Dog Friendly Christmas Shopping 2010

I love this picture - it was taken 2003 or 2004 when I was the photographer for the SPCA Pet pics at PawPlex and Buttercup had had a long day of trying to attack all the dogs who'd come to have their photo taken with Santa. We'd finally had to put an X-pen around me so that Buttercup could have some peace. She has always taken her job of protecting me too seriously. I'll try better next time to have a more nicely behaved dog - but with Buttercup I've always just let her do whatever she liked - and from day one she was always a cranky old lady. Who knew she'd last seven years and still be going strong?

Anyway - onto the topic of this post, I've written posts in past years about dog friendly Christmas shopping - and these posts are a little bit different that other people's "dog friendly" Christmas shopping in that you aren't necessarily buying presents FOR your animals - what you are doing is shopping WITH your dog!

That's the thing I'm always interested in - is spending the most time possible with your dog - so why not do your Christmas shopping with your dog too! So here are some wonderful stores that will let you do that!

If you're over in Dartmouth Crossing - you've got lots of options - to start off with - the Future shop will let you spend tons of money on all your electronic needs - and also let you bring in your beloved canine companion with you, as will the Telus Store - and of course you'll also want to do some pet store shopping while you're there - so spend some time at 3 Dog Bakery, and Petcetera.

Not too far away from Dartmouth Crossing is Leon's in Burnside Park - which is also dog friendly. If you're stuck in Dartmouth and looking for books and gifts - Chapter's at Mic Mac Mall is dog friendly - so I'm sure they'd love to take bunches of your money - and it's really easy to spend loads of money there too! And you can do it there and not have to leave your dog in the car - which is extra fabulous!

If you're over Halifax way - the Chapter's in Bayer's Lake is also dog friendly, as is the Winners store, Value Village - the Future Shop, Rona, Home Depot, the Robotnik computer store, Reitmans, Wearhouse One, Mark's Work Wearhouse, the Aliant Store, the Cleve's Store - Global Pets is a given of course! - Carsand Mosher - and also the Telus Store.


Other places around the HRM that are also dog friendly for you to pick up your last minute essentials are - Kwik Kopy Design and Print Centre on Strawberry Hill, the Staples on Gottingen Street, the Trail Shop on Quinpool Road, the Biscuit General Store on Argyle Street, Valleyfield Farms out in Lower Sackville, Taylor Timbr-mart in Musquoidoit Harbour, Venus Envy on Barrington Street, Bikes by Dave on Young Street in Halifax and when you've done all your shopping - you can do some relaxing by doing your laundry - WITH your dog at the Detergency laundromat on Cornwallis Street - because it's also dog friendly! haha!

And before you pop in there, don't forget to pop into Atlantic News on Queen Street or Book Mark on Spring Garden Road to get something to read while you and your dog are waiting for the laundry to be finished.

So if all of those stores don't have everything you need - then you're buying too much stuff!!

If this doesn't prove that Halifax retailers know that tax paying dog owners in the HRM are a very important niche markete - then I don't know what does - I really wish they would tell the bureaucrats at city hall how important we are. But that's another blog post. Stay tuned.

And happy shopping - with your best friend!!