To not understand the culture of taking dogs everywhere?

[Supernova23]

This isn't an anti dog post, as I have two dogs, and have had them for my entire life. But I can't for the life of me understand the idea of taking them everywhere which seems to be the case now - I see dogs dragged around in shops, restaurants, cafes, literally everywhere you go.....there are dogs. Perhaps it wouldn't be so obvious if they were quiet and well behaved, but that often isn't the case. Recently in a pub I was at, two different sets of dogs were going mad at each other. The owners could care less and probably thought it was funny. You go to places where dogs should strictly be on leads, and they are running loose in their droves, followed by their hapless owner on the phone who has no control over it. If you tell their owners to control them you get a mouthful of abuse.

I have two large breed dogs, one of which is VERY heavy shedding, and can be very vocal as a breed trait - and I don't just mean barking, but making all sorts of weird wookie noises. I wouldn't feel comfortable taking her into somewhere that served food, knowing that her fur would probably be flying off her. I think that would be quite gross for the people around me, and the people who come afterwards. Plus, what does the dog actually gain from being dragged into shops, restaurants etc? my dogs get long daily walks, and do come out and about in the car with me while I do errands (it fits in with walks). They get plenty of attention, and when they were younger (one is very elderly, the other middle aged) got taken to training classes - you know, actual dog stuff.

So can someone enlighten me? why is taking your dog everywhere a "thing" now?

Last week I was in a toilet cubicle on a campsite when I heard the sound a someone enter another cubicle and then the voice of a woman trying to shush up her (small whining dog) - I thought WTF - she's not only in the wrong toilets but she's bought a dog in too - I wondered if this is something some women do - I've never heard that in the gents before! She seemed to have picked her moment to leave as she didn't seem to meet anyone on the way out. Anyway...when I left - I discovered it was I that was in the wrong toilets.

Nobody takes their dogs everywhere. If I go a long walk I might stop at a cafe with my dog, or pop into a shop. When I was young we would have tied the dog up outside, but that is no longer safe to do.

I think a lot of the people who do this are just wanting to show off their expensive designer doggies at any opportunity! I see it regularly at the school gates, dogs are not allowed into the school so you see parents parking up their cars and carrying their little sausage dogs etc and standing waiting outside the gates. Their cars are only parked a few feet away so there's no reason to have to bring the dog other than wanting people to see it!

This is the thing I specialise in, treating and ideally preventing separation related problems.

Taking dogs with us to more places is definitely NOT the cause of separation anxiety.

Sep anx. is a normal state of affairs for a dog, they're evolved to be with us, in a social group.

They are not remotely, not even after thousands of years of domestication, equipped naturally to be by themselves totally alone which being left at home almost always means. This is because we have selectively bred almost all dogs (with the exception of livestock guardian breeds who have the flock/herd as their social group rather than humans) to actively want to be with people, take instruction from people, stick closely to people etc etc.

Theres two big factors in the apparent rise of sep anx.

1/People are recognising it for what it is more than ever before. Last figures I had suggested around 85% of dogs suffered from it over the age of 2. Those will be the dogs who create a fuss, bark, howl, destroy things, hurt themselves, escape. If you were to try to add in the ones whose owners actually don't KNOW their dog is suffering... it would be even higher than that.

2/ Dog ownership has increased massively particularly in the last couple of years, with a significant number of those people buying on a whim, and doing absolutely nothing to properly prepare their dogs for being alone, and in many cases buying breeds who are the absolute worst for not coping alone.

60 years ago we saw far less SRP - but then we also saw far fewer full time working people buying dogs, we had far more SAHP's, full time Housewives who did not work outside the home, and people whose lifestyles meant a dog could be with them all day at their workplace.

People were more likely to wait until retirement to get a dog if they couldn't have one due to work commitments, and people were far more likely to get a dog that suited their home/lifestyle as well.

They are everywhere. The local gastro pub was full of little yappy fuckers the other Sunday, all yapping and growling at each other.

