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?

Cornwall is very dog friendly, almost all the shops annd establishments allow dogs in them, including in places like new look etc. It’s why so many dog owners holiday there.

This!

You are being funny. Don’t listen to them.

Fair enough, you said repetitive and not annoying, but the point stands really either way. The repetitiveness is partly what makes it annoying (not quite as annoying as me not being able to edit the 'of' I wrote instead of 'off', but just about)!

Its more they all get to go together rather than the dog go to kennels. Plus they get to swim and that which is nice for them.

This sounds amazing. My dream holiday!

When did people stop leaving dogs in kennels / with family at home anyway? My parents always had dogs when I was growing up and we never took them on our (UK) holidays. Days out in the countryside / to the beach, yes, but not to places more suited to people.

But not nice for everyone else.

Yeah? But dogs smell of themselves. Not a defensive smell like a skunk or their waste products ( BO or shirt) but their normal animal smell.

If you can’t hack real things whilst living in a world with others there is no hope.

I guess OP- you’ll know for next time to factor in “not dog friendly” in your travel plans. Cornwall is known for being dog friendly, it is unusual for dogs to be allowed on beaches in the summer all day, so Cornwall attracts dog owners and then the restaurants near the dog friendly beaches will be dog friendly to accommodate the majority of customers.

next time, pick a location where dogs aren’t allowed on the beaches and most the cottages for rent don’t allow dogs. You’ll find most of the restaurants aren’t full of dogs then.

People usually go on holiday with their family unit, that includes the dog(s). 🤷🏻‍♀️

Yup

@SusanandMidge he deserves a little holiday bless him. Plus he hates the kennels.
He has seperation anxiety

And what's with all the dogs in prams and buggies? Padstow was full of them.

@Nevermind202020 - my point is the same as yours. There are annoying dogs and there are annoying people. I concede that there has been a problem in recent years with dogs bought in lockdown by people who have no clue how to handle them and that is a shame. My own dog is well trained, well behaved and has good recall.

I am sorry to heat that. Do you not know any decent people? Or do you lack social skills yourself?

I have realised that the dog owners who defend poor ownership and have no argument other than ‘dogs are better than people/kids’, actually have zero social skills.

The pandemic made them unable to communicate with people so they can only cope with the company of canines. I feel sorry for them really.

@Carsarelife Devon is dog friendly but you are right, we don’t have the same vibe here and there’s a lot more places that don’t allow dogs, whenever we have a weekend away or want a full day out we head over to cornwall as we know our pup can go everywhere with us.

Yes tripping over the blighters everywhere 😁

Its hardly horrific watching a dog go for a little swim.

You are right. It’s social ineptitude that has led to this explosion of people only being able to go out attached to their hounds.

I do think the tide will slowly turn. I think we are at peak dog.

Sorry but i don't believe for a minute that a dog pooed in a restaurant and the owner refused to clean it up
That did not happen

Yes you're right. They have no idea how to engage with other people and therefore feel more comfortable with dogs.

Yes that’s not on. I have a dog g but I follow rules. I also wouldn’t take him in a cafe/restaurant (for his benefit) so the issue is the owners rather than the dogs.

I adore all dogs & happy to fuss any that will let me but I agree with you.

Dog owners can’t smell the stench. They even think their own houses don’t smell 😂

But Cornwall has been a popular holiday spot for decades. It is only in recent years that demanding dog owners have taken over the place, including intimidating shops and cafes into allowing their animals in. Not to mention allowing their dogs to run off lead around beaches and harbours, regardless of other people. That is selfish and pushy behaviour.