So, we went to Target today...
 

First, you'd have to understand the area I live in. You never see people with dogs in many stores except places like Petsmart, Petco, and a few local people clothing boutiques. I love to take Sophie anywhere I can with me but I haven't yet tried someplace like Target or the mall.

Well, we are walking into Target and a couple gets out of their car with a cute small breed black dog. :animal36 I'm not sure what kind it was but he was very pretty and I'd say he weighed a little less than 10 lbs, but not much. The lady was carrying him in her arms and when they got in the store they just put him in the part of the shopping cart where kids sit and go about their shopping like they do this all the time.:eek: This is not something I'm used to seeing where I live but no one seemed to care, including the employees. And I know that Target doesn't allow dogs, right?

From what we could tell, they were never even approached or asked to leave. He didn't seem to be any type of service dog. He was wearing a blue stripe sweater but not one that indicated "service animal."

I told my husband that I just may try that with Sophie and if they ask me to leave, then they do and I will. But from what I could tell with this couple, they acted very nonchalant about it, like they do it all the time. So I may be soon sharing my experience with Target if I decide to take Sophie. I have a kwigy bo carrier but she's not very good with it and I don't know if she ever will be. She growled a tiny bit the last time I tried to sneak her in inside the carrier.:rolleyes:

What are some of your experiences with going in places like that and not "hiding" your baby?

I've taken Uni to Target but when she was a baby and very quiet. She just hung out in one of those hand baskets as I shopped the store. No one said anything, but around here people bring their small dogs around a lot. Once there was a guy in the pet aisle and he had a tiny baby pit bull. But he was so small, like smaller than Uni is now.

I'm thinking that they may be lenient here at our Target as long as the dog is held or "restrained" in some way like in the cart, carrier, or a stroller. I guess the only way to find out for myself is to try it! I should have taken a picture of this dog in their store to show in case they ask me to leave. :D

I often wondered what people mean when they say "I take my pup everywhere". I mean if they are in a carrier can you go into regular stores and public places? I'd love to do that but not if I am going to get "scolded" or something.

it all depends...if they sell food in the store or not...i think it's a health department issue of they sell human grocery from what i was told...which is understandable..i was once inside a target and there as a family with a shopping cart and a baby car seat strolling around...and i really thought it was a baby in there but it was a litter of puppies...

I guess they mean they have a carrier that looks like a purse, and their pup is very quiet. That would never work for us now, Uni is a spaz.

I have a customer who works at Ralphs market and she said one time a lady came in with a dog and someone told her that dogs were not allowed and she said "oh he's my seeing eye dog". Obviously it wasn't, it was a tiny dog, but what my friend said is even though the policy is no dogs other than service animals, the store cannot demand to see proof. that's what she told me anyway, don't know if it's the truth. But I wouldn't lie and say Uni was a service animal. i wouldn't get away with it anyway, the way she behaves in public no one would believe me for a second!

My daughter talked me into getting one of the carriers that look like a large purse the other day because it was on clearence and was such a good deal. But I really don't know where I would use it. I don't know where I would dare take Missy. I am not the brave type that would just take her in if I might get in trouble. Too embarrassing. But I would like to take her out to different places.

Sophie is pretty tiny, so I just put her in my purse when I go in stores. (I guess it helps that I carry big purses, lol.) Yesterday Sophie went shopping with me in Target, Ulta beauty supply, Office Max, and Border's. Actually, Border's allows dogs on leashes, so we love hanging out there a couple times a week. I get a coffee and a enjoy a stack of magazines while Sophie makes friends with everyone who walks by. :-) The only thing is that I put her in my purse when I go into the cafe to get my coffee. I did have an "incident" at a Target once when an overzealous assistant manager saw her and asked me to leave the store (in a really rude way), but otherwise I've not had any problems. Last weekend I even took her into Starbuck's with me while I had coffee with an old friend. I kept my purse on my lap and Sophie snuggled down for a nap while my friend and I had coffee. Normally, I just tuck her in my purse, go in and get my coffee, and leave with it... but even then the baristas write "Leah & Sophie" on my coffee cup. :-)

I took carmel and emma to walmart and was asked to leave because they don't allow dogs. I left, no problem. The guy was complimenting my dogs while asking me to take them outside. I took my dogs to walmart once in Nevada during winter break and they didn't say anything...I wish I can take my pups everywhere with me! It's harder to not get caught especially since I got two. I never tried Target before...I don't know if I would...it's embarrassing being asked to leave...


