AIBU to be surprise d that dogs are seemingly suddenly everywhere?

[Sibsmum]

What has happened? Has anyone else noticed this phenomenon? Dogs suddenly seen to be allowed into shops, cafes, service station...I am not talking assistance animaks, just general dogs.
Now I am not adverse to dogs, but if a wet nose drew back the curtain as I was getting changed in a shop changing room, I would be miffed ( saw it happen!) And I don't see how dogs in cafes is hygienic. Dogs can be off putting to sacred of dog people. But I don't want to get into the why not...I just really want to know wh at I missed that resulted in this happening

I love it. It made socialising my jack Russell cross so much easier because he had exposure to all kinds of people and situations. This means when I take him out he's happy to chill out under my chair and not bark or run up to people.
Pp have been really venomous on this thread.
Most places that allow dogs have signs over the door. I avoid the ones that don't. I was surprised when we went to Cornwall how accommodating they are to dogs, bowls outside shops with water. I was happy to wait outside with the dog but the owners beckoned me in and made him welcome. He's only small so minimal shedding, he's not drooly and he hates mud and water so he's often very clean.
I taught him to not run up to people, jump up or beg. As a result he's a dream.
We normally get more grief out and about for my autistic dss. That's where the filthy looks are aimed at because he's loud and messy. As a result we don't take him out to shops because it's too hard.

I'm really happy about it. Nothing like a friendly cold nose to brighten one's day.

My dogs agree, they love going to the pub with me now. some local shops let them in too, but it would be really wonderful to be able to take them to more places.

I don't compare my dogs to children. I know my dogs are far better behaved, better looking and probably more intelligent.

They also don't run round shops, cafes, coffee shops shrieking non stop and being a potential hazard.

I think I will write to all the places that allow children and ask them to be banned

I have a dog and I can't say as I've noticed it particularly. Most pubs and cafes are not dog-friendly, neither are most shops. The ones that are get more of my custom though.

Lmao at YANBU I would of loved to of been on that flight I’m guessing it was Ryanair

I was a bit confused when I saw a spaniel in TK Maxx the other day. I love dogs, have absolutely no problem with dogs being anywhere but I still wouldn’t assume that my dog was welcome amongst the pots and pans in a department store! I remember when my parents got their puppy and I felt cheeky carrying him into Halfords at 10 weeks old!

Pubs near us let dogs in the bar, it is lovely to see them, we take ours to places to eat but usually sit outside - this is in the countryside. Ours comes in when raining, pubs Are being commercial - perhaps the dog lovers spend more money than those with badly behaved children!

I have seen dogs in most of our local shops and in Kendal and Keswick maybe it does figure that they are more rural and touristy areas. I suppose I didn't think of it, because to me we live in a town - albeit the size of a lot of villages. I suppose we are touristy too, but having grown up here, that rarely enters my head. I am really lucky I guess.
Very interesting comments and perspectives. No-one is going to please everyone all the time. I suppose the commercial element makes sense, and small human/ canine control can make all the difference to everyone having a positive experience. ( and tolerance and antihistamines)
As I said, on the fence , just wanted to know what was happening and what people thought. Thank you. X

Dogs fine in restaurants because they don't go in the kitchen?

Don't they?

We were walking along a public footpath that runs along the back of the main street in a small Sussex village, with both dogs off the lead because there was no traffic and just the back gates of buildings. Dog 1 suddenly accelerated and took a sharp left through an open gate (which we hadn't spotted) and went straight into the back door of a hotel. Despite calling and calling we couldn't get the little fucker to come out, so I had to go in and get him.

He was in the kitchen, sitting nicely and giving his paw to the staff who were giving him treats of raw steak. They wanted to adopt him.

We went there for lunch a couple of weeks later. We must have been spotted, because when our food came, it was accompanied by a plate of neatly sliced sausage, for the dogs, with the compliments of the chef.

The dog would always try and drag us into the kitchen of any pub or restaurant we visited aftger that day.

Guide dogs smell, drool, and are just as unhygienic and allergenic as other dogs.

If you object to dogs on the grounds of smell, hygiene etc, then you are also objecting to guide dogs (and by extension, their owners) being able to share public spaces.

Quite apart from the fact that it’s illegal and guide dogs are allowed everywhere, I’d hope no one is suggesting the above. But you can’t claim guide dogs are ok and then claim dogs are unhygienic and shouldn’t be allowed, because a guide dog is just the same hygiene-wise as a regular dog. They will shed fur, they shake if they’re wet.

Darn, I missed the weekly dog thread.

For every dog owner who is thrilled to find their mutt welcome, there is another non-owner who will go elsewhere and forever after avoid that cafe/hotel/shop.

Over 30% of households in the UK own a dog. I bet the %age of households that don't want to be anywhere near one is a lot less than that.

Errr Lockhart- I am not seeing any body suggesting that overtly or otherwise.

