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

I like dogs in theory. I will often admire a well-behaved dog I see being walked. I'm not a dog hater.

But I don't like the idea of dogs indoors. I couldn't cope with knowing that their bottoms, their saliva, their skin flakes and hairs etc are all over my house. So I'd never have a dog. I grew up with cats and dogs indoors and have been there and done that. But some people are fine with this and that's their choice and their right. If you're relaxed enough to be OK with it, great. But I'm old enough to know I never will be.

Therefore I feel it's an imposition to find dogs indoors in contexts where food is sold/consumed/prepared or where clothing and say, household goods are sold. I do a lot of walking and in cafes for walkers dog-owners often sit at outside tables and that's fine - the hygiene issues aren't the same outside.

In pubs, yes, allow dogs in the bar area but not in the restaurants. It's about giving everyone a real choice to either mix with or avoid dogs.

This is pretty much how things used to be and I don't get why it's changed so much, except as a pp on another thread so wisely said....it's the 'hairy pound'.

I know a popular tourist spot where the shop owners (who don't allow dogs inside) have had to put notices up asking owners to keep an eye out and stop their dogs from cocking their legs in the little arcade. And you do see clusters of owners, window shopping, all holding the end of one of those infinitely-expanding leads, while their (usually small) dogs create a trip hazard for other shoppers and occasionally pee against things they shouldn't.

I go to many different dog friendly cafes I have never heard dogs barking 🤷‍♀️

I'm not making it up.

So go to one that doesn’t allow dogs?

I like to go to cafes that don’t have loud music or pubs that don’t show sport. So I just don’t go to ones that have loud music or sport…

Yes but I'm not going to be pleased when a cafe that I used to enjoy becomes one I don't. I'd be equally annoyed if it had changed to become a cafe that blasts out loud music for ambience reasons. I go to a cafe to catch up with people and that doesn't work if I have to shout over a bloody racket.

Sure. But people discover venues they liked change (or shut) all the time. Of course you don’t have to be happy about it but that hardly warrants lengthy online discussions about it either.

I'm on holiday in Whitby and went for a brunch to a pub in a village just outside. We encountered a cocker spaniel, a border terrier, a Jack Russell, a Labrador, a retriever and two chihuahuas all out on the terrace with us. They are indeed everywhere!

You’re lucky then!

I was in a dog-friendly restaurant a couple of weeks ago and one of the dogs in there was barking every time the waitress went past or they saw another dog. It was also licking the elbow of the person on the next table and generally making a nuisance of itself. Owners were on their phones seemingly oblivious to all.

The other dogs in there were absolutely fine! Really, I don’t know why staff don’t ask people with disruptive pets to leave, but perhaps they don’t want the reaction / social media backlash,

Caffe Nero seems particularly bad in my area for people with small, untrained, yappy dogs. Actually, pretty much every barking dog I see around and about is small and doesn’t seem well-trained. The bigger dogs are usually fine (although I do wonder why one owner thought it was a good idea to take a (gorgeous!) Newfoundland into a tiny boutique shop with lots of breakables at tail height…)

Assuming these weren't assistance dogs, I'm a little surprised they were allowed in JL at all, and I wouldn't consider taking my Jack Russell in there, but whatever.
I've had to go for UABU here because, in my limited experience of JL, the lifts are not big, and avoiding dogs if that size "playing up" or "kicking off" in a confined space is actually sensible.
The fact that you expect someone to give you a priority because you have a child makes you as "guilty" of entitlement as you think she is with her dogs IMHO.

It's a fair topic for online moaning. I'm not calling for Parliament to debate it or anything.

As for the barking, I find one dog will start barking and then it's sets others off making a lot of noise.

She wasn't expecting priority - the OP implies that there was enough space for everyone in the lift but the dog owner wanted her to wait so she and her dogs had the whole space to themselves.

Dogs should not be in eateries or shops full stop. In pubs that only serve drinks? I suppose some dogs could be allowed in as long as they are well-behaved and do not disturb anyone. But the moment they misbehave even a slightest amount, they should be barred for life as should their owners.

Lovely. I like that. The more dogs the merrier. What's wrong with them on a terrace

I am glad to see you have softened your view on this somewhat. Before, you didn't want them out in public at all.

Clearly we're all talking her round @YeOldeGreyhound

If it's the noise and smell that bothers you then I think dogs aren't so bad outside, think I'm in this camp. If it's a phobia then I imagine it's the same outdoors or indoors.

Not all dogs smell, not all dogs bark. Some dogs only bark on home territory and are otherwise quiet.

Maybe, just maybe, one day she will post and say she has bought a lovely puppy and will be one of us.

I went on a big shopping trip to Brent Cross John Lewis and a woman was in there with a Labrador…?!! I was bewildered. She was dressed like a country lady of the manor too which added to the effect 😂
I have a dog who would hate it and would be a pain anyway if I was trying to shop, so I’ve never considered it. I shop rather than browse or enjoy it as a pastime, mind.

also- once a colleague asked me whether my child was missing their ‘brother’ and it took a very confusing conversation to get to the point which was: was my child missing the dog who was still with the pet sitter after a weekend away?
‘But he IS her brother!’ Erm, no.

ALL dogs smell. Owners might not think they do but they have gone nose blind to it. I concede that some don’t smell as badly as others but they do all smell

Everything smells. But dog smell is not bad. I love sniffing my dog's head and paws.

I don't think banning dogs from being out in public is likely to happen, but banning them from eateries and shops has a lot of public support.

Ooo err

It doesn't, and if it makes money for businesses then they are not going to bend to your will because you don't like dogs.

Money talks.

I actually have hyperosmia caused by chronic migraine. My dog doesn't seem to smell. If it was nose blindness I would feel the same about my cat, but I don't. She stinks. Two of my dogs did have a strong odour, but my current one does not.