Can I take a puppy into a shop?

[manzolini]

A non-food shop so like matalan, new look, next etc as long as she is in a sling and doesn't touch the floor?

If it was my shop absolutely, I’d consider banning some humans though 😉

Yes yes yes

We All know there's a seperate rule for assistance dogs!!

But I work in a large store in a large town and we are lucky to see one a month

So fearful staff and those with allergies can work here safely!!!

At the end of the at it’s simple. If dogs are allowed in certain shops then if people don’t like it that’s just tough shit really.

And if other shops don’t allow dogs then the dog owners shouldn’t take them in.

But I don’t believe for a second all these dramatic posts you see on here from people who say that they wouldn’t go into a shop or a cafe if dogs were allowed. Maybe if it was full of badly behaved dogs, but if the dogs are just unobtrusively lying under the table there is absolutely no reason not to go in.

As for allergies, if your allergy is so severe that you can’t be anywhere near a dog then you obviously shouldn’t be going out because you might come across an assistance dog, and then what? They’re also dogs, and they also shed their hair.

If you’re a taxi driver you have to have a special certificate which exempts you from carrying a guide dog if you have allergies, and that certificate needs to be on display. You wouldn’t believe the amount of taxi drivers who refuse to carry guide dogs claiming they have allergies. No certificate, no right to refuse. Someone did a survey recently re the amount of guide dog refusals vs the amount of genuinely exempt taxi drivers.

In London there are just 11 taxi drivers who have an exemption certificate. The number of refusals far outweigh that.

To be honest, shops that say ‘no dogs’, is a bit like ‘no foreigners, no Irish’ and all that shit to me. It puts me right now off going into them. I’d prefer to take my custom to dog-friendly establishments.

And to the the PP who said that their dogs became v excited approaching a shopping center and would go nuts, happily running round and exploring, you’ve made my day! 🐕 🎉 🐩

Christ talk about hyperbole. Equating not wanting animals roaming around your clothes shop with racism?

Yes, admittedly a little dramatic, @BobbinHood.

I agree. Also, people who hate dogs. I just can't take a person seriously (or warm to them) if they have a dog hate/phobia. It just makes me think they are highly strung, nuts and unpleasant.

No, it really isn't.

And when that dog becomes overwhelmed and bites someone?

But even if all shops ban pet dogs, they're not allowed to ban guide dogs or assistance dogs

Guide and assistance dogs are highly trained by necessity. That makes a massive difference. Also they are few and far between. A couple a week at most in a small shop. Unlike the neverending barrage of customers trying to bring their beloved Rovers in where they are most unwelcome.

Depends on the store policies.

I often took the pup inside in a sling if the shop allowed it. It's an important part of the socialisation process. Mine are both now very calm and well-behaved in a shopping environment although I prefer to shop without them.

There is no risk of "accidents" if they are being carried. They need "paws on the floor" for those to happen.

🙄Dogs in shops are on a lead and don't just go around biting people.

I have never ever seen an out of control/overwhelmed dog in a shop. And we just came from a shop with ours

I see you havent replied to the numerous posts saying please dont tie up your dog outside shops

Quite. They never stop sodding barking.

@XelaM

Yeah well we've had a staff member bitten and as a retail manager I can tell you MANY customers don't like it so we are now banning dogs except assistance dogs. You surely are intelligent enough to realise not all dogs are well behaved? Not all dogs are the same? Surely????

As someone who is allergic to dogs, please don't!

Seeing family/friends with dogs is hard enough let alone shops allowing them to bring their dogs with them - I'll never be able to breathe again without being attached to a reliever!

Are you not allergic to assistance dogs then?

Well I was almost tripped up by a dog's lead in a store the other week. Dog ran right in front of me because the self-absorbed owner had said dog on too long a lead and was too busy chatting to pay attention to what the dog was doing. Had I trodden on the dog / fell onto it or hurt it in some way, there is a good chance it could've bitten me

That's before I mention the pups that haven't got the memo about toileting

Customers fully expect you to assist with clearing up. Why is this?? I would never take our well behaved dog into a store..

One of the worst things I saw was a dog weeing on a rack of floor length nighties in M&S while the owner was facing the other way. Yuck.

Which stores have policies actively allowing dogs in?

Except pet shops

I took mine in a sling to a number of shops and all was fine. Was a bit of a surprise to the nosy woman who pulled the sing down to get a look at "baby" before I could stop her.....

Waterstones, John Lewis, Wilko, Oliver Bonas, Halifax, H&M, B&Q, Cath K, White Stuff, that I can think of in my city.

Nope

They don't