I’ve joined the “why are there dogs everywhere” Club

[BananaBum]

I’ll start things off by saying I have a dog myself and normally scoff at all the people rolling their eyes over dogs in pubs and cafes. Can even forgive younger, less well behaved dogs because they have to learn and be exposed to different situations.

HOWEVER

Today I went to get in a lift in John Lewis with my DC and a woman with a pushchair and TWO massive labradors asked if I wouldn’t mind waiting because one of her dogs were nervous about being crowded.

Why are you in John Lewis then?
Is it really necessary for the dogs to come out with you?
Did they come in the car especially or do you live in town?
how does it all work logistically?

So many questions. And also just a bit annoyed I had to wait for the next lift

She should have waited for the next lift, not asked you to get out. Other than assistance dogs, dogs should not have priority over people in human spaces.

Think you’ve slightly misread? She was already in but asked me not to get in

Apologies if I hadn’t made that clearer!

That doesn't change my opinion - she should have got out. In practice, if it were me and someone with pushchair and dogs started leaving the lift when I got in, giving that reason, I'd probably offer to get out again, but I would not take kindly to being asked not to get in.

Are non assistance dogs even allowed in lewises?

Yes the place is always full of them, it’s so odd

I have got used to dogs everywhere and didn't really think about it but the other week I went to an event which while busy there were no dogs. It was amazing how less stressful it was to move about when not having to watch out for fluffy trip hazards and their leads, even when there were lots of people about.

I like dogs. I have two. They are well behaved and happy to snooze under the table in a country pub after a nice walk.

However, I am also in the club of ‘WTF, why are dogs here?!’ in many places. I went out for a colleague’s leaving do recently. A night out in a small city centre bar- dark, flashing lights, dance floor type affair, 10pm on a Saturday night. I noticed at least THREE different groups (early/mid 20 somethings) with a dog with them. Why on earth would anyone think a Saturday night in a busy city centre bar, amidst a lot of drunk revellers was a good place to bring your dog to?!

I saw an ad on SM last week celebrating that our local indoor shopping centre (so mainly clothes/shoe shop type shops) is now welcoming dogs. Why?!

You absolutely should not have had to wait for a lift because a dog didn’t want you in there. However, in the same situation I would probably have been so surprised I’d have also done as she asked.

I can’t imagine any dog actually enjoys going in to a department store. People are fucking weird.

Dogs are wonderful.

No, my mistake.

I’ve never noticed it before but after this I seemed to see them all over the place and was left wondering why you need to take the dog with you to get a new toaster

I love dogs. I have had far more than any reasonable person would think was normal for 25+ years. I also shop in John Lewis. At no point over the last 25 years have I ever felt the need to take one of my dogs there. We are not all total arseholes!

We were in John Lewis in Norwich today, saw about three dogs. Lots of other shops had too. All were lovely and very well behaved. We left ours at home but they would have been fine. No point people getting annoyed when the shops allow it 🤷🏼‍♀️

It’s the “fur baby” trend, which ignores animals’ needs in favour of owners’ wants. I come from a family of pragmatic working dog owners and breeders, and can’t identify with the “I love my dog and my dog must come everywhere with me because they’re family” attitude, because it just isn’t kind or loving. I saw a FB reel a while back about how dogs are now allowed in Selfridges and how wonderful that is, and just found that bonkers.

I find going to Selfridges stressful: the smells of the perfume concessions are overwhelming, it’s overfull of people milling about, there are strange staff constantly approaching out of nowhere to offer help, it’s about three shades of electric light brighter than I ever want, and almost every time I end up there I feel a rising sense of panic. I can’t imagine how it must feel if you’re a dog with no idea what’s going on, your face is barely a foot off the ground, you’re constantly seeing kicking feet flying towards you from people who can’t see you, and your olfactory senses are completely broken by everything you can smell. Why on earth anyone thinks it’s a good idea, let alone “wonderful” for their dog to go shopping with them, is a complete mystery.

I can’t stand it.

Though tbh I am not a dog lover and am allergic to them…

It just seems like you can’t go anywhere anymore without dogs bloody everywhere.

A couple had a St Bernard the size of a small pony in our local Costa today (it was enormous! - I think bigger than St Bs normally are?). Lovely dog, but its not exactly a big Costa....

Also could the whole "my dog / cat is my child" thing just stop now? No it isn't.

Totally with you. It’s actually really put me off dogs (sorry to say). I used to be a big dog lover but Ive had so many incidents since covid and now Ive got young kids Im done with it.
obviously Im still very nice to dogs when I see them !

Dog lover and dog owner. This is absolutely ridiculous, should have left the dog at home. BTW - my dog loves John Lewis (as loves people) but I would never take dog on a weekend or if dog didn’t like being ‘crowded’.

People seem to be forgetting dogs are animals…..

To be honest…good! The more entitled dog owners start to annoy everyone, including other dog owners, hopefully the pendulum might swing back. I kneeled next to someone’s bloody dog at the communion rail at church today. That’s when you know it’s gone too far too far.

My local independent cinema now does screenings for dogs.

They should totally leave the furbastards at home

Many dog people are so entitled. I’m sick of hearing them barking constantly, sick of dog shit in my streets. Every time I want to sit outside a cafe or restaurant I’ll always have to put up with dogs barking. They mostly just seem quite irritating to own. And yes everyone does seem to have one now

I am not a dog lover and am mildly allergic to them. I have stopped using a couple of local independent shops because I don't want to be stepping round them, or having to avoid them. Hard to do in a small shop with narrow aisles. I have emailed both shops to tell them why. One did not reply, one was apologetic but had no solution.

So from spending quite a lot of money in those shops I now buy online.

I once saw a dog pee on clothing in M&S, the owner was oblivious.

A friend of mine has two working dogs. They don't even go in the main house, and I'm sure they have never been in a shop. Proper dogs with a good life.

Newsenmum so does our cinema so I no longer go. If I sit in a seat where there has been a dog I will get runny eyes and sneezing fits.

The more dogs are allowed, the more restrictive it is for people with allergies.

Yes... we were pretty surprised in Leholand people had their dogs with them, the dogs all looked miserable, they weren't service dogs and all of them were pretty much glued to their owners legs / being carried. This was the middle of summer, it was busy, it was noisy, it was hot... why anyone who loves their dog would think this was a good idea baffles me.