Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Dog annoying us in restaurant

326 replies

Onthegreeen · 27/10/2023 14:17

I was in a restaurant with a friend this morning. A dog at the next table kept wandering over around our table, putting his head onto our laps, swishing his tail against us etc.
We asked the owner if she could keep him at her own table at which point she said it was a dog friendly cafe and he was entitled to be there.
So were we, but we weren't entitled to wander around other tables annoying people. Children are welcome in the cafe but they're not entitled to go up and sit on some random customer's lap.

We couldn't be bothered getting into an argument so we just left. But AIBU to think she was bloody rude and self entitled.

OP posts:
Swanny8 · 27/10/2023 14:20

Dog friendly doesn't mean the dog can wander around at will annoying people.

CacenCaws · 27/10/2023 14:20

Dog friendly doesn't mean they are allowed to approach other tables/people. You should have informed a member of staff?

RallyRallyAppreciateIt · 27/10/2023 14:24

I hate the new breed of dog owners.
Theres a whole lot who expect you to be thrilled when their dog bounds over to you, jumps its muddy paws all over you, hassles your dog and has no recall. They then shout at you and give you abuse if you dare to ask them to keep their dog under control.

I hope you leave a review so others know the cafe don’t ask that owners keep dogs under control.

HiCandles · 27/10/2023 14:34

I absolutely hate this new culture of dog friendliness everywhere. I totally agree with you. I don't dislike dogs or other people's children or other adults, but I want to enjoy my meal in peace with the people I chose to come with. It's so rude to let your dog wander up and annoy people. Unfortunately the type that does this is never going to listen to you asking nicely, because they wouldn't allow their dog to do it in the first place if they were a reasonable thoughtful human being. I would've done the same as you OP - but also told the staff. If they didn't handle it well I would leave a Google and TripAdvisor review about it.

Jewelspun · 27/10/2023 14:34

You should have ordered an extra table for one for the dog and left leaving his owners to pay for his lunchtime special and chips.

Lyricallie · 27/10/2023 14:36

I have a dog and I wouldn’t like this either. I remember walking through Hyde park once and someone’s wee yappy dog jumping at my leg. Asked her to call her dog back and she just screamed at me that it was a dog friendly park. Aye but my tights aren’t dog friendly and I was going to be on an interview panel!

Raging. I try my best to make sure my spaniel doesn’t bother anyone!

Fairymother · 27/10/2023 14:37

RallyRallyAppreciateIt · 27/10/2023 14:24

I hate the new breed of dog owners.
Theres a whole lot who expect you to be thrilled when their dog bounds over to you, jumps its muddy paws all over you, hassles your dog and has no recall. They then shout at you and give you abuse if you dare to ask them to keep their dog under control.

I hope you leave a review so others know the cafe don’t ask that owners keep dogs under control.

How is this the restaurants fault? If the Op told the staff amd they did nothing, then by all means, leave a bad review. But it sounds like the staff werent involved at all.

Original poster
Onthegreeen · 27/10/2023 14:37

It's similar to people who think a child friendly cafe means their child can run riot or scream their head off and no one can say anything.

OP posts:
Original poster
Onthegreeen · 27/10/2023 14:38

Fairymother · 27/10/2023 14:37

How is this the restaurants fault? If the Op told the staff amd they did nothing, then by all means, leave a bad review. But it sounds like the staff werent involved at all.

Show quote history

The staff could clearly see what was happening. One of them was also nearby when we asked the woman to keep her dog at her own table. They obviously didn't see anything wrong with this behaviour.

OP posts:
CalistoNoSolo · 27/10/2023 14:41

I take my dogs to pubs and cafes, but they are trained to sit on their blanket out of the way. You should have been much firmer with CF dog owner. I cannot stand other people's dogs bothering me when I'm minding my own business.

BrimfulOfMash · 27/10/2023 14:42

It’s outrageous.

I took my v elderly mum and dad to a pub for lunch. The dog on the table behind was being a nuisance to them and I asked the owners to keep it by them. They were eye-rolley and teeth gritted but made a half hearted attempt to get the dog to sit under their table. Then m&d’s food arrived, the dog sprang up, pushed inbetween M&D, grabbed my dad’s food and as the dog made him jump he spilled his drink all over his clothes.

They laughed. The pub replaced the food , the family declined to pay for the drink (“it was an accident “), m& d were really upset.

I am so sick of selfish obnoxious dog owners.

WonderingWanda · 27/10/2023 14:44

I would have popped over and taken some chips off her plate or something and then said 'oh, sorry. As you are sharing your dog with me I thought you wouldn't mind sharing your food either'.

