Is Ulta Beauty Dog Friendly? Are Dogs Allowed In Ulta Beauty?

Many people who rely on their pet dogs for care when they’re out in public and even those who simply can’t bear to be without their pet dog’s company may be wondering if their dog can accompany them into their favorite store.

I was wondering, are dogs allowed in Ulta Beauty?

Are Dogs Allowed In Ulta Beauty?

No, Ulta Beauty does not officially allow dogs in their stores. However, Ulta stores do allow service animals to accompany guests with disabilities in all areas of the stores where the public is allowed to go. Ulta Beauty is not dog-friendly although some local stores make exceptions.

For the stores that do allow you to bring your dog, it’s strongly advised that they wear a comfortable harness.

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Official Dog Policy for Ulta

Through Ulta’s online chat feature, we asked Maria in customer service both if pet dogs were allowed, or if they only allowed service dogs in their stores. We found her answer a bit odd:

We currently do not accept pets into stores, and we don’t have a service for dogs. We do apologize. We wish there was more we could do about this situation. We are always looking for ways to improve. Please know your voice will be heard for future references!

Okay, so maybe the company has put together some canned replies that don’t always work with every question.

At least the reply made clear that pet dogs are not allowed in their stores, but the matter of service dogs remained unclear.

So we pressed her saying we were not asking if they offered services for dogs, but if they allowed service dogs.

Maria’s reply: We do not accept pets into the stores. Is there anything else I can help you with?

Again, we explained that service dogs are not pets and that stores are required to be ADA compliant and allow them. We asked if she was sure that Ulta was not ADA compliant.

Maria’s reply: I’m sorry you had to deal with this. Your feedback is so important to us! We value your comments and concerns.

Clearly, we were not getting anywhere. We decided to press her one last time, saying: So if someone came in with a certified service dog, say, for example, because they were blind, that person could not enter with that dog. Correct?

The query was met with silence. Then, suddenly, the chat board came alive again with a friendly hello from Danica offering to answer any questions we might have.

Maria was, apparently, no more. When the service animal question was posed once more to Danica, she replied:

Ulta stores allow service animals to accompany guests with disabilities in all areas of the stores where the public is allowed to go.

Phew! Glad that question was settled!

How Do Customers Feel About Dogs Being Allowed in Ulta Stores?

We couldn’t find any praise or complaints about Ulta’s dog policy, but a May 2010 question posed online by someone headed to the Maywood, New Jersey Ulta store asking if dogs were allowed inside got plenty of feedback.

The poster said she had a small Shih Tzu which she could carry in a bag if need be. She did not want to leave the dog in the car with her spouse.

One person replied that it was okay to take her dog into that store, but questioned why she couldn’t part with him for a half-hour shopping excursion.

That led to a debate about whether dogs should be allowed in stores and restaurants overall. One poster said they were from Manhattan and that people often take their pets in stores and “no one cares.”

There were many, however, who suggested she leave the dog outside citing the fact that some people have allergies to dog hair, phobias, or that bringing a dog inside would be unhygienic.

Others argued that where they came from, dogs are simply not allowed in stores and shouldn’t be.

Does Ulta’s Dog Policy Vary By Location?

Bolingbrook, IL-based Ulta Beauty operates over 1,100 stores across the United States and while its unpublished policy is that pet dogs are not allowed in any of its stores, other pet-friendly sites online suggest that some individual locales are more flexible.

Is that true? We tried calling a few random stores and asking their customer service reps if we could bring in our well-behaved dog while we shopped. Here are the replies we received:

Ulta Beauty in Smyrna, Tennessee? Yes, you can.

Ulta Beauty in Yuma, Arizona? Typically, it’s just supposed to be service dogs. But after conferring with her manager, she said it would be okay this one time.

Ulta Beauty in Greene Town Center in Beavercreek, Ohio? Yes, it’s fine.

So are dogs allowed in Ulta? It looks like, yes, sometimes they are.

Tips For When Going to Ulta With A Dog

Before you even consider bringing your pet dog to Ulta, call ahead to see if you’ll both be welcomed inside.

That’s great if you are, but if you receive a reply that only service dogs are allowed, respect the rules. Don’t try to smuggle your dog in.

And never try to pass your pooch off as a service dog if he isn’t.

What else should you do to prepare him?

Don’t just bound into a store with your pet without thinking. Make sure your dog is comfortable in a store setting.

Build up to a store visit by starting first at pet-friendly outdoor venues where he will be exposed to a variety of people and pets.

When he’s comfortable there, move on up to common pet-friendly stores like pet stores and garden centers first.

While shopping, be sure to keep your pet on a short leash and give other shoppers a wide berth. Remember, not everyone is comfortable around dogs.

Also, be familiar with your dog’s body language. If he starts barking or appears uncomfortable in the setting, take him and leave.

Make sure he has been fed before you enter the store and that he has been provided the opportunity to relieve himself.

Don’t count on him not having an accident. Be sure to have supplies and bags on hand to quickly clean up after him if he makes a mess.

Final Thoughts on Ulta Beauty, The Non-Dog-Friendly Business

In summary, the answer to the question: “Are dogs allowed in Ulta Beauty?” is generally no. The only exception is a service animal.

However, we also found that some local stores allow pets at their own discretion. Ideally, you’ll need to call ahead first.

Many local and national stores are pet-friendly and advertise that fact clearly to their customers.

However, far more are a bit fuzzy about their rules often leaving it to individual store managers.

Handling your pets well and showing consideration to store personnel and fellow shoppers will go a long way to ensure you and other pet lovers continue to be welcome in stores.