One Stop Shopping

Currently we are enjoying a week off in celebration of spring break.  So far our break has consisted of many Athena related activities.  Yesterday we decided to take a trip to Home Depot, not because we needed anything there, but just because they allow dogs in the store.

Usually when we want to get out of the house, we either head to the park or to a pet store because they are the only places that we know of that allow dogs.  Home Depot is one of our go-to places for extra special Athena outings because they also allow dogs in the store.  We first learned about the possibilities for dogs at Home Depot from our good friends at Two Pitties in the City who often take Miss M and Mr. B to the store during the snowy Chicago winters.

The particular Home Depot that we frequent is very dog friendly (and I've heard that most of them are) and it's not uncommon for us to see other dog shoppers around the store.  Many employees will stop to talk to us about Athena and will often share stories of their rescue dogs at home.  Athena also gets lots of exposure to new people because there's always a few people who ask to say hi to her.

Our favorite thing to do in Home Depot is to practice Athena's down-stay.  We pick an aisle with very interesting materials (such as the light fixtures) and think of all of the possibilities for our dream home while Athena quietly lies next to us.  This is great practice for Athena to work on her training commands in a place other than the living room that.  Home Depot is filled with distractions such as people, rolling carts, loud noises, and different smells.  This is a great environment for a Canine Good Citizen in Training!

Not only do we do training exercises while in the store, but we also allow Athena to sometimes lead the way with her nose.  She is always eager to sniff around and poke her nose into different corners and onto different shelves.  You won't ever find her sniffing around the rolls of carpet though.  For some reason, she's completely terrified of those big rolls.

What are some places that you take your dog for extra special training?  Have you ever taken your dog to Home Depot?