Dogs in Restaurants

[IDontGetOutMuch]

Took my mum out to lunch today. It was a nice enough place-£25 per head.
Have expectations changed with regard to dogs in restaurants? There were four other tables in our section and three had a dog with them.
Two of them barked at least three times during the meal. One jumped up at a waitress carrying puddings to another table, paws on her apron. One jumped up at the table wanting to be fed. One was petted by another waitress who then went straight to a table to take orders without washing hands. One was lying in the way so that I had to ask the owner to move it to allow my mother to get through with her Walker.
We had a dog when I was a child. He never went to a restaurant. What about people with allergies?
Is it okay that they do? Do I need to get over myself? I tried to compare to children. I expect my children to cause no disturbance to others at a restaurant and to stay at the table. We expected this even when they were little and actually rarely went to restaurants anyway.

I've never seen signs ether but normally when you ask if dogs are they allowed they say yes but only in the garden or bar ...

It is frustrating when you have a disappointing experience but you made a big drama.

If I saw a couple with an 18 months old came in next to my table and started to shout, I'd feel as you did when the dog got close to your table, but if the parents had then ensured their child remained quiet for the rest of the meal, I would have been over the moon and probably would have mentioned what a delightful child they had.

Really don't see why you felt right to punish the establishment by not paying the tip when you'd received a good service.

Once again, if the presence of a dog that stays quietly under the table is enough of a disturbance to you, then of course it would make sense to query about their policy about dogs before booking a table.

@Jijithecat

If there were sections in a pub/restaurant for dogs and their owners to sit I think that would solve a lot of problems (space permitting obviously). Then everyone in theory could happily enjoy a meal/drink out.

There very very commonly are. In fact I'd say more often than not.

Wtf costs £25 a head these days 😳

Nope not a thing around here.
Don't tend to see childrens/family rooms anymore either.

Thanks @TheFoundations

Can anyone recommend a dog friendly pub / restaurant in Pickering please? We’re looking for somewhere for Christmas Day…. Figured I have a target audience here so why not ask! Thanks!

@Jijithecat

Nope not a thing around here. Don't tend to see childrens/family rooms anymore either.

It probably is but you haven't asked at each and every premises within a 20 mile radius.

@soooooooG

Wtf costs £25 a head these days 😳

Cheap? Or expensive? I lack reference points! This was a roast each, one pudding, one coffee and a small glass of wine and a Diet Coke. £50.

Okay then, I've not seen any signage regarding dog specific areas in the circa 30 cafes/restaurants on the High Street in my small market town. The only thing I do know is that dogs are only allowed in the garden of Cote, not in the restaurant and I only know that because it's on their website.
I'm a reader so I do tend to look out for signs.

@Patup5

I had this very problem only recently when people with a dog arrived at the table next to me, in what I had thought was a decent restaurant. The animal was sniffing around my table. I made my displeasure clear and moved a chair to block the dog. One owner then advised the other that I didn’t like dogs, the dog was duly called to heel and kept under their table.

They were muttering about asking to move, I was thinking the same. I think we both decided to stay put in the name of good form. An unpleasant atmosphere, as well as an unpleasant smell, permeated the rest of the meal for both tables.

So, the owners had been welcomed into the restaurant thinking it was “dog friendly “. I had been welcomed into the restaurant with no understanding that I’d be eating with animals.

I think we’d both been conned.

I refused to pay the automatic service charge at the end of the meal and was asked to explain why. I agreed to do so in private as I didn’t want to embarrass the dog owners. The manager’s argument was all about being “dog friendly “. I told him that should be made clear upon booking or walking in.

The Kennel Club, in their delusion, have launched an Open For Dogs campaign, which includes window stickers for eating establishments. So, can we expect eating establishments to nail their colours to the mast, so we all know the score in future? I doubt it, but far more of us now know to ask about the policy before deciding where to spend our money.

Huge eye roll. You sound painful.

And someone needs to explain to you how tips work.

@rantymcrantface66

I've just been through McDonald's drive thru with my dog in the passenger seat - because you can't take dogs in McDonald's, which is fine. The woman gave my dog a portion of chicken nuggets free because she's was so cute 😆. People tend to like dogs! More often than they don't

Oh love it 😍 and you’re right, people in general love dogs, and those on this thread that don’t really so need to suck that fact up.

Surely Googling some non dog friendly restaurants would be way more productive than pointlessly bickering with dog lovers, you are fighting a losing battle 😂 but good luck with that as, going by my local village and the surrounding countryside, there isn’t one pub that doesn’t allow dogs, and numerous cafes and restaurants are jumping on the dog friendly bandwagon. Dogs are here to stay 🎉

Yeah it's allowed, we often take ours but not to "proper" nice sit down meals. Tbh it tends to be if we're on a walk and fancy a drink or light lunch rather than take him for the sake of it.

I'm obviously a dog lover and I personally have no issues with dogs in restaurants, but I do think that if you know your dog struggles to behave for a certain length of time or will cause any issues, then probably best not to take them with unless you really need to. The odd bark or stroke doesn't bother me but I understand why it would bother others.

Dogs in open air cafes and pubs that don’t serve food are fine if well behaved but having them inside is unhygienic and I wouldn’t use a restaurant that took dogs indoors.

If a dog stays under the table and leaves other people alone it's fine. But so many dog owners (like parents) are in denial about their pets' behaviour.

A friend of mine mentioned yesterday that her previous dog wouldn't sit still in a pub and would bark, so they used to leave him at home. He was fine being left alone. Her current dog doesn't like being left, but sits under the table quietly and goes to sleep. That sounds fine to me.

And those of us who don't like dogs shouldn't have to suck it up - quite apart from the fact that some people have serious allergies. Dog owners should make sure their pets are properly trained and don't inconvenience others. Your choice to have a pet is yours alone and should not have a negative impact on other people.

awionline.org/content/facts-and-myths-about-domestic-violence-and-animal-abuse