Are dogs allowed in Home Depot? That was the first thing I googled when I started renovating my house. I thought I had seen dogs there in the past, but I was never a frequent customer. Home Depot and a lot of the home improvement stores used to scare me because I thought I didn’t belong there (insert giant eye roll to that mindset here) so I thought that bringing my dog with me to these stores would help my anxiety and give him a fun outing. Win win for all!
Before I get any further into this, I should introduce you to my sidekick, Shaw. I would be lying if I said I didn’t buy this house for him, so it’s only fitting he gets a proper introduction since we are all here because of him.
Meet Shaw
Shaw’s full name is Andrew Shaw, named after the not so famous Chicago Blackhawks player (The Blackhawks are a hockey team for those of you aren’t as obsessed as I am). We became partners in crime when he was just 7 months old. Shaw made the long journey from a rescue in San Antonio, Texas to a Target parking lot here in the great Pacific Northwest and life has been non-stop excitement ever since.
Likes:
Food, chasing squirrels, walks/hikes, dog friends, naps in the yard, digging holes, sniffing, and being chased
Rather Not’s
Cats, nail trims, and cuddling (not much else, he’s super agreeable)
Party Tricks:
Knowing his left from right, spinning, giving kisses, and too many more to list (he is the smartest boy)
Shaw may not ever lend a helping paw when I need one, but he is always around for moral support, willing to accept a belly rub or a tossed ball when I need a brain break.
PLACES YOU CAN TAKE YOUR DIY-er DOG
Now let’s get down to the question on everyone’s mind. Are dogs allowed in Home Depot? The answer is YES! And there are a ton of other pet friendly places can take your dog for DIY supplies with you. Sure you can leave your dog at home, but where’s the fun in that?!
Home improvement stores
First up is Shaw’s favorite, home improvement stores. Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Ace Hardware all welcome well behaved dogs. Shaw loves exploring the aisles and finding unsuspecting employees to give puppy dog eyes to so they will give him treats. Big home improvement stores are also a really great place to bring your dog on an inclement weather day. All the good sniffs and extra stimulation and picking out paint colors wears a good boy or girl right out. Bringing along Shaw also got rid of some of my initial home improvement store anxiety. No one is looking at me thinking “Why is that girl buying a circular saw NO WAY she knows how to use it!”, when Shaw is there to grab their attention instead.
Craft Stores
When we are feeling more crafty, Shaw and I drop in at Michaels, JoAnn Fabrics, or Hobby Lobby. The only rule when we go there is no buying glittery things–it will never come out of your fur. This is one category I find to be a little iffy when it comes to larger dogs. If I’m unsure before I bring Shaw into a store I just ask the first employee I see at the door about the pet policy. The answer is almost always that OF COURSE they let dogs in, followed by lots of free pets.
Outdoor places
With the house’s yard being in such disarray we’ve spent our fair share at local farms and nurseries. Not all farms and nurseries allow pets so we always do a quick google search to make sure Shaw is welcome (can you believe some humans don’t like dogs? Us either!). Actually the reason for this rule especially when it comes to you pick berry farms is usually to prevent your dog from doing their business on the plants….which seems reasonable.
Snacks and hydration
Before we start any DIY we usually drop off at our local Starbucks or local coffee shop for a caffeine burst and a puppacino. After a long day of diy-ing we find a local patio (back in the normal days) and grab a PBR and a bowl of dog water to celebrate a job well done.
Now that you’ve met Shaw you’ll see him running around in all of my pictures, checking to make sure I’m doing things right and making things pretty. Hopefully this gave you a few ideas of where you can take your dog along with you in the pursuit of DIY supplies. Let’s just face it, diy-ing is fun ,but it is more fun with a furry side kick.
