Does Hobby Lobby Allow Dogs? A Complete Guide (2024 Update)

If you’re like us, you want to take your dog everywhere you go! And there are quite a few stores that are pet friendly, even if you don’t realize it. If you didn’t already know, you can often bring your dogs into many Hobby Lobby stores.

However, before you rush out and bring your pup to Hobby Lobby, you’ll want to keep reading, because you can’t bring your dog into every Hobby Lobby. Not only that but just because you can bring your dog into Hobby Lobby doesn’t mean you should.

Does Hobby Lobby Allow Dogs?

Currently, Hobby Lobby does not have an official policy about dogs in their stores. This means that it’s up to the individual store owners to decide if they want to allow dogs inside their stores.

However, if your dog is a service animal, Hobby Lobby must allow them inside their stores. But this only applies to service animals, not emotional support animals.

How to Figure Out the Pet Policy at Your Hobby Lobby

Because Hobby Lobby doesn’t have an official pet policy, it’s up to the local store to set its own rules. While this creates a lot of leeway for the store, it can make it a bit challenging to try and figure out what you can and can’t do with your dog.

The best thing you can do to figure out the pet policy for a specific store is to reach out to employees or a manager from the store to determine their policy. Also, keep in mind that other employees or managers from the store might ask you to leave if they’re getting complaints from customers.

Don’t just assume you can take your dogs in; find out the rules for the store first!

Service Dogs and Hobby Lobby

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), companies must make reasonable accommodations for those with disabilities. Part of making reasonable accommodations is allowing service animals into the store.

Because of this,. if you have a registered service animal, they’re always allowed inside Hobby Lobby stores. However, this is only for service animals, not emotional support animals.

The 6 Tips for Taking Your Dog Into a Store

If you’re thinking about taking your dog into a store, Hobby Lobby or otherwise, there are a few things you should do to ensure you’ll have a smooth experience.

1. Take Your Pet Out Before Bringing Them In

Before you bring your pet into a store, ensure they have a chance to go potty outside first. You’ll still want to bring along bags in case they have an accident, but if they have the chance to go before you head inside, it’s far less likely for them to have an accident.

2. Bring Treats

You want to encourage your pup to be on their best behavior when they’re inside a store, and what better way to do that than with treats? If your dog knows there’s a treat on the line for good behavior, they’re far more likely to keep doing what they should inside the store.

3. Use a Short Leash

While retractable leashes are among the most popular on the market today, they’re not what you want to use when you’re inside a store. Instead, you want a non-retractable leash that isn’t more than 6 feet long. This ensures the dog doesn’t get away from your immediate line of sight while you’re inside the store.

4. Train Your Dog Before Taking Them

The store is not the place for you to start training your dog for the first time. At this point, your dog should already have basic commands down and should listen to you. Taking them into the store for the first time might present a few new challenges, but if your pup has already mastered basic obedience training, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

5. Know Your Dog

You know your dog and what they can handle, and if you don’t, it’s not the time to take them into a store. Once you know about your dog’s typical behavior, you can make an informed decision about whether they can handle anything that might happen while you’re shopping.

6. Always Watch Your Dog

When you’re in the store with your dog, you need to keep an eye on them the entire time. All it takes is a brief moment of not watching your pup for something to happen. It might take away from the joy of shopping a bit, but it’s your responsibility as a dog owner.

Final Thoughts

Before you decide to bring your dog into Hobby Lobby ensure your pup has the proper training to behave themselves and check with your local Hobby Lobby for their pet policy. And remember to always be respectful with other people around your dog and listen to the employees in the store if they tell you to do something!

• Related Read: Do Embassy Suites Allow Dogs?

Featured Image Credit: HobbyLobbyStowOhio, DangApricot, Wikimedia Commons CC SA 3.0 Unported