Dogs in restaurants - I am done!

Why? When business owners are happy to accept dogs, why should dog owners do this?

Business owners are not only happy to accept dogs, but they are also often ecstatic to provide premium extras for dog owners, such as bespoke dog meals/drinks.

At the end of the day, these establishments are privately owned and run. If you don't like the way they are being run, take your money elsewhere.

Service dogs, @OonaStubbs? Should people who need them never eat out?

I would never take my dog to a restaurant (or anywhere indoors in public tbf) but I do see how in our seaside town which is dead in winter it's the dog walkers that give the local cafes a lot of business. I guess it's allowed because it's worth it for the owners.

Dead animals are also fine presumably if they're on a plate 😬

Vanishingly few holiday accommodations are happy for you to leave your dog alone there. Kennels can be very stressful for dogs unless they’ve been accustomed to them from a very early age. Leaving them outside a cafe is not really an option these days, they might get stolen. And if a cafe is explicitly dog friendly with signs to that effect, why should the owner have to? Leaving them in the car is an option, if you have one.

Some children stink too!

Anyone who goes to a dog friendly establishment and complains about dogs being there is as much of a dick as someone trying to take a dog into a dog free establishment.

Do your research before going out.

When we need to take the dog with us (when on holiday, or travelling to a destination), we research and choose the appropiate establishments, we don't just tip up anywhere and then complain if the dog is turned away.

If a dog free enviromnent is important to you, do your research and choose a place that meets your needs. Yes, it will restrict your options, just as needing a dog friendly venue will restrict ours when we need to bring the dog. That's life!

All of my kids have licked their bumholes after not wiping their arse after a poo while sitting on the sofa in a restaurant. Furthermore they don't bath / shower except when they go the groomers.

You posted this exact statement less than an hour ago. What is your obsession with dogs' anuses, and do you think you need some help dealing with it?

Sighs I don't disagree with this either. It is entirely the business owner's prerogative whether they allow dogs or not. If they think they can make more money by allowing dogs then good luck to them and like you say I can just not go there. I suspect I may as well mumble this into a bin, but the point I was making was that it's a bit self-centred to expect that eateries should allow dogs because otherwise it's inconvenient for people who have decided to take their dog on holiday and don't want to find any other solution.

'It’s almost impossible now to find such a place… but feel free to share if you find any'

Just keep complaining, the tide will turn eventually. Sadly we have to speak up to make a change one in this case one that you'd think would be common sense. Inconsiderate dog owners just rely on others being too polite to make a fuss. I'm not .

All dogs stink. It’s just a fact.

I am a dog owner and I can't stand it either. I don't even know what joy a dog gets from sitting under a table in a loud restaurant, surrounded by glorious food that they're not allowed to eat. My dog is much happier at home.

Yes, why should they? If there are establishments that allow dogs, why should they leave said dog at home? They aren’t sneaking dogs into non dog friendly places, they are taking them where they are allowed. If you as an individual don’t like that, pick somewhere else. I don’t like loud children running around but it’s easy to pick places that aren’t particularly child friendly. It would be ridiculous of me to go to a restaurant that catered for children with say, a specific play area and children’s menu then complain that there were children present.

So use dog sitters when you go away. If you don't like leaving your dog whilst you're away then eat in your accommodation or sit in outdoor areas?

Honestly we have a lovely dog and taking her into a cafe or restaurant has never been necessary. I dont want to be inconsiderate to other customers and I know as an experienced dog owner they hate being on a lead in a busy noisy area. They get stressed. Dog owners really should know this basic stuff.

By the same breath, surely it is self-centered to expect businesses to ban dogs when they've clearly decided it is profitable to allow them?

To me, this is more self-centered than dog owners availing themselves of services freely offered. It is asking business owners to reduce their profits to suit your needs. That is the height of entitlement, imo.

Not nearly as bad as the multitude of stories you read on mumsnet of people changing their babies shitty nappies at the table in the restaurants.

It's not 'entitled' if someone has an allergy or phobia. People with cat allergies and phobias do not have to contend with them in cafes & restaurants, and until recently they were not in these places as much, and seemed to be OK.

Dog lover here. We have 2 and once in a blue moon we have taken them into establishments that have accepted dogs.

However i would absolutely back someone who doesnt want to eat in the presence of dogs. 100% of the time i would choose somewhere that didnt allow dogs if i wasnt with my dogs.

But why would I when, with a little bit of research, I can find venues where my dog is not only allowed, but welcomed?

It's very noticeable the number of selfish people demanding that ALL venues should be dog free to suit them. I'm not hearing any dog owners demanding that ALL venues be dog friendly for their convenience. Dog owners simply avoid dog free venues.

Just stop being so entitled, and do your research if visiting a dog free venue is so important to you. (See also, don't go to a steak house if the sight of people eating rare meat offends you, and don't go to a seafood restaurant if you can't bear the smell of fish, if you need a gluten free dinner, check the menu is suitable first etc... )

Do you understand that many areas now have very few dog free places? It would be different if there were more of a balance, but often there isn't.

Do you have any compassion for people with dog allergies and phobias, or not?

Since you are clearly more knowledgeable than my vet and APDT-registered behaviourist, can you suggest what I do with my dog?

Situations that cause him anxiety include, but are not limited to

being outside of my room without his mum
Being anywhere strange without me and his mum
being inside my room without me
being on my bed with no duvet or blanket to hide under
His uncle and the cat
strangers
DD1
people he knows but has not seen for a few hours
all of his siblings except Baby Tiny
strange places
places he knows but has not visited for a few hours
weather
water and food bowls that are not his own and not hidden in the corner behind my washing basket in my room.

My vet and behaviourist currently advise keeping him with me as much as possible while we find the right balance of medication, but since you know better, what is your advice? When I need to leave my room, what should I do with him?

'I'm not hearing any dog owners demanding that ALL venues be dog friendly.'

• well, often they don't need to! Huge numbers of places are dog friendly now. Dog free, not much.

You chose to get an anxious dog, I assume.

Or was he the puppy of a dog you already have? (Since you mention his mum)

I didn't choose him; he was born in my house. DD2 chose to keep him, as she helped birth him and revived him when he was born not breathing, but he didn't start showing any anxiety until he reached adulthood. He was a normal puppy and slowly became more and more anxious as he aged.

Tiny dog is from the same litter, was socialised in the same way, and lives in the same house, and can't experience any emotion other than exuberant happiness.