Originally Posted by cheryl000

I LOVE taking my animals to petsmart and Petco. It's great to be in a place just for them where everyone is an animal love. Bailey (my pug) LOVES the attention he gets. Unfortunately he loves barking at other dogs, out of excitement. He stays in the cart and I hold Brandy. The only thing I don't like is when people pet them without asking. I know it sounds snobby, but sometimes I'm in a hurry or feel crowded from it. Other than that it's cool to let the dogs pick out their treats or see what clothes fit Brandy. It's the one store that is 100% for the animals.

Originally Posted by yorkiemom1970

You know, I'm glad you brought the petsmart thing up. I NEVER take my dogs to petsmart. I just feel that so many animals come in and out all day long every day, and there is no rule about having them vaccinated or wormed before bringing them in. So I don't chance it. I even take my shoes off that I wore into petsmart when i get home and wash them. I've seen some really "mangy" looking animals in there in the past and it got me to thinking...

I do LOVE petsmart though. Just don't think its a good idea to have my babies in there.

Originally Posted by Austin's Mama

How scary! Even though it can be great socialization, I never thought about other pets not being vaccinated and stuff! I don't think my lil boy will be going to Petsmart again, I will go by myself! About a year ago, we took both our yorkie and lab to the vet for a checkup and a pit bull attacked our lab, and the owner had the nerve to say it was OUR fault! She said that we should have noticed it was a pit bull! Needless to say, our vet made her leave with her dog and never come back and gave us free pain killers for our lab and cleaned the wound the dog created. I cried! I couldn't imagine if the pit bull would have attacked my lil 5 pound yorkie! Some people should just not be able to have dogs if they can't control them!

Originally Posted by jpb1971

That's going to be true anywhere you take the little darlings though. If you stop taking them to PetSmart then before long it'll be easy to justify not taking them anywhere and that would be a tragedy! Just watch out for others that don't pay the same care and attention to their dogs as you do.

Yes, something could happen at Petsmart but something could happen at any place you take them. Are you going to stop driving because it's possible that you might have an accident? Will you stop using a knife in your own kitchen because you might cut yourself?

Originally Posted by yorkiemom1970

You know, I'm glad you brought the petsmart thing up. I NEVER take my dogs to petsmart. I just feel that so many animals come in and out all day long every day, and there is no rule about having them vaccinated or wormed before bringing them in. So I don't chance it. I even take my shoes off that I wore into petsmart when i get home and wash them. I've seen some really "mangy" looking animals in there in the past and it got me to thinking...

I do LOVE petsmart though. Just don't think its a good idea to have my babies in there.

Originally Posted by Francie

Besides....bows and pajamas aside...Yorkies are smart tough little guys! That why I fell in love with these little terriers...their tenacity and inquisitiveness is so endearing!

Francie

Originally Posted by SnowWa

My attitude toward PetSmart and PetCo -- who let animals visit their stores is:

First - it's nice that there are places where dogs can visit - mine have gone to these stores several times and think they have died and gone to heaven. They love going there.

My larger dog knows when we turn the corner near PetCo and is already excited about getting out and going in. I love taking her there, but still keep my eyes open. My little Yorkie is in my arms the whole time we visit PetCo, and loves going there also.

I enter the store tentatively (with my dogs in a cart or in my arms) and check the store out before I let them down. (I still carry my Yorkie.) If all seems well - we are off and running and having a great time. But, I do keep my eyes open. And - I do let my Yorkie down occasionally to visit with another little dog.

I think the policy is that dogs are to be leashed or held in these stores. This alone, should prevent most problems.

I wouldn't expect these stores to say only certain size dogs or certain breeds are welcome. Any size or breed can be well behaved and/or constrained.

Those of us who have small little dogs have already learned that our dogs need special protection and care wherever we go. So - going to PetSmart or PetCo is no different, and in fact, we know there are often other dogs there and should be even more careful. It is much more our responsibility, than it is the store's open-door policy, to protect our dogs.

****** A couple of years ago, I saw two people in Petco with a dog that wanted to growl and bark at the other dogs in the store. An employee ask one of the people to stand outside with the dog while the other shopped. They weren't offended and agreed that their dog was not being nice and were happy to comply.

Next time I'm there - I'm going to ask them about what sorts of problems they have with dogs visiting - and what their policies are. I know if I worked there, "bad dogs" would be asked to leave. And "good dogs" could stay. And ---most dogs are good!

Carol Jean


Carol Jean