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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Dogs in restaurants

383 replies

MealDealDreamz · 21/07/2024 10:50

Informal dining and cafes, fine. Pubs, fine. But only if dogs are on the floor and reasonably well behaved (by that I mean not barking all the time).Restaurant not fine. Am I alone in this?
If I am paying to go somewhere specifically to enjoy the food and pay extra for it and want to enjoy a special evening (birthday) why do I have to put up with a dog lying on the floor at the table next to me?. I just don't think this is necessary or acceptable. Am I totally alone in this?

OP posts:
YeOldeGreyhound · 21/07/2024 13:55

If an establishment allows dogs, then dog owners are doing nothing wrong when they take their dog there.

My mum took her dog with her to meet with a friend she had not seen for a long time. Her friend wanted to meet my mum's dog. They booked a table in a dog friendly restaurant, and my mum's dog was very welcomed by the staff. He had a lot of fuss, and was given a small plate of sausages. Free, and already cut up into pieces.

It really is simple. If you don't want to see dogs in eateries, then go to places then don't allow them.

kitsuneghost · 21/07/2024 13:57

There should be specific dog friendly places and specific no animal policy to give people a choice.
Sadly animal free cafes are sorely lacking in today's society
I really don't want to share my space with animals especially when eating and drinking.

AvrielFinch · 21/07/2024 13:57

Goldusty · 21/07/2024 13:44

So don't eat out and make other people feel uncomfortable...your decision to have a dog...not mine

Why would you feel uncomfortable at the presence of a dog you can't even see?

kitsuneghost · 21/07/2024 13:59

Startingagainandagain · 21/07/2024 12:32

These anti-dogs threads are really getting boring...

There are restaurants and coffee shops that don't allow dogs, so just use those.

End of story.

You want to try googling dog free cafes in xxx?

kitsuneghost · 21/07/2024 14:02

DoloresDelEriba · 21/07/2024 13:10

Give me a well behaved dog over a badly behaved child or a rowdy group, any day.

Always one

ReadtheReviews · 21/07/2024 14:03

Dog lover and agree with OP. But also add under 5s to that.

AvrielFinch · 21/07/2024 14:04

If under fives are sitting at their table, what is the issue with a dog under another table? If you let your under fives run about and approach strange dogs and people, then yes I agree it is not a good mix.

CharlotteLucas3 · 21/07/2024 14:07

Goldusty · 21/07/2024 12:55

Well I even think people who take their non working fur babies with them 'everywhere' show themselves as 'uneducated' 'inconsiderate' and 'entitled'. That's my opinion.

But surely, given the excellent critical thinking skills that come with being a highly ‘educated’ person, you must be able to ‘acknowledge’ that some very highly ‘educated’ people take their ‘dogs’ everywhere?

kitsuneghost · 21/07/2024 14:08

K0OLA1D · 21/07/2024 13:19

What makes assistance dogs not grim? Just out of curiosity?

Assistance dogs are still grim
But the patrons need for the dog outweighs the negative
You don't get multiple blind dogs unless it's some kind of convention..
Whereas you can if everyone is bringing their pet.
You just do not need it. Why be dirty when you don't have to.

Natty13 · 21/07/2024 14:25

I can most tell the day of the week by the number of MN threads complaining about dogs, it really incessant every weekend.

Mischance · 21/07/2024 14:27

Dogs should not be in restaurants - end of.

kitsuneghost · 21/07/2024 14:28

Natty13 · 21/07/2024 14:25

I can most tell the day of the week by the number of MN threads complaining about dogs, it really incessant every weekend.

Yes. Speaks volumes but still on deaf ears

Goldusty · 21/07/2024 14:29

CharlotteLucas3 · 21/07/2024 14:07

But surely, given the excellent critical thinking skills that come with being a highly ‘educated’ person, you must be able to ‘acknowledge’ that some very highly ‘educated’ people take their ‘dogs’ everywhere?

Very articulate 🥳

Goldusty · 21/07/2024 14:31

Mischance · 21/07/2024 14:27

Dogs should not be in restaurants - end of.

This

AvrielFinch · 21/07/2024 14:37

Yeah tough. I will keep taking my dog where places allow her.

Trixiefirecracker · 21/07/2024 14:38

Natty13 · 21/07/2024 14:25

I can most tell the day of the week by the number of MN threads complaining about dogs, it really incessant every weekend.

I think you’ll find the reason for this is that it is becoming a very big problem and needs addressing, partly because there are too many dogs and partly because there are some very flakey owners. A couple of people on here complaining they can’t leave their dog at home because it has separation anxiety but really that is a problem of their own making. They should have trained the dog to be left for incremental periods of time and this is also a huge hangover from the pandemic when people didn’t think what would happen when they had to leave their dogs to go back to work. Be a good owner and train your animal, do not be an entitled fuckwit. Dogs are a lot of hard work.

Keepingthingsinteresting · 21/07/2024 14:38

MealDealDreamz · 21/07/2024 11:26

@User016529 I don't live in a huge place. There aren't that many restaurants and this one is especially renowned for its excellent food. I wanted to eat there. I did not think to check ahead if they allow dogs? Why would I?

But how did it affect you @MealDealDreamz . The dog was lying on the floor at the next table, so didn’t touch yYou or interact with you in any way, so what is the problem? If it’s just that you don’t like it, well society is full of stuff we don’t like, but if it doesn’t affect us or cause a problem generally why not live and let live?

Natty13 · 21/07/2024 14:39

kitsuneghost · 21/07/2024 14:28

Yes. Speaks volumes but still on deaf ears

Well clearly MN hive mind isn't reflective of the general population then 🤷‍♀️

Money talks. If restaurants bring in more business catering to dog owners then that's what they will do. My suggestion is to find restaurants that don't allow dogs. My niece is dog phobic so that's what we do for family meals. Surely if everyone who doesn't want to eat beside a dog did this then the businesses would change their policies?

LilBowWow · 21/07/2024 14:39

Dogs should be allowed in restaurants at the restaurant owner’s discretion. It is not entitled to take dogs to dog friendly places. Just because you take your dog to a dog friendly restaurant it doesn’t mean you take your dog ‘everywhere’. If you don’t like dogs in dog friendly places, vote with your feet, take it up with the owner or lump it.

AvrielFinch · 21/07/2024 14:40

Keepingthingsinteresting · 21/07/2024 14:38

But how did it affect you @MealDealDreamz . The dog was lying on the floor at the next table, so didn’t touch yYou or interact with you in any way, so what is the problem? If it’s just that you don’t like it, well society is full of stuff we don’t like, but if it doesn’t affect us or cause a problem generally why not live and let live?

My dog does not have separation anxiety because of the pandemic. And yes I am training her.

CautiousLurker · 21/07/2024 14:52

Dog owner here and totally agree. I adore my dogs but appreciate others do not and that as animals, however cute and clever I feel they are, they are unpredictable, can get stressed in crowded/noisy places and may react badly to scary/barky/growly dogs! So, no, dog friendly cafes and bars, outside and away from others is fine. Not restaurants. Especially at the prices today.

Hasbean2 · 21/07/2024 14:54

My dogs aren't fur babies, nor do I baby them
They are well trained and tolerate being left well

It's simply responsible of me to take them to places where they are allowed and not leave them in holiday places where they are not allowed alone, in tents where its too hot or cars. It is also not responsible of me to leave them tied up outside as some suggested (Which I personally hate walking past tied dogs because I feel there's no control over them and it feels risky). It's also not responsible of me to leave them at home if I happen to be out for too long

Because I am responsible, I walk them often. Whilst I am out, sometimes shock horror I might need a wee, or equally on a 3 hour hike we might stop for lunch

Local business actively encourage me to do so. In fact it's been a big problem of some of the campervan community that people are visiting places but not stopping in local shops or restaurants. I do not demand to go in, I simply actively research where would encourage me

I am not taking my dogs places where they aren't allowed

It reminds me of a recent thread where it was deemed that anyone who let their dogs sleep upstairs must molly coddle them as dogs sleep else where (possibly kitchen but other people kicked off it was unhygienic)

My dogs sleep upstairs and aren't allowed in the kitchen, because it suits the layout of my house. Not because they are uncontrollable swines

I completely agree there are bad dog owners, like there are people that litter, or abuse anything. I promise you they are more annoying to dog owners than non dog owners
Me and my quiet dogs are more annoyed by a yapping dog, or a dog roaming because it's more disturbing for my dogs
Dogs in the way is often because places actively encourage dogs then when you get there don't provide you space. Same reason my pram is sometimes in the way, not cos I'm dick but because there's no place to tuck and someone's sat me there

Many times it's not me simply deciding I'd rather dine with a dog, but because I've no other option

Newpeep · 21/07/2024 14:59

We took our pup to dog friendly cafes for short periods of time and encouraged her to lay on a mat and chew a chew for the duration of our drink, then meal and built up the time she laid quietly over a period of time.

We did this as when we holiday (camping) she comes too. It's nice to support local businesses this way which we couldn't if she couldn't come as you cannot leave a dog in an unfamiliar place even if you can at home.

The result is a dog who now calmly lays under or beside the table whilst we eat. She is far less trouble than a lot of adults if I am honest.

Not everyone likes dogs so we are happy to be put in a 'dog' area with ours as long as the other dogs are under control.

We have taken our dogs into pubs and cafes for 20 years without problem as they are well trained and exercised so tend to just chill out. However a lot of people take their dogs to brunch/lunch without this so you have a lot of pent up energy and frustration. Big difference between a tired dog from a nice long walk or day out and a morning coffee with a fizzing dog who hasn't have chance to let off steam first.

We have been in the situation where our dog has shown she is unhappy due to the behaviour of another in the same place so we have just quietly removed ourselves.

Hasbean2 · 21/07/2024 15:02

I completely agree with the idea of having dog friendly areas, most restaurants here tend to put dogs all in one corner.

I will say though, if they do that then there needs to be adequate spacing between the tables so dogs aren't ontop of each other with no place to sit

Ginmonkeyagain · 21/07/2024 15:02

I was just about to say I don't mind dogs in pubs and then remembered the pub I was in where a clearly bored and distressed puppy urinated on the on the floor and the owners carried on drinking and ignored it.