Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

This “humanisation” of dogs has got ridiculous

850 replies

Houseplantmad · 12/02/2024 20:02

Had lunch in a chain restaurant yesterday. Two couples came in with smallish dogs. No problem with that as the restaurant is dog friendly however, they insisted on having high chairs for the dogs when their meal came as they had been holding the dogs on their laps until then. The waitress refused but they went and got them anyway so we had these shoved next to our table with a restless dog breathing and being uncomfortable in the high chair very close to us.
Today I get on an intercity train and a woman boards with a medium size dog and puts it on the seat next to her across from me at a table. The person who had booked that seat then turned up and the woman said what was she supposed to do with the dog as it couldn’t go on the floor! It did but was clearly distressed and couldn’t settle, poor thing.
I think putting animals in these situations is so unfair on them and also on others but it seems to be very common these days for people to treat their animal as if it is a human.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
17
NewmumtoAmelia2023 · 14/02/2024 17:44

Oh gosh, I live where most restaurants and cafes are dog friendly, even the posh ones. One day, we went to eat on one, server gave a dog some treats and dog licked her hands, few more servers did the same to other dogs. None of those waiters wash their hands. They proceeded to touch our plate and serve them to us with unwashed hands. I lost my appetite.

Moll2020 · 14/02/2024 17:44

lol, just trying to imagine my Labrador in a high chair! 😂. It’s ridiculous that people want them on furniture on the train in a pub/restaurant. I wouldn’t want to sit on a chair after my dog had sat on it, no thank you. If these daft dog owners carry on then it’ll just mean one day dogs will be banned from lots of places. Plus my dog didn’t buy me a valentine/birthday/Christmas card & I didn’t buy her one, I think I’m quite a normal dog owner!

Forkthenspoon · 14/02/2024 17:55

Dogs are now in charge, watch Mickey Flanagan on Dogs

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Dogs
Maireas · 14/02/2024 17:58

NewmumtoAmelia2023 · 14/02/2024 17:44

Oh gosh, I live where most restaurants and cafes are dog friendly, even the posh ones. One day, we went to eat on one, server gave a dog some treats and dog licked her hands, few more servers did the same to other dogs. None of those waiters wash their hands. They proceeded to touch our plate and serve them to us with unwashed hands. I lost my appetite.

🤑

Ickthyosaur · 14/02/2024 17:58

Houseplantmad · 12/02/2024 20:02

Had lunch in a chain restaurant yesterday. Two couples came in with smallish dogs. No problem with that as the restaurant is dog friendly however, they insisted on having high chairs for the dogs when their meal came as they had been holding the dogs on their laps until then. The waitress refused but they went and got them anyway so we had these shoved next to our table with a restless dog breathing and being uncomfortable in the high chair very close to us.
Today I get on an intercity train and a woman boards with a medium size dog and puts it on the seat next to her across from me at a table. The person who had booked that seat then turned up and the woman said what was she supposed to do with the dog as it couldn’t go on the floor! It did but was clearly distressed and couldn’t settle, poor thing.
I think putting animals in these situations is so unfair on them and also on others but it seems to be very common these days for people to treat their animal as if it is a human.

This kind of thing drives me insane - I am allergic to dogs so it is particularly awkward if someone sits them near me on public transport. I don’t dislike dogs in the least, but I often take a dislike to their owners…

Ohhoho · 14/02/2024 17:59

boring...dogs rule... woof woof

Windows98 · 14/02/2024 18:00

This drives me crazy too!
I get the same bus service every school day to get my daughter to nursery, you get to know the same faces and generally, people tend to sit in the same seats.
The last few weeks a woman has been getting on with this ginormous whippet looking thing, she began sitting at the front of the bus in the pram space with the dog sat up on x2 seats.
Shes then moved to the back with it, her sat in the middle seat of the back row and the dog laid across the 2 seats to the side of her.
We would usually go to the back to sit and there would be 3/4 people already sat there too.
Now no one sits there other than this woman and her dog as essentially she’s taking up 3 seats on the back row and the 2 that are facing the back row.
I have absolutely no issue with dogs getting on the bus, used to take mine on it all the time , but I would never have it up on the seats with no regard to other passengers

Pointynoseowner · 14/02/2024 18:02

I adore my dogs, but God in heaven the world has gone fucking mad. A dog in a high chair , I think I would have had a word ,but then I can be gobby .

