To dare to think that the Cult of Dog has gone too far?

Ah, that comment is a bit telling.

It seems its OK for the cult of cat to be worshipped.

I'm well aware of that, but I'm pointing out that people love their pets and will give them treats as I occasionally do.

I've never owned dogs but I quite like them

Dog wine and icecream is just a bit of a fun way for people to treat their pets. People love to humanise their animals and businesses take advantage of that to make money out of them. Harmless fun imo, just like pup cups and doggie stockings st Christmas time. Personally I find it a bit daft, but if it makes people happy and it doesn’t harm the animal, then why not.

Where I do take issue is animals being taken to places their don’t enjoy or benefit from. Maybe some dogs don’t mind sitting in cafes or restaurants and when we were on holiday my parents did take our dog to pub gardens because you couldn’t leave them in a hot car. Shops, supermarkets, inside restaurants, no. It’s not for the benefit of the animal, just for their owners who don’t want to compromise their day to accommodate their pet.

I think there have always been selfish dog owners, it’s just that there are so many more of them now. They are as much of an irritation to other owners as they are to everyone else. Their pets are usually badly behaved, untrained and allowed to approach on lead dogs, which is a recipe for disaster all round.

i don’t dislike dogs. I love to see them out and about, running on the beach. Most are no bother and their owners responsible. It’s the rest that are a pita.

IME, no they won't. People are disgusting creatures and not many have basic hygiene and general manners.

This thread is about dogs…

I think manufacturers saw an opportunity to make money. People love their pets. I adore my cats, I am still not over the death of my one cat 4 years ago.

Each to their own though, I wouldn't be giving my cats cat wine but I do give -them some treats but not on a regular basis

With my luck, the stick would already be covered in dog slobber.

I think it's a sign that these are my sort of people, not the uptight ones with a stick up their arse!

I think you need some wine TBH
And a dog.

Giving dogs and cats ice cream and wine is the sign of a society in decline, just like in ancient Rome where a horse was made senator.

My cat used to have cat wine, I think it was called Pawsecco. It didn’t hurt anyone. I presume we’re supposed to be a bunch of miserable gits, no treats allowed for anyone

Yup got right out of hand…. everything between here and the beach peed on, huge beasts with owners ill equipped to handle them.
My daughter has two dogs but does not expect everybody to be as fond of them as she is ( bit like your own children!)

I mean, my dog is literally in my back garden right now with a doggy ice cream. How that hell is that affecting anyone else? It isn't.

Dog ice cream and dog beer are treats. There is nothing wrong with treating our pets. If you think that is somehow treating them as "human" then your bar for what is human must be pretty low. Or are humans not allowed treats either?
My dog enjoying an ice cream is not impacting anyone at all.

You don’t think creating a societal culture of dog ice cream and dog beer and precious fur babies have equal rights to humans impacts anyone? Ok…

Yesterday - no less than 6 dogs in John Lewis with their owners letting them weave in and out of clothes rails - ugh. Pre dog greased clothes for sale.

I give it a year. Shops will start saying assistance dogs only.

I didn't see anyone look at the dog seat pondering whether to ask the owner to move it, it was marathon day and the standers were all excited and only going a few stops.
I wonder if it would be different on a regular commuting day.

Also someone sat their dog on a seat on the Tube, while people were standing.

That’s all shades of wrong, but one of those people should have said something instead of standing there being all polite (like I would have too!) Maybe they didn’t want to sit where a dog had been.

Yeah, but I reckon it’s fair to be allowed an opinion. Lots of things don’t impact me directly, but I still have views on them, some positive, some negative. I don’t need any specialist knowledge to believe that frothy coffee substitutes for dogs are bloody ridiculous. But I’m not about to wrestle them off the poor animals. I think they’ve probably got enough to worry about.

I agree - dog obsession has gone beyond the reasonable. Dog shit everywhere, but you never find a dog owner admitting to it being their dog - despite regular 'my dog has got out of the garden hours ago' posts on social media. Em - might it be their dog crap we are trying to avoid the ?
Dog owners letting their pet jump up at you with the owner saying 'it's saying hello'. Seriously - I don't want dog dirty feet or slabbed on my clothes!
Dogs in cafes - often being fed off the owners plate and barking in between bites of food. Now the National Trust has opened up properties to dogs - barking, dog crap and long leads blocking foot paths (despite them saying dogs should be on short leads). Yesterday - no less than 6 dogs in John Lewis with their owners letting them weave in and out of clothes rails - ugh. Pre dog greased clothes for sale.

If you don't have a dog then they are not for you. You don't have to buy them. People buying them for their dogs does not impact you whatsoever.

All the “human” food for dogs is ridiculous. Dog ice cream, dog cupcakes, dog beer etc!

Saw a little dog on a lead among the London marathon supporters yesterday. It was heaving. I really felt for the wee thing, at best it can't have been enjoying it, at worst it might have been scared and overwhelmed. I don't understand why you'd take your dog to something like that.

Also someone sat their dog on a seat on the Tube, while people were standing.

I'm a dog owner. The last place I would want to take them would be into town/shops and restaurants/libraries. I doubt they want to be there too!

It has been really heartening on this thread that we have had measured and considerate posts by dog-lover/owners who are well-adjusted empathetic people and understand why the dog epidemic has gone bonkers. Those are the owners with normal family and friend relationships and a proportionate attitude to their animals and kindness and empathy to others around them.
It’s the vociferous minority who are unable to form relationships with other people and can only cope with dominance over a helpless animal who are the ones infesting inappropriate public places.