We had to sit and listen to a dog's very high pitched whining in a cafe yesterday because of the presence of other dogs, it was clearly terrified. It's owner was talking in a ridiculous baby voice to it very loudly 'ow awnt you a silly ickle sausage' which just seemed to encourage it to be honest. It was really hurting my ears if that had been one of my kids when they were little I would have taken them outside to calm them down.

user1497207191 · 27/10/2023 14:46

YANBU. I'm finding all these "dog friendly" places really off putting these days. If I've a choice, I'll give a dog friendly cafe a miss and go somewhere else instead.

pyjamalife · 27/10/2023 14:49

Wondering if it's my in law. They have a habit of allowing this and it annoys me even when I'm at the same table, I'd be so angry if it was a stranger!

I don't allow my dog to do this to others and would expect the same courtesy.

Blackeyeliner · 27/10/2023 14:51

Me too. I was in a restaurant and one of the staff were over stroking the dog and filling its water bowl. Then went straight in the kitchen and served up food 🤮

Blackeyeliner · 27/10/2023 14:52

That was in response to @user1497207191.

MidnightOnceMore · 27/10/2023 14:52

I think we all have to start complaining more forcefully. I want more dog unfriendly places!

Laiste · 27/10/2023 14:55

Oh i agree with leaving a bad review.
Dog friendly cafe/restaurants should have a sign up to say keep your dog on it's lead and don't let it wander or lay in the aisles.

And the staff should help enforce it.

Maybe they'll do that if you leave the review.

DyslexicPoster · 27/10/2023 14:56

There are still cafes who either don't allow dogs or dogs are welcome in the outside area.

Cafes that are loud and proud dog friendly I personally avoid. Too many dog owners letting their dogs bark and lunge at other dogs, one owner will ask to keep the dog away as their dog is reactive while the out of control owner laughs it off saying how friendly there dog is.

My dog is long dead but I'm often just sitting there and wondering how tone deaf a owner can be if they are being told in simple terms, my dog doesn't like it, please can you call them off.

Imagine if was a man all over your dd and he was laughing it off saying how friendly he was. Utter ignorance and entitlement. My fur baby wants to play, your dog is irrelevant in my fur baby fun. Walkers.

At least if it's a child I can glare and say where the hell is your parents or are you on your own? That normally cunjurs up a parents.

Aaron95 · 27/10/2023 14:57

I'm a dog owner but I am also getting fed up with this modern trend to have to take your dog everywhere. No problem with someone taking a dog down the pub or into a cafe if they are out for a walk but people are taking them to restaurants and other places now.

Last weekend we were in a restaurant and two people were sat at another table with a dog which was sat on a chair and kept on yapping very loudly every few seconds. This went on for 30 minutes and they just ignored it. Ground my gears somewhat.

PastTheGin · 27/10/2023 14:58

I love that so many places are dog friendly now, but our dog just lies under our table quietly!
A dog like the OP described would annoy me just as much as rioting kids!

Ylvamoon · 27/10/2023 14:59

... and today's dog hater thred is:

DOG ANNOYING US IN RESTAURANT

Laiste · 27/10/2023 14:59

My parents used to take our dog into pubs and cafes when we were on holiday in the late 70s and '80s.

They'd ask permission, if there was no sign to say no, and if yes then doggo would be popped under the table and go to sleep with her lead around my mum's leg and her head on our feet. No fuss. No one even knew she was there.

Having dogs isn't new. Taking dogs into some cafes isn't new. But this stupid expectation that they can be inflicted on everyone else and everyone else should be happy about it sure is.

Elphame · 27/10/2023 15:02

The dog should definitely not been allowed to bother you.

I was in a "dog friendly" cafe recently with my own two dogs who are trained to lie quietly under the table. The owner's own dog (young and over friendly) was walking around freely though and constantly try to goad my pair into a game. I was trying to fend him off but he wouldn't leave us alone. There is only so much of that puppy nonsense my elder one will put up with but he was very good and didn't give the pup the telling off that he should have done.

Other diners were clearly irritated and left. If we hadn't ordered food I'd have left too tbh. We skipped dessert and coffee and I'd never go back.

Original poster
Onthegreeen · 27/10/2023 15:03

Ylvamoon · 27/10/2023 14:59

... and today's dog hater thred is:

DOG ANNOYING US IN RESTAURANT

The fact that there are so many threads about this kind of thing is surely a sign that it is becoming an increasingly annoying issue,

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread