Many of us lead a very busy lifestyle, more often than not we are always multitasking. As dogs become part of the family, many owners treat their dogs like children. It is a very common sight to see young children being tagged along with parents in supermarkets, banks, post offices, travel agencies, and many places where we do our routine errands. Unfortunately, dogs are not children and many places do not allow pets. Yet I see many owners bring their dogs with them (where there is no clear indication of permitting pets) when they run their errands. I’m not saying dogs or pets should be prohibited to all places otherwise stated but I do think this is an inconsiderate behavior to the general public, your dog, and yourself.

General Public

You may be so in love with your dog or any dogs universally, but not everyone else does. Take a moment to think about this! Supposedly you were in a dry cleaning shop waiting to collect your clothes, then came in a customer standing beside you cuddling her cat. You, on the other hand, dislike cats because you'd have a series of serious allergic reactions when coming in near contact with them. Before you could do anything about it, the shop owner placed your wrapped up clothes on the countertop next to where the cat is sitting. So tell me, how would you react to this situation? Can you be certain that those people queuing in line with you and your dog at ATMs do not suffer pets allergy or phobia?

There are proper public places for you and your dog to be together, and most of them aren’t suitable at all—with or without the “No Pets Allowed” Sign!

Your Dog

Then there are those who abide by the sign and have some degrees of consideration to the general public, leaving their dogs in the car with a running engine while they go pick up their children from curriculum classes. It doesn’t matter whatever the weather is, it is dangerous to leave the dog alone in the car even for 5 minutes. This is an upsetting scene for me to watch but what angers me most is seeing a dog tie to a pole outside a shop. When this is done, the dog is very much on his own—very defenselessly.

Some Possible Scenarios Could Happen If A Dog Is Tied To A Pole Outside A Shop

● Your dog could hardly move. Should there be an oncoming vehicle come too near to the pole or hit the curb while parking, he couldn’t run to save his life.

● Your dog is likely to panic if he is frightened by something or someone. He may not be used to scooter-bikes or fast food mascots loitering along the pavement. He might bark ceaselessly making a nuisance to the public.

● Your dog could feel very threatened if other dogs or teasing children came near him. He might then start to snap in order to protect himself.

● Your dog could disappear. He might be dognapped! He’d gotten loose from the leash or knot! He might be set loose by hooligans!

Because you are not there to give him confidence and protect him, chances are he might develop some destructive behaviors. Especially for young pups, they should not be exposed to such an unpredictable environment. As I always say, training a dog's new behavior is easy but to correct a behavioral problem is ten times harder. If the behavioral problem is deeply rooted, you might have to seek the help from an animal behaviorist to rectify the problem.

Yourself

Do you think you can accomplish your errands efficiently when your dog tags along with you? Your hands will be too occupied with grocery bags or children's belongings leaving little room to get a proper grip of the leash. Do you think you are doing justice to yourself, your dog, and the general public?

If you can’t bear to leave Fido home alone while you run your errands the whole afternoon, you could always engage a pet sitting service or put him in a doggie daycare. That way, both you and your dog can benefit tremendously. You’ll have full concentration doing your errands and maybe in between you could have an afternoon tea with girlfriends. As for your dog, he might want to catch some afternoon Zzzz or he can make some new friends at the daycare center.

The next time you head out to do your errands, ask yourself this question. What is my primary goal? Running errands or giving Fido some fresh air or exercise?

About the author: William S Andrews, a personal development coach. He likes helping people cope with their problems. In this case, William has his own section on the website of write my paper service. Moreover, he takes part in various conferences to improve his knowledge and develop new skills.