Are Dogs Allowed In Home Depot? 10 Important Rules to Know

Quick Take

• Home Depot's official dog policy and what actually happens inside stores are two very different things, a gap that could save you an embarrassing turn-away once you understand it. See the official policy →
• Emotional support dog owners often assume the same rules apply to them as service dog owners, but they don't. That legal distinction matters the moment you walk through the door. Understand the legal distinction →
• One leash type most dog owners use without thinking is actually a liability hazard inside Home Depot, and the owner ends up paying the price. Check the leash rules →
• Even a well-behaved, vaccinated dog might still be the wrong dog to bring, and the reason has nothing to do with the store's rules. Find out if your dog qualifies →

Dogs are sometimes allowed in stores, but each individual store generally has its own policy. If you’re a fan of DIY, you may be wondering if you can bring your pooch with you on a Home Depot run. In this article, we’ll discuss how to find out if dogs are allowed in your local Home Depot and 10 rules to know before bringing your dog into the store.

Home Depot Dog Policy

Officially, Home Depot allows only service animals in their stores. However, they do sometimes share photos of dogs in the store on their social media accounts, as the policy is generally enforced at the individual store manager’s discretion. In my area, most Home Depots do allow well-behaved, leashed dogs, and you often see small dogs riding in carts throughout the store. However, stores near you might be different.

Before taking your dog to the store, please call ahead. You can also check the door the next time you walk in, as there are usually signs specifying whether or not the store is dog-friendly. If you’re unsure, you can also try asking the employees in person. Please remember to be kind, even if the answer is disappointing. If dogs aren’t allowed, it’s almost certainly not the employees who made the decision.

What Rules Do Dogs Have to Follow in Home Depot?

If you take your dog to Home Depot, here are a few rules that dogs and humans have to follow.

#1: Service Dogs Are Always Allowed

It’s illegal for Home Depot to turn away service dogs. They cannot demand documentation for your dog or ask for details regarding your disability. The only things that anyone at Home Depot can legally ask before allowing your service dog into the building are:

• Whether you require your service dog’s help for a disability
• What tasks the dog has been trained to perform.

They can also ask you to leave the store if your service dog does not behave to the standards expected of service animals. For instance, you can’t let them run around or pee in the store.

#2: Home Depot Doesn’t Have to Allow Emotional Support Dogs

Emotional support dogs are very different from service dogs. They cannot be denied housing by your landlord, but they don’t have the right to accompany you in public spaces. This means that your emotional support dog will be treated like any other pet dog. If dogs are allowed, they can enter; if not, then emotional support dogs cannot enter either.

#3: All Dogs Must be on Leash

Unleashed dogs are unlikely to be allowed into Home Depot. Although there may not be statewide leash laws, many municipalities require dogs to be leashed in public. You should always keep your dog on a short leash directly beside you.

Where I live, leash laws dictate that the lead can be no more than 6 feet. Retractable leashes are dangerous in a store like Home Depot, where there are long lines, narrow aisles, and many people walking around. Other people can be seriously injured: a leash can wrap around them, causing them to trip and fall, suffer leash burn, or face more severe injuries from the leash digging into their skin. The owner is then responsible for any injuries.

#4: The Dog Must Behave

Your dog should be well-trained before you bring them into the store. They shouldn’t lurch toward people or dogs walking by, but should essentially remain at a “heel” at all times. They should also have reliable “drop it” and “leave it” cues. There are many things in Home Depot that can seem appealing to dogs, but they shouldn’t be pulling things off the shelves.

#5: Your Dog Should be Potty Trained

This may seem obvious, but it’s very important. You should never let your dog urinate in Home Depot. It’s not sanitary, can impact others’ shopping experience, and can ultimately cost the store money. Give your dog a chance to pee before walking into the store. Even the best-trained dogs can have accidents if they’re asked to hold it for too long.

#6: They Shouldn’t Bother Other Customers

Your dog shouldn’t be disrupting others’ shopping experience in any way. If they do, it’s likely that a Home Depot employee will ask you to leave. Good behavior includes staying by your side, remaining quiet, and not getting into anything they shouldn’t. It also means not approaching other customers unless they’ve asked to pet your dog. People are likely to want to pet your pooch, and it’s okay to say yes if they ask. However, nobody should have to walk around your dog to get where they need to go or have a dog jumping on them as they shop.

#7: Always Clean Up After Your Dog

Your dog shouldn’t cause extra work for Home Depot’s cleaning crew. If they pee in the store, please clean up the mess immediately. The same goes for muddy pawprints, shed fur, and so on. If it’s very muddy outside, you might want to bring wipes to clean your dog’s feet before entering. Or, you can skip the trip to the store or go inside by yourself. If your dog is shedding heavily, you might also want to skip the trip until the shedding season is over. Some stray hairs are to be expected, but your dog shouldn’t be leaving clumps of fur all around.

#8: Only Bring Vaccinated Dogs into the Store

Home Depot doesn’t have a policy requiring dogs to be vaccinated. However, your dog should be up to date on all of their vaccines before going into public. Otherwise, they could get very sick or spread disease to other dogs in the store.

#9: Spay or Neuter Your Dog Before Visiting

Spaying and neutering are also not required by Home Depot but are a responsible thing to do before taking your dog in public. While your dog should always be under your control and supervision, it can be more difficult to keep intact dogs away from one another. It simply is not worth the risk.

#10: Leave Your Dog Home if They’re Sick

Finally, please leave your dog home if they’re sick. It’s courteous to other dog owners, the staff, and fellow shoppers. Sick dogs can spread disease and are more likely to have messy accidents in the store. They also need rest, so a store trip isn’t in your dog’s best interest either.

Should You Take Your Dog to Home Depot?

We’ve discussed whether you can bring a dog into Home Depot, but the question remains: do dogs really belong in hardware stores?

Here are some reasons not to bring your dog into Home Depot:

• They’re not socialized. While Home Depot can be a great place to socialize your dog, it certainly isn’t the starting point. There are too many sights, sounds, smells, people, and dogs around. It can be incredibly overwhelming and could backfire, making your dog more fearful of entering public spaces in the future.
• They’re untrained. Only the best-behaved dogs should enter public spaces like Home Depot. If your dog cannot reliably ignore other people, animals, and things or cannot walk calmly at your side, they shouldn’t enter the store.
• They’re not vaccinated or intact. As stated above, unvaccinated or intact dogs should not be brought into Home Depot, because it’s a risk to themselves and other dogs in the store.
• They get stressed in public. Many dogs don’t want to be in Home Depot. Remember to look for even subtle signs of stress, like lip licking, yawning, or dilated pupils.
• Home Depot can be dangerous for dogs. Consider that there are people carrying large, heavy items throughout the store. Dogs can get in the way, cause tripping hazards, or be hit by said items by mistake.

Some dogs do well in Home Depot and other public spaces, but this typically takes a lot of time and effort from their person. Most dogs would prefer to stay home while you shop, as going to the store can be stressful and overstimulating. You know your dog best, so please think carefully and make the best decision for them.