Pets at Farmers' Markets: Yes or No?

My pomeranians do bark but only when someone comes to our house. This is their way of protecting me. They also bark when they see squirrels in my porch or in the garden . When they are at the mall, grocery or shopping center, they do not bark at all, not even when people come and pet them.
Yes, they are used to sitting on my DR chair when we have dinner, but never attempt to eat anything even when you place the food on the table in front of them unless you hand it to them personally. They just look, smack their lips . I hesitate to leave them on the floor, tied to their leash as customers or waiters/waitresses can easily step on them. No one has complained so far, not even customers who always greet us as we are leaving restaurants , inquiring as to their breed and if they are familiar with poms, what kind they are as Wolfie is one of those rare wolf sable. I see children in restaurants who are often unruly, makes a mess . Airline stewardess do comment that they are better behaved than children. They are very clean, sleeps with me, have their teeth brushed every day, groomed daily, bath every 15 days.

i have 0 problem with pets at markets, indoor or out. i love that the French let dogs and sometimes cats inside restaurants and sometimes sitting on their own seats. as long as theyā€™re well-behaved and not barking or trying to bite anyone, i say bring them!

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yeah, i find dogs at farmerā€™s markets to be generally annoying. usually theyā€™re ok if the owners are good dog owners and actually have a clue about training their dogs, but in my experience that population consists of about 10% of dog owners

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My SIL had a Pomeranian: ā€œemotionalā€ is a great description!

Meanwhile Iā€™m just talking general health rules set up by the government in years past for good reasonā€¦I know Petco and Agway, those kind of places are exempt, plus airlines have their own rules too. It does make me feel better to know itā€™s not all willy nilly.

I have a love hate relationship with farmersā€™ markets.

Love the market, hate the crowd.

I just accept the fact that if I want to get something that is a the farmerā€™s market, I may become annoyed and frustrated in the process. I also realize that this is my problem. Strollers and dogs are no more annoying that ā€œfriendsā€ meeting and having informal gathering while everyone is trying to move around.

Dogs arenā€™t usually the problem, just the dummy on the other end of the leash.

I suppose the sad thing is that there are a lot of people that follow rules, try etc. It just takes one idiot to convert you a hater.

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There are no dogs allowed at my local farmers market. Reason, there were a couple of events that created a possible liability. A couple of dog fights where the owners could not control their pets. And more than once a dog defecating and the owner not cleaning up after their precious. Also, once there was a dog that lifted his leg and peed on a vendors products that were low. So no dogs allowed.

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The same for my local famerā€™s market. Last year, they enforced the no-dogs rule. Too many irresponsible dog owners spoiling it for everyone else. I stepped over many a ā€œlow hurdleā€ while shopping - gross. Dog owners were pretty steamed about the rule, but I was relieved not to have to worry about the poop or a hungry canine taking my kidsā€™ food away (my sonā€™s pickle on a stick was quickly gobbled up by a hungry bulldog!). I love dogs, but some owners take things too far. They really donā€™t need to be taken "everywhere.*

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I am not uncomfortable with dogs in public spaces. However, emotional support dogs are not the same as service dogs and are not given the same legal privileges. Restaurants and public businesses do not need to allow your emotional support dog.

Iā€™m not saying the laws donā€™t need some tweaking, but it does upset me when emotional support owners think they are entitled to the same allowances given to service animals. The two are not equivalent AT ALL in training or expectations.

(Just the easiest result to find)

Edit: here is a slightly better explanation

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YOU ARE ENTITLED TO YOUR OPINION BUT
I was a normal person, healthy , a high specialized practicing physician, until my husband passed away
I retired became a recluse and with that stress, became a type 2 diabetic ( my internist initially thought there was a mistake with the lab results and and so did I)
I had no desire to live. I was down to 100 pounds , even a size 4 was sometimes too big for me.
Had to go on therapy until my brother came up with a bright idea I should get a dog because i grew up with pekingese in my family
My first pom arrived in April, 2014. He was neutered just before he was adopted bec he was not to be a show dog per agreement with the breeder.
Unknown to me, the breeder used my Wolfie a s a stud and he had 3 offspring
Traveled with my Wolfie to Canada to show hm to my brother. Found out when I asked for my Woflieā€™s papers ( we changed his name and did not want any problem with custom) that he had 3 offsprings
I adopted his daughter to keep him company in Sept when she became 9 weeks old , was weaned from her motherā€¦
After that, I no longer needed a shrink but still stayed at home, as I could not part with my dogs.
My shrink gave me a letter for them to be emotional dogs
They are very well behaved , there are people who offer to buy them wherever we go. They literally run across from shopping center to pat them.
One guy who is on experimental drugs for CHF by IV infusion thru a central line held my Wolfie for 30 min at Costco, asking me to borrow him for a few days
I belong to the pomeranian society who suggested that I bring my dogs to childrenā€™s sick ward, esp to a ward where children are receiving chemo to cheer them up as they are so well behaved, does not eat anything unless given to them. They dance and entertain people.
I call restaurants ahead of time before I take them, we sit in a corner the restaurants in order not to disturb and alienate clients they often come over to pat them when they leave. .
I find waitresses sitting across from us, watching how well behaved my dogs are, often asking pictures to be taken with them.
I now start giving parties for my sonā€™s friends who frequent our house , staying over , and cooking for them.
A couple ordered a pom from my breeder , waited almost a year,
They travelled from a distance to see my pomā€™s cousin as they want the same breeder and coming from the same genes.
They are waiting for the pom to be weaned from her mother in 2 weeks more before they can bring her home.
SORRY! YOU ARE ENTITLED TO YOUR OPINION

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It is not my opinion, it is the law.

