Should Dogs Go Everywhere With You?

rockin'robin

rockin'robin

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Last week, the New York Times "Complaint Box" column took on a thorny issue: Are dogs too welcome in the city's public spaces?

After seeing dogs cavorting around Banana Republic, the Gap, furniture stores and even grocery stores, Barbara Rosenblatt wrote that she's had enough. "Animals are joining the ranks of small, bored children who must accompany their grown-ups just about everyplace," she wrote. "Perhaps what it will take to keep animals out of stores is a few too many paw prints on the merchandise, or a deposit by a dog that mistook a rug for a sidewalk."

Erica Manfred fired back, arguing that her 11-pound mutt deserves to go where she goes. "Well, I'm into my second adolescence and I've become a rebellious old lady. I take Shadow wherever I go because he makes my life bearable, and I don't care what anyone thinks," she wrote.

Whether or not Manfred cares if she's annoying other patrons with her canine cutie, plenty of readers were worked up enough to get into the fray. In fact, the Times received more than 500 comments from readers on both sides of the debate. One reader complained about health violations of dogs sniffing, licking and even pooping in food-service stores.

Another was more irritated by dog owners than dogs themselves. "Dog owners are worse than smokers in their inflated sense of entitlement," the reader commented. "Because they think their dogs are 'cute,' you should excuse their rude behavior."

Not surprisingly, there were dissenters. One commenter argued that most dogs are better behaved than most kids. "I don't like listening to wailing babies and whining children or their parents hissing at them," one reader wrote. "Leave the kids at home, please, and bring the dogs on!"

Clearly, New Yorkers are sharpening their claws over this contentious issue. Which side of the debate do you stand on?



Tags: complaints, debate, dogs, new york, NewYork

Should Dogs Go Everywhere With Their Owners? - Paw Nation
 
Dogs don't need to go everywhere with the exception of service dogs.
 
I think nothings wrong with dogs go to everywhere. I know dogs love it. If dogs behave very well around strangers and people then why not. i wish my cats could do that but they never listen. eh.
 
If the dogs are well-behaved (and spending that much time with their owners should definitely help, unless the owner is the coddling type), then I see no problem. I know that I personally love taking my dog wherever I go, if I walk (I don't drive, so I rely on the bus service and animals aren't allowed). Helps establish the bond and respect between the two of us, and gets him out of the house. Plus, it gives a new perspective on nature and what's going around me. Usually I just walk fast, but when Jake is with me, I stop every now and then so he can sniff something. I take cues from his body language to tell me if I should be aware of something, like someone coming towards us or a strange noise off to the side. Sometimes I notice rabbits first before him, sometimes we both see something at the exact same time. Maybe he smells something first, and through the act of finding that smell, I discover deer off in the distance.

That said, I wouldn't take Jake inside stores, not because he's unclean, but because he freaks out in that environment. He's perfectly fine in the house, but I guess dog food smells and hoards of people and strange scents and explosions of noises, it's too much for his brain to handle. The only buildings allowing pets are the pet stores, and the only one close enough to walk to is the holistic food store and I only walk there when there's no snow and it's not too hot. So when I do take him, anything he's learned in the past has been forgotten and there's only so much time before the weather fouls again and we stop going. And he's almost 12 years old, I'm not going to push him anymore. But one thing I'm proud of is how the two of us are like a team. We feed off each others' behaviour. He looks for my cues on where to go, I look at his cues to anticipate trouble and ward them off (for example, he'll go after a rabbit, but after the first few strides he remembers he's too slow to catch them, and while he's good with people, other people might not appreciate his attempt to make friends so I reel him in to keep them happy before we pass them). We're not perfectly in sync a lot of the time, but we've been complimented. From what I've seen in this city, though, a lot of dogs are well-behaved. The rare occasion where a dog didn't listen to his owner would be at the dog park or at Petsmart or something.
 
I'll admit: My dog has me wrapped around her little paw!....She goes with me everywhere, loves to ride in the car. And patiently waits until I do my shopping, leaving her in the car w/the doors locked, window cracked, cup of water and my old jacket for her to lay on. She "guards" the car!
If I'm to be gone more than an a hour and can't take her, I make sure one of my boys stays home with her. Otherwise, whenever I say "I'll be back! Now you be good", she will put her head down on the floor with her paws on top of her head.....I can't deal with her tears!....So, in the car she goes!

