Dogs Everywhere

[SusanandMidge]

I don't live in the UK but am just back from a holiday in Cornwall. We were shocked at the amount of dogs allowed everywhere. They were in every restaurant, cafe, pub and hotel. Two or three people with dogs would all go into a small shop, blocking the aisles for everyone else. In Port Isaac on a lovely sunny Sunday afternoon the whole harbour and uphill area was disrupted by loud and continuous barking. Dogs were running around off leash on every beach. People were clogging the narrow pavements with two or three dogs on leads, wheeling dogs around in prams and buggies, stopping outside holiday cottages for ages chatting while their dogs barked, yapped and howled and ruined the peace for the people inside.

We were genuinely wondering if the next time we came back there would be dog and owner spaces in supermarket carparks and an expectation that you should stand up on public transport to let people with dogs sit down.

AIBU to think England has gone a bit mad when it comes to dogs?

Maybe its my search engine but I have typed in both
Dog free cafes near me
Dog free cafes cornwall

Both searches came up with dog friendly
Could someone please tell me how I am meant to find these mythical dog free cafes

Totally agree

I think it’s not so much the dogs but the entitled owners who have no sense of self awareness and expect you to be as invested in their dog as they are.

My friend brings her (frankly disgusting, slobbery, badly-behaved) dog along on what we’re previously dog free excursions. She thinks nothing of sitting her dog on her lap at the table whilst we are all eating. She thinks nothing of holding her dog right up at your face. I’ve yet to understand for what reason. And despite being told I don’t want dog anywhere near me, she still persists.
I like dogs, I really do. But I don’t want the entire adult conversation to be dominated and interrupted by someone else’s fur baby

I don't agree that the vote is in any way indicative. Most people (and me for a week) simply don't bother clicking yet another "I hate dogs" thread. It's tedious in the extreme. But, I've finally broken, opened one and am posting a comment. Hopefully now I can go back to ignoring these threads.

Where is the subtlety in this (or any of the other threads about dogs in <insert place>)? Most people aren't all or nothing. I love dogs but I don't particularly like dogs in restaurants. I do, however, think that there is space for dog friendly cafes, restaurants and hotels. So my vote is between the two extremes.

Having said that I don't like dogs in restaurants I also don't like people wearing hats (rude), people (young old and anywhere in between) screaming, crying, being loud and/or obnoxious, people who laugh too loudly, fling their food around, yell into their phones, don't parent their children and allow them to run riot (ditto dog, horse, cat, cow, pig, gerbil whatever owners) in restaurants either. So if the dog is quiet and just lying on the floor under the owner's table I have no problem with it.

If Cornwall is overrun with feral beasties perhaps some restaurant owners could make a killing by labelling their restaurants as dog unfriendly. It seems that rather than lose them custom it would be very attractive to many.

*I agree. The sheer number of threads on this forum complaining about dogs in shops, cafes etc etc surely demonstrates that this is a development that is causing annoyance to many people. As does the majority vote on this thread.

But there seems to be a lot of denial around the issue. Posters insisting they have never witnessed any annoying behaviour from dogs, that their dog is perfect, that anyone recounting annoying incidents is making them up, 'dramatising' and so on.

Also, some posters are asking why 'dog haters' don't raise the issue more, while others are yawning and saying 'oh not another thread on this'.*

Perhaps the 'peak dog' pendulum will swing and there will be enough traffic to generate specifically 'dog free' cafes & pubs for the dog avoidant.

Presumably that happened at some point for the people with dogs contingent, before all these places started allowing dogs in.

**I agree. The sheer number of threads on this forum complaining about dogs in shops, cafes etc etc surely demonstrates that this is a development that is causing annoyance to many people. As does the majority vote on this thread.

But there seems to be a lot of denial around the issue. Posters insisting they have never witnessed any annoying behaviour from dogs, that their dog is perfect, that anyone recounting annoying incidents is making them up, 'dramatising' and so on.

Also, some posters are asking why 'dog haters' don't raise the issue more, while others are yawning and saying 'oh not another thread on this'.**

Perhaps the 'peak dog' pendulum will swing and there will be enough traffic to generate specifically 'dog free' cafes & pubs for the dog avoidant.

Presumably that happened at some point for the people-with-dogs contingent, before these places started allowing dogs in.

Well that's kind of my point. Some people are insisting there's no problem, and refusing to open threads and read the views of people on the issue while continuing to bring their dogs everywhere and anywhere. They are simply putting their fingers in their ears and just don't want to know.

Also dismissing all threads on the issue as 'dog hating threads' is a bit narrow minded and prejudiced.

*The sheer number of threads on this forum complaining about dogs in shops, cafes etc etc surely demonstrates that this is a development that is causing annoyance to many people. As does the majority vote on this thread"
Hahaha, no it really doesn't. MN is a very small community and in no way represents society as a whole.

It's as simple as the statement that if the majority of the population disliked dogs, then businesses would just not allow them in. The fact that more and more do, which is your problem, is evidence of the exact contrary!

It's as simple as the statement that if the majority of the population disliked dogs, then businesses would just not allow them in. The fact that more and more do, which is your problem, is evidence of the exact contrary!

I actually think it’s more that there’s a vocal minority of people - and there’s probably a strong correlation with bad dog owners - who kick up such a fuss when dogs aren’t allowed in that owners don’t want the social media aggro! I’ve definitely seen this with kids not being allowed, so maybe the aggressive parents all bought dogs?

