Romeo's Outing: A Pet Friendly Pasadena

I'm always so amazed at how pet-friendly Old Town Pasadena is. Yesterday, I took Romeo shopping, and we went into Old Town.

We went to the Paper Source to buy some paper for a test project that I'm doing. Then Romeo and I stopped in at The Gap, because for some unknown reason, Romeo LOVES The Gap. (FYI: I could be wrong, but I believe dogs are always welcome at any Old Navy, anywhere.) We were stopped there by a woman who had a regular sized Aussie, but hadn't ever seen a mini aussie so small. The Gap saleslady also stop to chat with us for a bit about Romeo. After all that cooing, we went to Romeo's favoritest place in all of Old Town Pasadena: Three Dog Bakery. There, he got to lick frosting off of a spoon. Doggie heaven!

No trip for an urban puppy could be complete without a stop at Victoria's Secret. The first time we went, I wasn't sure if they would let Romeo in, because, well, let's be honest, dogs are notorious for destroying underwear. But my sister went in and asked, and they said, "No problem." So we went to Victoria's Secret so I could get (yep) more underwear.

Our trip culminated with a trip to The Container Store. I had never seen a dog in The Container Store, so I stuck my head in to ask if it was all right before bringing Romeo in. There, another woman stopped us and asked if Romeo was a miniature Australian shepherd. To which I replied, "Yes." She asked how old he was, and when I said, "Two and a half." She asked, "Two and a half months, right?" And I said, "No, two and a half years." Apparently her friend has a mini aussie, and it was NOT Romeo's size. So many people are calling their mini aussies "mini" when they are actually standard size Australian shepherds coming from mini aussie stock. But that speaks to the politics of the Australian shepherd breed and not the actual size of the dog. (For any who claim that Romeo is not a true Australian shepherd, I invite you to look at his pedigree. He comes from CHAMPION, pre AKC, pre differentiating size, Australian shepherd lines! He's just small!)

We ended the trip there at The Container Store. Romeo is more well-behaved on Old Town Pasadena and other urban areas that is dog friendly than at dog parks! I love that Old Town loves dogs (and cats!) as much as the owners do. There is almost no retail establishment in Old Town Pasadena that won't let a dog in. (I'd ask before bringing in a dog to Barnes and Noble...there is a food establishment attached.) But if you're unsure, don't just barge in, canine in tow. Poke your head in and ask if it's ok. Gordon Biersch, for instance, even with its outdoor patio, when I last asked, wouldn't let Romeo in.

See you in Old Town!