Opinions on tying a dog outside of a business?

[GentleLake]

It depends where you are in the US but there are a number of national chains that allow dogs. Home Depot, Lowes, Tractor Supply, Agway, Macy's, Barnes & Noble, Pottery Barn, Old Navy, Bass Pro Shops and Gander Mountain are a few that come to mind. And pet stores, of course. As you can see, not all are pet stores or big box home improvement stores by any means. I'm sure you can search online and find at least a few more. And of course, you can also ask. I've taken my dog into a number of independent retailers and asked at the door if it was OK. Some will, others won't.

But if you're willing to have an idea of the places that do and there's a mall or strip mall around, there's scant reason you'd really have to leave a dog in the car while you go for a quick pee. Just about all of the places I mentioned have public restrooms.

ETA: One quick search and I found this list of 33 stores: https://barkpost.com/life/dog-friendly-stores/. Some are pretty darn upscale. And there are other lists I didn't bother to open.

[urge to herd]

Lots of stores in my area allow well-behaved dogs on leash. Almost any restaurant with a patio area will allow dogs in the outside dining area. 

Ruth & Gibbs

[D'Elle]

6 hours ago, CptJack said:

 

I don't worry about the heat hurting my dogs, at all.  I worry about people with good intentions getting them killed, though!

Well-meaning people are often something to be feared. 

[CptJack]

1 hour ago, GentleLake said:

It depends where you are in the US but there are a number of national chains that allow dogs. Home Depot, Lowes, Tractor Supply, Agway, Macy's, Barnes & Noble, Pottery Barn, Old Navy, Bass Pro Shops and Gander Mountain are a few that come to mind. And pet stores, of course. As you can see, not all are pet stores or big box home improvement stores by any means. I'm sure you can search online and find at least a few more. And of course, you can also ask. I've taken my dog into a number of independent retailers and asked at the door if it was OK. Some will, others won't.

But if you're willing to have an idea of the places that do and there's a mall or strip mall around, there's scant reason you'd really have to leave a dog in the car while you go for a quick pee. Just about all of the places I mentioned have public restrooms.

ETA: One quick search and I found this list of 33 stores: https://barkpost.com/life/dog-friendly-stores/. Some are pretty darn upscale. And there are other lists I didn't bother to open.

A lot of these are sadly variable by area.  Not all LOWES, for example, are dog friendly.  One of my local ones is, one a bit further out is *NOT*.   They're down to individual discretion. :/  

Not that there aren't often options (not always, but often), but sometimes making those lists doesn't mean much.   My Michael's, for example, is a "OH HELL NO' on dogs.

Same with patio seating and dining places.  Some are fine with dogs, some absolutely are not.  

Always best ask first.

[aschlemm]

1 hour ago, D'Elle said:

Well-meaning people are often something to be feared. 

     I agree 110%!!!!!!!!!!!!!  When I take my dogs hiking I often have to pee.  Lots of times I don't wish to leave them in the vehicle because of "well-meaning people" so I put them on a sit/stay in front of the porta-potty.  So, sitting in the porta-potty I've heard the "best" conversations regarding my "abandoned" dogs (who are sitting side by side, leashes tied together loosely, in front of an "in use" toilet!)  I've yelled from my seat in the toilet that they are my dogs and I'm peeing (I really think it should be self-explanatory!)  I've also stepped out to find someone reaching for a leash, allowing their dog to blast up to mine, and I've been crashed into by other dogs.  I was thinking about making a sign " I'm having a pee, my dogs are on a sit/stay, please don't pet them, annoy them or try to steal them."  Now, I simply take a really good look for anyone before I decide I'm going to pee, then I put them on a sit/stay behind the porta-potty where I can see them through an air vent, and I make it really quick.  The pathetic thing is, the problem is the people.  My dogs are reliable on a sit/stay and will not willingly go with anyone they don't know.

[Baderpadordercollie]

Thanks all, many helpful points.

I've heard of dog owners having bad experiences with anti-dog people in public places, and I've also read anti-dog peoples' rants about how dogs should be banned from everywhere and how they would freak out if there was a dog in a store, but I guess that doesn't mean that every store owner is opposed to having a dog in their store. You're right, it never hurts to ask. 

[urge to herd]

I saw a pic of a dog in a car, smiling & happy. There was a sign taped to the inside of the driver's side window in LARGE magic marker: "The AC is on, he's got water, and the radio's on an easy listening station" I thought this was pretty smart.

Ruth & Gibbs

[rushdoggie]

On 7/25/2018 at 9:58 AM, CptJack said:

Well, I DO live in Southern Virginia - which isn't AZ.  

But I've crated out of vehicles for trials when it's 90+ degrees outside.  Their crating area in the back of the van is typically a lot more comfortable/cooler than where I am and 'hiding' in there with them is a thing I have been known to do.  Granted, when it's 8-10 hours, the van is open and it's not when I'm stopping to pee, but I'm sure not running back and forth and in a panic because of the heat.

The equipment exists to make that safe (shade cloths, battery powered fans blowing over a cooler of ice, cooling mats or coats, water to drink, and temp alarms that send notifications to the phone)..  It isn't expensive, really, nor is it hard.  

I don't worry about the heat hurting my dogs, at all.  I worry about people with good intentions getting them killed, though!

Ditto.

Its partly a culture thing, I live in the PNW and I constantly have people peering in my car because they can see my crates. They are tied down and always there and so often empty but people seeing them get all worked up. I had one lady yell at me for leaving dogs in a car (and it was like 65 degrees out and the car was mostly in shade), then when I pointed out the crates were empty (and they are pretty easy to see into) she yelled at me because leaving crates in my car is misleading and causes people like her to have to worry. Srsly.

I'm getting my windows tinted.

 

FWIW: when I got my new crates (Rough Tuff Kennels) I drove around with thermometers in the crates and sitting on my front seat while I was working (I do home health visits all days so I drive from place to place, parking for about an hour at a time). I found here in a low humidity environment, it wasn't hard to keep the car cool with partial to full shade and partly open windows. Using aluminet, pop up sun blockers for the windows and windshield, paying attention to the direction of the sun and making sure something reflective is blcoking it and using open windows with grates and ventlocks to keep my tailgate partly open my car stayed 10-15 degrees cooler than outside, even on a 90 degree day.