Does Best Buy Allow Dogs? 2024 Policies & FAQ

If you’re like many dog owners, leaving them at home while you go shopping doesn’t even cross your mind. If you have a close relationship with your canine and like going to Best Buy, you might wonder if they allow dogs in their stores. The slightly confusing answer is yes, no, and maybe. If your dog is a service dog, yes, they can enter any Best Buy in the country. But ordinary dogs are not allowed in Best Buy. However, since the manager at each Best Buy location can set certain rules, including their dog policies, some Best Buy locations let you visit with your dog. Below, we have more information about which stores do and don’t allow you to visit with your favorite canine.

Why Can Service Dogs Enter Any Best Buy?

Like all retail stores, Best Buy must adhere to the rules and regulations set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Those rules say that all service dogs must be allowed to enter with their owner. As long as your dog has been properly trained to provide a service and has the brightly-colored vest they all wear, they can enter the store with you.

Why Are Best Buy’s Dog Policies So Confusing?

Where things get confusing at Best Buy are the rules and policies they set at the corporate level. The reason is that, unfortunately, Best Buy doesn’t have any specific rules at the corporate level about dogs entering their stores. However, Best Buy does have a policy that allows their store managers to set local policies, and letting dogs enter the store is one of them. So, in some Best Buy stores, you can visit with your dog, but most don’t allow it.

As a dog owner who likes to bring their pup shopping, your task is to determine if your local Best Buy allows dogs inside or not. In most cases, a quick phone call will do the trick.

Can You Take an Emotional Support Dog in Best Buy?

Best Buy’s corporate policy is only to let certified service dogs in their stores. That rule immediately disqualifies an emotional support dog from entering. Service dogs are trained to:

While emotional support dogs provide a valuable service, few, if any, have been as well and highly trained as service dogs. Also, the ADA’s rules don’t cover emotional support dogs, so stores like Best Buy aren’t compelled to let them enter. However, as we’ve seen, Best Buy allows their general managers to set the dog policies at the store level.

In short, bringing your emotional support dog to Best Buy might be possible, but in most cases, it’s not. Again, a quick call to your local Best Buy will give you a definitive answer.

Can Puppies and Dog Strollers Enter Best Buy?

As with ordinary and emotional support dogs, puppies and dog strollers are not allowed into Best Buy. That isn’t surprising when it comes to puppies, as they can be rambunctious, untrained, and typically urinate everywhere.

Why Are Dogs Forbidden From Entering So Many Stores?

If you’re wondering why dogs aren’t allowed to enter many stores, including most Best Buy stores, several factors are involved. The most important of these factors has to do with hygiene and, more importantly, contamination. Let’s be honest; dogs can carry bacteria, germs, fleas, and other pathogens that can, under the right circumstances, be passed to others or contaminate products, especially food products.

There is also the problem of allergies and allergic reactions that some shoppers might have if exposed to a dog. Unfortunately, in many stores, the space between the aisles makes it so that passing by with a dog puts others in very close proximity to them. Last but not least, some people are simply scared of dogs, especially if they’re close. For all of these reasons, many stores prohibit all dogs except service dogs from entering.

Do Any Stores Allow All Dogs?

Many retail store chains are suffering due to online home shopping giants like Amazon taking away their business. For that reason, some companies are changing their policies to attract customers back to their brick-and-mortar locations. That includes their dog policies, which is great news for dog owners who love to go everywhere with their four-legged friends. Below is a list of retail chains similar to Best Buy with dog-friendly policies.

NOTE: Keep in mind that it’s still best to call ahead and make sure what a store’s exact policy is in your town or city. Many stores not on our list have dog-friendly policies of varying degrees in place.

Best Practices for Bringing Your Dog to Best Buy (and Other Stores)

Let’s say you’ve called and found out a local store you like allows dogs to enter. In that case, the following best practices will improve the shopping experience for you, your dog, and other customers visiting the store.

Always Call Before You Visit

Unless you’ve been there before, always call a store before visiting to determine if they’re dog-friendly.

Only Take Your Dog if It’s Well Trained

If your dog is young, untrained, and rambunctious, leaving them at home when visiting any store is better. That will prevent any uncomfortable incidents.

Keep Your Dog on a Leash at All Times

Unless you’re visiting a store that encourages letting your dog run free (i.e., PetSmart), always keep them on a leash.

Visit the Store During Off-Peak Hours

When possible, visit your store of choice during their off-peak hours. This reduces the chance of awkward incidents.

Bring Your Dog to Go Potty Before Visiting

Making sure your dog has urinated and defecated before entering any store is always a good choice for obvious reasons.

Take Bags and Wipes (Just in Case)

You never know if your dog will have an accident inside a store. For that reason, taking poop bags and wipes is a great idea.

Bring a Water Bowl

While most stores don’t offer water for dogs, they have no problem with you bringing your own bowl and filling it with water from one of their restroom sinks.

Final Thoughts

If you have a trained service dog, you can bring it to Best Buy whenever and wherever you like. As for ordinary and emotional support dogs, that depends on the specific Best Buy you wish to visit. They allow their store managers to set some rules, including dog-friendly policies.

As we’ve seen today, it’s best to call ahead and ensure you can go inside Best Buy with your favorite canine. Hopefully, the information we’ve provided today will allow you to visit more stores with your dog and have an excellent experience in all of them!

See also:

• Does Walgreens Allow Dogs? Policies & FAQ
• Does Ross Allow Dogs?

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Featured Image Credit: Best Buy Store | Mike Mozart, Wikimedia Commons CC 2.0 Generic