People in public and their pets

[Olympicnut]

I'm sorry, but this is getting out of control. I went to dinner the other evening at Marie Callendars and some woman walked in for a party in one room holding a chihuaua under her arm and waltzed right into the room. HELLO! It's a restaurant for chrissake! I should have just complained to the manager but I was hungry,lethargic and not inthe mood to be confrontational.

Today, some woman walked into the bank with her larger than normal sized poodle on a leash. I've seen this happening quite a bit lately and I frankly dont understand it.

Why do people have to go EVERYWHERE with their pets anymore?? I swear it was never like this when I was growing up. You walked your dog and went home. Maybe you'd drive with your dog in the car to go to a park or the beach or something like that. You never walked your dog to go marketing. Or took your dog in your car to go do your banking!

Whats the deal?!

[Alchimedes]

I see this all the time as well, this comes into common courtesy again like most things this days, is out the window. Businesses just need to take a stand and tell them to leave them at home or with someone standing outside. They can't expect they have the right to just waltz right in. I have kicked out folks for that same thing.

[TinkPink]

I get it. I love my dog and *if I could* I would take him everywhere. He is so well behaved and lovable, he wouldn't bother a soul. HOWEVER- I DON"T take him everywhere. He's big- a golden retriever. So I have to fight the urge to drag him wherever I go. And I WOULD NEVER bring him to a restaurant. Eww!

But last time we went out of town, he stayed in our hotel with us. He was so good, everyone was amazed. Not a peep out of him. I heart my dog!

[TinkPink]

Oh- when I worked at Target I kicked out a couple for bringing their dog in. It was Halloween and they were trying on all the costumes on him!! Hellooooo!!!

[Alchimedes]

Oh- when I worked at Target I kicked out a couple for bringing their dog in. It was Halloween and they were trying on all the costumes on him!! Hellooooo!!!

That is just revolting.

[Not Afraid]

I don't know, it you're going to be selling clothing for dogs it seems reasonable to have them try it on.

Restaurants, inside, no. I live in a big walking community that is also dog friendly. I have walked dogs and stopped for coffee and gone to the hardware store, but these are smaller operations not a Home Depot or Denny's and it is perfectly accepted. Most stores even put out water bowls for dogs. As people use their local resources more and walk more you'll see more dogs and more people bringing in the dreaded shopping bag into different stores.

[TinkPink]

I don't know, it you're going to be selling clothing for dogs it seems reasonable to have them try it on.

Agreed- that is why we had that handy dandy 30 day return policy!

Pets aren't allowed in Target unless they are there for a person with disabilities.- Just an F.Y.I. for those pet obsessed individuals like myself!

[DMof2]

I am a lover of pets - wish I could have a dog or a cat but NO enough is enough. If you must carry around you dogs get one of those doggie purses they sell for kids

[Not Afraid]

For kids? They have expensive designer ones as well. Very adult. Tres chic, except your Lab or Rotweiler won't fit.

[NeverNeverland]

Ew ew NO. Not where I eat, thank you very much!!! I would have TOTALLY complained. Then again, I'm not an animal lover.

[DMof2]

For kids? They have expensive designer ones as well. Very adult. Tres chic, except your Lab or Rotweiler won't fit.

My daughter carries around her pink poodle from Build A Bear in her fancy dog carrier.... She's only 7 so it's allowed

[bejeweledcat]

In restaurants, NO! But I don't mind when well behaved pets are on a patio dining area with their owners.

My ex-manager tried to kick a service animal out of the store one time. It amazes me how uneducated people are some times.

[SCUBAbe]

I wish people would not take there dogs everywhere. I am NOT a dog person and I ahte seeign them everywhere. My neighbor lets their mangy mutt run around the front yard. When I come home he barks at me and comes into the garage barking at my car. They always call the shot head back in time, but one of these days it will get dropped kicked back into it's yard.

I shouldn't say I hate all dogs. I do dislike all small dogs and most large and meduim sized dogs. the only breed a truely like is golden retrievers, but they have to be very well behaved. When I was a teen our goldens were trained to follow hand signals. we didn't have to tell them what to do we would just sign it.......but we still did not bring them everywhere with us.

[Not Afraid]

I was thinking about dogs in restaurants and realized that, personally, I'd rather have a well-behaved dog at the next table than an ill-behaved child.

I think my perceptions are a bit "off" at times.

[stinkerbell]

The dog we're planning to get is small...very small....chihuahua mix....and I'll most likely take it everywhere with us, same as my kids. I won't probably bring it in restaurants or grocery stores, but if I'm running errands or going to the park or wherever, that little guy is going with us!

I'm not a dog person, not by a loooooong shot, but people LOVE their dogs. We live in a very very dog centric neighborhood and two blocks from a dog park. Almost every business and restaurant in the area has water bowls outside and the water fountains all have dog-heighth fountains for them. There *are* some limits though. You can't bring your dogs everywhere, but you can bring them to your table if you're sitting on the patio at pretty much every place around here. I've seen dogs in purses in the mall and in banks and in the local bead store. No big deal....and like I said, I'm not at all a dog person. I'd rather see a dog in a bag, than know that there's a little lonely dog at home by himself.

I've changed my stance on this bigtime over the past few years of living here. And seeing the grandma of our potential puppy and how well she behaves in public (she's at my nail salon on a daily basis), and imagining us having a little doggie like her at home, when she or he could be out with us, I've drastically changed my mind! I used to think that dogs were meant to be seen from a great big huge distance, never heard, and hardly touched. I'm still not a dog person....but I think if you have one, you have to treat it like you would a child pretty much. They're time consuming, life consuming, they become part of your family. It's a huge responsibility. I'd rather people took their dogs out in public than leaving them in the laundry room at home.