Christmas is coming! And as a pet owner, you’d love to take your pooch out for a spot of Christmas shopping with you! After all, pet stores are lined with all kinds of festive goodies for the canines in our lives, and it’s always lovely to have your dog pick out their new toy on their own! 
But how realistic is it to bring your dog along on a Christmas shopping trip? And we’re not talking about service animals here; they’re very clearly allowed to go wherever their owner needs them.
But your family pet, who you love and spoil rotten, might just be able to head out on a trip with you too. It just depends on a few key factors!
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Mainly, it Depends on Where You Want to Go
Most stores and public places won’t allow dogs, and that’s really the long and short of it. But there are some exceptions to this rule.
We mentioned pet stores up above, but some other brands actually allow pets to come inside too! Some of these brands are pretty well known too!
Of course, always double check before you take your pet inside. Some stores may not actually allow a dog, even if the main brand website states it’s allowed.
And as Target’s pet policy for dogs reminds us, if there’s general goods on sale, it’s probably not a place where you and your dog can shop together.
Intersperse the Shopping with Playpark Visits
This helps with managing your dog’s excitement and energy level. If they’re the kind of dog that loves to greet new people, they probably love heading round stores with you!
But they may also get quite overstimulated, depending on how much interaction and notice they get.
That’s why it’s best to break up the shopping stops with playpark visits, or simple walks around nearby woodland and other grassy areas. Just somewhere calm, private, and a lot more natural.
Let your dog have a bit of space, have somewhere to roll around and get all that excess energy out, and then you can get back in the car and try another little shopping excursion.
Always Try to Avoid the Crowds
Finally, you’re going to want to Christmas shop with your pooch during non-peak times.
This is the best way to try any kind of urban exploration with a pet, as it means there’s fewer people, distractions, noises, and potentially scary situations to run into.
And even when your dog quite enjoys the cityscape, too much is too much! Keep things more lowkey, wherever you can, and stay away from the hustle that could quickly overwhelm you.
Simply put, if you want to take your pet to the store but you’ll likely end up running into a crowd, try again later!
Taking your dog Christmas shopping is possible! But it comes with quite a few caveats, so always keep those in mind. Make it easy for the both of you by following these tips.
