to think it’s time to ban dogs from shops and cafes?

You're right @ConstanzeMozart.

There are two camps here.

People who don't want dogs in cafes. Fair play.

Then there are spitting mad, hateful anti-dog posters Mainly a handful of regular haters and the odd specially-designed-user-name provocateur. Frothing.

A dog tied up outside is not in control by its owner.

I agree. You always used to see dogs tied up outside shops when I was a kid, you never see it now.

I’m so sorry @YeOldeGreyhound , it’s just hideous, isn’t it?
I still keep a collar and lead on the coat rack belonging to a very good girl who died nearly two years ago.
I do pity these dog haters, really I do. And ‘frothing’ is absolutely the right word.

i do t think it’s feasible to cater to everyone’s fears/ phobias or allergies. Where would the line be drawn? A dangerous dog, however, shouldn’t be inside or outside a cafe, or anywhere at all.

You know you can scroll right on by?

Don’t go where they allow dogs. Just like I can’t go where people take small children unless I want a splitting headache for the rest of the day.

Not sure of the issue.

Vote with your money and tell businesses why

I have a hotel booked in a couple of weeks for a short holiday in the UK.
I injured my knee recently and can't manage stairs so rang said hotel to ask for one of their downstairs courtyard rooms. They told me it would be £20 extra per night for a dog. "A dog? I haven't got a dog!" Oh, she said, she thought I was asking for a courtyard room because downstairs rooms are their dog friendly rooms. I said I didn't want to stay in a room where a dog had been so I'd have to cancel. She said it was too late to cancel and I'd be charged the first night.
I said I won't be paying that. Two weeks notice should be enough if they can't guarantee a dander/hair free room. Anyway, manager later agreed it was fair comment. I do, however, have to now find another hotel.

I'm talking about my Zone 2 neighbourhood rather than Leicester Square or Soho etc. It's hoaching with them.
I don't know why you're trying to say I didn't see loads of dogs in Bath. Why would I lie?
I didn't say I saw them in cafes etc; I meant just around town. As a tourist, I was largely in the centre, and yes, believe it or not, there were a lot.

I really wish we went back to assistance dogs only in cafes and shops. Cafes especially for hygiene reasons.

The main reason for this is due to the huge number of poorly trained dogs and dogs not kept under appropriate control. There are swathes of very poor owners who have no idea what a properly in control and well trained dog looks like and it is creating issues for other dog owners.

There needs to be a huge undertaking of education or dog owners of what a properly in control and properly trained dog looks like. Dogs that paw/ jump/climb or think they can sit on furniture are not well trained. Dogs that beg for scraps and for fuss are properly trained. Dogs that bark or react in any way to another animal, human or wheeled vehicle (pram/ pushchair/ cycle/ children's scooters/ motorised vehicles)are not properly trained. Dogs that cannot pass other animals, humans or wheeled vehicle are not properly trained. Dogs that pull on leads, scent mark in inappropriate places and do not have instant reliable recall are not properly trained. Dogs that approach random strangers without direct instruction from their owners are not properly trained.

There are far too many dogs sitting on cafe chairs, standing on cafe tables, licking plates in cafes clean, begging for scraps and fuss, barking for attention, scent marking soft furnishings and clothing, trailing around cafe's on long leads, approaching people/ animals/ wheeled vehicles without owner instruction, barking or reacting to other animals/ humans/ wheeled vehicles, pulling on leads, jumping up at strangers. This is poor behaviour and shows poor ownership behaviour.

A lot of cafes simply wouldn’t survive without dog owners and they know it.

You absolutely should let business owners know @dooradadooradeh , but let’s hope you also keep those cafes etc going in the dead of winter, when it’s often just dog walkers who are actually spending money in them.

You really don't need to be a 'frothing dog hater' to not want dogs in cafes.

Me too, and my dog died in Jan.

I am often in central London and can honestly say I have rarely been to a place with fewer dogs. I'm a country dweller and the lack of dogs was really noticeable to me.

Bath is essentially a small city in the country so I'm not surprised you saw dogs there, but in the centre? Not really 'loads'.

Places in Bath that won't allow dogs
Sally Lunn
Wetherspoons
The Olive Tree
Premier Inn
Browns (indoors)
Pret a Manger
The Pump Rooms

Just an example, I'm sure there are many more.

Dogs aren’t my favourite either but the anti dog frothing on here is hilarious.

I don’t go in cafes etc because the sound of small children squealing and crying sets me off on sensory overload. And of course I can’t go to a child free place as there isn’t any such thing. So I do what I need to do.

If you can’t stand dogs, don’t go anywhere that’s dog friendly.

I wish. Who needs to take dogs to cafes and shops anyway? They’re not children - leave them at home sometimes. 🙄

Approximately 36% to 41% of households in the UK own a dog, with an estimated population of 11 to 15.5 million pet dogs. Data suggests over one-third of UK households include at least one dog, and roughly four in ten people live with a dog. The majority of dog-owning households (74%) have one dog.

That’s a lot of business to turn down! All the best cafes and pubs are dog friendly, they have a much nicer vibe. We have so many other customers coming over to pet our dog saying they wish they had one. You chat and it’s such nice atmosphere. The frothing dog haters can stay away.

In London, and yes there are loads.
I was also in Bath for a week recently and there were tons there too.

I've always got poo bags, even when I don't have my dogs with me.

I remember seeing a drunk bloke pissing in the outside bit once 🤣

Yes the dog lobby are a lot more vocal and some will pile on to criticise businesses that don’t allow dogs and there can be an image created that EVERYONE wants more dogs everywhere.

This means some businesses think it’s a win win if they allow dogs because in their eyes, they get more people coming in with dogs and the customers without dogs won’t mind and will still keep coming .

We need to let them know some of us who are not bringing dogs do in fact mind and we will not keep coming!

What they do with that info is up to them, but it’s definitely good to let them know.

At a shopping centre in Glasgow they got lots of complaints during a dog friendly trial so they abandoned it and went back to assistance dogs only.

Garden centres are a bit confusing as they very often have an outside bit. My dog has pooed in the outdoor bit because to her, it is outdoors.
Of course, I picked it up.

Where do you lot live that there’s millions of dogs in every street?

As a PP said it’s clearly a business decision.

Just like when there’s a discussion on child free pubs etc - if it was financially viable, people would do it.

Interesting that @MandingoAteMyBaby edited her post to add the last line.
Obviously decided the original content was insufficiently full of hate.