Do you enjoy taking your dog to places he'll love, but you're tired of taking him to the same place over and over again? Sure, you can take your dog to a pet supply store, a park, or even the beach, but why not try taking him somewhere new. Here are 8 places my dog enjoys going and hopefully your dog will, too, should you decide to take him.
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1. Hardware Store
Have you ever visited a hardware store and notice a customer pushing her small dog in her shopping cart, or maybe a customer walking his large dog on a leash? Well, many hardware stores allow this, as long as you have complete control over your dog. So, the next time you need to make a paint run, invite your dog to come along with you. He'll love it!
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2. Outdoor Shopping Plaza
If the city you live in has an outdoor shopping plaza, take your dog along as your shopping buddy. He'll love spending the shopping day with you, especially if one of the stores is a pet supply store.
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3. Splash Pad
There's a splash pad in my hometown and also one not too far from where I live now. Even though splash pads are intended for children, dogs also love them. Running around on a splash pad is a great way for our pooches to have fun and cool off at the same time. Goodbye yard sprinklers! Hello splash pad!
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4. Pet Bakery
Whenever I mention that I purchase my dog's treats from a pet bakery, people think I'am nuts! They're so confused and I have to explain to them over and over what a pet bakery is. Pet bakeries are more common in bigger cities, but since I live in a smaller city, people aren't familiar with them. I actually have to travel for an hour to get my pooch's favorite treats, but he loves them. He also loves checking out the bakery and sniffing all of the yummy goodies. Most pet bakeries even bake cakes for your dog's special occasions. So, check to see if your city has a pet bakery and if they do, take your dog for a visit. I can guarantee that he'll thank you for it with lots of wags and kisses.
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5. Ice Cream Shop
Most ice cream shops have outdoor seating and welcome dogs. Some ice cream shops even give dogs complementary doggy sundaes if you bring your pooch. Just the other day, I took my dog to the local ice cream shop and they gave him a vanilla sundae (scoop of vanilla ice cream) with a tiny dog biscuit that popped out of it. He loved it! Even if you don'Ât have a nearby ice cream shop that offers complimentary sundaes, you can still take him along with you and purchase a small cup of vanilla ice cream. Just remember, no chocolate!
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6. Restaurant
A lot of cafes and restaurants (fancy and fast food) have outdoor seating. If they do, they'll usually welcome dogs. If your favorite restaurant has outdoor seating, then why not treat your dog to a fantastic lunch? Just remember to watch out for the fumes. I say this because there's a popular fast food chain here and the outdoor seating is right beside the drive-thru. Breathing in car fumes is extremely unhealthy for you and your dog, so please be careful where you choose to dine.
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8. Baseball Game
It's becoming more and more popular to bring your dog along with you to sporting events. Even Major League Baseball is noticing the trend. I recently read that during this baseball season, 15 major league stadiums will welcome (properly trained and well socialized) dogs to come along with their owner, and the proceeds will benefit local rescues and shelters. How great is that? Not only will you have a fun time with your pooch, but you'll also be helping other pooches. Thank you MLB for doing this!
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8. Drive-thru
I've never met a dog that didn't love going on car rides. Every time I run my errands, I try to bring my dog along with me. One of his favorite things to do is to go through drive-thrus. I know it sounds silly, but he absolutely loves it! Not only does he like to watch the people through the window, but he also gets a special treat. That's right! A special treat! Not everyone is aware of this, but a lot of fast food chains and banks will give your dog a special treat (i.e. dog bone) just for coming through the drive-thru. Lucky dogs!
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If you do decide to take your dog to any of the places I've mentioned above, please be sure to call ahead first. Every business has their own rules, and your city may even have a strict policy regarding dogs in public places. Bringing your dog to a place where he's not allowed is the last thing you want to do.
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