Beauty

[Fitzallen]

Truth be told, I don't bring my dog to very many public places at all. Mostly because I am considerate and because she would rather be at home any way. But if I owned a shop and the law allowed it, I'd bring my dog. If another dog came and was ill behaved, I'd tell the owner to bring the dog outside.

But when you say no one likes ill behaved children, oh, I beg to differ. There is no such thing because children rule the world. Things are not the way they used to be. Kids don't stay home with babysitters anymore in situations that were once meant for adults. I've seen it with my own family, and friends as well. The kids are welcome anywhere, any time at all. And they aren't told to behave...they do whatever they want. And so do most adults. Manners are gone...personal responsibility is gone. The last time I was in a salon as a matter of fact, I had three popsicle smear faced kids, throwing magazines at each other. What a treat. The owner didn't want to say anything...of course....no one can say anything anymore.

So when on the rare Sunday I take my dog for a walk in my town, and I have that nasty look from someone just because she (all 10 inches of her) gets a little close, wagging her tail with the ultimate joy she finds in seeing humans (which I will never understand because I surely don't share that), I resent it. They don't have to like her and they don't have to want a dog of their own but don't give me a nasty look as if she ought never to be seen or allowed on the streets.

As for the people who don't like animals at all...well, remember that when they are made to search for bombs on the planes you fly on or the trains you take, when they are asked to look for the missing child in your neighborhood, when they live with the little girl down the road to assist with her epilepsy.....and so on....

[Fitzallen]

Agreed goldenretriever...and aren't they the best dogs? I don't have one now but did as a child...loved, loved, loved her sweet and gentle ways.

[BLH]

On 1/23/2014 hulagirl said:

On 1/23/2014 JeanLouiseFinch said:

I adore my dog and think he's the best dog that ever lived, but there's appropriateness in all things. It would be selfish and inconsiderate of me, and I would be of place, to bring him anywhere I wanted to go and assume others would feel the same way about him that I do. For one thing, there are health laws. What if a client has an allergy? What if he has an accident? What about liability? If the dog bites someone, that salon (business) owner could be in some hot water for allowing the animal on the premises.

Thank you for posting this.......an actual sane pet owner. I think pets are fine if that's what you want, but assuming everyone else has the same feelings for your little baby, and that you can take it everywhere is just plain wrong.

I agree.

Understanding what it means that your dog is a dog is our first priority as responsible dog owners.

But the saddest part of turning your dog into a person is that you inevitably lose sight of the dog. He becomes a surrogate child or a surrogate friend or a surrogate lover instead of the wonderful dog he is.

[cpn2jxp]

On 1/23/2014 Bonnieshores said:

Truth be told, I don't bring my dog to very many public places at all. Mostly because I am considerate and because she would rather be at home any way. But if I owned a shop and the law allowed it, I'd bring my dog. If another dog came and was ill behaved, I'd tell the owner to bring the dog outside.

But when you say no one likes ill behaved children, oh, I beg to differ. There is no such thing because children rule the world. Things are not the way they used to be. Kids don't stay home with babysitters anymore in situations that were once meant for adults. I've seen it with my own family, and friends as well. The kids are welcome anywhere, any time at all. And they aren't told to behave...they do whatever they want. And so do most adults. Manners are gone...personal responsibility is gone. The last time I was in a salon as a matter of fact, I had three popsicle smear faced kids, throwing magazines at each other. What a treat. The owner didn't want to say anything...of course....no one can say anything anymore.

So when on the rare Sunday I take my dog for a walk in my town, and I have that nasty look from someone just because she (all 10 inches of her) gets a little close, wagging her tail with the ultimate joy she finds in seeing humans (which I will never understand because I surely don't share that), I resent it. They don't have to like her and they don't have to want a dog of their own but don't give me a nasty look as if she ought never to be seen or allowed on the streets.

As for the people who don't like animals at all...well, remember that when they are made to search for bombs on the planes you fly on or the trains you take, when they are asked to look for the missing child in your neighborhood, when they live with the little girl down the road to assist with her epilepsy.....and so on....

ITA EXCELLENT POST!!! There are times I'd rather have a DOG on line in front or behind me checking out at the store. ANY store. Some people and children are worse than animals!!

[suzyQ3]

I've loved all the pets I've ever had. I have never, though, placed them above humans in any way, shape, or form.

No matter how much you choose to anthropomorphize your pets, they are not humans and should not be compared to human beings. So the constant bringing up of horrid children and nasty adults seems jarring to me.

Of course humans can be rude and horrible. We're a complicated species because of our capacity for the degree to which we can think and feel, which can lead to the best and the worst.

I love my dog and her companionship, but it is not the same emotion that I have for people.

I know that others feel differently, but I can't help feeling sad that some seem to dislike humans so deeply and feel so alienated from them.

[Mj12]

On 1/23/2014 suzyQ3 said:

On 1/23/2014 chrystaltree said:

In my entire life, I have never been to salon that allowed dogs. Not even an owner's dog. It sounds like a single incident. If the dog was well behaved and didn't bother me in anyway, I would have been okay with it...once. If I had a choice, I'd rather have a dog in a hair salon that someone's whiny, bratty kids. Thankfully, my current shop doesn't allow kids unless they are being serviced.

