Cover photo credit: Hobby Lobby Facebook
If you love shopping at the craft store, and you love your pup, have you ever considered…. shopping at the craft store with your pup? Maybe you haven’t thought about it before, but surprisingly, many craft stores do allow it.
This post covers the details of whether Hobby Lobby allows dogs, and what to expect. Plus, we cover what you should do before you take your dog to Hobby Lobby.
The brief answer is that yes, Hobby Lobby is dog-friendly overall, but some exceptions do exist, so you’ll want to call ahead to make sure. All stores require dogs to be leashed and well-behaved, and you are responsible for messes.
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Is Hobby Lobby Dog Friendly?
Verdict: unofficially pet-friendly (including treats!)
Next up on the list is Hobby Lobby. Similar to Michaels, Hobby Lobby does not have a top-down policy allowing dogs. Instead, they leave the decision to each store’s management. But overall, they are welcoming of dogs. Call ahead or check Bring Fido to be sure.
If you look up “Hobby Lobby” on Bring Fido, a website for finding dog-friendly destinations, you’ll find no shortage of stores listed. Some of the reviews even say that employees provided treats for their pups! If you aren’t able to find your store’s location on Bring Fido, you should call ahead to the store you intend to visit and make sure.
Because Hobby Lobby has a lot of fragile merchandise displayed in the store (as mentioned in this article about a former employee suing Hobby Lobby for disallowing her service dog), be sure your dog is controlled and watch where their tail might go. As with any store you bring your dog to, you are responsible for messes and should have your dog on a leash or in the cart.
If your Hobby Lobby store is part of a mall or larger building, the decision to allow dogs or not might be left up to the rules of that property. This may require you to use a separate entrance.
In summary, Hobby Lobby does allow dogs at most of their craft store locations, but you should verify with each store first. Dogs are expected to be leashed and well-behaved so as not to disturb fragile merchandise or other customers.
Before Your Bring Your Dog to Hobby Lobby
While bringing your pup to Hobby Lobby sounds like a blast, there are a few things you should do first as a responsible dog owner.
Calling ahead
We’ll get into more detail soon, but in general, it’s always a good idea to call ahead and make sure. This is true if it’s your first time to a store, or if you’re visiting a store you previously knew to be dog-friendly, but haven’t visited in a while. The store policies or management may have changed.Even if the company is generally dog-friendly, there may be reasons why dogs aren’t allowed in a specific location (typically having to do with state or local regulations).
Leash training and obedience
Before you go out in public, your dog must be well-mannered! Much like a child, you want your dog to be well-behaved in public, which means no jumping on people or pricey merchandise, or making a mess in the aisle. Chances are you’ll be the one cleaning it up, and paying for broken products. This is especially true at Hobby Lobby which has a lot of fragile merchandise.
So make sure your pup is leash trained and knows some basic training such as “sit”. They should also be well-socialized around other dogs and people, as you may encounter other customer’s pets or service animals.
Vaccinations
Much like bringing your dog to a dog park or kennel, you want to make sure you’re being a good citizen and not bringing or spreading common diseases or parasites. Make sure that your dog is up to date on all vaccines and preventative treatments for ticks, fleas, etc before going to Hobby Lobby, or any other store.
Don’t be in a rush
If you are in a big hurry, chances are it’s not a good time to be shopping with a dog. Much like kids, dogs can derail your plans or make messes. Don’t put yourself in a situation where you are already short on time, and then get fed up dealing with an accident or delay. Give yourself time to browse peacefully.
Use the lawn first
Before you go in, find some grass and let your pup relieve themselves. This goes hand-in hand with the previous point about not being in a rush. If you know your dog has already gone to the bathroom, you don’t have to be running around the store trying to check out before they make a mess.
Be considerate
Not everyone is a fan of dogs, as strange as that may sound. Some may be allergic, or be afraid of dogs. Be sure to give other people plenty of space, while keeping your dog contained with a leash, carrier, or cart. If your dog is making a lot of noise or otherwise causing a scene, take them outside and calmly address the behavior. Don’t make other customers deal with your pup’s unruliness.
Additionally, don’t lie about whether your dog is a service animal or not. Service dogs are not subject to the same rules as pets, because they are crucial for the well-being and functioning of their owner. Be respectful to ADA guidelines and answer honestly if you are in a store that only allows service animals.
Conclusion
We hope you’ve found this post useful. We’ve also covered whether or not Michaels, Joann, and Blick Art stores are dog-friendly. Do you plan on taking your pup for a trip to Hobby Lobby? Do you have any dog-focused art projects in mind? Let us know!