She's around me 24/7, like glue! But I haven't taken her into the mall or the grocery stores. I'm sure she would be "freaked out" with all the people and the noises. She's better off waiting in the car, as long as I'm not gone over an hour.

I've no qualms with owners taking their dogs into stores. As long as the dog is behaved and does their business before going into any establishment. And yeah, I'd rather see the dogs than the "squeeling, screaming, running little kids."! I say "bring on the dogs"! Leave the kids at home.
 
Well, we have a little dog now.

His name is Lil'Bit and he goes everywhere with us.
 
Bottesini said:
What kind of dog is he?
Click to expand...

Oh he is a sweet gentleman- a long haired Chi.

I have two dogs, you see, Daisy is my first dog. She is a pure bred Boston Terrier. Daisy became very attached to my parents; very attached to my Dad. I couldn't bear taking Daisy away from my Dad because she is in love with my Dad and thinks the world of him. Dad also admits he would be very heartbroken if I took Daisy with me.

Lil'Bit loves Daisy but doesn't like being bossed around! Lil'Bit is a shy gentleman and prefers being fussed all alone.

You can see in this video how cute they are! Yes, that's me feeding them treats!

[yt]ePWL7BXtPBo[/yt]
 
Mrs Bucket said:
Oh he is a sweet gentleman- a long haired Chi.

I have two dogs, you see, Daisy is my first dog. She is a pure bred Boston Terrier. Daisy became very attached to my parents; very attached to my Dad. I couldn't bear taking Daisy away from my Dad because she is in love with my Dad and thinks the world of him. Dad also admits he would be very heartbroken if I took Daisy with me.

Lil'Bit loves Daisy but doesn't like being bossed around! Lil'Bit is a shy gentleman and prefers being fussed all alone.

You can see in this video how cute they are! Yes, that's me feeding them treats!

[yt]ePWL7BXtPBo[/yt]
Click to expand...

He is adorable. How do your cats like him?
 
Lighthouse77 said:
Are people that cold against children?
Click to expand...

Of course. My dad always said it is easier to rent a property with dogs than with children.

I have children and I love them and my grandchildren, but this is not universal.
 
Not everyone is cold against kids....I blame the parents for "letting them loose" in the stores. Running up and down the aisles, bumping into my grocery cart, eating fruit that hasn't been paid for, (and throwing banana peelings onto the floor), the list goes on and on.
At the mall, some kids play hide and seek in the clothes racks, tearing clothes down, etc.

The stores are not a playground. Some parents just don't care! And dog owners, going into stores always have a leash on their dogs to keep them with them, side by side.

My boys are old enuf now to walk and not run in stores. When they weren't, and misbehaved then into the cart they went. And teaching them "you can look, but not touch", unless you're with them.
 
then I don't want those type of parents in that store :) as far as I'm concern, they probably don't care what their dogs do either
 
Big loud NO!!!!

I do not want a dog humping my leg while I am eating!

:laugh2:
 
Mrs Bucket said:
Oh he is a sweet gentleman- a long haired Chi.

I have two dogs, you see, Daisy is my first dog. She is a pure bred Boston Terrier. Daisy became very attached to my parents; very attached to my Dad. I couldn't bear taking Daisy away from my Dad because she is in love with my Dad and thinks the world of him. Dad also admits he would be very heartbroken if I took Daisy with me.

Lil'Bit loves Daisy but doesn't like being bossed around! Lil'Bit is a shy gentleman and prefers being fussed all alone.

You can see in this video how cute they are! Yes, that's me feeding them treats!

[yt]ePWL7BXtPBo[/yt]
Click to expand...

Awww! You have a long haired Chihuahua?

I have one too! His name is possum! :giggle: he is a fawn with a white nose. Hence the name possum!

I also have a white short haired teacup. Her name is Angel.



They go all over the place with me (when permitting).


All I have to do is open the car door! They hop in!

My kids have them more spoiled than I do.

They also sleep with my cat moonshadow.
 
I wouldnt want dogs in the stores...my dog sheds like crazy and it wouldnt be right to bring her with me in the stores and have her shed all over the merchandise.
 
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