks, which might be confusing and scary to her. If you can take her outside where there is pedestrian traffic first and acclimate her to people coming up to her and petting her, then you can watch her stress level and adjust accordingly.  When she is calm and is used to smells and activity, you can then take her inside a store. The best place to start with a shopping trip with your dog is in a pet store where the smells will be somewhat familiar and friendly with treats, toys, food, and other dogs.  Once she is a pet store shopping pro, you can take her on other shopping adventures.

Shopping with your dog can be a wonderful bonding experience, and it helps with socializing and also boosts her confidence.  Another bonus to shopping with your dog is that a well-behaved dog can be a great ambassador for their species or breed.