Just so many dogs nowadays, or is it just me?

[HairyFanjoBanjo]

Away for the weekend at a typical British seaside town in Anglia and am quite shocked at just how many people have dogs now. Am sure there never used to be quite this many, or maybe I am just more observant now I have a child who isn’t keen (on bigger dogs).

Reckon I’ve seen well in the hundreds today, I’d say at least every other family or couple had a dog. So many labradoodles / toy poodles, cockerpoo’s, pugs everywhere.

Some people looked to be almost dragging dogs around the shops in really busy / small lanes of endless gift shops, then waiting for friends/family outside shops (as no dogs allowed) some with fairly stressed looking dogs😢

Is this the lockdown puppy effect in full force now? Just everyone and their pal has a dog now.

I have both, dogs and kids- sorry to disappointment you but my dogs are ace and will beat any noisy, squggly toddler or sulking snotty nosed child paws down!
So yeah, dog owners should always have priorities over families with children.

@OnSecondThoughts no to cats as they are just not as terrifying to of MN posters on holiday!

DH went out cycling today and said exactly the same thing. Dogs running everywhere, owners not caring. I walked to the shops and dogs off the lead wondering in and out of peoples' front gardens, peeing. (Saw this twice and I only walked for 20 minutes to shops).

You're right. Lots more dogs and more dog poop I think people who own dogs should pay some tax for it.
Our local park even though a central London one is packed full of them and loads of dog vans and paid dog walkers.

Oh! Also! So many more people feel you should be happy to have their dog jump on you and stain your coat.

What do you think a dog tax would actually achieve?

I have no strong view on dogs either way, but was astonished by the number of them on Brancaster Beach today. Definitely a huge increase from previous years. All behaving well as far as I could see. Owners and dogs.

I dont mind seeing loads of dogs but it makes me sad to see lots of pedigrees with problems and bad dog owners.

Yes, it's vile, everywhere these days. there are many places outdoors I can't go to now, parks, beaches, etc, because I don't want them running at me and jumping on me. Even cafes, shops etc now too, hope those dogs spend a lot in there because they won't get my business.

There are so many dogs I agree and I'm sick of all the dog shit. I've had buggy wheels and kids shoes covered in it. And I adore dogs. I grew up with them. I just don't like to see them treated as fashion accessories. Why do we see so many of the same few breeds??

Even pre pandemic on sunny days would always wonder where all these dogs were hid rest of the time as dog owners will have same walks/routines whatever the weather you get used to seeing the regulars but seem like all the twats come when the sun's out, assuming these are usually garden dogs and aren't used to regularly going out. Of course during holidays more people are out & about so the number of dogs will also increase and be more noticeable in tourist locations as people prefer to take dogs with them rather than use kennels.

There was also massive increase in dog ( & all pets) ownerships during lockdowns and more people are working from home since. A lot of those dogs did also develop separation anxiety issues with their owners home a lot and inexperienced to know that alone time needs to be trained. Noticed that the lockdown dogs going into rescue since have had smorgasbord of behavioural/training issues compared to past years dumped youngsters who probably just needed a bit of consistent basic training. Although we now have a rescue crisis because people just can't afford to keep them anymore, along with usual owner circumstance changes which land dogs into rescue and sadly as limited space and finances so likely many will end up euthanised.

Fucking loads. Genuinely can't take my two very small children out to any sort of green space without a dog running up to them whilst their owner does absolutely fuck all about it. As in, it hasn't ever not happened.

And we absolutely never come back to the car without one of them having dog shit somewhere on their person.

Can't stand shit dog owners. Or dogs.

Bring back the dog license.

Also, I'm baffled as to why cafes allow dogs in?

If I saw a dog in a cafe I'd actively find somewhere else to get even just a coffee.

Because the cafe owners did the math and worked out that they would make more money if they allowed customers with dogs in. Or they just really love dogs themselves. The cafe I take my dog to gives them free biscuits and posts their photo on social media.

There could be, or it could be that in the past people left them at home, whereas now they say dogs shouldn’t be left alone for any length of time.

I don't mind well trained dogs but really don't think they should be allowed in restaurants, hate them sniffing around while I'm eating.
There should at least be dog free zones imo

Recently visited a seaside town, dogs absolutely everywhere,mostly well behaved.

People treating them like children.

Barking in cafes etc

The holiday apartment hallways stank of dog, absolutely gross (the owners must be nose blind)

I'm sure if just one of the cafes in that town was firmly 'no dogs' it would soon fill with people who prefer to eat without the stink of damp dog. Similar to having no children allowed in certain pubs.

We gew up with various animals including dogs but they wouldn't go everywhere, some people seem to have replaced human children with canines.

Must be very difficult if you have a real fear of them or allergy.

Also where why on earth did people start calling them doggos?

Seems to go along with people calling themselves a dog mum. No, you are the owner of an animal!

We have a foster child who has severe complex needs and is life threateningly allergic to dogs. We can't find a cafe locally that don't take dogs and now shops let them in even when it's raining and you can smell wet dog in the shop and brushing against the clothes. It's just horrendous and so very dangerous for my boy.

Where do you live? I will 100% find you plenty of places you can go with no dogs,

the amount of parents here saying they can’t go to woodlands areas and parks because of dogs makes me so happy, fantastic! Piss off to your screaming soft play centres and leave normal people to enjoy the outdoors with out running into moaning “mums and bubs” riddled with the entitlement that comes with the worlds most basic act - breeding.

@HairyFanjoBanjo · What (where) is " a typical British seaside town in Anglia" ?

Since I like doggos, live in North Norfolk, and yet I don't think I see nearly enough doggies. I see suggestions for Southwold, Brancaster, Skipton, "New Brighton", London, Keswick.

Estimated 9 million dogs in UK in 2009, in ~24% of all households. ~13 million now (microchipped?), in 33% of households. Which means a large majority of UK households did and still don't have a dog. But the count of households has grown in last 27 years.

Definitely more dogs, but the problem is the owners who don't understand how to look after dogs so they're always yapping or bakrong at people, let alone the dicks who take them everywhere, lately I'm seeing them at the grocery store and malls. It's ridiculous and actually pisses me off

I like dogs, I don't have one because my lifestyle (go out too much) is too selfish to have one.

What I cannot accept is 'dog friendly' or not, a cafe/pub etc where people are feeding their dogs off their plates, or actually giving them the plate to finish the food off

And if you really want a dog (because you love dogs) get a rescue, rather than some designer bred, image fuelled animal, now that I really don't understand

Are you serious? I have never seen this but it doesn't surprise me at all! 🤮 gosh, people are disgusting. I like dogs too, but an old flatmate of mine used to let her dog lick her face (after it had been licking other dogs arses), could never quite see her the same after that