Should dogs be allowed in more places?

[Patchworkknitter]

I'm a bit hurt today but I don't know if I'm being completely unreasonable.

A friend and I were trying to arrange to meet up. We had sorted what we were doing and then she changed her mind and wanted to change where we did something which would have added another 90 minutes onto the day.

I couldn't do that as my dog would already have been left all day (with 2 dog walks from a dog walker). Even with the dog walker, he couldn't do another 90 minutes. My friend got a bit cross and said I should just get my parents to look after him but they're already looking after him the day before so it wouldn't be fair. I don't like to ask them too often, a bit like people don't like to look after their children too often.

It just seems we always do child friendly places (I'm not a Mum but I try my best to be understanding of her childcare needs). She says she can't afford any additional childcare to that which she already needs for work but I can't afford additional dog care either (I pay £400 a month and don't have a partner to share any costs).

It got me thinking how restrictive it can be having a dog as a single person. I wouldn't change him for the world but it's incredibly difficult. If it was childcare I feel people would be much more understanding.

If I was a mum I could take my children pretty much everywhere.
As a dog owner, I can no longer go to the cinema, to most pubs, to restaurants, to the theatre, shopping, etc without paying out for extra dog care.

I feel dogs should be allowed in more places, more shops, more cafes, more pubs etc. Aibu?

@Kralia

But while we are comparing, dogs also have sharper teeth and louder barks. And nobody is actually allergic to children.

Going to 2 different 5 star hotels with mine in August.
Booked 6 restaurants and 5 train journeys

Dogs can go most places. You just need to shop around

If you see your dog as your child, then do what parents of children do and pay someone to sit in with your dog so you can have an evening out.

I love dogs, but don't think they should be in more places.

OP I get your dog is your "baby" from your posts I am guessing you can't/do not want children. But you can not seriously expect society to put dogs at the same level as human children when it comes to provision/access to pubs/cafes/restaurants. Step back and think about what you are actually saying!

Should dogs be allowed in more places? No.
And, no, your dog isn't your child. It's your dog.

Tbh I leave my dog alone for periods of time when I have to!!
Do you honestly think dog owners never go to the theatre, to restaurants, to the cinema?! Of course they do!!!!!!
My dog doesn’t mind being left! I’m a sahm so she has company all day mostly, but if we do a cinema trip for example, we’ll be out for 4-5 hours including lunch/dinner out, and she’s totally fine!!!! Just sleeps, trots around..what she’d do if we were home tbh.

Just had a few days in Scarborough and there were dogs all over the place. Getting in peoples way, barking yapping and shitting .

Bizarre post.

Also just imagining a dog sitting in the cinema, watching a film with some popcorn

I think it sounds like your issue is where you live. A place with no dog friendly cafes/ pubs etc and 45+ minutes from cinema/ theatre etc, well no wonder you find it hard. If you lived closer to amenities you wouldn’t have the same problem of needing to leave the dog 4+ hours to catch a film/ show/ concert. Many breeds of dogs can also be left alone for 4-5 hours so perhaps part of the issue is the breed of dog you have chosen which possibly wasn’t compatible with the lifestyle you wanted to leave.

Many pubs and bars etc aren’t welcoming to small children either and you can’t leave a child home alone for 5+ hours to go to the cinema, you have to factor in childcare costs. Maybe you didn’t factor in how well you can afford a dog if the cost of dogcare is limiting your options for going out.

In terms of more places being dog friendly, unfortunately many people have allergies towards dog hair which mean they couldn’t share a cafe/ pub etc with a dog. Dogs are animals and can be unpredictable, and yes so can children but the worst case scenario for a tantrumming child is not to bite or cause injury as it could be with sn out of control dog. Your dog may be like a child to you but to many people the smell and sound of hairy, slobbery, barky dogs is a nuisance and not something you want to encounter whilst having a nice meal out.

I suspect there's a chasm of opinion here, neatly divided by those living in towns and those living in rural areas. In a town, a dog's value is purely social; in rural areas, they work. As I live in the country, it would never occur to me to take XingDog out socially. She doesn't fit in a handbag. I also wouldn't leave her in a car in summer (but I would in winter). I choose holiday accommodation based on her needs as well as our preferences.

