Why can't we...

chowfrnd88 · Post by **chowfrnd88** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:16 am

Well it's Saturday morning and we're about to take Special on a hike and then to petsmart and then we've got to run some errands...my question is why are penalized for having lager dogs? Just because our wonderful chows can't fit into our purses, I can't spend errand time with Special.

Hubby's always joking about inventing a purse with wheels and then I could go to Best Buy and say something like "uh, excuse me, could you move a bit, my chow purse won't fit through the aisle like this!"

I say we make one!

Post by **jerryo** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:48 am

One of my friends signed her Aussie up for service dog training. She get a little vest that says "Service Dog in Training" on it, so now she gets to go in all the stores with her. That might be easier than lugging a Chow purse around, and would let people see a different side of Chowdom.

Breathless · Post by **Breathless** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:30 am

Hey, my mom used to have a "chowpurse". It was a big shopping bag with wheels on it. Kinda like a suitcase but open on top like a bag. Do you want me to ask her to send it to you.

TXSusiQ · Post by **TXSusiQ** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:33 am

What a great idea!!!

mytwodoxies · Post by **mytwodoxies** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:40 am

Visit winter park florida

the downtown is dog friendly (providing that your dog is not on a retractable but a regular leash and that they behave - so Special would qualify

chowfrnd88 · Post by **chowfrnd88** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 5:54 am

LOL, these are great ideas!

Oooh, Winter Park sounds wonderful!! Melanie mentioned in one of her posst that Khana gets to go to various places also, I'm so jealous!

When we're walking with Special out and about one of us stays outside with him while the other goes into the store. He just walks right up to the door staring at it waiting for someone to open it for him, then he looks at whoever is still outside and sighs.

IliamnasQuest · Post by **IliamnasQuest** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 6:42 pm

I'm always on the look-out for places I can take my dogs. It helps that I'm known in this area as a dog trainer and that my dogs are really sociable. Khana started going into the feed store and the UPS store when she was just a tiny puppy. Now the UPS people act like she lives there .. *LOL* .. they all want to take her home! She goes in and immediately wants to run behind the counter and visit. Trick and Dora get to go in once in awhile too, but Khana's the favorite. Her visits are therapeutic to the staff there - when they get done petting and playing with her they're all smiling.

The little building that my doctor's office is in has an elevator (even though the building is only two stories .. *L*) .. so I took Khana in there to practice riding on an elevator. I went up, went to my doctor's office to pick up a prescription and left Khana on a stay outside the door. When they saw her, they said "ooooh, how sweet! She can come in!" and so if there are no people in there I can take Khana up to the counter area.

I was at the hardware store before Christmas and I asked them if I could bring Khana in - told them she was registered as a therapy dog and that I do as much socialization as I could. They said sure, that they were dog friendly there and so Khana gets to go in there too.

And then at the car parts store, they already had a dog in there and I asked if Khana could come in and visit him. They thought that was neat.

I find these places because I ask a lot .. *L* .. I never ask at a place that has food available, but "man" type places like car parts stores and hardware stores tend not to worry as much about things like dogs. I also explain that Khana is a therapy dog and that keeping her socialized with a lot of people is valuable and I think that makes people feel they're helping me out.

I wish there were more dog friendly places around, but with today's "sue-happy" society it makes it difficult. Alaska is a bit more laid back than most places, I think. And the nearest Petsmart type store is 150 miles away, so I don't get to go there often.

Melanie and the gang in Alaska

chowfrnd88 · Post by **chowfrnd88** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 7:00 pm

That's so, so, so awesome Melanie!!!

And 150 miles would be pretty long to drive to a Petsmart type place!

EuroSuzie · Post by **EuroSuzie** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 5:38 am

Melanie your pictures are great! Love the chow doing agility training. How many gray hairs do you have from training them?