Market Dogs - Taking your dog to the Farmer's Market

Another Saturday, another farmer's market. We are starting to become old hats at this. One thing we are starting to do is take Oppi with us.

It is good to get him out of the house and he likes hanging out with us.

It is important that if you decide to take your dog with you on your selling adventures, make sure that there are a couple basic training things he must know first.

1) Make sure he knows how to sit/lay down and stay. When dealing with vendors and customers, you don't want your dog pulling you every which way. Make sure that he has the discipline to sit and wait for you while you conduct your business. This will take time to develop, dogs are like kids and can get bored.

2) The farmer's market is a very lively place, other people bring dogs too. Make sure your pet understands that other dogs does not mean that they can charge off barking. This will often scare people away from you or your booth and make them uncomfortable. Not to mention, it distracts you and your pet can knock things over.

3) NO jumping! When your pet jumps on you, you know he/she is just doing it for fun. When they do it to other people, they may get scared.

4) Make sure your pet is good with kids. There was one little boy I distinctly remember who was obsessed with Oppi's tail. He kept grabbing it and tugging it. Make sure your pet is okay with that kind of attention. YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR PET SNAPPING AT ANYONE!!

Overall, your pet should be well behaved and not disruptive. It takes time and training, but your pet can be a fun addition to those farmer's markets. Not to mention they will help you occupy the time on the slow days!