to think it’s time to ban dogs from shops and cafes?

[timetoban]

I’ve just read a BBC article about the increase in dog attacks in the UK.

Dogs seem to be everywhere now. Cafes, shops, even places where food is being served. I’m not anti-dog at all, but I don’t really want to be eating or shopping surrounded by them.

It’s not just about preference either. Some people are allergic, some are genuinely scared, and others just don’t want to deal with barking, smells or dogs getting under their feet. The BBC piece even mentioned people feeling like they have to avoid going out because dogs are everywhere now.

I also don’t really get how it’s hygienic in places serving food. I know people say “well-behaved dogs are fine” but not all dogs are well-behaved, and staff aren’t exactly going to challenge every owner.

Before anyone says it, yes obviously assistance dogs are different and should be allowed. That’s not what I mean.

I just feel like we’ve swung too far the other way where dog owners expect to take them absolutely everywhere, and everyone else just has to put up with it.

Surely it’s not unreasonable to have more dog-free indoor spaces again?

Then why can’t they leave them at home? If shopping centres and cafes etc had a no dog policy and they didn’t want to leave a dog tied up outside they would leave them at home, so why can’t they do that to begin with?

People who like to fuss dogs will approach you, people who don’t want to be around dogs won’t approach you

Have you actually found a dog hair in food served in an establishment?
I've only once found a hair in my food and that was clearly a human one. 🙂

YABU to use AI to write a post on a topic that has been done to death on this site. You say you aren’t anti-dog, but you have gone out of your way to start yet another boring post.

Christ, the daily "dogs in cafes" post

I think that's just an indication of how annoying they are to a large number of people.

you'd be hard pressed to find a business that doesn't allow dogs

That's sadly true. Yet we dog avoiders are told they are in existence aplenty.

I don't like taking my dog to cafes because (a) they tend to be full of other dogs, and (b) he can't handle the frustration if there is a crumb on the floor that he can't get to.

However, in my area, local shops, cafes and pubs are very dependent on tourism. People cannot normally leave their dogs in hotels and holiday lets, and we're also on a popular walking route so people stop off when they're on a hike (often with their dogs). Local hospitality businesses are struggling anyway; if they didn't allow dogs I doubt we'd have any cafes left in my village.

Dogs in cafes / restaurants / holiday accommodation/ supermarkets should all be banned.

It always used to be that people tied them up outside and it was seen as very disrespectful to bring them into a shop or cafe. I’m so surprised places allow it, so unclean.

Why do these threads only appear in the spring/summer/when the weather gets warmer?

Because when it's rained for weeks, it's 3 degrees and it's utterly miserable outside where are you? I'd take a guess not in the cafes? If you speak to most cafe owners they'll tell you that during the winter it's the dog walkers that keep them going because we don't really have a choice but to be outside in it so we might as well get a hot drink on the walk somewhere to make it a bit more bearable.

On a similar note, there ARE dog free cafes near us and one by one they're closing down, when you ask them why it's always the same story, lack of footfall, can't attract customers. So why aren't they being utilised if there's such a demand for them?

I don’t mind dogs in cafes in fact I prefer them to kids. However I did have an unpleasant experience last year where a couple brought in two huge dogs, (think Great Dane size but they were crossbreeds of some kind) it was the middle of summer and they were panting from the heat. It was awful they absolutely stunk, also they were so big they were a trip hazard laying out across the floor. I ended up moving tables as I couldn’t stand the smell.

No it should be up to the business owner not some entitled poster on mumsnet demanding dog friendly or dog free. The business owner should decide how to run their own business not you. If you want a dog free business get the funds together and set one up yourself, take the financial risk, do the hard graft, employ the staff, make the books balance. Then you get to decide.

