Eight Major Retail Stores That Allow Dogs

[BaconsMom]

Bacon loves coming to Ace He knows where they keep the treats

[Annette47]

We don't have a Bass Pro, and of the others on the list, only Petco and Petsmart allow dogs around here. Guess Central NJ isn't too dog friendly!

[Woodrow_Woodchuck]

Bacon loves coming to Ace He knows where they keep the treats

This so reminds me of a story.

Back before mega stores, the mid 70's, we had lumber yards. You could pull up and go into the office to make an order, where you knew the folks at the counter and they knew you, or you could just drive into the yard, if you just need a couple fast things, and the yard guys would load you up without a ticket or you load yourself and just wave to them. You then pop into the office, sign your name and are on your way. If they were busy inside you could just write what you took, leave it there and square up the next day. It was a great system for a contractor. Stop into Belknap lumber and chat or grab and dash. Same at Kovaric hardware.

Anyway... My first black gal Sweetheart, was known everywhere. If I went inside, she was there, off leash and SIT by my side l@@king at me. I give her the OK and she would RUN behind the counter, up the stairs to the office. The gals there would open the 'special' file cabinet and give her treats. When I finished my order, call her she RUNS back down and off we go. If I did a grab and dash, I would let her out in the yard, she would RUN to the office and sit by the door, waiting for someone to open it. When someone went in or out of the door she would RUN behind the counter, up the stairs to the office for her treats.

Same at the hardware store. If I had to load something up I'd let her out and she would wait by the door. After I settled up, call her and off we went. The guys at the stores enjoyed it as much as she did. They would laugh, telling me about other customers saying things like "What was that??" After this mysterious black thing RAN past them, through the store and off behind the counter. Or I'm standing there and call her and someone goes "Where did that come from???"

[POPTOP]

This so reminds me of a story.

Back before mega stores, the mid 70's, we had lumber yards. You could pull up and go into the office to make an order, where you knew the folks at the counter and they knew you, or you could just drive into the yard, if you just need a couple fast things, and the yard guys would load you up without a ticket or you load yourself and just wave to them. You then pop into the office, sign your name and are on your way. If they were busy inside you could just write what you took, leave it there and square up the next day. It was a great system for a contractor. Stop into Belknap lumber and chat or grab and dash. Same at Kovaric hardware.

Anyway... My first black gal Sweetheart, was known everywhere. If I went inside, she was there, off leash and SIT by my side l@@king at me. I give her the OK and she would RUN behind the counter, up the stairs to the office. The gals there would open the 'special' file cabinet and give her treats. When I finished my order, call her she RUNS back down and off we go. If I did a grab and dash, I would let her out in the yard, she would RUN to the office and sit by the door, waiting for someone to open it. When someone went in or out of the door she would RUN behind the counter, up the stairs to the office for her treats.

Same at the hardware store. If I had to load something up I'd let her out and she would wait by the door. After I settled up, call her and off we went. The guys at the stores enjoyed it as much as she did. They would laugh, telling me about other customers saying things like "What was that??" After this mysterious black thing RAN past them, through the store and off behind the counter. Or I'm standing there and call her and someone goes "Where did that come from???"

Love the story!

Used to live in Hillsborough, NC and the local feed/supply store was exactly the same.

[xracer4844]

This so reminds me of a story.

Back before mega stores, the mid 70's, we had lumber yards. You could pull up and go into the office to make an order, where you knew the folks at the counter and they knew you, or you could just drive into the yard, if you just need a couple fast things, and the yard guys would load you up without a ticket or you load yourself and just wave to them. You then pop into the office, sign your name and are on your way. If they were busy inside you could just write what you took, leave it there and square up the next day. It was a great system for a contractor. Stop into Belknap lumber and chat or grab and dash. Same at Kovaric hardware.

