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I have been having a few people sending me messages or commenting on Freddy’s instagram photos asking about if they can bring their dog into stores too. I wanted to make a post letting people know that I am not promoting you to take your dog to the stores that I have brought Freddy into without getting permission from the management.

When I first got my dog, I honestly knew nothing about rules or policies regarding dogs, so I would bring him with me on errands and never had a problem — until I went into grocery stores (so clueless that there is a law set by the FDA prohibiting this!) and was told I could not have my dog there… oops. 

However, Freddy is a miniature goldendoodle- about 26 lbs so I can carry him if needed which is key! I for sure test my limits sometimes, but I figure he doesn’t shed, is hypoallergenic and probably cleaner than some peopl (not trying to be rude, it’s just that I take REALLY good care of him).

ANYWAYS, I wanted to share some national stores with policies ALLOWING dogs. It would be smart to call a head or go without your dog first to make sure so you do not get turned away (sometimes a specific store can have a different policy than the chain due to management.)

  • Petco, Petsmart, neighborhood pet boutiques: The most obvious — pet supply stores.
  • Home Depot: (NOT ALL) sometimes they have a sign on the door saying only service dogs, so call ahead to ask the manager. I have two Home Depots near me, and I only go to the one that allows pet dogs.img_9511
  • Lowes: My favorite! They are SOO friendly when I bring Freddy in there, playing with him, taking pictures, etc.
  • Local hardware stores: the one near me even has dog treats behind the register to give out.
  • A.C Moore: When I was making my Bridesmaid Proposal Boxes, I made plenty of trips to the craft stores
  • img_0544Michael’s: Same as A.C Moore.
  • Nordstrom & Nordstrom Rack: Nico and I both love coming here when we want to do some shopping and the employees LOVE when we bring Freddy.fullsizerender-21
  • Bass Pro Shops: Apparently they even have a Dog Day’s event each year. I’ll need to check this out!
  • Orvis: The manager joked with me the other day that them giving out dog treats from behind the register has gotten SO many returning customers – the dog pulls the owner into the store. It happened to me…3 times.. so I concur that it’s quite the marketing campaign.
  • Macys
  • Bed, Bath and Beyond
  • CVS: I have gone a few times to drop off/pick up a prescription and never had a problem.
  • The GAPimg_3010
  • Target: I have heard of a lot of people having problems with this store, so definitely call ahead before you go. I have only gone once and had no problem but kept him in the shopping cart the whole time.12341478_892577366076_3550624975793709575_n
  • Hallmark: depends on the management, but I have never had a problem
  • Old Navy
  • Ikea
  • img_29581Christmas Tree Shops
  • Men’s Wearhouse
  • Party City: I was told to make sure he stayed in the shopping cart — sometimes if I don’t need to get a lot, I don’t take a cart.img_1165
  • Best Buy
  • Chicos
  • J-Crew Factory
  • Brooks Brothersimg_1599
  • T.J. Maxx/ Marshalls/ Homegoods: I do most of my shopping at these stores, so it’s always helpful when I can bring the pup in with me because let’s face it, you can never be -in&out- when you go there.img_28971
  • Some other stores I have heard are dog-friendly but have not taken Fred in with me are:  Ann Taylor LOFT, Bloomingdales, Urban Outfitters, Barnes and Noble, Anthropologie, Foot Locker, Saks Fifth Avenue, Pottery Barn, and Apple Store (I actually need to go to the Apple Store this week, so I will test this out, although most of their locations allow well-behaved dogs).

As mentioned above, the most important thing for pet owners who don’t want to leave their canine companions behind is to call ahead and make sure that their dog is welcome in a store. Also please be considerate—while an individual employee may enjoy your dog, it’s not cool to expect your local café to embrace the sanitary and safety risks that come with allowing animals on the premises. I sometimes assume that everyone wants to see my tail wagging, happy pup, but the truth is– not EVERYONE does (weird, I know) 

As a rule of thumb, if the establishment sells or serves any type of food, then dogs are most likely not allowed.257

I do feel that although dogs need love and routines, they also should have a change of scenery every now and then. Having your dog tag along on short trips will not only expose them to new sounds, smells, sites (really good to do when you have a new puppy – get them used to all sorts of things early on), but it will also keep them happy and healthy.

Please add to the list of stores if you have any others 🙂

 

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