In France, an estimated 7 to 8 million dogs live as companion animals. That is just as many owners who, every day, decide where to go — for a coffee, lunch, or errands. And a large share of these decisions comes down to one simple question: can I bring my dog?
The uncertainty problem
Today, the vast majority of dog owners have no idea, before walking in, whether their pet will be welcome. Sometimes they call. They check Google — often without finding a clear answer. They look for reviews. They avoid uncertainty and go back to places they already know.
That is a missed opportunity for shopkeepers. Not because dog owners spend more than others — studies on the subject are contradictory — but because they are loyal. Very loyal. A dog owner who finds a café where their pet is welcome will keep coming back regularly, will bring others along, and will talk about it.
What a sticker does
A dogs-friendly sticker on a shop window is first and foremost a signal. Clear, visible, immediate. The owner walking by sees in a second that they will not have to justify themselves, ask permission or apologise for being there with their dog.
It is also a promise. The establishment is not just saying "we tolerate dogs" — it is saying "you are welcome". The nuance matters. Tolerance is conditional. Welcome is a stance.
And finally, it is a listing. The establishments displaying the sticker are catalogued on the dogs-friendly.fr map, visible to thousands of dog owners across France. That is an extra digital presence, free once the sticker has been ordered.
Feedback from shopkeepers
The shopkeepers who have joined the directory put it plainly: dog owners are grateful customers. Not because they are easier or more generous, but because they have often struggled to find welcoming places and they know how to appreciate it when they do.
Eddie, from Le Green Man in Montpellier, sums it up nicely: "We didn''t really change the way we operate. We just displayed that we were dog-friendly and started listing our bar. Within two months, we saw faces we didn''t know."
The sticker, how it works
The dogs-friendly sticker is a professional vinyl window signage, designed to last on shop windows. It comes in three versions — Guts (terracotta), Wilson (bordeaux), Vashkyrie (olive) — each carrying the name and colour of a real dog from the community.
Ordering the sticker means: – Receiving the physical sticker by post – Being listed on the interactive dogs-friendly.fr map – Joining a directory consulted by dog owners looking for places to go
There is no subscription, no commission, no hidden conditions. One sticker, one listing, a window that clearly says what you are.
If you are a shopkeeper and dogs are already welcome at your place, the next step is to display it.