I’ve joined the “why are there dogs everywhere” Club

Edinburgh festival the other week, 24 degrees no shade in George Square gardens yet the whole world had brought their dog with them. If you've ever been to the gardens in the festival you'll know how busy it is. Those dogs did not look happy, it was so hot crowded and noisy, plus it made it harder to move around the area as you were trying not to step on the dogs.

@Sladuf1
You're spot on. I've had dogs for 48 years, never taken any of them to shops or cafes. It's a very modern trend that has worsened since Covid. The lockdown puppies with first time dog owners are having a very different upbringing than previous generations of dogs did. Only time will tell if all these changes are long term or not. If the number of posts on MN from people who regret getting a dog because it's too tying/not housetrained/reactive is anything to go by, then I think @jonthebatiste is probably correct and for many there won't be a second dog after lockdown pup dies.

I'm not by any means a dog person but it's sad that dog owners don't consider the needs of their dogs. That sounds awful. Reminds me of how my anxiety gets triggered seeing very very young babies in certain environments.

Went to a National Trust recently and there were massive dog turds all around the exquisite tudor knot garden. Some kind of pack meet had descended on the place, I cannot be bothered to detail the specifics but quite honestly they were an absolute spectacle. Hideous watching such a glorious place desecrated by such inane types and their creatures. These pack meets seem to be everywhere now, abominations the lot of them.

Not to brag 😆 but my dog is a angel and probably would walk
round John Lewis with me however she’d think I was a right twat for making her do it.
Poor dogs ! All the noise, smells, people etc. stresses me out.
The walks are for her to have a nice time not help me choose a new kettle. Humans are strange

And my view on dogs in John Lewis was solidified when I saw one taking a pee right on the lowest shelf of knitting wool. Wrote them an email about that one!

Dogs in the beautiful M&S Autograph shop in Battersea Power Station, what if one curled one out on the white porcelain tiles? 🤔

When I first went to live in Australia, I was amazed to see how many dogs there are where I live and how they are catered for: a bowl of water outside many shops and all cafes. Common to see dogs with owners on outside seating at cafes. One even provides dog beds!

However, only one shop allows dogs in and that's Bunnings (Hammer Barn to all the Bluey fans) and then only if the dog can be carried in the trolley.

And that's it. As a dog owner I'm very glad indeed.

Same. Had a brochure through from Wren a couple of months back.
Says in it that dogs are allowed in the showrooms now.
Christ knows why you would need to take your dog with you to pick a new kitchen 🙈

I was very glad when I noticed that Tebay services (that middle class staple!) had many signs up the other day indicating the areas where dogs could and couldn't be. I actually saw staff members actually telling people they couldn't come into the food hall with dogs!

A likely controversial view of mine, but dogs seemed much, much happier to me in general when they weren't allowed anywhere and everywhere and it was expected that they'd stay at home and snooze for a few hours...

Why can't people tie their dogs up outside shops anymore? It used to be commonplace.

Completely agree OP. The situation in John Lewis is beyond a joke. A dog licked DD there other week - absolutely vile. I’m mystified why anyone would want to drag a dog round a department store or why the department store thinks permitting non-assistance dogs is a good idea.

I’m far from a dog hater too - we don’t have one but I grew up with and loved family dogs.

Sorry @ticktickticktickBOOM but if I wait politely with my large dog for someone to pass with children or pram then yes, I do expect a thank you. We have just as much right to be there as they (or you) do. So I think you were rude not to say thanks.

Sorry for the duplicate post, no idea what happened! Blame the dog 😉

Someone was having a rant in my local Facebook group recently that the village pharmacy hadn’t let their dog in, to a chorus of “Well I shall certainly boycott that shop in future and collect my medicines from elsewhere”.

Right, that sounds like a plan. Such an animal needs a lot of work.

I certainly believe that a significant proportion of people who got dogs in lockdown had some regrets at the amount of time, money and effort it takes to care properly for a dog and now can’t be bothered.

I was annoyed last week when we found a new local walk and there were dogs off lead, ignoring the very clear signs that they should be on lead, because sheep graze in nearby fields.

It’s the dog shit and urinating all over the streets that is just getting out of hand. Too many irresponsible dog owners.

I sometimes wonder whether it’s an overflow from everyone getting a dog in covid and not realising it’s not like a large cat and you can’t leave them very long so they just take them with, however inappropriate. Luckily the good shops are in an mall near me and it’s strictly no dogs unless service dogs so you avoid the issue. Massive dogs on busy buses is another atory though. Especially when you are trying to get a pushchair on and they won’t move an inch 🤬🤬🤬

Nope that's not the plan. I'm following a behavioural plan with her to allow her to feel comfortable being alone. It's just a very very slow process. We're definitely nipping places rather than buying a whole new autumn wardrobe or whatever.

I watched one of those dog training programmes and there was a woman with an out of control dog, she'd bought in the pandemic. When the trainer suggested limits to where she took the dog, she said "but he's family!" which made me laugh.

I watched one of those dog training programmes and there was a woman with an out of control dog, she'd bought in the pandemic. When the trainer suggested limits to where she took the dog, she said "but he's family!" which made me laugh.

We were in John Lewis in Southampton not so long ago and a woman tried to pretend her dog wasn’t shitting in homewear. She kept dragging it along so it left a trail of shit. She didn’t stop or ask for help or pick it up. She then went up the escalators to womenswear. Two shop assistants just stood over the shit until the cleaning staff came. Gross behaviour from the woman.

I don't think it's a problem to "nip to a shop", however, shopping as a leisure activity and taking it into whatever cafe or place you want to is a bit much.
You have a dog with separation anxiety - that seems very common nowadays. The solution can't be for it to lead a quasi human life?

It really is. The majority of shoe shops I’ve been in haven’t been anything resembling spacious, lots of room to manoeuvre around in either. Brantano branches in out of town retail parks were the only exception. Why take a dog wih you to go shoe shopping?!? Bonkers.