For the past few years, we have allowed dogs inside our gym and have been pretty lax on the rules. It’s finally time we are all on the same page about what our official policy is here at BCF regarding dogs.
1: Is Boulder CrossFit dog friendly?
Yes, absolutely, we love dogs! I have a husky who loves being in the gym while I workout. Dozens of our members own dogs as well as all of our coaches. HOWEVER, that being said please read the below Q&A’s.
2: Are dogs allowed inside the facility and if so, when?
Dogs will NOT be permitted inside the gym before or during any portion of a class, open gym, or 24/7 hour access. The only time they are allowed inside is after the conclusion of a class when all the equipment is put away and it is safe to do so. They are not allowed to be inside during any open gym hours and/or 24/7 access even if you are alone.
3: Where can I put my dog if I bring him/her to the gym?
We get it. You don’t want to leave your pup at home/inside when you hit the gym. If you bring your dog, please leash him/her up fully OUTSIDE of the gym before class starts. You can use a KB or DB to attach their leash to.
4: What should I do if my dog is barking while I’m in class?
Please put your dog inside your car or bring a toy/treat/bone for him/her to enjoy outside if barking is an issue. Our coaches will give you a friendly reminder if the barking continues. Please don’t take this one personally. We are trying to deliver a distraction-free environment while at BCF.
5: What if I’m the only one inside the gym during Open Gym Hours and/or 24/7 access key? Can I bring my dog in then?
Unfortunately, we can’t make exceptions for anyone. The above rules apply to you as well. This also goes for all the coaches and me, the owner. Please continue to read the reasoning behind this.
6: Why is BCF suddenly enforcing this now?
We have 3 main reasons why these rules will be strictly enforced moving forward. Number one, is liability/safety. While your dog may be the most well-behaved, accidents can and do happen on/off-leash. If your dog gets loose and a barbell hits him/her or a member hurts themselves avoiding the dog, then that’s on us as a gym. Number two is cleanliness/sanitation. While your dog may be the most well-groomed and never shed hair, keeping a gym clean is hard. The accumulation of several of dogs visiting our gym during the week leaves the floor dirty with hair, footprints, slobber, and dirt. So much that our floor cleaner is starting to get backed up on a weekly basis. Number three, is distraction to our members and coaches. Again, your dog may never bark or misbehave but we can’t make exceptions to only a few. Barking before or during a class is very distracting and our priority is to provide quality, uninterrupted coaching.
If your dog is outside, on a leash, AND calm, they are absolutely welcome to join you at BCF. Please be respectful of these rules and don’t force our coaches to be in an awkward position. We know this is a big change for some; please reach out to Zach directly if you want to talk about it more. Thank you all very much and if anyone wants to set up a play-date with my husky, be sure to reach out.
-Zach T.
