‘Home improvement store or a dog park?’: Customer asks employees how they feel about dogs overtaking home improvement stores

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Mar 1, 2023 5:00 PM EST

It's become quite trendy in the United States to take your beloved pooches everywhere, to the annoyance of this customer who wanted to shop without dogs around. It does seem that people can take their dogs almost anywhere these days — into stores, cafes, restaurants, and so on. However, this customer is sick of seeing dogs at a place where they've historically been allowed to hang out – at home improvement stores. 

U/drcrankenstein took to the r/HomeDepot subreddit, usually reserved for posts from employees, to ask the workers what their thoughts were. While he got downvoted something fierce on some answers, employees seemed surprisingly mixed about their feelings toward our furry friends. 

Some absolutely love getting to pet dogs, as it improves their day. However, for others, they don't care for the messes and fights that dog owners bring to their stores. Not to mention people who have allergies or are afraid of dogs, there's just no escaping pets at these stores! The OP certainly has much to think about before their next trip to the home improvement store. 

Next, take a peek into the life of this hotel worker, who managed to get some exceptionally good revenge on a mean customer. 

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  • 01
    Dog - 'I was surprised to see some dude with a giant Great Dane... I commented that he should leave his dog at home.'
    via Marcelo Pinto
  • 02
    Font - r/HomeDepot. Posted by u/drcranknstein 2 days ago Is Home Depot a home improvement park? It can't be both. store, or is it a dog
    via u/drcranknstein
  • 03
    Font - I went to my area HD about a week ago to get a few odds and ends for some projects around the house. I was surprised to see some dude with a giant Great Dane. He didn't have good control of his dog and was unable to keep it away from me. I was just walking down the aisle as one does, so I wasn't crowding them or anything. Indeed, I gave as much space as I could. I'm always cautious around strange dogs, especially in places dogs should not be. I commented that he should leave his dog at ho
    via u/drcranknstein
  • 04
    Font - It was not. Over the course of the next 15 minutes or so that I was in the store, I saw at least 6 other dogs of various sizes. They were everywhere. At least two of them got into a pretty good fight. It looked like there were about a dozen customers in the immediate vicinity of the fighting dogs.
    via u/drcranknstein
  • 05
    Font - When I mentioned my concerns to the cashier, he commented that I was the second or third person to ask about dogs in the store in the last few minutes. When I told him it was probably because of the dog fight a few minutes earlier, he acted as though it's a common occurrence and not a big deal at all. So, what do you think? Is Home Depot a home improvement store, or is it a dog park? It can't be both.
    via u/drcranknstein
  • 06
    Font - Edit: Thanks everyone! It was more or less as I expected. I appreciate you taking a few minutes out of your evening to reply to me. This thread has been very informative. Not only did I gain the information I was after, I also learned how terrible it must be to work at HD, and that there is a surprising percentage of managers who aren't especially interested in managing.
    via u/drcranknstein
  • 07
    Font - SharkPirate55. 1 day ago Dogs have been at home Depot for as long as I can remember. Poorly trained dogs are an issue, but there's nothing that employees can do about it. 123 Reply Share drcranknstein OP. 1 day ago They could enforce the "No dogs" policy. Employees could be trained to properly employ the legally allowed questions to ensure only legitimate service dogs gain entry to the store. -67 Reply Share
    via u/SharkPirate55
  • 08
    Font - Bamcfp 15 hr. ago I can tell you 100% petsmart told us specifically home depot is the best store to get your puppy used to people. We took our pup one time and then realized they are not equipped to deal with pee and poo cleanup and have been at the dog park ever since. Idk why they would tell us to go there, but they are fing stupid so no you gotta take their advice with a grain of salt.
    via u/Bamcfp
  • 09
    Font - Seriously-GFYM. 1 day ago I think I don't get paid enough to give a s 368 Retireeguy 1 day ago This right here is the thread winner. 80 Reply Share Reply Share drcranknstein OP. 1 day ago That's the spirit. -199 Would you give as if someone's dog attacked you or a customer? Reply Share
    via u/Seriously-GFYM
  • 10
    Cheezburger Image 9739654400
    via u/CheesecakeMobile8511
  • 11
    Font - If I ever see something like that going down, know that I will have the employee's back. Unacceptable.
    via u/drcranknstein
  • 12
    Font - After Significance 70 1 day ago The guy probably acted as if he didn't care because he simply knew there is nothing he can do about it Reply Share 13 drcranknstein OP. 1 day ago Probably. He may also really like dogs. It does sound like the policy is only words at most, if not all, of the US stores, and that most store managers don't care. Given the egregious underpayment for labor, I wouldn't be surprised if the store managers are getting f ed financially, too. 4-2 Reply Share
