to take dog into supermarket

[amechange]

I can't get supermarket deliveries. I am autistic, I am disabled because of it, and stress/anxiety causes me to do self destructive stims and behaviours, brings on disassociation, paranoia, sleep issues, suicidal ideation etc and I have agoraphobia as well. I have only ever been a few minutes away from home up till today when I pushed myself to go to the supermarket, I didn't go in. If I couldn't take my dog, I wouldn't have left the house. She is a tiny chihuahua. She is well behaved, she understands commands, but she isn't registered as anything, but she pretty much is a service dog. Even though she wasnt specifically trained to do a specific task to calm my anxiety down, having her there with me reduces my anxiety a lot compared to if I didn't have her. And at home when I feel anxious, she comes and sits by me/lets me hold her. I'm now in a position where I have to go in there to do my weekly shopping. She has a dog pram that closes all around, it was expensive and looks like a babies pram but isn't, its the ibiyaya retro luxe pram. She wouldn't be a danger to anyone/bother anyone/contaminate anything/get in the way, no one will notice it's a dog, I wont be showing her off/taking her out to show people if I took her in.

Why? Food comes from outside, is washable and some of it was actually alive once too.

Anything 'food like', that is manufactured is in wrappers and packets

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/dog-squad

suggest you watch this and educate yourself. It’s very informative.

Yes this is the best option if you can't get food delivered to your home. Leave the dog at home, set up a camera and you can watch the dog whilst walking around the shop. Some people are afraid of dogs and others have allergies and the rules are quite strict in food shops, only registered service dogs.

The other issue is why would it necessarily stop at dogs? Someone upthread mentioned an emotional support cat. In America you have people claiming all sorts of animals as emotional supports. I remember on a previous thread someone said it would be fine for someone to bring an emotional support llama on a plane and people shouldn't complain.

I have only ever been a few minutes away from home up till today when I pushed myself to go to the supermarket, I didn't go in.

How did you previously get your shopping? How can you not get online deliveries?

I'm not saying you should stay at home and never go out but if you could resolve the food shopping issues you could focus on going out to dog friendly places with your dog and it might be a lot less stressful

Fwiw I get anxious going to shops, the noise, how busy it is, lights, everything. I can't stand it and can panic. One thing that helps is having earphones playing music, it blocks everything else out to a certain extent and I can get my things and out with no bother. However my cat really cheers me up, maybe I should stick a pretend vest on him and bring him along instead of the much more hygienic and practical option.

I used to work in a clinical area and we had someone complain that their request to bring their Savannah cat with them was turned down.

Also had someone make a formal complaint that we provide a home visit because they didn't want to leave their dogs at home for too long.

Also had people bringing dogs with them with service dog vests and then literal dog fights happening in reception. Suggesting those dogs aren't particularly well trained let alone service dogs.

Dogs in handbags have been in supermarkets for ages.

People might not like it but that ship has sailed over 15 years ago.

I doubt anyone would notice your dog.

I haven't seen a dog in a handbag since the early 2000s!

This might be the case but dogs have hugely increased in numbers in the past couple of years. Plus how everyone treats their dogs has changed. So many people think their badly behaved massive dog is their baby and should be with them absolutely everywhere.
There are many things in life that used to be technically "overlooked" or ignored. But now people are so entitled they think the overlooking should apply to them as well despite totally differentcircumstances. Or even just an full on change of rules due to their circumstances.

Whilst your condition is clearly limiting, I think you need to look into official channels

I don't think the fact that some people have got away with it means that the ship has sailed. Otherwise we could all shoplift with impunity now; stealing has been going on for way longer than dogs in handbags in supermarkets.

Why can't you do online shopping and they leave it at your door? Dogs unless service should not be in a supermarket. And then it opens that up to anyone with some ridiculous reason to start bringing anything into food places. Just no please.

And the waiting lists are years long! A trainer has worked with my friend, they may have even been from a charity but it's not my business so I support her in being as independent as possible as she's not even 40 yet! I personally don't understand why a guide dog is ok but any other assistance dog isn't, as long as they're well behaved. Personally I have more of an issue with kids standing in trollies because my food goes in there but that's none of my business either

Just for your information all those that tagged me. My friend is doing nothing wrong, so maybe you should do like me and mind your own business? OP your dog will be fine in the stores listed, an many more if you ask to speak to the manager directly I'm sure

Because it's not an assistance dog. It's a pet that your friend says is trained and well behaved.

Which is what all the other people who stick a vest on their dog and say it's a service dog. But they're often really wrong and it isn't trained or well behaved.

No-ones being mean to your friend, or unsympathetic. Just pointing out that if you say anyone that has an issue can bring their dog and claim it's a service dog, then there are going to be problems.

@amechange Well done for getting out to the supermarket! Keep it up with more longer trips out and I'm sure it will become less stressful.

It wouldn't bother me to see a dog in a pram, it's not sniffing around and is no health risk so go ahead.

Do you have a problem with kids? Because my kids have done way more disgusting things than my dog has 🤣

It's in an enclosed space, what are you going to do, put your food in the pram with it?

Peoples opinion on "well behaved" varies MASSIVELY! The issue is there is no way of regulating "assistance" dogs. If anyone can claim their dog is one then pretty much everyone will just say that.
And you don't like people's kids in trolleys? Well I can guarantee you people will put dogs in trolleys and use that as a reason why they should be allowed. "But my dog is contained in the trolley so isn't bothering anyone".
I'm open to the idea of different assistance dogs being allowed. But, there needs to be an official way to go about it. If the current method isn't working, then maybe it should be looked at I agree. But allowing dogs (and potentially other animals) in as a free for all also won't work.

Look at the photos I've posted. Tesco and Aldi already allow dogs in so get used to it. You're likely to see more of them

Of course YWBU as you well know