I have three dogs and they stay firmly at home unless we're going for a walk or to a particularly dog friendly place. One of them is a former therapy dog and would likely be as good as gold, but I wouldn't really want to needlessly subject him to busy places like shops or cafés when he could be upsidown on the sofa at home. The other two I can't even imagine, they're far too big and boisterous and stupid for busy human places.

I always feel very sorry for the poor wee devils being dragged around shops looking absolutely miserable or anxious. Leave them at home!

I’m sure there was a shopping centre somewhere else in the U.K. that was trialing allowing dogs as well? Not sure how it’s going but last I heard many people were complaining as there was dog crap being left inside the shopping centre

Wow you are right OP, I never thought of this. I grew up with dogs at home, my parents never took them anywhere except when we went camping. They would never have taken them into a café, restaurant, pub etc. They were just left at home if we went out. They were left at home all day too, but my dad always went home for a bit at lunchtime to let them out. It wouldn’t even have crossed any of our minds to take them into town or anything like that.

I'm in NI and I have noticed this much more in England! I was amazed at dogs being at all sorts of places when I was there.

I have nothing against well behaved dogs in cafes but DD is scared of them. She has SN and has unfortunately experienced badly behaved dogs jumping at her. She gets very nervous if we go in and there are dogs there. Especially if they sniff around her which most seem to do.

She used to like them and used to ask me if we could have one but her experiences have now totally put her off.

I think the problem is definitely with the owners. The number of times someone will say "oh they're only being friendly". I don't care how friendly they are, if you can't understand that some people don't like dogs then you shouldn't bring one to public places.

See, the problem there is Dickhead owners rather than dogs

I take my dog to dog-friendly pubs as he’s very quiet and well-behaved but recently I was in the restaurant at a nice spa hotel and there was a dog in there barking! I did think that was inappropriate.

Wilko now let dogs in. I’ve seen a dog crap right in front of the pic and mix an isle that they are not actually allowed down, one pee by the pet food and pet hair on the blankets they sell. I don’t go in there anymore and stick to homebargains or B&m.

We used to take our dog to the pub at the beach when we had dogs but we never took her inside the pub even though it was allowed always sat outside with her as far away from other people as possible.

Our town is incredibly dog friendly and dogs allowed in most restaurants, little shops, cafes, pubs and grocery stores. It’s great for the high street as there are a lot of dog owners (including me) who are encouraged to shop local as it’s so convenient if it’s dog friendly. A lot of my time is spent dog walking so if I need to buy a birthday card or something I will combine this with a dog walk rather than go to a non local non dog friendly store or buy online. Same with groceries, I’ll go to the local dog friendly grocer instead of Sainsbury’s.

Most dogs I see out are very happy and my dog loves visiting the coffee shop with me because he gets to eat crumbs off the floor while in the queue (plus get actual dog treats that the shops out out for them). We’ve taken our dog to restaurants since pup so he is very relaxed and just sleeps until my chair or sits on my lap if we are outside.

I have a very clever breed who enjoys seeing the world!

@larkstar i always have to take my dog into the loos with me if I am visiting a national trust countryside for example. There’s
no way I would leave him tied up outside for example- the risk of dog theft for one, but also you see members of the public and kids approaching dogs that are tied up outside and all sorts. So I am not sure what i
am supposed to do if I want to go out for a day in the countryside- or indeed go camping? Hold it for a weekend???

They are dogs so why do you even have them...

I’ve also never seen a dog poo or wee on anything inside despite there being hundreds of local dogs everywhere I look around here.

Locally to us it used to be like this, however now places are banning dogs again (except guide dogs obviously) due to poor behaviour. One garden centre has banned them as dogs kept peeing inside and up displays of goods etc...... I have been in a cafe when a dog has cocked its leg and peed and it did put me off my drink and I told the owners why I was going and they put my drink in a takeaway cup.