In my case, it's the employee's dog. It's every single time I go to my salon. On occasion, I've had trouble paying at the counter because the receptionist's dog was ensconced quite comfortably on top of it. Seems like a nice dog and all, but I personally would not allow that if I ran a salon.

I know that it's not easy for some to hear, but animals are not human beings. Just because some humans may be dirty or noisy or obnoxious really has no bearing on where animals should or should not be allowed.

Regarding restaurants, many here do allow dogs in outside areas. I have no problem with that, even if we choose not to dine out with our dog.

Hi Suzy! Before we moved here, my old salon in NJ had the exact same issue - the owner brought her huge 100+ lb dog to the salon with her. Yes, he was sweet, and yes, I love dogs. But her dog was such an overriding presence in the salon. I saw other patrons with allergies who were pretty surprised the owner would do this. Anyone walking from reception to shampoo to the chairs or color stations, had to navigate around dog beds, toys, water/food bowls, and the dog. And lots of dog hair. Just totally inappropriate and I'm happy my new salon doesn't allow that at all.

[Mj12]

On 1/23/2014 suzyQ3 said:

I've loved all the pets I've ever had. I have never, though, placed them above humans in any way, shape, or form.

No matter how much you choose to anthropomorphize your pets, they are not humans and should not be compared to human beings. So the constant bringing up of horrid children and nasty adults seems jarring to me.

Of course humans can be rude and horrible. We're a complicated species because of our capacity for the degree to which we can think and feel, which can lead to the best and the worst.

I love my dog and her companionship, but it is not the same emotion that I have for people.

I know that others feel differently, but I can't help feeling sad that some seem to dislike humans so deeply and feel so alienated from them.

^ this

[Fitzallen]

Look, yes, some people treat their dogs as humans but I haven't met them. I don't put lipstick on my dog and I don't have theoretical discussions with her, nor require her to keep her elbows off the table. She is free to run and play and be goofy. Her job in this world is to live a life of frivolity as far as I am concerned and she does. However, like most dogs, she has assigned herself the duty of protecting me, not that she actually could as she is too small. But that's what she feels she should do even though I would never expect or want that.

She is not my surrogate child. She is however someone I love beyond words. She does not understand why I might feel the way I do at any given moment but she understands that I do feel and she will snuggle with me if she senses sadness. She will pick up on a light and joyous mood if I'm in one. Her brain does not process the way mine does but it does process and we have developed a relationship that is not mother and daughter but caretaker and her keep. It is close..it is gratifying and it is love. It is human and dog and it goes back thousands of years.

If I prefer her over people, it is sad....you are right. But that is due to my own experiences and if I ever found a human who had one tenth the loyalty, one tenth the altruistic tendencies, one tenth the exuberance on seeing me walk through that door as I do day after day, then perhaps I would feel differently. I do not hate people. I do not hate children. But I find that being with a loving creature who has no hate, who has no agenda, who is more pure of heart than I could ever hope to be is wrong, then so be it. She is a treasure. I would not treat her as a human because she isn't one. I do however treat her as a gift, as a blessing, as an enhancement and ultimate joy in my life because she is all that and she deserves no less.

What I don't understand is why humans must always qualify that our species is more deserving of consideration and good care than animals. There's room for everyone, isn't there?

[WhateverLolaWants]

I can understand both sides of this issue, but I'll share that my current salon has TWO "salon dogs" present when the salon is open, owned by two different stylists who work there. I love dogs, am not allergic, and don't mind their being there at all. I'm also pretty sure it's against local health department regulations to have animals in a salon.

At my former salon, owned by the sole stylist, he often encouraged me to bring in my dog, and I sometimes did. There was very little overlap between my appointment and the previous or next client's, so I didn't feel it would in any way inconvenience them. A beautifully groomed, 4 pound, well behaved lap dog seems to be a people magnet, and I've never had anyone ask me why I would bring my dog anywhere. I always consider the dog's enjoyment of the outing, foremost.

[Lipstickdiva]

On 1/23/2014 suzyQ3 said:

I've loved all the pets I've ever had. I have never, though, placed them above humans in any way, shape, or form.

No matter how much you choose to anthropomorphize your pets, they are not humans and should not be compared to human beings. So the constant bringing up of horrid children and nasty adults seems jarring to me.

Of course humans can be rude and horrible. We're a complicated species because of our capacity for the degree to which we can think and feel, which can lead to the best and the worst.

I love my dog and her companionship, but it is not the same emotion that I have for people.

I know that others feel differently, but I can't help feeling sad that some seem to dislike humans so deeply and feel so alienated from them.

I don't know how this thread took such a detour either.

And once again, we have a few posters who can't bother to actually read the thread as they are talking about this being an isolated incident even though several have said it has happened to them as well. That is getting more and more frustrating.

Anyhow, I used to work in a salon and we had a client that would bring her Yorkie in every week. She was the only one. Since, I've never been to a salon where there have been animals brought in.

However, I do believe most Home Depot stores allow animals, whether they are service animals or not.