I just became aware this summer of the growing volume of dog friendly premises and wondered if there was a new ' thing' I had missed.
Also don't follow that an object to the dog is an objection to the owner, especially in assist dog cases but also in pet animals too. That's a huge assumption. Has someone but a nerve here? Let's try and resolve it if they have. I would hope that no offence was implied by anyone. Sorry if you feel that way

Could it be because retail is dying and so many people sit on their arses all day and shop online from the comfort of their desk/sofa? And get their meals via UberEats?

Most dog owners have to leave the house at least twice a day to walk somewhere. Seems pretty smart for shops/cafes to take advantage of what little passing trade there is!

Of cpurse objecting to a service dog is equivalent to objecting to the owner. It's not as though they have a service dog for fun.

Dogs stink, but bigs ones seem to stink even more (because there's more 'dog' I guess). Hate seeing them in cafes - smelly slobbery things tend to put me right off a cuppa and a scone!

Some dog owners are totally oblivious of the doggy stench though. I suppose they must get used to it.

@Sibsmum

Lots of people on this thread have said that dogs should not be allowed in cafes and restaurants because they are “unhygienic”.

Guide dogs are dogs, and are therefore also “unhygienic”.

It follows that if you think dogs should be banned because they’re unhygienic, then you must include guide dogs in that.

If that’s not true, then how do you square the logical circle of guide dogs = dogs, dogs = bad, therefore dogs must be banned, but not guide dogs?

And yes it does touch a nerve because, as I have posted on many of these threads, I have a dear friend who is reliant on her wonderful guide dog to get around. Too often she is not allowed into shops, taxis, restaurants, even though it’s illegal. She can hear the comments and mutterings from people saying her dog is disgusting and shouldn’t be allowed. Probably the same kinds of people as are posting on this thread.

There are a number of service dog users on MN, some of whom might find these threads, upsetting.

I have noticed this too OP - along with the fact that far more people now actually seem to have a dog than they used to - which may account for the change in attitudes of business owners.

I was looking for a local pub/restaurant to eat at recently and read some reviews on Trip Advisor. One pub had been slated by a customer who had turned up with a dog (pub had advertised itself as dog friendly) and the owner had been told that the dog must sit on the floor under the table and not on the seating. The customer was most taken aback at this request and gave the pub a 1 * rating - even though the food was good. The pub landlord had replied saying that out of respect for other (possibly non dog loving) customers they insisted that all dogs remain on the floor.

I can't believe the sense of entitlement that some dog owners clearly think that their pooches backsides (which lets face it they don't wipe their arses when they have a s**t) should be allowed to sit on a restaurant chair - not the mention the dog fur/hair which may transfer onto the seating.

I like dogs but would never own one (I walk a neighbour's dog occasionally when they want to go out and not take the dog with them)

i have just been charity shopping, and lo and behold, a shopper with a puppy, showing it off, in the shop

I must admit I think it’s probably a city thing we live in rural Norfolk by the coast and dogs are pretty much allowed in everywhere and haven’t gave it much thought but actually there not allowed on the beach

I saw a lot of dogs in Royal Tunbridge Wells, i was surprised.

I know DS allergy to dogs is my problem, as people have helpfully pointed out. I also don't expect people to give a shit about it and it's upto us to manage it. What I am having difficulty doing is predicting which places will be ok to go these days as there does seem to be a lot more people taking dogs where previously I wouldn't have expected it. Also, most dog owners we used to come across had dogs with good recall and don't assume we are happy to have their dog touching us. This has changed massively, now most polite requests to stop the dog rubbing or jumping up is met with varying degrees of aggressiveNess.
So yes, our allergy, our problem. Yes we are using commonsense as where is best to go but I shouldn't have to get flack when we don't want to pet your dog. I'm made to feel like I am being precious and ridiculous when really it shouldn't even be an issue, we both should be able to coexist without touching each other.
DS is already heartbroken we won't be pet owners and sometimes the eye rolling directed towards us for not wanting to stroke or fuss someones dog is quite upsetting. I'm getting tired of having to justify it tbh.
The grass allergy just doesn't translate, you would probably try and avoid freshly cut lawns or garden shows etc where you could as we avoid areas you'd expect more dogs. But you wouldn't rock up to the cinema or something expecting piles of freshly cut grass and it's this new acceptance of dogs everywhere and more irresponsible owners making it hard to manage.
I just don't feel like you can say anything anymore about dogs without people being ridea or taking it personally.

Guide dogs are necessary though and I think that’s the difference. They serve a purpose to help their owner. That’s why guide dogs have always been welcomed in public buildings but other dogs haven’t.

But they're still smelly/dirty/cast hair/whatever it is that some people take offence to. Guide dogs just don't stop magically being dogs once they're trained, and it's probably only because it's illegal to deny entry to them a lot of people just about tolerate them.

Oh and I don't think dogs are unhygienic and we're not scared of them. I'd just like to be able to roughly predict where they are going to be so I can avoid or manage the situation as you would with any allergy.
lockheart that's awful that your friend cannot use her guide dog without abuse
I wonder if that's perhaps the downside of too many people taking their less well behaved non service dogs out and causing bad feeling which she then ends up on the receiving end of? Completely unacceptable.