Merlin3189 · 14/02/2024 18:06

Absolutely 100% with you. Personally, I try to avoid places where dogs are allowed - and places where they're not allowed, but people take them anyway!
I don't like dogs, but on the whole, many dogs I like better than their owners.

SandwhichGenerationGal · 14/02/2024 18:07

there was a post on my Next Door site recently which started ‘I’ve lost my baby girl’
my heart was in my mouth until I read her bloody dog had run off! Ridiculous

Jayne35 · 14/02/2024 18:07

I’m not sure this behaviour is as common as I read on Mumsnet. I have a dog (have have dogs my whole life) and I would never put her on any seat where a person would sit out in public, different story at home but that’s in my house so it does not affect other people.

The only pub we take her inside has a separate dog friendly area, otherwise we only use pubs and cafes with gardens in the summer. I also wouldn’t allow jumping, scrounging etc, which again I have never experienced, and we go out to eat a lot.

OldPerson · 14/02/2024 18:10

Dogs are amazing companions. And they always become part of the family. However, choose where you eat, according to how you want to eat. A lot of restaurants/pubs allow dogs at outside open-air dining tables, but not inside. And if you want your dog to take a seat on a train - pay for a ticket. I've taken my very sweet natured German Shepherd on a train a few times and on boats loads of times. But we always manage to find somewhere out the way. And the dog goes free - so we always defer to other people with a ticket.

Simplemee · 14/02/2024 18:14

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Anniecheney3 · 14/02/2024 18:20

I absolutly love my dog and probably spoil her BUT I would never take her to a restaurant and would be horrified I I saw a dog in a highchair which presumably will be used for a small child, I appreciate that no one loves my dog as much as I do and would never put her in situations which would confuse or upset her.
Far better to leave them at home and take them a doggy bag !!!

Calliekins · 14/02/2024 18:21

Houseplantmad · 12/02/2024 20:02

Had lunch in a chain restaurant yesterday. Two couples came in with smallish dogs. No problem with that as the restaurant is dog friendly however, they insisted on having high chairs for the dogs when their meal came as they had been holding the dogs on their laps until then. The waitress refused but they went and got them anyway so we had these shoved next to our table with a restless dog breathing and being uncomfortable in the high chair very close to us.
Today I get on an intercity train and a woman boards with a medium size dog and puts it on the seat next to her across from me at a table. The person who had booked that seat then turned up and the woman said what was she supposed to do with the dog as it couldn’t go on the floor! It did but was clearly distressed and couldn’t settle, poor thing.
I think putting animals in these situations is so unfair on them and also on others but it seems to be very common these days for people to treat their animal as if it is a human.

I am a huge animal lover but that is just sad and ridiculous to be honest. We have dogs and horses, they are treated as the animals they are. They are very much part of the family and immensely loved but there is a limit. I certainly would not be asking for a high chair to sit my dog in at the restaurant, mind you we have a Golden Retriever and a Bernese so would be difficult 😉 Whilst they do come up on the settee, if we were on a train my dogs would be on the floor!

dawngreen · 14/02/2024 18:23

DiscoBeat · 12/02/2024 20:25

We took our Labrador today to a local pub. They have a quarry tiled dog friendly area for people with dogs and another area which is not open to dogs. He just slept the walk off on the floor though, the idea of a highchair is bizarre!

I now have a funny image of a woman trying to fit her Lab into a highchair.

Rockhopper81 · 14/02/2024 18:28

We have a dog. I love our dog - even if he's a bit of an arsehole in the house (fine out, incidentally) - and I enjoy taking him different places. We do go to dog friendly cafes/pubs, but he is trained to sit or lie next to the table we are sitting at, and not to approach other tables/customers.

We do not treat him like a human, because he's a dog - and that's the best, kindest thing we can do for him!! It enrages me when people treat their dogs like their children, because even if you take other people out of the equation, it's unfair on the dog, they don't know how to respond like humans because they're not humans.

