Part of being a dog-friendly town is being able to take your animals with you - instead of leaving them in the car or at home. 

Having a well-socialized dog means that you can take them places with you - but in order to get them socialized you have to take them places with you! (bad grammar is there on purpose to make the point). 

I say it in several other spots of this website but I'll say it here again - I don't take Charlie or Buttercup to these places to they can play with other dogs in the middle of the store - they are there as my companions, exactly as if you were taking your 2 year old child shopping with you.  The last thing we want to do is cause a fuss, we want to get in and out of there like everyone else! But life is SO MUCH BETTER when your dog is by your side, don't you think? And it makes everyone else's life nicer when they have the opportunity to scratch the head of the friendliest dogs in the world. 

Same as squeezing the cheeks of those screaming little 2 year olds!  But anyway, I digress!     The business owners in the Halifax Regional Municipality are starting to realize how lucrative it is to allow dogs into their stores with their human companions I think!  Or maybe we’re becoming better organized – but I’ve found so many places now that you can take your dog shopping with you that I’ve had to reorganize this page so that it’s in categories.  Isn’t that super?  So it’s broken down into sections – so video stores, building supply stores, etc., are all together – so when you’re making up your shopping list you can choose your stores appropriately! 

And don’t forget to tell the shop keeper WHY you’re spending your money at their establishment!!!   We're becoming so successful at shopping with our dogs and telling each other about it that I've had to break up stores into sections now on this website - I used to have them all on one page - but that has become too unruly - so now you can look below for what kind of stores you need to go to, and then click on that type to see which stores locally are for-sure dog friendly.  But it's like I say - you don't know a store is NOT dog friendly until they kick you out! haha! And if you find a store is dog friendly - email me and I'll put it on the site so we can all share the love!!

So here's the list you can go to to find some stores:

• Building Supply Stores  

• Video Stores  

• Clothing Stores  

• Banks  

• Eclectic Type Stores  

• Pet Stores  

• Craft Type Stores  

• Miscellaneous Stores  

• Computer Stores  

• Convenience Stores  

• Bookstores & Magazine Stores  

• Restaurants

NEWS FLASH - and little known thing about Metro Transit - did you know that you CAN actually take your dog on the bus?  They have it very negatively worded on their website - but here is what it says:  "With the exception of Seeing-Eye Dogs and Other Trained Working Dogs, animals are not allowed on Metro Transit vehicles, unless properly restrained in a closed cage or otherwise restrained so the animal will not cause a disturbance or damage to the vehicle."  Now what that says to ME is this - Dogs ARE allowed on Metro Transit buses as long as they are in a closed cage or otherwise restrained so that they will not cause a disturbance or damage to the vehicle.... so what does that mean?    Small dogs CAN go on Metro Transit - just put them in a poochi bag or a Sherpa bag, or whatever bag you like to put them in - but they CAN go on the bus!  Isn't that fabulous?  And if you get any flack - just take the section of the website that says the above about animals - you'll find it here - http://www.halifax.ca/metrotransit/policies.html 

Here's a great summer idea!!  Shakespeare by the Sea is dog friendly!  I had an email from someone who works for the Shakespeare by the Sea company - Caitlin and her dog Maggie - and she said that well behaved dogs are welcomed at their plays! Isn't that awesome! 

The Point Pleasant Park page talks more about Shakespeare by the Sea - with a link to their website - so if you like live theatre - and your dog can sit relative still for a couple hours - this is something you can share with your dog soul mate - yea!

Some other pages on this site!

Why this website exists

What to do when your dog isn't dog friendly

Tips for owners of dog friendly businesses

Local fun things to do with your dog!

Is your dog dog friendly?

Tips for a benevolent alpha