To be annoyed by the number if dogs in local coffeeshops

[Hocuspoc]

I really like dogs - sounds like I am a hypocrite here, but hear me out. I do, really, however...
I go to a local coffeeshop for 20 mins early morning before work and just want to enjoy a cup of coffee. Is it the time of day - don't know, but literally every table has at least one dog sitting still or barking or trying to walk around while the owner/walker is struggling. And this is a small space. I can always smell the animal next to me and not my coffee - there is a distinctive and not a pleasant smell.
Go to another place I hear you say - I try but it is the same in the few local coffee shops with decent coffee.
Once I tried politely asking a lady who joined my table just to steer her 2 huge dogs away from me, as one was waving his tail over my pastry brushing it in process - the looks I got, and also from the neighbouring table.
These places are dog friendly yes, but they are not dog only.
I apologise if I offend anyone here, I know very well they are a part of the family for all of their owners, and dogs actually like me, often try and squeeze in and sit on my feet or just next to me (maybe part of the issue here) and if I was on a bench in the park fine, but I am eating or drinking coffee and the smell is just offensive.
I don't know how other people feel - both dog owners (are you aware that this may be inconvenience for some people) and the rest who don't own...

Yuck , I went to buy pasta bowls in John Lewis a few weeks ago and there was a non service dog on a lead walking round the crockery section. I left without buying anything.

Totally agree OP. Dogs are everywhere now. I am allergic and I don't like the smell of them. Most are barking / growling/ not behaving. I had to stop going to my local lovely cafe as it has become overrun 😔

Cat café @Hocuspoc

Many people complain that the majority of the cats don't come near them when they go purely to be entertained by cute kitties. Cat people already know cats are fickle.

Definitely no dogs though.

Damp dogs smell, probably lots of dogs in a small space smell - it sounds more an issue with your local coffee shop. There's a few places near me that allow dogs - there might be one of two dogs my dog looks happy gets loads of attention and treats are provided by the coffee shop. If I said to my dog would you fancy going to a park instead, I am sure he would if he could speak say "definitely" but that would be the case with anything. At the end of the day these are businesses, my friend used to own a coffee shop and said that he makes more money from dog owners who often become regulars, drink a coffee and leave then people who arrive with children meeting other friends, spend hours and just buy a few cups of coffee and bring their own drinks for the children.

Yanbu. I hate that in our small rural town which has around ten coffee shops, I either have to put up with dogs or go to the one which doesn’t accept dogs but the coffee and food is a worse standard than all the others 😩.

That's one thing that used to irritate me when I lived in London. My favourite coffee shop was TINY but always had about 3 dogs in there at any one time.

Now I live in the US, and while there are still lots of dogs in this city, people don't seem to take them to coffee shops and restaurants as much. Not sure why, but I prefer it.

Same could be said about the toddlers then!

Maybe if we can go a whole week without dog annoyance. Even a day would be nice

Well I'm not a fan of other people's dogs in cafes because my dog causes mayhem barking at them. He's a highly sensitive dog you see....

So I'd say yes all dogs should be banned except for elderly Bichon frisés because my dog should not have to put up with them. He just wonders when this madness will end.

I find young children in coffee shops far more annoying.

I agree dogs should only be allowed in outside areas of cafes

So Saturday a few weeks ago, 2 adults and five children drinking 2 coffee - taking up 5 seats. 2 dogs with two people, 2. You can see why most cafes don't have an issue with dogs.
Most of the time I am surrounded by strangers asking if they can pat andor take a picture of my dog. He seems to bring more joy to many and irritation to few.

That is just silly. Just wash the bowls after buying. That is common sense. All sorts of people with their unwashed hands will have been handling the items.

Yes but the unwashed hand touching people don't tend to lick their bums then lick and shake their bodies everywhere.

I get though that had I been 30 mins later I would have been none the wiser so probably should have just got on with it. Maybe if I didn't find the smell of some dogs so bad it would be easier to tolerate. But you will probably tell me some people stink too and you would be right! So I must just be strange and happy to live with that.

The owner won't give a monkeys cos there's 10 other dog-owning customers going in your place.

And it doesn't bother me.

I have found nice places around me with great coffee and no dogs. Life is good.

I have two dogs and hate to see dogs inside cafes - unless the place is rural and people and dogs are out for a country walk and stopping off. Or sitting in an outside area, because dogs are animals and do not belong inside cafes.
I’m at a loss to understand why anyone thinks it is fine to take dogs into shops.

People can be utterly stupid with dogs though. I was in a pharmacy the other day and a woman was waiting to speak to the Pharmacist. She was getting more and more irate, because her dog was tied up outside and she didn't realise she may have to wait. It was a busy Sunday afternoon. She stormed off in a huff eventually and the staff were clear that they were under no obligation to see her sooner since she had made the choice to bring her dog?! Just bloody leave them at home. A dog does not need to go everywhere. As long as it gets a proper walk, not just around the streets.

She may have had no choice to have her dog with her. Some people combine a dog walk and other things because they don't have the energy/time to go back home and go back out again.
I can understand her anxiety about leaving her dog tied up outside. It is frowned upon now due to dog theft, and also that a dog tied up is not in control by the owner. If it bites someone, it will pay dearly.

I don't like dogs and don't want them around me in a food establishment. Because i don't have dogs, I tend to quickly pick up if they smell too, I don't want to be smelling dog when I'm eating

We go to the local Mowgli restaurant. The food and decor are great but they allow dogs in! The table across the aisle from us, with 6 adults and 2 children had THREE DOGS with them. They were not a problem to us, were mostly quiet and under the tables. We're going next week for a birthday and have been discussing borrowing dogs to take with us.

I agree with this. We don't have a dog (or a cat, which I would love🙁) mostly due to several of us having allergies. I have had to back out of a couple of cafes where dogs were present. I expect and accept this is a possibility at the river tow path, in a park, or some other such place popular for walking. And I can see the appeal of relaxing with a cup of tea after a dog walk. But I don't expect to go to a shopping centre coffee shop and find dogs there. Because that means the dog owner has very likely taken their dog shopping and, well, why? Poor dog. When I go shopping, DP and the kids get to stay at home and watch Netflix and eat biscuits because they don't want to hang around while I shop for shoes. So why would I subject a dog to this boring activity?

I have allergies to dogs. I feel quite excluded from many places now.

There are places to take dogs and places to avoid with them, and dogs to take to places and dogs who should be left at home.

I think the second part of this sentence is what some dog owners either fail to realise, or don’t care about. Just because somewhere allows dogs in doesn’t make it necessarily suitable for your dog, depending on size, temperament etc.

I’m a dog owner, dog groomer and all round dog super fan!
This sounds like actual heaven.
Where is it? I clearly need to visit!