Well that's kind of my point. Some people are insisting there's no problem, and refusing to open threads and read the views of people on the issue while continuing to bring their dogs everywhere and anywhere. They are simply putting their fingers in their ears and just don't want to know
Because you and those with the sane views are in the minority, end of. If 90% are happy with me bringing my dog somewhere, and my dog is not a nuisance to anyone, then you are absolutely right that I'm not going to stop doing so when my dog loves -yes, really- being there, because you have an issue with my dog just breathing in the same space and you had options to go elsewhere.

Can't you see that your expectation for me and those alike to not do as it suits a vast majority AND is perfectly within rules makes YOU the problem?

But the majority of the population do dislike dogs in cafes etc if the many threads on the subject are anything to go by. I think the situation has caught a lot of people by surprise but the general discussions being started around it will hopefully help them realise they're not alone in disliking the prevalence of dogs everywhere and encourage them to speak out.
For years and years people put up with smokers in restaurants, pubs, on public transport, in workplaces etc. But eventually non smokers began to speak out and the situation was stopped. It wasn't as simple as 'businesses wouldn't have allowed it if the majority of the population disliked it'.

Also, the number of people on here complaining about people discussing the issue and starting threads on it and dismissing them as 'dog haters', 'drama queens making stuff up' etc shows a huge reluctance by some dog owners to debate the issue and listen to the concerns of others.

I like children as awhile, bit I really don't like them close to be because I am very sensitive to the noise they usually make.

I would never go to a MC Donald's with a play centre on Saturday afternoon, decide to sit inside and then moan that because I don't like kids' noise, their parents should be considerate and not bring them. It would be totally ludicrous!

How would they even know, unless I voiced it, that's an issue for me? Why oh why, even though I do love McDonalds would I choose to sit in at kids peak time?

But the majority of the population do dislike dogs in cafes etc if the many threads on the subject are anything to go by

No they don't. That's where you are wrong. If they were, there wouldn't be so many people, without dogs, in dogs friendly places.

The places I go with my dog are always very busy. I've yet to see someone coming in, seeing my dog and getting out. Most people are oblivious to her, or come for a fuss because she dies gave the 'cuteness factor'.

I’ve got to say your post is somewhat angled so that everything dog owners do is wrong! Frankly the vast majority of dogs are better than most people. They are loyal and love their owners, compare that to many marriages! Dogs don’t lie, rip you off, abuse you or give you lip. Give me a dog any day over people!

The sheer number of threads on this forum complaining about dogs in shops, cafes etc etc surely demonstrates that this is a development that is causing annoyance to many people. As does the majority vote on this thread.

It shows that it's an annoyance to all the people who have commented in agreement on MN. That's about it tbh.

No doubt it does cause annoyance to those individuals, but clearly something is working for restaurant etc owners.

Still never seen anything other than a service dog in a shop though.

But there seems to be a lot of denial around the issue. Posters insisting they have never witnessed any annoying behaviour from dogs, that their dog is perfect, that anyone recounting annoying incidents is making them up, 'dramatising' and so on.

I'm afraid I don't agree with the assertion that crops up on this thread that premises owners are "bullied or shamed" into becoming dog welcoming. They do it because it's good business for them.

My dog is definitely not perfect. That's why I want my coffee out in peace. But a lot of this thread is very black and white in its thinking.

But people put up for years with smokers in pubs, workplaces, cinemas and other people. They didn't like it and were very very relieved when new smoking laws were brought in.

Some posters have been complaining about the sudden explosion of threads that are appearing complaining about dogs being allowed everywhere. But they don't seem to equate it with the fact that the new phenomenon of dog friendly everything is causing annoyance, upset and inconvenience to many people, who are trying to speak out about it and get heard but are constantly being told to shut up, go somewhere else, stop imagining things etc.

It wasn't as simple as 'businesses wouldn't have allowed it if the majority of the population disliked it'
I disagree. The vast majority of people smoked or didn't mind people smoking in the same room.

I happened to hate it but I was certainly the odd one out. I usually accepted it as part of the deal or didn't go out.

The difference is that there was no or very very few restaurants who didn't allow smoking so my options were much more restrained than people who want to eat in a dog free restaurant.

I can't imagine had made a fuss about someone smoking in a restaurant, especially if the smoke was nowhere near me expect them not to do so because smoking was being inconsiderate to me.

The law came in because of health concerns, certainly not because it indisposed a few sensitive people!

But the majority of the population do dislike dogs in cafes etc if the many threads on the subject are anything to go by.

It's not anything to go by. It's a thread on MN.

If it was anything to go by there would be no dog friendly cafes etc and Cornwall wouldn't, apparently be full of dogs.

Smoking is very dangerous. It wasn't banned because people didn't like the look of it or the smell.

Please.

It was Government Laws around actual Health and Safety. A associated deaths.

It's a ridiculous analogy.

The vast majority of people most certainly did not like people smoking around them. As far back as the 80s I remember people complaining. That's why the anti smoking lobby eventually got louder and louder and something got done about it. It was done through health and safety legislation, but lobbied for long and hard by various groups representing people who did not want people smoking around them or their children. And it most certainly was not 'a few sensitive people'. What a ridiculous comment.

So long as it's fairly well-behaved and definitely not an XL Bully I think it's great.

Dogs in cafes etc is no analogy to smoking in cafes etc.

As far back as the 80s I remember people complaining
Yes, a few, but not the majority and it is absolutely not the reason why it was banned!

This seems to be the thread of the sweeping statement.

The drive being the ban was the costs NHS! Not the fee people lobbying!