We are working with a trainer at the moment to reduce our dogs separation insecurity, and he uses the phrase, "treat your dog like a human, and it will treat you like a dog" - it does nobody any favours to treat dogs as anything other than a dog.

Hammy65 · 14/02/2024 18:32

Moll2020 · 14/02/2024 17:44

lol, just trying to imagine my Labrador in a high chair! 😂. It’s ridiculous that people want them on furniture on the train in a pub/restaurant. I wouldn’t want to sit on a chair after my dog had sat on it, no thank you. If these daft dog owners carry on then it’ll just mean one day dogs will be banned from lots of places. Plus my dog didn’t buy me a valentine/birthday/Christmas card & I didn’t buy her one, I think I’m quite a normal dog owner!

Absolutely agree! Can’t imagine hauling our elderly Labrador up into a high chair 😂! Quite bizarre really. A dog is a dog whether it’s big or small. Moll2020 is right - this sort of behaviour will result in a blanket banning of dogs in many places - which will be such a shame all round.

Muddlingalongsomehow · 14/02/2024 18:33

Was at a food court place last week. Picnic style tables for use by those buying food from about 8 or 10 outlets. So I don't know who, if anyone, was responsible for cleaning them.

Group of fairly loud rustic "locals". Put chihuahua type dog on the actual table where it wandered about back and forth, sat down, wiggled about, had a bit of a scratch...

And then they left. And other people came and took the table, with no knowledge of what had happened

Cockermummy88 · 14/02/2024 18:39

YeOldeGreyhound · 12/02/2024 22:07

Christ, this thread is mean spirited.
Yes, a dog in a high chair in a restaurant is pretty grim, and dogs should not be on seats on public transport.... but that is a problem with the entitlement of the owners. But like all threads moaning about a tiny example of a couple of people being arse, it decends into sweeping statements about dog owners in general... such as the comment about people with dogs can't deal with human relationships.

The existence of dog ice cream, dog clothing, pawsecco, puppachinos, greetings cards to and from dogs etc have fuck all impact on you. No one is making you buy them. Someone calling their dog their fur baby also has zero impact on you.

And some people do have a dog as a child substitute because they can't have children. There is nothing wrong with that at all.

Yes! Also a statement that those with mental health issues treat their dogs like children. Mean people on here

ImNotARegularMumImACoolMum · 14/02/2024 18:41

I’m just jumping on this to say that I saw someone post on Facebook the other day that dogs are as much responsibility as children????

chattyness · 14/02/2024 18:48

I adore my dog, I really do, but I would never put him a highchair that is darn right disgusting over indulgent and bloody stupid tbh , nor would I put him on a seat on a bus or train etc I don't take my dog into restaurants or tearooms or trains or anywhere like that, they're far too peopley ! We prefer to go and get fish suppers & cream cakes and find a good picnic type spot to eat them at or sit in the car to enjoy them .

threatmatrix · 14/02/2024 18:51

Yozzer87 · 12/02/2024 20:09

I love my own dog and like dogs in general but I wouldn't have eaten at a dog friendly place and i wouldn't take mine. But long as people run these businesses, people will bring their dogs. I don't find it hygienic.

Why is it not hygienic? They are not running around the kitchen are they, but the shouldn’t be on chairs.

Noodles1234 · 14/02/2024 18:52

YANBU
i cannot also stand this, you’re not alone.

It is regular here to see dogs in dog buggies, I get the injured and elderly dogs but many just like to get out and run but are pampered in buggies.

LaughingCat · 14/02/2024 18:53

Saw the title, came on to the thread to let rip then read the OP…effing heck. YANBU, it’s just a bit weird. I do prefer animals to people, my cats are definitely our ‘furbabies’ and get treated as a member of the household…we do mother’s and father’s day from the cats too because it’s a way to show each other that we care and we don’t have kids. But they aren’t people…they get treated very much like cats. No ‘cute’ costumes or painted nails or walks in a pram (I don’t get it!). Premium tuna, fluffy blankets and a new cardboard box to rip up every now and then. Proper cat treats.

Highchairs and train seats for the dogs? WTAF?