When Did It Become OK To Take Dogs To The Grocery Store? [Block Talk]

You may be wondering: When was the moment in America that it became OK for people to bring their dogs — not service dogs, mind you, but pets — into places like grocery stores and others with food?

Perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise. Nearly two-thirds of Americans have a pet, and 97 percent of them treat them as they would a human family member, according to a Pew Research Center study.

But should that mean taking the family dog shopping? (To be clear, we’re not talking about trained service animals that remain calmly at their person’s side or at their feet unless there’s a threat to their person.)

Is there a retail establishment line that dogs should never cross? Is it OK to take them to a pet store, garden center or home improvement store? Is it asking for too much grace from other shoppers to take them to the grocery store, mall stores, and places to eat and drink?

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Editor's Note: This survey closed on Feb. 11.

About Block Talk

Block Talk is an exclusive Patch series on neighborhood etiquette — and readers provide the answers. If you have a topic you'd like for us to consider, email beth.dalbey@patch.com with “Block Talk” as the subject line.

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