Where do you take your dog for socialization?

[lengel]

Zooey had her third set of shots on Friday so we're taking her everywhere we can think of now. This weekend included three pet stores, the parking lots of Costco and Home Depot and my mother in law's nursing home. I saw someone taking their dog into Home Depot and started thinking that there are more possibilities than I'm thinking about. She's already going to puppy kindergarten every week.

Where do you/can you take your dog?

[TrinaJ]

Hone Depot? Is that like a department store? We cant take out dogs into ANY store.....

I take Jett to the beach, the lake, friends houses, parks, footy ovals and for drives.

Wish i lived in france or Belgium where you can take your dogs to dinner with you imagine sitting down to dinner with your big ole rotty so well behaved sitting down next to you - and then look at the next table with the uncontrolable little ratdog in the handbag snipping and snarling at our dogs....

[lengel]

Home Depot is a "do it yourself" home improvement store. It's a warehouse kind of thing and sells paint, flooring, lumber, light fixtures, etc. I was surprised by our experience because Zooey and I were standing outside while my husband was shopping - just wanted her to take in the sounds and smells and meet people walking by. Then this couple came over with their dog in a shopping cart, said hello and went straight into the store. So I started thinking that maybe this was OK . . . Probably wasn't though.

What on earth is a footy oval?

[kelking]

here in england i take boomer 8 m on the bus,my mother-in laws,other family members homes ,the villiage, on the school run,pets stores, rivers, and my husbands works
with the kids at school they give him treats he has to sit for them so every kid he sees he loves ha ha
we have a newspaper shop that allowes dogs also so hes been in there

[Weily4Life]

I take our dogs to pet stores, a great place to socialize with people and pets.

I was really brave a number of years ago before Greta joined us. I was out and about with Fozzy wanted an ice cream cone. Dropped by a Dairy Queen, went inside to ask them if I could bring my dog in, not very busy, they agreed. I was so proud of her ;) she laid down by the booth while i ate my ice cream. They even brought her one.

[jazzking1971]

bass proshop and cabellas for rides on the elevators and slick cement floors for us.

[SABELLESMOM]

My dogs are great friends with the folks at Agway. They often request the girls to come if they haven't seen them in a while. I know folks who take theirs to Lowes and Home Depot. I do not, as it's hard to get my purchases AND the dog(s) back to the Jeep!

I take them to Creature Comforts, Pet Smart, and Pet Depot...tho not often. I'm working on Rave running beside my Bicycle! Currently we're still in the "empty parking lot" stage, but we're getting there. We plan to get to the point where we can ride at Otsiningo Park. The trails are paved and wide enough for 2 cars to pass... thought it's an exercise park.

We go to one of the Lakeside parks on a long lead and hike around the lake. I only take one at a time anymore, with my husband gone. They L-O-V-E to hike! They L-O-V-E to investigate trees, leaves, and the scents of various wildlife.

We have friends with Rotties. We set up play dates. It's great fun!

[Cdn1050]

One of the assignments for this week in obedeince class is to take our dogs to some place new to do a little training. In my area, we're not allowed to take our dogs into Home Depot or Rona, because they sell food just in front of the store. But the trainer suggested that other small hardware stores will allow you to bring your dog inside, also the bank. I'm going to ask my bank first if I can bring my dog in and explain that it's a training assignment. I'm a little nervous about asking but the worse they can say is "no". If they say "yes", then it's getting people to not start screaming "it's a rottweiler". They used to do that at Petsmart, but have since calmed down a lot.

[haralw]

I set up play dates with my neighbors' pets, in fact an older male Queensland actually marked my male, Rookie. I put them in the back of the Jeep with the top down to run any and all of my errands. Rookie loves it and Bear is a little whiney but she is coming around. They are pups so people want to pet and interact. I have not taken them into any pet stores, even though they say vaccinated pets welcome, there is no sure way to know if all the pets that visit are. Children get off of the school bus near my home and I often let the children stop and say hello to Rookie and Bear.