Nando’s, pizza express, Prezzo, cote, zizzi, most national trust cafes, wetherspoons, McDonalds, GBK, five guys, Wagamama, miller and carter, harvester. I mean you are looking at 10s of thousands of outlets just across these

DH and I had a lovely meal in an upmarket pub restaurant the other night. Great food and service, lovely waitress - all really good. Then as we were leaving, a dog and owner had come in and our waitress was all over the dog, holding its chin in her hands, practically rubbing its nose and ears etc. etc. Would she have washed her hands before serving the next dinner? Based on what I once saw in a similar situation elsewhere - no she wouldn't. Won't be eating in either place again, sadly.
😞

As a dog owner YANBU.
Our lab is very well trained, doesn’t jump or bark and will sit, walk to heel and recall on demand. If she picks up dropped food when out walking and we tell her to ‘drop it’ she even does that.
She is the epitome of a good girl.
We have never felt the need to take her to a garden centre, a friends house, a pub, a cafe or retail park. I avoid establishments that welcome them as much as possible. I don’t want to sit on a chair that someone has let their dogs arse sit on, I don’t want to have untangle myself from a ridiculous extendable lead whist some moronic owner simpers at their pooch, I don’t want dog slobber on my trousers because an owner thinks their Fido is cute and we should all adore him too and I don’t want to smell dog when I’m eating a meal I’ve paid good money for!

MN must be the only social media in existence where a certain group of posters are unable to google.

Just take 2 minutes before you go somewhere to do an online search of places that don’t allow dogs. It’s really not hard! And there are plenty of them.

I think they should be in the outside seating areas of cafes and pubs. Zero need to be inside a shop apart from assistance dogs.

Also while I’m here stop taking your dogs into play parks when there’s a sign saying no dogs. It’s a park not a toilet or off lead training ground I also don’t care if you have children with you. Dog stays outside the fence.

No. The majority of places accept dogs now. I’d struggle to find a cafe that was dog-free apart from McDonalds. It’s miserable. My DH is allergic and I just don’t want to be around them - I occasionally go into the Lounges with colleagues and the dog dander in the air, the smell and dopey owners who think it’s perfectly fine to sit their dogs’ shitty arses on the seats is revolting.

YANBU op.

People are quite a bit dirtier than dogs. Additionally, you're orders of magnitude more likely to catch something from another person than a dog.

If you want somewhere to be clean, start by banning people!!

Obviously this is silly, but so is the claim that dogs are just so unhygienic while completely ignoring the biggest (and by far the most common) health risk in the room - people.

AGAIN

I was on holiday last week and there were dogs absolutely EVERYWHERE - cafes, indoor shopping centre, beauty spots.
Why on earth ( apart from assistance dogs) do you need to take a dog to a shopping centre?
Fed up of dogs sniffing around my food and barking at each other or fighting.

It's become ridiculous. I don't bring my cat out with me.

Nando’s, pizza express, Prezzo, cote, zizzi, most national trust cafes, wetherspoons, McDonalds, GBK, five guys, Wagamama, miller and carter, harvester. I mean you are looking at 10s of thousands of outlets just across these

They are all chain restaurants. You can't really go in those for just a coffee and cake and have a nice cafe atmosphere. Having said that I always plump for Wetherspoons in town. It's my only choice though, even though there are dozens of proper cafes. They all accept dogs.

Can you please post a statistic that shows there has been increase in people being attacked by dogs in cafes.

There’s outrage at the moment with a load of haven sites restaurants being taken over by spoons.

The dog owners are not happy and even leaving bad reviews based on that they now won’t come because their dog can’t come inside 😂😂

It’s now my list to only book haven spoons sites when we go caravaning.

I don’t like dogs, and don’t go to food places that allow them. But I wouldn’t say there “should” be more dog free places - businesses are free do what they think will benefit them the most. I hope more people will vote with their feet in a way that makes more places ban dogs though.

Yes… time for the daily “dog love / dog hate row to start!

Businesses will do anything to get people through the door at the moment ( I work in hospitality, I know how tough the industry is) We daren’t “upset” the customers.. so we have to put up with appalling treatment..
Kids are let loose, to run around, scream etc, basically are allowed to do anything in our place and we never say anything. Complain and we’ll give you massive refunds and gifts.
Believe me, if you bring a dog in and it lies quietly under the table as 99% do, it is a real treat for us!!

Nothing said on these pages will ever change peoples opinions about “dogs or not”

So why bother?

Its never a debate, it turns into a hysterical to & fro row.

Cafes, eating places, pubs etc are on their knees… wether you like dogs or not will not make any difference to them. They want bums - furry or not - or those seats!