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

Sure. Clearly not an animal lover which is fine but as said in my first post I'm fine with the situation and my life is immensely richer for having my dog, limited or not. I don't expect it to be for everyone, but also don't judge other people's choices in life either.

Are you aware that toddlers are human beings? I can't have escaped you, but your comment suggests otherwise. 🧐

I don’t think any dog is cheap these days. She’s not overly valuable no but I’ve heard about dogs been stolen to be used as bait dogs. Maybe it’s urban myths but the part of the country I’m in there’s quite a bit of illegal dog fighting which goes on. Previous two dogs were both sight hounds so they would have been very attractive for some of the local community for hare coursing.

Your area is responsible for 70% of the UK's stolen dogs?

And regardless of theft potential she just wouldn’t like it. People on here have said don’t take your dog to JL because they’d be stressed. As I’ve said I know my dog and she wouldn’t be stressed going to JL. But I also know she’d be very stressed being tied up outside a shop and left.

Why isn't she stressed in John Lewis?

Has it escaped your notice that I have consistently throughout this thread disagreed with dogs being in shops and cafes? I don't actually think the dog should have been there, but was just pointing out that the puking thing could happen with a child (and did once happen in my presence in a supermarket coffee shop) and it was not dog specific.

I have a rare breed and I would not risk it, despite being in a low crime area.

If the dog is nervous about being crowded, she should be working on that issue with the dog alone, or with a behaviourist. Unfortunately you can’t control every crazy scenario in life and it sounds like this is one of them-I’d have been embarrassed but then nobody would ever get in a small space with my young Labrador- a continual work in progress 🤣

I don’t know, shall I ask her? 🤷‍♀️

She hasn’t actually been to JL, but has been in other busy shops and is always wagging her tail and I can tell from her body language she’s happy and having a look round. Obviously on a short lead and no she’s never weed anywhere inside. Her favourite shop is Fishers in Keswick, she knows which counter has the jar of dog biscuits behind it and makes a beeline there.

So yeah she’s probably not stressed due to a combination of biscuits and people making a fuss of her. She loves people and is really quite sociable.

Here she is being very not stressed and having the time of her life. Double whammy of being in a coffee shop and in a buggy 😁👍🏻

She's having the time of her life? Strapped in a buggy in a coffee shop?
I had a wonderful Boxer dog. He had the time of his life running up and down hills and playing fetch.

If people gave me free biscuits I'd be happy, to be honest. Although I do prefer fresh air to shops, but everyone is different.

My ‘this madness has to end moment’ came after witnessing a runny poo incident in Peter Jones on Sloane Square. The owner just walked off.

It actually made me retch and I had to make a quick escape!

If it's a rare breed then it's probably more at risk than the average pooch.
Interestingly, dog thefts declined in 2024. Don't know if that's a one off, though.

Honestly she pulls like mad to get to Fishers from the other end of town. If I took her off the lead I think she’d sprint straight for the shop and leave me behind 🤣.

She’s 12yo with bad arthritis. This photo was at the end of a 5 mile walk of which she’d managed about half on her own before going in the buggy for the last half. So yeah, she had a great day. And she’s always happy to finish the day off in a coffee shop especially if I get a bacon butty because she knows I’ll share. 😁. We did actually go and sit on the patio after ordering. One day your Boxer won’t be running up and down hills anymore but I’m sure he will still enjoy what he’s able to do.

He can no longer do that. He was pts.
Enjoy your dog. Arthritis is tough.

I’m sorry, I dread the day.

@YanTanTetheraPetheraBumfitt
Oh bless her ❤

This is the problem, I suppose we all judge by what is right for our own dog. Mine is at the opposite end of the size spectrum, and I wouldn't take her there because of the slippery floor. Nor will I have the option of a pushchair when she's elderly. My view is blinkered by that to some degree - having a large hairy outdoor breed that is definitely not suited to being in shops. We both have a happy dog that is loved, so that's what matters really.

A lot of these anti-dog threads are based on really blanket views of both dogs and humans in my experience.

"Your dog doesn't like it" - a good owner knows their dog and not all dogs are the same. My dog loves going to our local pub. To the point that if we're passing it on the way to the park, he will sometimes sit down and refuse to budge because he wants to go in. He doesn't particularly like going into shops, but it doesn't stress him out. Just something he'll tolerate. He does not like being in very loud, crowded spaces. So when he's not at home or on walks, most of the time he'll be at the pub, occassionally pops into a shop with me, and never goes anywhere really loud and crowded.

"Why do you need to take your dog out shopping" - as mentioned, far fewer people see shopping as some standalone activity. My dog absolutely would not be thrilled to be traipsing from shop to shop for hours. He wouldn't be stressed, just bored. But I almost never 'go shopping' as a prolonged activity so it never arises. Not sure why people would struggle to conceive of going to a shop to pick something up when you're nearby and because it is convenient - and sometimes happening to have your dog with you at the same time.

It wasn't great, he was quite the character and I miss him. All you can do is make sure they have a good doggie life. Good luck with the arthritis treatment, because that's rough.

And I'll wager that many dognutters don't leave their howling, yapping mutts home alone because of complaints from long-suffering neighbours.

My dog stays home plenty actually. Most days I'm at work, he is home by himself for a few hours at a time, with the dog walker taking him out for an hour in the middle of the day. Never had any issues.

But this is another false binary - the idea that dogs must be at home all the time, or must always be with their owner. Neither are true for most dogs or most owners.

My dog is often with me - if I decide to go to the pub for some lunch, I'll often take him because he enjoys it, and I enjoy being with him. If I decide to 'go shopping', then I won't and he'll stay at home. If I pop into the shop after I've been on a dog walk, he'll come in with me (assuming the shop allows dogs). If I'm going to the cinema, he won't.

The bit people keep ignoring is that businesses are first and foremost commercial entities. They take decisions to maximise sales and profits. They don't just stick a finger in the air and decide to change their approach for no good reason, and they don't keep their arrangements in place for no good reason. They do it because they consider it to boost their revenue and profit.

Especially after COVID, following the lack of business plus lots of lock down dogs. Made sense.