Again Iā€™m not saying that there arenā€™t legitimate needs for emotional support dogs but the laws for emotional support dogs and service dogs are not currently the same and emotional support dogs do not need to be accommodated. If you were not made aware of this when you were prescribed your dog by a medical professional then you should ask or look into it.

I know you feel strongly about this and I get it. Take it up with the ADA and get the laws changed.

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Not everyoneā€™s dogs are as well trained as yours are. Good for you.

Yes they are .
When I took Woflie( before Luna was adopted) to Canada to meet my brother, he was not an"emotional service dog"yet but he was allowed to be in a carry on crate and charged $50 each way for his ticket. However, the rules are that as soon as he arrives in the airport, he cannot be out of his crate. We observed that rule. There was 2 hours of waiting in the airport as it is considered International Travel. The trip was no longer than an hour or so. The airline stewardess came and told me that I should allow him to poke his head out. She commented that he was better behaved that the kids that were in the plane and that was true!

A lot of laws are meant to solve for the worse behaviors in life, and hopefully deliver larger overall societal benefits than the cost (inconveniencing well behaved people or dogs, for example)

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Not really related to the subject. I observe that many times problematic animals have problematic human as owners.

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Iā€™m not sure your point, ccj, other than you want to belabor the point about the good behavior of your dogs. Pets in an airline cabin, in kennels and for a fee has been allowed for many, many years. If you flew from the US to Canada it was considered an international flight because, last I checked, they are two separate countries. Iā€™m glad your dogs are helpful to you and have allowed you to participate more fully in life. But ESAs are not guaranteed the same rights in the US as service animals.

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I am aware of the fact that some airlines allow dogs or other pets in passenger cabin even if they are not ESAs. I also know they are not guaranteed the same right in the US as service animals. In the scenario when we travelled to Canada, had just wanted to point out that the stewardess felt sorry that my Wolfie was inside his crate without contact with me , not only during the flight but the 2 hours requirement to be at the airport prior to flight. The stewardess suggested I let him poke his head out and commented about his behavior as compared to some children in the cabin.

I abide by the rules.
I call restaurants ahead of time, explain what they are. If they will not allow them to enter restaurant. I simply do not go to that restaurant. Simple as that! There are other restaurants that welcome us .

The oral surgeon whose office is 2 hours from my home told me I can go there with my dogs for follow up because it means I will be away from home for over 4 hours.I usually wait between 30 min to 1 hours before being seen for 5 minutes during follow up. When I arrived there, his manager told me ā€œNOā€ They are not allowed. They have to stay in the car although her boss told me it was OK. I did not make any fuss, called my periodontist, whose office is in the same compound , few doors away. He allows my dogs to go and stay in his office while I am having treatment. His wife is the manager of his office and has my dogs sitting on her lap , even takes them out for walks while I am having procedure done. She came over to the oral surgeonā€™s office, took my dog back to their office and that is that! If she could not take care of my dogs, then I would just return another time when my son is in this country and can stay with them. The oral surgeon apologies to me but I told him to forget it. I do not want him and the manager to be at odds. There are 2 other partners and I certainly do not want them to antagonize each other as I have known my oral surgeon since he was a resident , had rotated under my service in the 70ā€™s.

I am not about to call ADA and get the laws changed as Thimes suggested.

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mes suggested.

Same here.

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wellā€¦ Iā€™ve had to change my opinion on this. Last summer we sold at a small farmers market at a catholic church. Sunday mornings 10 -1. My dog really had a fit about being left home so one Sunday I said screw it heā€™s coming along. He became the best salesman. Tom is a very well behaved red & white Siberian. Within two weeks he was adopted by everyone & he even had the ancient nuns from the convent all stopping by to say hello to him before mass. He can work a crowd better than any politician.

Anyway, one Sunday a guy stopped at our stand with two kids, girl & boy about 11 & 8 (or so). They asked if they could pet Tom which was fine. Didnā€™t pay a lot of attention. The next Sunday the guy drops by & says to me ā€œYou were quite an inspiration to usā€. Yeh right. He goes on to tell me that on the way home the kids begged & begged could they get a dog like Tom. Mom tells them that if they can find a black & white with on brown & one blue eye they can adopt him. Did I mention Tom is a rescue? Of course the kids get home & got right online to find a dog. So, they find a Husky for adoption - 2 years old at the local Husky rescue, black & white. Now this dog had had some kind of eye infection that the previous owners treated so poorly that not only was he blinded but his eyes had to be removed. & they adopted him & he had come home with them just that Friday. Well, Iā€™m speechless at this whole story & really, really moved. I said to the kids ā€œI guess you are his Seeing-Eye Peopleā€. they really liked that. Turns out they had previous experience with rescues & a month or so later Mom told me he was the easiest adoption they ever did.

Just FYI - hereā€™s a picture of Handsome Tom with his friend Layla:

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:heart::heart::heart::heart::heart::heart::heart:

Love it. And boy, Iā€™d love to pet Handsome Tom!! We used to have a malamute.