Go shopping with your pet!
Written by Dr.Laxmi Iyer

You know what an attention grabber pets are. They are the easiest and quickest way to make friends across all ages, all communities and of course gender no bar. If you are young and eligible, you don't have to visit that department store in Paris where it's all happening. The local department store in your suburban bit of town can be that happening place for you. Of course, you need to make that happen for you!

It doesn't matter whether you are young or old, married or single, with kids or a pair of happy go lucky DINKS (Double income no kids) - shopping with your pets around can be lots of fun. The more pets you have the better! Just a note of caution, make sure that your pets are n't the scratching and biting type.

Another prerequisite is that they should neither be claustrophic nor agarophobic.You know what that means don't you? Fear of closed spaces and large, open spaces - both of which exist in shopping malls. Otherwise, you know what that could lead to - a nightmare scene straight out of the movies.

A mad scramble, hundreds of overturned cans and boxes, your pet glowering or cowering away in a dark, forgotten corner of the department store, the alarm bells buzzing away in crazy cacophony and people running out in panic. That is the worst case scenario. It won't happen if you go shopping at a nice time.

Good times to shop are when there are no crowds...Find out what the peak hour shopping times are. Avoid those hours. Pick out a leisurely hour to shop and go strolling with your pet perched comfortably on the shopping cart, around your neck or walking beside you.

You of course know how unpredictable cats are. Always carry their basket in which you can quickly transfer them into in case a happy Great Dane comes within whisker feel distance to say a bright Hello!

What you can do to make your shopping simple and easy is to make a list. Always make sure that you walk just once to each section. That means if you are buying fruits, then don't go to the clothing section and then return to the vegetable section which is bang next to the fruit section to buy vegetables.

There's a word of caution here. Make sure that your pet's poop times are over and that they don't use the shopping mall for that. Carry their pooper scoopers with you. If not, don't travel alone. Make sure that you have a companion, may be your pet sitter if no one else comes with you. You never know when your pets may find the shopping experience uncomfortable and you will be in the middle of the corridors with your pets wailing out!

Another point to note, don't leave your pets out in the car with the windows closed. That can spell dehydration if the sun is shining down! Watch out!