So... the Austin paper did a story on pet-friendly places in town a few weeks back. Most locations that were mentioned were places you normally wouldn't think of taking a dog, i.e. Home Depot. I saw Home Depot listed and, since I drive by there constantly when Cooper and I are coming back from Petco or the coffee shop, I thought I might stop in there sometime and pick up a few things while we were in the neighborhood.
I even did the responsible thing and I called Home Depot, asked for a manager and talked to him about their dog-friendly rules. He said that as long as my dog was on a leash, he was welcome in Home Depot. I figured that was enough verification for me and Cooper really didn't care.
SOOOoooo today, we were driving home and I remembered I needed some air filters for my AC unit thingy-ma-bobby. We went to the Home Depot and I was carrying Cooper inside (he did have his leash on though, just in case) when the greeter dude stopped me and Coop.
He said "hey lady... you can't have THAT DOG in here." (The fact he called Cooper "that dog" really offended me but I gave him a little slack... I mean, he hasn't seen Cooper in his new hoodie.) I looked at him and said "The manager <insert manager's name here> told me I could bring my dog in if he was leashed."
The man, obviously not an animal lover and possibly in need of a vacation or the intimate company of a woman, said "There are no dogs allowed in this store. What do you think this is? Petsmart?" About that time, I saw a man come around the end of an aisle with a chocolate lab on leash. Lucky me!
I pointed at the man and his dog and said "he's got his dog in here." The greeter ROLLED HIS EYES at me and said "yes, but that's a big dog."
:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: I'll save you all from the four-lettered tirade I went on after that statement, making sure just about everyone shopping in Home Depot (yes, even the garden area) heard me. Poor Cooper... he just looked at the guy as if to say "oh, now you've done it."
(Later I felt a bit bad about my screaming at the guy... I get a little testy when it's hot outside but he had no way of knowing that. When the temps drop below the "surface of the sun" range, I am actually quite pleasant.)
In the end, there were about 3 managers, 6 or 7 store clerks and a random construction worker or two surrounding us and trying to keep me off the idiot because I was ready to have a throw-down, WWF style. (WWF, for our international friends, is the World Wrestling Federation.)
I got a $50 gift certificate to Home Depot, my air filters were free of charge and the butthead had to apologize to me for his comments.
Anyone need some lumber? :lol: :lol:
I even did the responsible thing and I called Home Depot, asked for a manager and talked to him about their dog-friendly rules. He said that as long as my dog was on a leash, he was welcome in Home Depot. I figured that was enough verification for me and Cooper really didn't care.
SOOOoooo today, we were driving home and I remembered I needed some air filters for my AC unit thingy-ma-bobby. We went to the Home Depot and I was carrying Cooper inside (he did have his leash on though, just in case) when the greeter dude stopped me and Coop.
He said "hey lady... you can't have THAT DOG in here." (The fact he called Cooper "that dog" really offended me but I gave him a little slack... I mean, he hasn't seen Cooper in his new hoodie.) I looked at him and said "The manager <insert manager's name here> told me I could bring my dog in if he was leashed."
The man, obviously not an animal lover and possibly in need of a vacation or the intimate company of a woman, said "There are no dogs allowed in this store. What do you think this is? Petsmart?" About that time, I saw a man come around the end of an aisle with a chocolate lab on leash. Lucky me!
I pointed at the man and his dog and said "he's got his dog in here." The greeter ROLLED HIS EYES at me and said "yes, but that's a big dog."
:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: I'll save you all from the four-lettered tirade I went on after that statement, making sure just about everyone shopping in Home Depot (yes, even the garden area) heard me. Poor Cooper... he just looked at the guy as if to say "oh, now you've done it."
(Later I felt a bit bad about my screaming at the guy... I get a little testy when it's hot outside but he had no way of knowing that. When the temps drop below the "surface of the sun" range, I am actually quite pleasant.)
In the end, there were about 3 managers, 6 or 7 store clerks and a random construction worker or two surrounding us and trying to keep me off the idiot because I was ready to have a throw-down, WWF style. (WWF, for our international friends, is the World Wrestling Federation.)
I got a $50 gift certificate to Home Depot, my air filters were free of charge and the butthead had to apologize to me for his comments.
Anyone need some lumber? :lol: :lol: