To dislike the increase in dogs in shops/cafes

[amymel2016]

I’ve recently noticed a huge increase in non-service dogs in cafes and shops. I was in Joules earlier today and there were 3 in there, two of which were barking and growling at each other. I was in a cafe last week with 2 in there. Surely it can’t be fun for the dog having to sit under a cramped table?

I’m very allergic to dogs and the smell absolutely sets me on edge. I don’t understand why they are allowed in? I’m not about to walk in with a cat or a rabbit so why dogs? It’s also the attitude of most (sweeping generalisation!) dog owners which annoys me, no, I don’t want to talk to your dog or about your dog. I don’t care if you say he’s friendly I don’t want it anywhere near me.

Goes without saying that service dogs are bloody amazing and they should absolutely be welcome everywhere.

No, me too and I've never seen microscopic dander flying about the place either

But go somewhere they allow dogs and bingo...a flying hair!

Difficult as I don't like this but I also don't want loads of dogs being left at home for hours barking.

Neither have I.

Same.
If dog hair and dander is a permanent feature in the air of somewhere that allows dogs, then imagine the stuff that comes off of humans.

"Sorry but all dogs smell, all dog owners houses smell, all holiday cottages that allow dogs smell"

No they don't. It's breed and health dependent. I have short haired dogs that are raw fed and they don't smell. Thick coated/fluffy dogs, especially those fed kibble and/or tinned food, do smell. I'm not nose-blind, I have a very sensitive sense of smell, I can smell other dogs in people's houses, cars, on their clothes, and it can make me gag if it's very strong.

I’m not sure I’ve ever had a dog hair land in my cup of tea, but I don’t find it particularly pleasant to be next to a dog shaking itself off. I can see how a hair could land in a drink / on food.

It sounds like there wasn’t really room for the dog if that happened - so again, an owner not being aware of the impact on others (or not caring).

When I look after my mum's long haired dog I often have to pull hairs out of my food/mouth. It's fine because I agreed to look after her but people shouldn't have to tolerate it in cafes.

No one makes anyone go to a dog friendly cafe. Just as no one is forced into a home with a dog or to have a dog in their home.

But there’s a difference between dog-friendly and dogs behaving in a way to impact others.

I don’t mind dogs if they are going to lay quietly under their owner’s table. I don’t want to be in a cafe where dogs are barking at each other or the owners let them shake hair over food / drink at the next table.

Just because a cafe is dog-friendly doesn’t mean all dogs are suitable for that specific environment.

Then it's on the cafe owners to establish rules and remove the trouble makers.

A dog shaking is not a ridiculous thing to expect though. Come on. Barking yes, get out. Same with jumping up or growing or bothering others. But you can't stop a dog shaking or wagging on the way in or out before they've settled

Bit of a disingenuous comment when it seems nearly all cafes are dog friendly now. It's not unreasonable to not want dog hair in your food and drinks.

It's also not unreasonable for people to take their dogs to dog friendly places

It’s not a ridiculous thing to expect, but there’s a difference between a toy poodle shaking and a Newfoundland shaking. Also surely the owner could see whether the cafe was set up so that there was sufficient space for their dog to access without interfering with other customers.

You’d hope that the owner of the Newfoundland would have the good sense not to take them into a cafe with tables close together where there really isn’t room for that size dog, even if the cafe is technically dog-friendly.

I’m not picking on Newfoundlands, btw - I like them! Just not in a very confined space,

I'm relieved reading all these comments - I thought I was one of a very small number who don't want dogs in shops, don't think they are fur babies and really don't like them on seats in cafes. Thank you 😅

Well yes, but your adding rules to the situation now. We were just talking about shaking with dander and hair visibly flying everywhere. Not a newfoundland in a cafe with 4 tables.

They actually don’t - only the larger, more slobbery breeds smell.

Just read any of the dogs in cafes and pubs posts. They're on here a few times a week.

People just keep missing the point that it’s almost impossible to find places that aren’t dog-friendly now. So people who dislike or have allergies to dogs have to either miss out on coffee shops and pubs altogether or put up with dogs. It would be less upsetting if there was more of a balance of places that do/don’t accept dogs.

I got it even if no one else did.

I work with dogs and own many, however, I completely agree. I see loads of dogs in cafes etc that shouldn’t be, because they are struggling with the environment. Barking, whining, begging, jumping up. Many of the dogs don’t want to be there and it ruins everyone else’s experience.

Yeah I think we need a dog-free directory or something. And as I said upthread some kind of sticker a place can put on their building/website to show they’re dog friendly…or not!

I think the dog lobby is much louder so people think they MUST allow dogs to continue business. As a pp said being dog free may be a USP in 2024. I am
not aware of any cafe in my town that doesn’t allow dogs unless I count weatherspoons.

In one shopping centre in Glasgow a couple of years ago they did a dog friendly trial expecting everyone to be thrilled but what they found at the end of the 3 months or however long it was - many weren't actually happy.

From dog lovers who felt most dogs didn’t want to be there and looked miserable/agitated to parents with dog phobic (often disabled/ND) children and many others in between. So they pulled it and it’s now back to no pet dogs allowed.

People need to use their voice and speak out.

https://www.shopsilverburn.com/dog-friendly/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-64566448.amp

Why is it such an issue for someone to have their dog sitting quietly under a table but someone's horrible screaming kid can ruin it for everyone and nobody gets to say "shut that fucking kid up"?

If people (on here) feel that strongly they should absolutely do something about it. I’m very pro dog but I’ll happily sign your petitions to limit their access to places if it stops a few of these threads.