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.

I hate it when owners let their dogs on the chairs at cafes

also don’t think they should be in clothes shops, seen too many of them leaving hair on the clothes (obviously depends on the size of the dog 😀)

Well said.
I hate all this too.
And I have dogs but mine are allowed to be a dog and not treated like a baby or inflicted on other people.

I have a dog but yeah wouldn't want to take him in a shop or cafe as I agree it's unhygienic, and yes they all smell.
But can see why businesses do it.. the numbers don't lie and they want to encourage people into hospitality places at a time when so many eat and drink at home. If it was putting too many people off they would stop.

I love dogs and take mine to suitable cafes. I haven't had the need to take them shopping, I would be concerned they might shake,or lunge at a friendly face so would try to avoid it. It did feel wrong to be choosing cushions in John Lewis last week with a (super cute) terrier showing a lot of interest in my pile of potential purchases.
I have seen one cat in a shop, in what looked like a specially designed, wheeled carrier. Maybe that will become common?

Drove by Costa today and someone had their dog up on the table climbing all over it 🤢 I reckon owners will spoil it for themselves and things will go back to guide dogs only (hopefully anyway 🙈)

They love or you love

I'm not being entitled to take my dog into a dog friendly cafe. Which is something that she thoroughly enjoys, although I do understand a lot of dogs wouldn't. However, it is entitled for people who don't like dogs to go into dog friendly cafes and then complain and say that dogs shouldn't be allowed in. There was a thread on here not so long ago when a woman had actually tried to demand that the dog owners leave. I wouldn't go into a cafe that didn't allow dogs and start complaining about it, so I don't know why it is seen to be OK the other way round.

And no, I don't believe that the complainers can't find a cafe that doesn't take dogs. I live in Lake District, which is famous for being extremely fond of dogs, and we have plenty of dog free cafes and restaurants around here.

Well my preferences do make a difference if I choose not to visit a restaurant that allows dogs

It was when I saw somebody queuing in the pharmacy with a mangy animal that I thought it’s too much now.

I know there are assistance dogs, and I would imagine that’s fairly minimal dog traffic, with faintly minimal impact. Fine. But to just let the entire world of dipsticks bring their shitty-arsed, hair-shedding muts into somewhere you think would at least attempt to be as sterile as possible is just wrong.

Places where you eat food is the same. I don’t want dog dander in the air, or to sit on a chair that someone’s dog has been allowed to put their open arsehole. On wet days, ugh, the smell of wet dog… how can anyone seriously think this is tolerable or decent?

Oh, I didn’t know Costa allowed dogs! Excellent, thanks for that, I love their espressos and now I can take my fur baby in too😊.

🤣

I've never owned a dog but they don't bother me. I don't recall ever seeing a badly behaved dog in a cafe or pub. They are usually just sitting quietly under their owners table, so I barely even notice them.

Badly behaved children in the other hand.... there were some running and screeching around a cafe I was in the other day, while their parents sat and chatted and took no notice whatsoever!

The big problem is finding dog free cafes. Unless you are local and you know, or sit and phone all cafes (which is a pain when you are hungry) you could very well be mid-lunch and then one gets brought in.
BTW, Google doesn't work.

All dogs smell. You just can't smell it because you're used to it. My friend thinks her house doesn't smell of dogs but it stinks. Yours will smell too.

They do smell. Mine stinks. If I could change one thing about her it would be that. I love her dearly but she whiffs.

Mine never used to smell bad, I quiet liked his scent round his ears, but he's 13 now and both ends smell rather whiffy sometimes. It comes to us all I suppose 😂

Yanbu. They stink. I avoid "doggy friendly" places like the plague and thus, my world is getting smaller and smaller. "Doggy friendly" literally means "Paying customers with allergies not welcome here". Quite frankly I'm sick of being asked to sit outside to eat at cafes and restaurants as if I'M the dog

Try living in the Lake District. It's awful around here. There isn't anywhere that is NOT dog friendly to go to.

I think dogs are great but not in every cafe and shop. And yes they do smell.

I feel sorry for them. You see it around here in the shops all the time. Poor things are overwhelmed and stressed.

Oh and DC go to a kid's club that had a big social on Friday night. Some chump brought their dog with them. FFS why? It was a 90 minute event so no need. The kids were loud, really loud. There was a huge bonfire. Bloody ridiculous.

Dog would far rather lie at my feet in a cafe than be left at home. He wont jump up at anyone who ignores him. If we go into a food shop he goes in a k9 backpack.

middle class shops like joules will get retrievers, Labradors, spaniels and doodles which is great. Wetherspoons probably ban them to keep out muscle dogs.

I agree. The problem isn't people having dogs, it's people treating them like human babies.

I remember a few years ago being sat in the Lingholm kitchen which is so dog friendly it’s untrue with my impeccably behaved small dog sat under a chair at the small table I was at. The gentleman on the next table got up and walked over to me and hissed in my ear to move my dog to the other side of my table so it was away from his wife. The tone he spoke to me in was unbelievable. If he’d just said that his wife didn’t like dogs, would I mind moving her, etc but he literally said “move your dog”. 🤷‍♀️

I did move her to the other side but I calmly told him he’d spoken to me very rudely, that my dog was sitting perfectly quietly and very well behaved and that if they disliked dogs so much maybe they shouldn’t come to the most dog friendly cafe in the Lakes 🙈😆

@ButterMints

I live in Lake District too. I can think of plenty of places that don't take dogs.

My dog doesn't come shopping with me, she stays home, but when we are away on holiday we seek out dog friendly pubs and cafes with outdoor areas to sit. I prefer the out of the way seats. People who don't like dogs don't need to go near, that's fine, I understand not everyone does. Yes, of course, she has a doggy smell, but given the number of humans walking around absolutely reeking of BO, an entirely preventable smell, I'm not losing sleep over my dogs natural smell. She is regularly groomed and has a good diet.

I went looking for wallpaper recently. The young assistant smelt so badly I was gagging after 5 minutes. We left the shop.

I saw a dog do a little widdle on a shelf in a small independent shop and the owner saw but just walked away.