    via u/After_Significance70
  • 13
    Font - imsleepy05 1 day ago D24 I don't care, let me pet the dog. It makes my shift better.
    via u/imsleepy05
  • 14
    Font - Kampf Geist 21 hr. ago Exactly, my day becomes better when i get to interact with a customers dog.
    via u/Kampf Geist
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    Font - bn1979 14 hr. ago Glad to see this. I bring my dog sometimes. It's good for him to be exposed to random people and occasionally other dogs in that type of setting. He's 80 pounds and was terrified of the animatronic Santa.
    via u/bn1979
  • 16
    Font - aessedai03 1 day ago The description for this subreddit says it's a bunch of Home Depot associates hanging out. Customer complaints usually don't receive positive responses here. 45 Zircon 72 23 hr. ago D28 2 Reply Share . Make the sub private I say. Make it truly employees only -1 Reply Share Continue this thread → drcranknstein OP. 1 day ago It's not a complaint. I specifically wanted to hear what employees think of dogs in the store, and also to find out how common it is. Reply Share
    via u/aessedai03
  • 17
    Font - TransportationOne205 1 day ago It's a Home Improvement store and technically a fully functional warehouse. It is not a safe environment for any pet or unattended children or a person that can not pay attention to they're surroundings. Also, technically dogs or any pets for that matter are not allowed. Only service animals are allowed inside, however this is where things get tricky. We are not legally allowed to ask for service animal proof, and many people know this and so everyone that w
    via u/TransportationOne205
  • 18
    Font - Downhill Destruction 1 day ago My HD literally has a sign on the front door saying pet dogs are allowed. Same for Lowes. This is not a correct answer.
    via u/DownhillDestruction
  • 19
    Font - meredithyourb 1 day ago Most of us enjoy having dogs in the store. It makes our sty job a little bit better. And as for your "they could enforce the 'no dogs' policy" comment, management doesn't enforce any of the policies. So this one's no different. The employees view the "ugh why do they allow dogs in here?" customers as buzzkills. I would tell you to take your business elsewhere, but most home improvement stores allow (or at least tolerate) dogs and other pets.
    via u/meredithyourb
  • 20
    Font - Danthe Man5860 - 1 day ago . You should have confronted the other customer. Stop being a wuss. 36 Reply Share drcranknstein OP 1 day ago . I did. I always do. You know what they always say? I bet you do. They say "Are you the manager? No? Then f off and mind your business, a hole!"
    via u/DantheMan5860
  • 21
    Facial expression - Nivekian13 1 day ago Rather would deal with 10 dogs than 5 kids in my store.
    via u/Nivekian13
  • 22
    Font - joebidens tpuppy 1 day ago D31 maybe complain to a manager and not a cashier, no one gives a darn about the dogs no matter how many times we tell the customers they don't understand all the chemicals, and dangers of the animals they bring in Reply Share 9 drcranknstein OP 1 day ago Yeah, you'd think that people who love their dogs so much would want to keep them out of dangerous environments. As for talking to the manager, it sure sounds like most of them don't care. That was the impressi
    via u/joebidens**tpuppy
  • 23
    Font - joliesherri 22 hr. ago D23 When I worked at Home Depot we used to have this man come in with two little chihuahuas tied to his cart. He started letting them s everywhere he wanted and wouldn't pick up after them. He just walked off. Until one day one of my coworkers got paper towels and some spray and told him "Here you need to clean" never saw him again after. Some people ruin it for the rest of the dogs
    via u/joliesherri
  • 24
    Font - SnooFoxes9637. 1 day ago Only read the comments, go to Lowe's dude. We don't give a f Reply Share 8 drcranknstein OP. 1 day ago Yes, that does seem to be the general consensus among employees. Thanks!
    via u/SnooFoxes9637
  • 25
    Font - More-Cantaloupe-3340 1 day ago One time, I kicked a guy out for having a dog not on a leash. He hemmed and hawed about it being a support dog and not needing one, and I told him I wouldn't have it on my conscience when a reach truck ran over it. I even offered to put his dog in a cart and I'd walk around with him. No, I was the do nothing ple. a Got a call from my DM chastising me about poor customer service later that day. I knew for a while before that incident, but that was my wake up
    via u/More-Cantaloupe-3340
  • 26

    This person has the right idea!

    Font - Oriencor 23 hr. ago I bring my cat. She's calm, sits in the child's seat and gets pets from everyone. No complaints at all.
    via u/Oriencor

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stores dogs manager pets leashes employees home improvement
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