Dogs in restaurants - I am done!

[Doseofreality]

The hill that I will die on. Dogs should not be allowed in eating establishments.

Just had another lunch spoilt as a family came in with 3, yes 3, large dogs and sat down at the table beside us. It’s gross, unhygienic and anti social. If I wanted to eat surrounded by animals I’d grab a takeaway and go and sit in a vet’s waiting room.

Close to £100 wasted on a lunch where I had a dog licking it’s bumhole in my line of vision.

Buy them a set of Shakespeare or turn on Radio 4. They won't be bored.

Where I live there aren’t any. Except Wetherspoons. So I just don’t ever go out to eat anymore and I’m used to it / don’t miss it now. But the economy will miss it at some point if it becomes the norm for lots of people?

Sorry no their my pets and I'll take them where they are allowed to be !
Rude 😑

Agree with you. My autistic DD is scared of dogs since one jumped up at her and scratched her legs while we were walking across the local common (she was wearing shorts). Everywhere seems to have dogs now.

I did not complain at all.

Dogs cost ££££ these days, of course they're targeted by thieves. DD's evil chihuahua's puppies could sell for upwards of £3000 per puppy if he wasn't demonically possessed (and also neutered) because he comes from a line of show champions.

You wouldn't leave your iPhone sat outside the pub and expect it to still be there on your way out, would you?

No, @MissMappsGardenProduce - there are people stealing dogs to use as bait in dog fighting rings. Dogs who get ripped to pieces for the entertainment of sick individuals.

I have friends who have rescue dogs who were used as bait dogs in dog fighting, so I know it happens.

But they SMELL … their fur , but mostly their BREATH. …it makes me retch

This is the problem for me in restaurants… I think if you live with them you just don’t notice this

It’s absolutely vile. I’m up for signing a petition if anyone has one going? 😊

If they smell it's because they haven't been bathed or had their teeth brushed !!!!
I use a special liquid thing in all my dogs water it keeps their breath fresh and bathe them and wash their beds regularly!

My favourite pub is dog friendly. I think it is getting too much. I think we need dog and non dog areas. Like we used to have smoking and non smoking (dog/non dog should work better!).

Recent meals have included...

dog at head height to table sitting less than 2 feet away begging for food from me...licking it's chops and staring at me throughout. I never allowed my own dog to do this. It was annoying and gross.

Dogs having a barking match at each other (mildly irritating).

And the worst....

Woman with a dog in a pushchair sharing her rotisserie chicken with the dog ...feeding it from the table. It was really off putting. Greasy marks on the table top after.

It's too much now it really is.

This is owners thou not the dogs fault !!
Some.of.us are good owners !!.I promise

And who is it you plan on addressing your petition to? Who do you believe has the legal right to dictate to privately owned establishments what animals they do or do not allow on their privately owned property?

Oh and a poor kid bitten in a Costa locally too. Dogs should be outside as it used to be. It's not a nice environment for an animal and combined with children at face height is asking for trouble....and no, the child didn't do anything to provoke the dog. It was stressed and it snapped.

I know they're your pets @Girlwithavibe but that's what they are...animals.

They're not going to sit at home thinking, "We're bored. Wish I was down the Pig and Whistle having a pint, a butter pie and a heated debate about whether we should be here or not.""

That's because they're dogs.

Leave them a few toys out. They won't be bored but if you think they will be, then leave something more intellectually stimulating for them-that's why I suggested Shakespeare or Radio 4.

You called me rude for saying that and that is because you know it was sarcasm. The very fact you know that means that you know dogs cannot be intellectually stimulated beyond playing with a toy.

You wouldn't have called me rude if you had been talking about a housebound adult, would you?

Completely agree. I went and told someone in the range 'your dog has just pissed on that cushion'. They were completely oblivious looking at the blankets. If I didn't do that the piss would of dried on it any someone may have bought it, disgusting.

I also have a big, slobbery, gorgeous dog that I love more than most people but he isn't coming in a restaurant to annoy other people.

Someone had her dog sitting actually ON the table in the restaurant I was in in Manchester last month. I’m assuming she sat it on there in an attempt to stop it from making the whiny bark noises it had been making throughout dinner.

as a health and safety concern - not hard is it? I’m sure if the food agency went and checked the cleanliness of “dog friendly” establishments vs non it would show

Besides, It’s just rank.

Maybe I love my animals too much then I like being with them they are velco dogs and they love me !
If I am being a responsible dog owner which I always have been I should be ok to take my dogs out and about with me ! 🐕♥️

I think it might vary between areas.

Where I live, it's common for pubs and cafes to allow dogs, and always has been, but when I stayed at a friend's in East Somerset some years ago, it was impossible to find anywhere that allowed dogs in. One publican told us it was down to the local environmental health people, they would only allow dogs in the pub garden if the pub wanted to serve food.

Less populated areas may not have a good choice of places that don’t allow dogs.
As a human I would like to think I would take priority over a dog but in some places I don’t.
I guess the restaurant owners must think it makes business sense, but I don’t think it will continue.

@Girlwithavibe I don't hate dogs. I just don't want them in places where I'm eating.

Did I mention a petition? I think we just have to complain to establishment owners and hope they listen, unfortunately.

It would be nice if people were considerate and not so thoughtless. That is all.

It is up to establishment owners, yes, but we legislate for all sorts of things so who knows what could happen in future. I didn't say anything about dictating or legal rights though.

Pretty stroppy response for mentioning some observations. Don't think that was warranted.

Because we like their company? Because what's the point of a walking holiday if you leave the dogs at home?
I'd rather never have another holiday than have the dogs that are my constant companions fretting in a kennel. Threads like this make me sad for other people's dogs, they really do. And I'm fascinated that some of you think it's the dog owners who are the entitled ones here, and we all ought to live by your rules.