I've brought my friend's yorkie with me to philosophy class once and my professor seemed to liked him. He even said I can bring him again! hahah

We brought Sophie in WalMart one day when she was very tiny. Everyone that saw her adored her, employees included!!! As we were checking out, a very rude employee told us we would have to take her outside, which we did. She said the employees had held a meeting that very day where they were told that only service animals were allowed, and that the employees who had not told us anything could have lost their job!!! :eek:

I used to take Zeus to Target when we first got him. Employees complimented him to me and never said a word. One day as I entered the garden center with Zeus in my carrier, I had the sales lady ask me to leave. I honestly was not sure until that moment. Bookstores, the mall (I avoid the food court), and pet stores are places he is welcome.

Right where I live, no one complains about little dogs going into places. I've taken Hot Rod into just about everywhere. I totally understand about food places but one day I was at Target and there was a very rude guard who started yelling at me from a distance that I had to leave. I didn't and do not mind being asked to leave but he did not have to yell at me. I was in the dollar section in the front of the store and asked if I could at least pay for what I had and he wasn't even listening to me. I was so mad and just wanted to leave my cart with the stuff in there but there was one item that I really, really needed and that was why I went there in the first place. Then when he finally allowed me to pay for it, I went to the very first register and the casher was very rude and I explained to her that I was leaving as soon as I paid for my stuff and that the guards (who were following me) had already told me I had to leave.

I've been in Kohls for like 2 hours holding Hot Rod in my arms without any problems, Tuesday morning (they all love him at the 2 that I've gone to-one lady at one of them even gets me something to put Hot Rod on in the cart!, walgrens, and kmart, and walmart.

Oh, I've taken him into lowes (home improvement centers, in the nursery section mostly) and one time the cashier (very nicely) told me that he wasn't supposed to be in their. She didn't mind but didn't want me to get in trouble having him in there. I've taken him into home depot also and was told I wasn't supposed to have him in there-again was told very nicely.

I have taken ZZ into Aeropostale where I live in the mall and they never said anything because she was fully clothed and didn't bother any one. The mall cops just laughed.

However the target here is not as friendly..

Sam goes places he is not allowed but is always in his purse. Restaurants, Movies, Target, Walmart etc

Knock on wood, we have never beena asked to leave anywhere. I put all the boys in a buggy with their pillow when we go to Home Depot, Lowes, Dollar General (local)and in their stroller when we go to Catos, Kohls, mall, etc

I did notice that in Mckinney the AT&T store next to Jasons Deli has a sign NO PETS with a lame explanation.

I live in a city and I would take my baby in to Walmart in a carrier or a little packpack carrier and never had a problem. Then one day I went to a walmart on the other side of town and this employee who was eating lunch just sprang out of her chair still chewing and didn't even wait to swallow her food and was almost screaming at me that my pet couldn't go in (I had her in a purse like carrier). I did my research and over here as long as you keep them inside your carrier tuck in it's allowed.
The biggest issue is places were theres food. I would call and ask first.

I guess I am hard to embarrass. I've been told "whilst" (LOL) trying to take Uni into Costco that I couldn't take her in, and other places that you can't bring in pets, but all they ask is for you to leave. Not like they announce it over the intercom or give you a ticket or anything. Not THAT embarrassing.

Seriously, if I worked at Walmart (I should be so lucky to have a steady paycheck) I wouldn't jump up from my lunch break to scold someone. Some people take their job way to seriously. JMO

With my luck I would try it and get someone who starts yelling at me in front of a bunch of people. I DO embarrass easily! That's the hard part not knowing, what might happen. But I can see where the bag or purse might make a difference or help some. Atleast if you have the bag an emplyee could always say they didn't see a dog if it's "hidden" in a purse thus avoid getting into troublefor not saying anything but I guess it's harder to say "Dog, what dog?" if it's sitting in a cart looking at you. :) Maybe they are less luckily to say something with the purse. I can't even take my Missy to see my grandmother because dogs are not allowed in her trailer park, not even for a visit. My sister tried to sneek in her small dog once and my uncle (Gram lives with) said someone saw it an complained. I keep thinking I am going to bring Missy to see her and when my Uncle says No Dogs! I am going to tell him she's a cat!!! And hope he doesn't notice the difference :)

We take Izzy wherever we go...most of the time :) I have a purse that has pockets on the outside and this inside has a hard bottom...I didn't want to have a "carrier that looks like a carrier". She loves it!! She goes to sleep and I even leave the top open half way so she can get lots of air..I have taken her to walmart, Mac' grill, bob evens, toys r us, etc... She just loves it....Take your baby with you, the worse they can do is say " dog are not allowed in here"..lol..

