To wish this country was more dog friendly?

[lesley33]

I know some dogs are badly behaved, but surely not all dogs should be tarred with the same brush? My dog is a very well behaved labrador. On the continent dogs are allowed into lots of pubs and cafes and in places like Paris dogs are regularly walked along City streets. But in the UK, lots of people do not seem happy to let dogs share their space anywhere, which I think is vvu.

MmeLindor I was really worried about our westies being in the car over night in the middle of the North Sea in October. I bought loads of extra dog coats and those warming pads that keep warm for 24 hours. The dogs were fine though. It was very wet and stormy, so much so that they didn't want to get out and exercise on the car deck. I'm now glad they stayed in the car (familiar surroundings) rather than the 'kennels' some ferrys have.

This was the Esbjerg/Harwich route, which has only started taking dogs fairly recently.

Kladdkaka
We had her in the dog hotel, which was fine. I will admit to wishing I could bribe the staff member who took us to see her, and smuggle her up to the cabin. I worried the car would be too cold and dark.

Our crossing was so rough I was worried that we'd go down to a car full of dog sick. Thankfully that didn't happen.

I think it was tongue-in-cheek, you get all kinds of 'funny' and 'quirky' signs in pubs sometimes! Also it may well be that they'd had more trouble with badly-behaved children than dogs in the past!

The Ultimate Dog Friendly Thread

If you have recommendations for dog friendly places, could you put them on that thread please.

We are always searching for places to go where we can take Daphne.

Agree, but unfortunately - or fortunately - dogs are not equal to humans and therefore do not enjoy the the same rights in the UK.

I'm happy with the way things are, and I suspect most people are - but it doesn't make us a nation of dog haters, as Seeker says.

Kladdkaka
One of the cages had been clawed by a dog previously - there were real claw imprints in the plastic. It made me cry, thinking how the poor dog must have clawed at the cage all night. Maybe the car is a better idea after all.

Surely people aren't still that stupid that they still believe that because a dog is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier they should gather up their children as the breed is more of a danger than others?

Oh... hang on a minute...

wordfactory, you are correct. Breed is irrelevant.

You might avoid a snake in the UK as one variety IS a danger. Only a bloody idiot would avoid a breed of dog, regardless of what that breed was, as there is no such thing as a dangerous breed.

"all dogs welcome....." is just tongue in cheek though, isn't it?

Yes it was - cue all the kids pretending to be dogs, of course....

The only dog I have ever been attacked by was a labrador.

Labs are sooooo good with children, everyone says.

Saying that, was also attacked by a donkey, so maybe it was me.

I don't think dogs should have exactly the same rights as humans, and have never heard anyone say they should. That wouldn't make any sense at all (I've no idea what mine would do with the right to vote, for example, I guess he'd vote for whoever offered him a sausage :)).

But it would be nice if, say, they had the right not to be killed simply for being or looking a bit like a 'banned breed'.

The pubs and cafes thing - I don't think my dog actually minds being outside actually, it's more that I don't like having to eat my dinner outside in the rain just because he's with me. He's worth every inconvenience though, big gorgeous thing that he is!

She may enjoy it - does she have the right? That comes down to the owner of the pub, and not what the owner of a dog who has chosen to take it up said hill believes should happen.

Of course, we could also revert back to my rights not to have to scrape dog shit off my shoes or bike wheels, or my children's rights to walk to school without a 'friendly' dog leaping at them with an owner ineffectually flapping and telling it to come to heel, but that just takes things round in more circles.

I advise the avoidance of any dog accompanying a Loud/Floppy Parent. As a loud/floppy parent myself, I know whereof I speak.

The only dog I've ever been attacked by was a poodle. Honest.

Although as a teenager I used to babysit for a local farmer's kids. He had this big black beast of a dog. It lay by the fire and gave me evils the entire time I was there. I could adjust myself on the sofa but if I tried to get up the low level growling began. So I didn't dare move. As soon as his owners appeared he acted all friendly and innocent. Every time.

Can dogs have olives? They can't have grapes, can they?

Ephiny
Wow, just looked at your profile. He is gorgeous.

Daphne would vote for whoever let her sleep on the bed that would be me then

Is that true? Are grapes bad for dogs? My kids are always feeding grapes to the dogs.

Wow Ephiny what a gorgeous bear of dog you have.

Milly - grapes and raisins can carry some sort of fungus very bad to dogs. Most are fine, which is why a lot of people don't realise - but best avoid :-)

mmelindor - Labs do have a reputation for being gentle. However I recently read an animal trainers book who belieces, because of over breeding, that some labs are developing aggressive personalities.

The only dog I have been attacked by was a dachshund.

And I don't quite understand why would anybody object to my dogs being in a pub or restaurant. They don't run around slobbering, barking and stealing sausages. They sleep under the table without making a sound, you wouldn't even notice them before I stood up to leave. So why not?

Luckily I live somewhere else and my dogs are welcome even in Michelin-starred restaurants, they get their own water bowls and everything.