Interesting thread. Ruger is very good at home, but he does piddle when he gets excited. I try to empty him before going to friend's homes with a walk, and I don't really worry about him at PetSmart. They have a "cleaning station," so it's obvious they are fully prepared for accidents, but I do try to walk him on some grass before we go inside.
Usually if we go into a shop or someone's home I just hold him. At 10 lbs he's heavier than he was as a puppy, but he's stilll small enough to pick up and carry around easily. He's never had an accident in my arms.
I will say that I try to leave him on the ground as much as possible. All dogs need to be socialized, regardless of size, and as long as the neighbor's huge dog does nothing more than bop him on the head now and then he's fine -- one of the few large dogs he can't dominate. |