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

Oh God…you’re right. I hadn’t thought of that, and I’m normally very imaginative about the consequences of other people’s poor hygiene.

It really does impact everyone- the choices made by some people. I guess it’s the entitled attitude that, instead of scheduling time to properly exercise their dog in places it might actually enjoy, some people just take the poor critter with them wherever they go. There are good dog owners who get up early and take their dogs for a proper walk and you can see how much the dogs enjoy that.

Tough as it sounds, if you’re not in a position to give a dog proper exercise then get a cat or a Guinea pig. I think there’s a lot of selfishness masquerading as soppy affection with some owners.

Someone did that to me once in a very dog friendly cafe. Dog was asleep Under a chair at my table. Bloke and his wife at the next table. He got up, came right behind me and hissed in my ear to get my dog away from his wife.

I did move the dog to the other side of the table away from them but I did tell him he was exceptionally rude. It was more his tone which upset me. If he’d just nicely said that they’re not keen on dogs and could I move her slightly it would have been fine.

@BananaCaramel @HangryLikeTheHulk

It's her dog, her choice. She doesn't need your approval.

I have issues with food hygiene that relate to people, so I don't eat out, but I do have dogs and cats in my kitchen at home, although I would not eat with one sitting on my lap. I find it hypocrisy to refer to animals as filthy, as if humans aren't. You're far more likely to come into contact with human faecal matter when you eat out.

@WhatNoRaisins I presume you are aware that many people use the toilet without washing their hands and then touch things in shops and cafes...? It's not just dogs you need to worry about if you're germ phobic.

I think that's my problem. It's fine for dogs to be into things like bum licking and sniffing whatever they find, normal dog behaviour. I don't want to be involved in those things and when dogs are sitting in cafe seats or sniffing things like racks of clothes in a shop that means I have to be involved if I want to use those places.

Feeds a bit of food to the dog, gets dog-spit finger then proceeds to leaf through the condiment sachets to find some tartare sauce…

The woman is sitting with an animal on her lap while she is eating. An animal which shits and proceeds not to clean its bum afterwards. An animal whose shit is full of E. coli. Which bit of that isn’t filthy?

Your comment made sense @BananaCaramel until you used the term "filthy animals", which puts it in an entirely different light. Then you speak of tolerance...? If I was your friend and I knew your opinion of my dog was this, I'd walk away from that "friendship" because I would value my relationship with my dog far more.

I think the crux of the issue is that dog people now are so brazen - they will happily ask “can I bring my dog?” of anyone in any situation. People end up saying yes because either they are a business who doesn’t want to lose custom, or they are a friend/family member who wants to avoid confrontation.

The poster upthread talked about her friend’s dachshund sitting on their lap at a cafe - disgusting and clearly inappropriate. however if they said anything this friend would then probably be all butt hurt and offended about it and @lemonraspberry would be in the wrong. It would be “well no body else ever had a problem with it” - they do, actually, they just value their human relationships above filthy animals so they try not to say anything.

This is what has happened to me before - they take tolerance and a preference for non confrontation as acceptance and it eggs them on to do more and more ridiculous things.

OP - you are not wrong- as someone who is highly allergic to dogs and cats - think wheezing needing inhalers and sometimes steroids-they are on the tube so much now.
If I am going somewhere , where doctors are liely i dose up antihistamines, steroid inhaler before I go ventolin on standby -for the past month on the tube - i central London this has been needed every day.

The expectation is I will move, not the dog -went from one end of the tube to the other 2 weeks ago, every carriage had a dog - got off in the end.

If i go to a country fait I expect them but not in departmetn stores and the tube - bar guide dogs

@Stargazetrampoline I agree. Every person/family I knew in the 90s, who had a dog, definitely didn’t cart it about everywhere. In fact you usually only saw their dog if you went to their house or it was being walked outside.

There does seem to be a bit of a trend of owners in recent years being preoccupied about their dog and the dog having some sort of behavioural “issue.” One former colleague seemed to be forever going on about her dog, which she was at pains to tell anyone she could was, “not an inside dog,” due to it being prone to displaying aggression or wrecking things. I wonder whether the owners’ neuroses are often not helping in many cases

Thank you @YeOldeGreyhound
All the best to you and your doggies xx

Where did I say anything about your dog being distressed? I didn't say anything about your dog at all. I questioned whether a hairdressing salon is a suitable environment for a dog.

And I don't find it acceptable to be told to fuck off.

Are you entitled to a say about a dog who is just laying on the floor next to their owner, and not bothering anyone?
Because that makes you incredibly entitled.

Dogs everywhere and I love it! Although dogs probably aren’t comfortable in a warm department store. Ok if you’re just in & out on way to a nice park or woodland. But otherwise not nice for the poor dog being dragged around places it may find over stimulating and stressful.

YANBU.
(But I’m one of those satanic people who has never liked dogs and don’t even like them in the local pub).
To bring one to John Lewis is anyone eyes is ridiculous! That’s not beneficial to anyone. And to ask you and your child to put your needs behind what a dog likes is insane.
I have never and will never understand people’s obsession with dogs.

Dogs are not children…..

and yes I do have a say if a dog decides at any point to jump all over me at any point (as the wifie with the ill mannered poodle thing discovered when it launched itself at me the other evening on a path).

Stop calling it faux concern. It could equally be argued that you are showing no concern.

Do you have the same faux concern about people who take small children with them to the hairdressers too?

If the salon accepts dogs, then they accept dogs. I am sure they know about all the risks etc so I am not sure why you are appointing yourself as some sort of spokesperson.

Because it is not a safe environment for the doh. Danger of the stylist tripping over it, dropped scissors, hot drinks, chemicals, dyes etc. the liability if it does get hurt- will the owner accept this? Doubt it. clients with allergies to dogs. They supposed to shut up & put up.

i have a friend who will happily have their dachshund on their lap whilst at a table in a restaurant. Dog happy enough as it eyes it chances of a quick snack, does not make it right, especially for everyone else at the table.

Like others have said it depends on the dog and it depends on the situation.

i walked up Ingleborough in the Yorkshire dales the other week. Without the dog. Coming down at lunchtime, think the temperature was about 25 degrees. The amount of people coming up, dragging distressed, panting dogs was unreal.

Just because it’s the great outdoors does not mean it’s the best place for a dog.

I am an adult and I feel the same 😂

I once saw a small child clinging to the door of Primark screaming, begging her mother not to drag her in - presumably because she knew how long and boring it was going to be.

I'm sure if you could read dogs' minds they would be saying ffs Why oh why am I being dragged around all these boring places?

Ha, you are back.

Being more sensitive does not mean it will suffer in a place with strong smells.
Dogs have existed alongside humans and the smells they make for thousands of years.