Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

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:
lizzy8230 · 27/10/2023 15:04

YANBU.
Dog friendly (or child friendly) doesn't mean allowing your dog or child to wander about annoying customers

letstrythatagain · 27/10/2023 15:05

I have a dog and love her to bloomin bits but I'd still find this incredibly annoying! Very rude of the owner.

skyeisthelimit · 27/10/2023 15:05

Dog friendly should mean that dogs are allowed as long as they behave and sit quietly under the table.

It shouldn't mean that they are free to roam around.

I would have complained directly to the staff. They should then tell the woman to keep her dog in line. If not, then you know not to go there again.

You are entitled to eat your meal in peace without somebody elses dog breathing all over you.

Pittabred · 27/10/2023 15:07

Dogs should be banned from cafes/restaurants, shops, anywhere really where they don't need to be! Unless they are assistance dogs of course. I did read somewhere of dog cinemas! Have we really become this dumb? 😂

Huwipulotu · 27/10/2023 15:07

Ylvamoon · 27/10/2023 14:59

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

DOG ANNOYING US IN RESTAURANT

I agree that there are daily dog hater threads which are increasingly tiresome however in this instance it is completely unacceptable to have a dog annoying people at other tables.

But then threads like this bring out the generalisations about all new dog owners being shit which is entirely unreasonable

in this case, IMO OP was being entirely reasonable to complain about this incident and the reasonable dog owners amongst us should be backing her.

MyGirlDaisy · 27/10/2023 15:10

I have a dog. I work with dogs. Yanbu!

SeaPool · 27/10/2023 15:12

Dog friendly means the dog can come in and sit quietly beside their owner without bothering anyone. It doesn't mean the dog can strut around holding court. One of the proudest moments I've ever had with my dog was when we stood up to leave a pub after a meal the lady at the next table said, 'Oh, I didn't even know you had a dog with you.'

Fizzadora · 27/10/2023 15:17

Ylvamoon · 27/10/2023 14:59

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

DOG ANNOYING US IN RESTAURANT

It's not the dogs we hate @Ylvamoon it's the selfish fucking twats who own them and won't keep them under control.

tabulaisrasa · 27/10/2023 15:19

I take my two to dog friendly cafes where possible, and always make sure they're out of the way of other patrons and staff, and would never allow them to bother other people there. YANBU. So weird the owner wouldn't just keep her dog closer.

MidnightOnceMore · 27/10/2023 15:20

Ylvamoon · 27/10/2023 14:59

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

DOG ANNOYING US IN RESTAURANT

And?
Do you think dogs should disturb other diners?

If dog owners weren't so annoying, there'd be nothing to hate.

Thighdentitycrisis · 27/10/2023 15:22

YANBU
It would have been tempting to explained to them what Dog friendly means.

Beowulfa · 27/10/2023 15:29

I might start announcing loudly that I will feed chocolate to any dog that bothers me and take out a bar of 70% and rustle with the wrapper.

LaurieStrode · 27/10/2023 15:29

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.

Exactly.

I am fond of dogs but wouldn't want a strange one touching me during a meal (though I feel sorry for the poor neglected thing).

The best way to deal with something like this is to inform the management of the cafe and let them deal with it; don't engage the crazies.

Meeting · 27/10/2023 15:30

Given that the staff refused to do anything I'd have got up and walked out too. I wouldn't have paid either.

ShazzaF · 27/10/2023 15:30

That sounds so annoying. I love dogs, but I am increasingly realising that I hate a lot of dog owners...

I was in a cafe recently with my then 5mo daughter sat on my lap. My chair was placed with its back to the entrance corridor. I look up and all of a sudden there's a massive setter type dog right in my daughter's face - as my back was to the entrance, I didn't see them come in. It took me by surprise and made me jump! Nothing extravagant, just a "oh!" as I sort of flinched my daughter out of the way of this massive dog that came out of nowhere and was in her face. It was just a gut reaction, as I had no idea it was there until I glanced down and saw it in my baby's face. This in turn made the dog jump a little - nothing major, he just flinched a little.

This was apparently hugely offensive to the owner who was very visibly displeased with my reaction. I'm sorry that your massive dog snuck up on me and my baby and made me jump, I guess 🤷‍♀️

AncientQuercus · 27/10/2023 15:31

We were in a pub restaurant the other night and had a dog yapping every few seconds while the owners sat there and did nothing. They came in after us as I wouldn't have deliberately sat near a dog. Fortunately we'd just about finished and were able to leave. When I think about how many hours I must have stood outside restaurants with fractious babies/toddlers so that they didn't disturb other diners I'm blowed if I'm going to put up with yapping dogs instead.

momonpurpose · 27/10/2023 15:32

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.

You are exactly right. I wouldn't allow my child or my dog to annoy people

Marstonroadmrsreturns · 27/10/2023 15:33

When I was a child, we tied our dogs up outside shops, cafes, the library, etc. When did people stop doing this? Also, coats, when did dogs start wearing coats?

CashewGal · 27/10/2023 15:33

I know this won't be popular to say but from the dog owner's point of view, there are often really annoying babies and children clogging up restaurants that are just as invasive. I personally have no tolerance for other people's kids clambering around me or on me, crying, sneezing, coughing right next to me or at me. Running around, refusing to stay in their seats, throwing tantrums. So a dog doing same seems kind of the same. Annoying, but basically part of modern British culture.

Maddy70 · 27/10/2023 15:34

It should have been kept under control the same water as a child shouldn't wander around a cafe or restaurant. Crappie parenting and ownership

Verv · 27/10/2023 15:36

As a dog owner - YANBU

Obviously im pro dog friendly pubs and cafes, but theres a difference between a dog sitting quietly under the table/chair and one thats ALLOWED BY ITS OWNERS to badger other diners.

mincepieandcustard · 27/10/2023 15:36

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.

I agree. It's not about it being a dog friendly or child friendly place , that just means dogs and children are ok to be there, it's bad owners or parents who assume that means that their pets or children have then got the right to infringe on the personal space of others.

Dog or children friendly just means your well behaved dog is welcome to sit under your table / your well behaved child is welcome to sit at your table with you. Not they can come in and do the what the hell they like sod everyone else!

WeightWhat · 27/10/2023 15:38

OP, you are probably right but you sound a bit whiney and intolerant, as do a few other posters. Dogs swish their tails, toddlers and children run about and the earth keeps spinning. You are only costing yourself by getting bothered by it.

LaurieStrode · 27/10/2023 15:39

CashewGal · 27/10/2023 15:33

I know this won't be popular to say but from the dog owner's point of view, there are often really annoying babies and children clogging up restaurants that are just as invasive. I personally have no tolerance for other people's kids clambering around me or on me, crying, sneezing, coughing right next to me or at me. Running around, refusing to stay in their seats, throwing tantrums. So a dog doing same seems kind of the same. Annoying, but basically part of modern British culture.

I agree, and find the children more annoying than the dogs. Everyone should keep their charges under control, but if it's a free-for-all atmosphere, it's a bit absurd for parents to complain about dogs.

sollenwir · 27/10/2023 15:39

Ylvamoon · 27/10/2023 14:59

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

DOG ANNOYING US IN RESTAURANT

It isn't dog hating to not want a random dog to keep approaching your table when you are eating. This thread isn't dog hating, it's asking dog owners to keep their dogs under control - that includes under your table/by your table in a cafe/restaurant.