@Greenpolkadot

Just had a few days in Scarborough and there were dogs all over the place. Getting in peoples way, barking yapping and shitting .

Sounds hellish. Perhaps just stay in at home?

@Patchworkknitter
All i can imagine is that your dog is super boisterous and needs ALOT of attention. You can definitely leave a dog alone for 5/6 hours, you just can. Not a puppy obviously, but an adult dog, yes. I don’t think there would be so many dog owners if everyone put in the amount of time you do!

@Carrotca

Bizarre post.

Also just imagining a dog sitting in the cinema, watching a film with some popcorn

We are members at The Everyman and I think my dog would be very happy to curl up on the sofa.

Yes they should be! What's the harm in having a dog in a cafe/restaurant with outdoor space?

@Peanutbuttercupisyum Well, I wouldn't leave my dog alone for that long just like I wouldn't keave my child for that long. It's cruel and anything can happen

I would be happy to see well behaved dogs everywhere And badly behaved children banned You have the choice to have a dog and you have the choice to have a child

@Patchworkknitter

For what it's worth, I didn't say I wanted to take my dog to the cinema or theatre. There were examples of places I could no longer go.

Lifestyle choice, you chose to have a dog.

I love/ have dogs but think they should be kept outside most indoor venues, bar particularly dog friendly pubs. Too many dogs are badly trained and thus poorly behaved. Many people are allergic to dogs or scared of them.

[quote XelaM]@Peanutbuttercupisyum Well, I wouldn't leave my dog alone for that long just like I wouldn't keave my child for that long. It's cruel and anything can happen[/quote]
Because you wouldn't doesn't mean you can't. My 9 year old dog is quite happy being left that long. Not all the time but on occasion. We have dog cams and check him

Absolutely fucking not.

It’s disgusting that some establishments that serve food allow dogs. So unhygienic to have a slobbering dog shaking it’s fur everywhere when people just want to enjoy their food 🤬🤮

@Okbye

Absolutely fucking not.

It’s disgusting that some establishments that serve food allow dogs. So unhygienic to have a slobbering dog shaking it’s fur everywhere when people just want to enjoy their food 🤬🤮

Why does it bother you? I'm assuming you don't go to places that allow dogs so just avoid them and let the owners of the place and people who use it be

@Glenthebattleostrich

Personally i prefer a well behaved dog to kids in many places. As things have opened up Ive seen someone change their child's shitty nappy on a cafe table while they waited for a take out, had a child come over and help themselves to my chips and at a softplay did indeed see a child shit in the playframe.

Luckily we have loads of dog friendly options near us. There are also plenty of child friendly and adults only / no dogs places.

As an aside, we do sometimes hire a local teen to dog sit on an evening so we can go out. £15 and access to Netflix and a full fridge!

But these examples don't mention anything about the kids bad behaviour. Just irresponsible and unhygienic parents 😬😑

Even the most well-behaved dogs can slobber and shed hair. There are places where that is inappropriate, including some restaurants, theatres, museums, swimming-pools, gyms, hospitals and spas. So dogs shouldn't be able to go everywhere. They're not hygienic.

My DSis has a very well-behaved dog and I'm happy to have it in the house when she stays. But I have to cover the furniture with throws and hoover and deep-clean the carpets when they leave and even then I still find odd bits of dog hair everywhere.

@Okbye

Absolutely fucking not.

It’s disgusting that some establishments that serve food allow dogs. So unhygienic to have a slobbering dog shaking it’s fur everywhere when people just want to enjoy their food 🤬🤮

I hope you check their kitchens before you eat for dirty human habits

So unhygienic to have a slobbering dog shaking it’s fur everywhere when people just want to enjoy their food

I've never seen a visibly slobbering, shaking dog in a pub or café. Dear me - dog owners must be dropping like flies from pestilence and disease, eating in the same room as their dogs every day! Oh wait a minute... various studies have shown that on average pet owners are more healthy.