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.

It’s getting frustratingly difficult to find anywhere that I can be safe from dogs (I have a mild allergy and a crippling fear from a life changing attack). I wish there was some universal signage for this and I didn’t have to google everywhere in advance.

@ouchmyfeet

I hate this. Pre covid I don't think I'd ever seen a dog inside a restaurant and now they seem to be everywhere. It's horrible. Give me a screaming toddler over a dog any day

Not keen on either. But toddlers are humans, not pets and pets don't have to go everywhere with their owners, whereas kids do tend to need to be with their parents or another appropriate adult.

It would be good if pubs etc made clear on their websites if they are child and/or dog-friendly. So you know which to avoid (or frequent).

I would never deliberately take my dogs out to a restaurant as think it anti social and un-hygenic. However I have no issues with sitting outside in a pub garden with them.

I remember years ago going out for a meal and the owner let his great dane wander around - a lovely dog but really put us off our meal when he cocked his leg in the middle of the eating area!

I wouldn't eat in a restaurant that had dogs in it (guide dogs and assistance dogs excepted, obviously).

The restaurant / pub / cafe presumably have the right to offer it as an option. This thread shows there are people who would like it.

I understand there are 'cat cafes' where they just allow cats to roam around inside the cafe. Gives me the shudders, but clearly there are some people who not only don't mind, but actively choose to go there.

IT is good if there is choice. Including child free spaces. Including animal free spaces. But also including those spaces that all ow them in.

Peoniesandpeaches
I'm also a dog attack survivor. I didn't have life-changing physical injuries but do have a crippling fear of dogs now. It's very difficult because, as you say, they have become so prevalent in recent years. Impossible to avoid them without being a shut in.

Mmm but humans don’t do that thing where they shake their whole body causing lots of tiny hairs to be released into the air like dogs do

And scratch, and you can see the little particles flying off them. It's pretty disgusting really.

@Sparklingbrook

so a dog hair is as unlikely to be in your food as any other hair from another customer.

Mmm but humans don’t do that thing where they shake their whole body causing lots of tiny hairs to be released into the air like dogs do.

When's the last time you found a human hair in your food?

When's the last time you found a dog hair in your food?

They smell too.

Some friends and I walked into a pub with a range of dogs and children (pre-covid). We asked if the pub was dog friendly and the landlady said of course and offered us some dog treats but added that if we wanted to bring the children in, we would have to sit in the back area of the pub out of the way. Best pub ever!

I’m sure there is a law about animals in the cafes/ restaurants.
It’s not fair to compare dogs and children. Children are not issue from hygiene POV. People are not allergic on children or frightened by them.

I wouldn't want to eat in a restaurant with dogs in it. Clear signage needs to be sorted out if this is the way it's going, so that those who prefer not to eat next to animals can avoid it.

I wouldn't have expected to have taken my dogs into a restaurant when i had them.

Or when the shake their head and slobber goes flying everywhere too.

I don’t find dog hair in my food because I don’t eat where dogs are about. I don’t want that possibility. I can’t recall finding a human hair in my food TBH.

Also, children are people.

Local country pubs yes I expect dogs, but restaurants and cafes not so much.

But I have multiple large dogs so it doesn't cross my mind to take them out with me when I'm having a meal, it would end up like a zoo around my table..

My dog is a regular visitor to pubs and cafes and occasionally restaurants.

You really won't know he's there ( unlike some children). He'll generally sleep under the table until it's time to go.

I'd steer well clear of anywhere that has dogs where there's food. It's just unsafe and unhygienic.

I posted about this on MN at the time but I was once in a dog friendly restaurant - didn't know at times of booking and late to cancel - and a waitress ended up going flying with our food (which was on sizzling skillets) because a dog on a lead bolted out from under the table for no apparent reason. Poor girl fell smack on her face and ended up with a bleeding nose. The dog owner - and manager - told her off for not being careful I told the manager some sympathy for his employee wouldn't go amiss as I cleaned her nose up (ex nurse) and count himself lucky she didn't burn herself.

We then had to remind the manager that that was our food that went flying and he got all huffy about wasted stock I let my feelings known on Trip Adviser and Facebook - though the latter brought out the dog loons who clearly thought that the waitress should have been privileged to trip over little Rover.

My DD worked in a local pub popular with families and dog walkers. She would choose the dogs over the small children any day. On more than one occasion she has witnessed nappy changes and mothers whipping a potty out for their toddler in the middle of the pub. I'd certainly have something to say to anyone who did that near me whilst I was eating my lunch.

It sounds like you had very bad luck as I go to dog friendly places all the time and apart from the very occasional bark, nothing like this has ever happened.

Are you sure it's all real and you're not just pissed off because you don't want dogs there?

[quote TheFoundations]@Moonwatcher1234

Nobody is saying that children and dogs are the same thing.

Everybody is agreeing that nobody's table ought to be disturbing anybody else's table.[/quote]
Thank you for putting it more politely and eloquently than I was trying to!

Why do people always compare children to dogs?

Children are humans. They belong in human places. Dogs do not.

Quite simply really

I would probably opt for a dog free and child free restaurant if that was an option. I’ve done my time at ‘children welcome’ places with my own DC.

@FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop that’s awful. That poor waitress.

Everybody is agreeing that nobody's table ought to be disturbing anybody else's table

Children are noisy and active. That can't be helped. Unlike dog they can't be left at home while adults eat out.

Where does it end - should disabled people not be allowed in restaurants lest they disturb another table?

Having read the variety of views on this thread I’m not surprised that the catering trade is struggling at the moment. Quite apart from having to deal with COVID regulations, part of their target market swerve a place where their dog isn’t welcome and another group of people avoid a place where dogs are allowed.

I don't mind well behaved dogs i.e. you wouldn't know they were there. I think it's unfair on diners and waiting staff if owners cannot control their slobbering dogs.

I always find it really strange how so many people seem to be worried about hygiene and dogs sitting near them at a restaurant . What hygiene issues are there from a dog, sitting on the floor, at another table? It’s the people at the table that are more likely to pose a threat to you - particularly at the moment given the current pandemic!