THANKS for that idea. You just fueled my fire even more! =)

I've taken Bella to the post office, bank. I have an uncle that has a yorkie and he has put him in his leather jacket zipped up with is head peeking out and goes into Walmart. He's told me that no one has never said a thing to him. Maybe because he had his biker jacket on and he's a big guy.

I had taken Mr. Buttons to target all the time thinking they have a dog area so they are friendly to dogs..Well in one of the targets I went to with my little yorkie I got yelled at and was told to leave..SOOO my resolution is to now put Mr.b into my Sherpa shoulder bag and tell him to be quiet and I sneak him into lots of places..I think he knows to be good and really wants to go in with me so he gets really really quiet..so cute!!

I love reading all of your experiences with going into different places. I think I'm just going to try to get Sophie more used to her carrier and I'm also looking into getting a stroller, too. We'll see!

I too was embaressed to try and bring Coral into places, but one day i had to run into walmart quickly and didnt want to leave her in the car so i put her in her bag (that odviously looks like a dog carrier) and no one said a word. I have done it now at a couple of stores, including Total Wine that has a sign clearly saying no animals, and no one has said a word. I may be trying my luck more often!

Not a dog, but a pet...... (don't read if you don't like snakes)
 

I don't normally take my dogs into stores, but my brother is a snake lover and he routinely takes his snakes into stores with him. He puts them under his coat and they wrap themselves around his arm down his sleeve (especially in the winter). I can't tell you how many times he has been thrown out of a store because one of his snakes poked its head out about the time he was handing over money.:eek::eek::eek::eek: I clearly understand the fear factor of a snake over a dog, but your story made me giggle a little bit about going about your business like it is no big deal and nobody really notices. Now, next time you walk by somebody with a heavy coat on, you never know what they may have hidden under it. His girlfriend does the same thing too!!!:eek:

I have seen people with snakes, too. It's a popular pet around here. I just couldn't get over them bringing this dog in Target. I wasn't like it was a little Yorkie or Chi or something like that. He took up the whole part of that cart he was in. I asked my DH and he said he saw them several more times (I was in another part of the store) and no one ever said anything. But I never saw them again. However, I did glance at their car and no one (or no dog) was in it so I assume they were still in the store!

I suppose it depends on where you live.. I work at Dick's Sporting Goods and we have a Petsmart next door, but our management is still very strict on our 'no pets' policy. In fact.. yesterday a man brought his very old dog in that just had surgery and my boss kicked him out. He was carrying the dog in his arms. I don't see why it was a big deal.

Awhile back, I brought Jimi in there for 5 minutes to show some of my co-workers when I first got him.. he was like 2 lbs and my boss told me to get out because it is a "health and safety hazard." :rolleyes:

..But we do have a pet-friendly shopping mall. Any store that has a pawprint:animal-pa on the door will allow you to bring your pets in. I would never bring Jimi in anywhere, lol. He does not behave well in public lol. :p And Marshall is slowly learning from his brother.. :rolleyes:

I've taken Romeo into Target once and Walmart a few times inside of his bag. I usually just put him on the top part of the cart and most people never even know he's in there. However, I tried to go into Walmart the other day with him and this guy stopped me at the door and told me that I couldn't bring him in.:mad: It was just so annoying because he's so small and wouldn't have even come out of his bag. I don't see what the big deal is as long as he's not coming out of his bag or being brought around food. Some places are so difficult.

On another note, I've taken him to the mall a few times and never had a problem. (in his bag of course)

I have taken Harley into Target (a regular store, not a superstore) before and the guard just kindof peaked in the carrier as we left and asked if there was a puppy in there. I have taken him into Lowes, Malls, Best Buy and Kmart in his carrier. I have taken him into several farm supply type stores either on leash or pushed him in the cart, in fact I was told by an employee of a local Tractor Supply that people actually bring horses in there sometimes! Just on principle, I try not to shop at Walmart, but over the holidays I ran in looking for something and was very rudely kicked out by the greeter. I just as rudely pointed out the fact that I would gladly spend my money somewhere my dog was allowed. I honestly didn't notice the no pet sign on the door and wasn't even thinking about them selling food - I wouldn't have said anything had the "lady" been nice but I just couldn't resist!

Jeri and Harley

I saw a guy in Walmart with a parrot on his shoulder!!!:eek: My 15yr old daughter usually just puts Wally in her sweatshirt pocket with just his head sticking out. He looks so cute in there. I've been in HomeGoods with him sometimes I put him is the seat but I always put a blanket in first. I really don't like to let him out of our arms because I am paranoid that someone will just snatch him up and run.