Interesting to see this as I was having a very long conversation only yesterday with a dog trainer as we may get a dog later in the year (not my preference). She has recommended crate training so the puppy gets used to being on its own and doesn't need to accompany us everywhere.
She was talking about the horrendous behaviours in dogs at the moment because they're so ill-trained and, for lockdown dogs, barely socialised. She said with barkers, turn your back on them and walk away. Ignore the barking. Reward them once they're quiet. But some breeds apparently bark incessantly - anything poodle cross.
The law is not on unruly dog owners side. If a dog barks at you and 'puts you in fear' (yes, not even bite you), if you feel so inclined you can complain to the police who will seize the dog. Dogs are not allowed off the lead on any public highway.
I don't like dogs in cafes - I don't want their hair and slob near me. I also don't like screaming children. So you can't have it all.

But please, if you are the owner of a dog with no recall, incessant barking, stealing from people's picnics etc get it TRAINED!!!!!!!!

Yesterday there was a dog inside the school playground. I’m all for dogs but not at school. You wait outside the gates with your dog they shouldn’t be inside the playground

My dog doesn’t have separation anxiety and is able to be left at home for up to four hours as per the guidance, but why bother having a dog if you’re going to leave them at home all day? As a PP said, dogs have been selectively bred to want to spend time with us and be involved in things. My dog follows me around the house and tries to solemnly be involved in all chores. I don’t see taking my dog with me to grab a coffee as any different to a tradie having a working dog out with him on jobs. Except my version is more fun for the dog as 95% of that outing is being on a walk, with 5 minutes spent waiting for a coffee.

I very much doubt anyone is taking their dog with them “everywhere” - just on dog friendly outings.

Also very normal to take dog into bathroom in public bathroom as what is the alternative? Hardly going to tie them up outside to be stolen are we.

I had to leave a cafe mid way through my meal last week because they let a dog in. I'm allergic to dogs and wasn't expecting one in the third floor cafe of a Primark. It wasn't a guide dog, it was with two women who were just shopping and chatting. I took my meal back to the counter and said I was sorry but I would have to leave as I was allergic to dogs and could feel my eyes itching and my throat starting to get scratchy. They just shrugged, so fuck me I guess. The novelty of having a dog out with you shouldn't trump a humans comfort or health. Obviously I have allergies so I avoid triggers. Shops and restaurants should be safe places that I don't have to interact with slobbering, hairy arsehole licking mutts

I really don't think people take their dog 'everywhere'. I do think dog ownership has changed from 20 years ago though. People used to leave their dogs outside, or alone for hours during the day and feed them scraps or tinned food. Now leaving your dog for more than 4 hours is seen as terrible so people are forced to perhaps take them with when doing the school run or nipping into town. I also think dogs are now treated more as family and involved in leisure at weekends, walks, cafes, pubs etc. Not a bad thing imo!

I work somewhere that's dog 'friendly' and for some that seems to mean free for all.
I found a dog a couple of months ago on his way to the kitchen behind a waitress...... Owners got shitty and left a scathingly bitchy review because I returned it and requested it be kept under control. The very cheek of me. Kitchen would have to have been immediately shut and deep cleaned had the dog got in there. Owners would likely be the first to complain if there was dog hair in their food.

Myself and colleagues have tripped over a few and been moaned at for hurting the dog.

Honestly, so many people are entitled arseholes and some of them own dogs, and you can't even ask them to keep them under control without a massive backlash and over reacting, over emotional tirades about them being 'paying customers' - this type of stuff is the flip side to 'The customer is always right' it excuses shitty and entitled behaviour because people are spending money.

I love taking my dogs with me. Sometimes both, sometimes only one of them.
They are absolutely fine on their own at home but I enjoy having them with me as much as possible.
They are both calm and very well behaved even if surrounded by chaos. Only trouble is each takes a lot of space so I am mindful not to have them in the way of anyone.
Regularly take them when I meet friends at the pub or coffee shops but I wouldn't take them to a dedicated restaurant.
Shops are only a few independent ones I buy from, but I wouldn't take them to a shopping centre on the basis that I dislike shopping centres and I only go for super quick trips when absolutely necessary.
Yapping annoying frantic dogs in public do annoy me a great deal, in the park or in the shop or at the pub. Can't stand them but c'est la vie.