Anyway... My first black gal Sweetheart, was known everywhere. If I went inside, she was there, off leash and SIT by my side l@@king at me. I give her the OK and she would RUN behind the counter, up the stairs to the office. The gals there would open the 'special' file cabinet and give her treats. When I finished my order, call her she RUNS back down and off we go. If I did a grab and dash, I would let her out in the yard, she would RUN to the office and sit by the door, waiting for someone to open it. When someone went in or out of the door she would RUN behind the counter, up the stairs to the office for her treats.

Same at the hardware store. If I had to load something up I'd let her out and she would wait by the door. After I settled up, call her and off we went. The guys at the stores enjoyed it as much as she did. They would laugh, telling me about other customers saying things like "What was that??" After this mysterious black thing RAN past them, through the store and off behind the counter. Or I'm standing there and call her and someone goes "Where did that come from???"

Around me a lot of the hardware stores allow dogs. Unfortunately - I think this is changing in most stores. I find that it's not easy to see if stores are dog friendly. Things like pet stores, hardware stores, bass pro shops etc. are. Our dog is a working dog and is allowed anywhere, but I find that a lot of people look funny, ask a lot of questions, and are generally unfriendly.

[Woodrow_Woodchuck]

You are correct. I was just mentioning that in days gone past, local places accepted customers and their companions. And the customers expected to meet a few animals. And these days are not all that far passed, I'm under 60. Would I have taken her into a food store or the local 5 and dime? No way!!! The happy tail would have done more damage than I could afford! Most of the places I went to I didn't even ask, I knew it was inappropriate to take her in. But if I tried to do that today, SOMEONE would complain that there was an unattended animal running amuck, or claim she bit them when all she did was nose them in the leg to say "Howdy! Do I know you? You can be my friend!" Different times is all, unfortunately. An unleashed lab is a threat to folks now. Even a leashed animal is a threat to folks!!!

Heck, after a days work, on the way home, stopping for a cold one and to get filled in on the local news. If Sweetheart did not precede me into Red's Good Luck Tavern to greet the patrons, they wouldn't have known I was even there! And she would not be the only 'workin' ' dog there either. Her 'buddies' would all come around to sniff butts and wag tails then go into their corner by the band stage and relax, or discuss whatever dogs chat about. It wasn't all calm! There were some feisty ruckuses. All Belle, the barmaid, would have to do is yell 'settle down!' and it was over! LOL!!! EVERYONE at the bar went silent. The Caesar guy had nothing on that old gal's power! After my beer, she is right there, ready to go home and do chores, no need to even call her.

[Lauranj]

We don't have a Bass Pro, and of the others on the list, only Petco and Petsmart allow dogs around here. Guess Central NJ isn't too dog friendly!

Our local tractor supply, home deport and Lowes allow pets here. I always go in the building or garden center doors of the box stores and I have asked the managers. I've seen people bring their dogs into our bank also. With that said, I wish owners who brought adult dogs into stores would train their dogs and at a minimum be able to control their dogs in the stores. I was at tractor supply with the twins (4 yrs old) and a woman with a Mastiff was being pulled through the store. When the dog saw the kids it made a bee line and she warned me as she was being pulled that the dog isn't that friendly with kids all the time so I had to stop her dog from reaching my kids, I wasn't too happy.

[JenC]

Not Home Depot here. Lowe's is still OK.

[shellbell]

We have an outdoor mall with all the typical mall type stores, and most of them are dog friendly. They have a sticker with a dog on the door if they allow dogs to come inside. It is a great place to socialize.

[3ChocMom]

Funny timing of this post. I was just in the Vitamin Shoppe today, of all places, and some guy brought his very large dog in. I was like, what? They didn't even bat an eye, so I kept looking for a service dog vest or something, but the dog didn't have one. I even heard the guy tell one of the employees the dog was still a puppy (it was huge, but apparently under a year old). OK, noted. LOL

Call me crazy, but I don't think Petco and Petsmart should be on this list. It's like, duh.