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I know I'm not the only one who enjoys bringing their WELL BEHAVED, LEASHED, and VACCINATED dog on errands with me to the home improvement store. It is a great way to get dogs used to public places, people, and unexpected sights and sounds. In the past (when I lived in Wilmington and Durham) I was told that Lowe's did not allow dogs, but all the Home Depot's did. When I moved to Morrisville, I was excited to see other people bringing their dogs to Lowe's, so I have been bringing her along for the past year.
During my last trip to Lowe's, I was stopped by the store manager and notified that the store would be returning to their policy of only allowing service dogs. That's fine... I understand they can have their own policy. But I probably spent $2500+ at that Lowe's last year... and they won't get another dime out of me this year. In fact, I already needed to go get some epoxy since then... And I drove all the way down to crossroads to spend my $12 just because I could bring my dog with me.
Just wanted to let everyone know since I saw dogs in there pretty often.
With all due respect, not everyone loves dogs or feels comfortable around them. Me, personally, I love them but my youngest son would want to leave the store immediately. And I can tell you that there are probably way more adults who will avoid shopping in a Lowes because they allow dogs than people like you who will take your business elsewhere. And so, until dogs start buying hardware it's probably a solid business strategy.
I enjoy seeing the dogs but I never take mine in. She's impossible at the checkout, since pet stores always have treats at the checkout. All of our obedience training (and we've had a lot) seems to go out the window - some find it cute at the pet store, but I'm guessing that wouldn't happen at Lowes :-/
I know I'm not the only one who enjoys bringing their WELL BEHAVED, LEASHED, and VACCINATED dog on errands with me to the home improvement store. It is a great way to get dogs used to public places, people, and unexpected sights and sounds. In the past (when I lived in Wilmington and Durham) I was told that Lowe's did not allow dogs, but all the Home Depot's did. When I moved to Morrisville, I was excited to see other people bringing their dogs to Lowe's, so I have been bringing her along for the past year.
During my last trip to Lowe's, I was stopped by the store manager and notified that the store would be returning to their policy of only allowing service dogs. That's fine... I understand they can have their own policy. But I probably spent $2500+ at that Lowe's last year... and they won't get another dime out of me this year. In fact, I already needed to go get some epoxy since then... And I drove all the way down to crossroads to spend my $12 just because I could bring my dog with me.
Just wanted to let everyone know since I saw dogs in there pretty often.
When everyone's dogs are well behaved and until the time that everyone is not-allergic to dogs and isn't afraid of them, you'll have my sympathy. Unfortunately, we will never get to that time and business owners have to make decisions based on all of their customers: not just the ones with well behaved dogs.
It's probably safe to presume that the store experienced an issue with someone's dog and another customer or employee. I'd also suspect that the management of the store is a dog lover. Otherwise, he/she probably wouldn't have allowed dogs in the first place. I think I'd appreciate the fact that you had been allowed to previously bring your dog into the store, when it's obviously not the norm, instead of railing against the store that most likely made the decision to ban dogs after encountering a problem for having its dog friendly policy in the first place.
Having been bitten by someone's version of a large, well behaved, gentle dog, I don't want to shop near other people's animals. I don't want to sniffed, licked, jumped on, side step drool puddles and whatever else. Take dogs to dog parks for socializing.
Now, I love dogs and I can appreciate the desire to bring your dog everywhere including stores. It's comforting and a nice way to socialize them. However, there are a lot of people that are afraid of dogs. You see a sweet face with big adoring eyes and a friendly smile. A person with a fear of dogs will see that same face and only see big fangs, tense lips, snarling and drooling faces, and visions of getting bit by a monster. Some kids may see something like that too. Also there are people who are VERY allergic to dogs.
While I love horses, I'm very allergic to them. I cannot be in their presence for more than a couple of minutes before I start going into anaphylaxis. It was a real pain when I went biking with my father in Central Park in NYC on the weekends. We'd always pass horses. We'd have to speed past them so my wheezing doesn't progress to something worse especially if I forgot my inhaler.
You may never know if you run in to a person with that problem. Someone with a service dog has the same right to be there as the allergic person so that unfortunately leaves for some problem encounters, but besides that, if your dog is not a service dog and you don't absolutely need your dog there, then there shouldn't be a problem going somewhere else or just don't bring your dog. It sounds like you got the right idea. Take him to another place that does allow dogs.
As far as the store changing their rules on dogs in their stores, I'm guessing someone complained (fear or just don't like dogs), someone's dog bit someone else, or the dog created a mess the store had to clean up (potty or chewing up merchandise?), who knows. It does not sound like it's company wide.
Look guys, I'm not going to argue. Some people like it, some don't. Like I said, I understand they have their policy, and I have mine. I just wanted to make an informational post so someone else doesn't get caught off guard with an awkward conversation with the store manager.
I rarely post here just because it seems like every single reply to every post is just trying to start arguments...
Having been bitten by someone's version of a large, well behaved, gentle dog, I don't want to shop near other people's animals. I don't want to sniffed, licked, jumped on, side step drool puddles and whatever else. Take dogs to dog parks for socializing.
Amen! I do not want to see people's dogs in stores no matter how well-behaved the owner thinks they are.
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