[Kawakaze]

I never really considered this, my dogs go everywhere with me except for work. Dogs are welcome almost everywhere here.

[TrinaJ]

Originally Posted by lengel

Home Depot is a "do it yourself" home improvement store. It's a warehouse kind of thing and sells paint, flooring, lumber, light fixtures, etc. I was surprised by our experience because Zooey and I were standing outside while my husband was shopping - just wanted her to take in the sounds and smells and meet people walking by. Then this couple came over with their dog in a shopping cart, said hello and went straight into the store. So I started thinking that maybe this was OK . . . Probably wasn't though.

What on earth is a footy oval?

Thanks for clarifying sounds like a place we call Bunnings, but we cant takes dog into any stores or shops at all.

A footy oval is an oval shaped sports ground where they play AFL or Cricket. Kind of like a soccer pitch but oval in shape.

[dipper]

I take my dogs just about everywhere.
I take them to only one pet store because it is kept very clean---most are not kept clean and I have seen some unhealthy looking dogs in some pet stores.
I take them to the parking lots of local malls --good place for new sounds and sights---I just walk around with them and let the people decide weather or not they want to meet my dogs.
It works out great.
I take them to a playground adjacent to an elementary school---again, I sit with them on the edge of the playground and those that want to come up to meet and greet my dogs do---those that don't....don't. It works out great---if some people are afraid of my dogs they never get close and those that want to meet them do.
They get to meet and socialize with a lot of children this way.
I have never taken them to Home depot or Lowes but I have noticed other people do---so I asked if dogs were welcome and they said yes---I am there at least twice a week.
I also take them to the local lakes and to the beach when we go.

I never try to take a dog in a place that sells food because I don't like it....I don't think that dogs belong in a grocery store or food establishment unless they are seeing eye or helper dogs.

Rich

[cerulean]

Mango has enjoyed sitting on the steps to a library, mid-day when parents are bringing their kids to-and-from reading sessions and kid's programs.
IF they seem interested I ask if they would like to pet my young puppy, and tell them that I want her to be socialized to children, and thank them. They are pleased to have been "helpful" to us !!! Happy faces all around.

98 % of the people we meet tell us how much they love rotts, or knew someone who had a good one, and how happy they are that we are socializing.... most seem to understand that it's the training and socializing that makes a good dog.

[poohbearsmom]

Originally Posted by lengel

Zooey had her third set of shots on Friday so we're taking her everywhere we can think of now. This weekend included three pet stores, the parking lots of Costco and Home Depot and my mother in law's nursing home. I saw someone taking their dog into Home Depot and started thinking that there are more possibilities than I'm thinking about. She's already going to puppy kindergarten every week.

Where do you/can you take your dog?

Here's a good link to start:

http://www.rottweiler.net/forums/pup...mprinting.html


Basicly, take your pup into any situation it might encounter as an adult... USE COMMON SENSE. Allow your pup to approach people, not the other way around. Keep people from leaning over pup, and always have them scratch pup's chin, rather than top o pup's head.

Don't go places where a lot of dogs frequent, as you don't know the level of vaccination or control folks have over their dogs.

Hope this helps.

[Cdn1050]

Originally Posted by TrinaJ

Wish i lived in france or Belgium where you can take your dogs to dinner with you imagine sitting down to dinner with your big ole rotty so well behaved sitting down next to you - and then look at the next table with the uncontrolable little ratdog in the handbag snipping and snarling at our dogs....

I personally would not eat at a restaurant where they allowed dogs, or shop at a grocery store, or any clothing stores where pets are allowed. Hardware stores, airports, train stations, banks, etc... are different. When I'm eating my dog is allowed in the kitchen but must sit on the other end of the room and wait until everyone is done eating. She's not allowed to sit or lay on the floor next to anyone's chair at the kitchen table. I couldn't imagine sitting down in a restaurant to enjoy a nice meal and someone's dog flinging drool over towards my table, or wait and cook staff petting the dogs and handling your food. Just unhealthy IMO.