bringing goats too petsmart?

[bantamamba]

I think as long as you clean up after any messes (expected of any pet taken into the store) you will be fine. I used to work at a PetsMart and we would see all kinds of critters. Pot belly pigs, large lizards, parrots, a primate of some kind at one point...everyone really enjoyed it, even the finicky old managers.

When it comes to taking your animal out in public people should just use common sense and they'll be fine. For the most part stores like Petco and the like welcome pets and I don't recall them ever being discriminatory about whether or not said pet was a cat, dog, or...something else (unless you have a snake...certain people can uh...overreact). I love to take my pets (who would benefit from it) out and about. Not for the shopping experience, lol. It's great for socialisation, especially for younger animals. I did quite a bit with our dog when she was a pup as well as our schipperke (who is now living with the grandparents). Giving your young dogs a lot of exposure to different situations creates a more well-balanced individual later on in life, and there are places like Petsmart and Home Depot to help with that.

If it wouldn't completely traumatise my conure to put a flightsuit on him, I'd take him with me on errands as well. And my cat is beginning to accompany me to more places in a special kitty harness.

If you are vigilant and respectful you will be absolutely ok.

And as for goats being ok around dogs? Depends on the goat. I know a goat who actually plays with her owner's dogs through the fence and is completely unfazed around them. And true, you can't control other people's animals in public but as I said, just don't take any unnecessary risks and keep a watchful eye out.

 

[1acrefarm]

Quote:
This made me giggle a little. Never have I considered that people take their dogs to Petsmart for the enjoyment of shopping. I guess some people would look at it that way. I do take my dogs, and my clients dogs to Petsmart/Petco for the training atmosphere. Lots of good opportunities for manners training, socialization and distraction proofing.

Someone did mention how there are a lot of dogs in those stores that have bad manners (or would that be bad owners?). I always keep a close eye on the dogs in the store and people too. Its a good idea to bring a dog in with a vest that says "im in training" so it makes the dog look more official and you get more respect from everyone and therefor an easier time meeting your goal for that session.

Goats in Petsmart? Well personally I wouldn't, but Im not opposed to it as long as I'm not forced to pick the "raisins" off the bottom of my shoes.

Well I myself can honestly say that I picked every single last raisin off the floor from Billy. What you said made me think of this time just a couple of years ago. My vet had just opened his clinic and was having an open house. I brought my boxer over there. We were standing there talking and this lady walks by with her scotty and it went nuts on my boxer. My boxer ended up bleeding and was pretty shook up. As this lady is "apologizing" she proceeds to tell me that this happens alot. Her "poor" dog got attacked a few years back by a bigger dog and ever since it would attack any big dog it saw. Now as a responsible pet owner WHY would you bring your dog into a situation like that knowing very well what it will do? I personally have a dog that doesn't leave the property except for vetting. He is just to protective of me and gets somewhat aggressive with other dogs he doesn't know. For that reason I do not put him in a situation where he could injure another animal, me, or someone else. Not saying he would intentionally hurt a person. But I take the precautions I feel are necessary. There are alot of irresponsible dog owners out there. I chose to not be one of them.

Those irresponsible dog owners are exactly why I would never take my goat to petsmart. I would not take a goat to a dog park either.

 

[1acrefarm]

Quote:
I know and sorry if you took it that way. I was referring to what buck wild chick said in that paragraph. Her quote was in with your quote and my quote on that post but I should have made what I was referring to more clear. You have had nothing but well thought out constructive posts in this thread imho.

 

[Goat_Walker]

There is no need to be nit picky now. I understand being concerned about the animals and stating you opinions but there are also plenty of good safe Respectable opinions to be made. Not all dogs are hay wire crack jobs and as long as the animals are under a careful eye at all time there isnt much to tamper with. Besides. I'm sure if the goat is not effected by some dogs or else takes offense id be more worried about the dog. I had a 35 lb little doe who used to beat up my 25 lb dog no problem. Lifted her into the air and threw her. Dog didnt mess with her again.

 

[allanimals21]

Quote:
Well I myself can honestly say that I picked every single last raisin off the floor from Billy. What you said made me think of this time just a couple of years ago. My vet had just opened his clinic and was having an open house. I brought my boxer over there. We were standing there talking and this lady walks by with her scotty and it went nuts on my boxer. My boxer ended up bleeding and was pretty shook up. As this lady is "apologizing" she proceeds to tell me that this happens alot. Her "poor" dog got attacked a few years back by a bigger dog and ever since it would attack any big dog it saw. Now as a responsible pet owner WHY would you bring your dog into a situation like that knowing very well what it will do? I personally have a dog that doesn't leave the property except for vetting. He is just to protective of me and gets somewhat aggressive with other dogs he doesn't know. For that reason I do not put him in a situation where he could injure another animal, me, or someone else. Not saying he would intentionally hurt a person. But I take the precautions I feel are necessary. There are alot of irresponsible dog owners out there. I chose to not be one of them.

Those irresponsible dog owners are exactly why I would never take my goat to petsmart. I would not take a goat to a dog park either.

The dog park would just be asking for trouble. Dogs off leash...yea I wont be doing that. The only dogs they come into contact with off leash are mine...and that only the lab and the boxer. They are carefully supervised. I am always in the pen with them.

 

[1acrefarm]

Quote:
Absolutely nothing for goats there. It is asking for trouble. A 120 pound person would have alot of trouble holding their bull mastiff or Siberian Husky back when it sees this strange looking animal that they would like to eat or maim for sport. The goat and goat owner could get hurt just as well as someone handling the dog or innocent bystanders. This is not even mentioning all the merchandise that could get damaged. All this just because someone decides to treat their livestock like a dog in a store that does not even cater to livestock. Its not worth the risk.

 

[lovesduckies]

when my bunny was a baby, i used to put her in my pocket and take her. i thought about taking my ducks, but they don't have diapers and won't walk on a leash lol sooo it won't happen. i'd rather NOT have muscovy claws digging in my arm when they see a dog or cat and want to punk it. my ducks don't realize they are smaller than dogs and they want to punk them. they think they are big bad ducks.

 

[allanimals21]

Quote:
Absolutely nothing for goats there. It is asking for trouble. A 120 pound person would have alot of trouble holding their bull mastiff or Siberian Husky back when it sees this strange looking animal that they would like to eat or maim for sport. The goat and goat owner could get hurt just as well as someone handling the dog or innocent bystanders. This is not even mentioning all the merchandise that could get damaged. All this just because someone decides to treat their livestock like a dog in a store that does not even cater to livestock. Its not worth the risk.

Once again I just want to say that you need to have control over your dog. 120 lb person shouldn't be taking a dog that large into public if they can't control it. Not even talking goats. What happens if this large dog sees something else it doesn't like? YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL YOUR DOG IN PUBLIC. There is no excuse.

 

[redhen]

Can i ask ya'll a question? Why are you fighting over something so stupid?

 

[lovesduckies]

lol i think it's natural to fight over stupid things. i jsut yelled at one of my "friends" on facebook about talking crap on his facebook. he said he likes to make people mad. i told him i am tired of drama. he said it's not drama. i said people fighting over stupid football posts is FOOTBALL DRAMA my friend. why can't we all get along and play nice???

i've had enough drama in '09 to last me the rest of my life.