AIBU to expect a dog-free area in a restaurant?

[Diorling]

Hi,

I recently met up with my family for lunch at Bills at Clark’s Village in Somerset. It’s not an area I know, but looked to be good for a meet up. it was a lovely sunny warm day and folks were out enjoying their shopping. It was a great atmosphere.

It was pretty empty in Bills as we were early. The waiters were lovely and showed us to a table, and we were busy looking through the menu when I smelt a fairly unpleasant smell. I looked up, and a family were being sat at the next table. The smell was coming from their dog, which was being sat right next to me, rather than on the other side where there was an empty table. It wasn’t a dog that sat nicely on the floor and went to sleep either - it kept on trying to move towards me and the family.

Now I like dogs, grew up with them, and have had my own, but one of the children was attacked at the park by a random one once ( it ran up to him), and he is now terrified by dogs. The dog kept edging towards him, and he kept trying to shrink away along the long bench seat as far as he could. Not only that, but frankly the smell was appalling.

i spoke quietly to the waiter, explained the issue, and he moved us to another table in the opposite corner. It’s a large restaurant, so problem sorted. Except it wasn’t. Within 5 minutes they had shown another family to the table next to us - despite most of the spaces still being empty. They too had a dog, but this time it was lifted onto the seat (and later laps of the family). Again it was right next to us. Whilst I love dogs I don’t expect to have their nose by my elbow and frankly don’t think it’s very hygienic.

I complained to the restaurant but they explained they were dog friendly, and even had a dog menu (‘Bone Appetit’).

Now that’s fine - if I had known it. But as I pointed out, there were no signs anywhere to that effect, nothing on entering - and apparently no dog free area for those who prefer not to eat near dogs. Obviously we won’t go there again (a pity, as staff are lovely and the food was good - if you have dogs, and are round there, it’s a great place to go.)

But for the rest of us, I just don’t like dogs around when I eat out - and if they have to be there, then surely their place is sleeping quietly on the floor?

AIBU?

I know I've already asked this (and answer came there none), but for all those banging on about hygiene:

Has anyone got any statistics which prove that dog-friendly establishments are causing an epidemic of illness which is solely attributable to the presence of dogs?

Because the science says exposure to animals is actually beneficial:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/future/article/20250602-how-your-pets-alter-your-immune-system

https://www.colorado.edu/asmagazine/2025/08/12/raised-pets-your-immune-system-remembers

You are vastly, vastly more likely to become ill from being exposed to other human beings. If you're worried about hygiene, dogs are frankly the last thing you should be concerned about.

I'm completely with you on this and I agree (like I stated in my post, untrained yappy dogs cause responsible dog owners no end of backlash). Yes I could chose to leave my dog at home, but I chose not to unless I am going somewhere that doesn't allow dogs. She doesn't come to work with me (healthcare), she goes to day care. A responsible dog owner shouldn't leave their dogs at home for 8 plus hours in my opinion so if that means she accompanies me on my days off to dog friendly establishments then that's my choice. I don't turn up at a place that doesn't accept dogs and insist that they allow me to bring her in. I accept that not everyone likes dogs, I don't like some people.

Except it is true and a cursory Google would have proved this:

https://bills-website.co.uk/t_cs/dog-menu/

See point 6.

IME, it's 70/30 behaviourial problem dogs in the pubs, cafes and restaurants. I know one place that did enforce the 'well behaved dogs' only rule and only invited in if not busy and they asked a very yappy dog and it's owner to leave as it was very busy and someone with a newborn baby complained as the acoustics of the building were terrible plus the dog urinated on the floor. I was quite surprised tbh.

The website can state one thing, in reality is this what happens.

I would never go to a restaurant that allowed dogs

Immunity built up from rolling around in Richmond park with the deer poo maybe but dogs aren't the same in fact it is dangerous hence why they aren't allowed often in children's playgrounds.

@Goldenbear no idea, just what it says online! Maybe they don't follow their own rules

Have you got any statistics which prove that dog-friendly establishments are causing an epidemic of illness which is solely attributable to the presence of dogs?

Given guide dogs are allowed in all restaurants you'll be incredibly limited then.

Sorry. I think we are at cross purposes here. I was talking generally, not about one specific restaurant.

Nearly all cafes and pubs round here welcome dogs.

When did I argue they were. I do know that asthma attacks induced by Dog dander because restaurants won't have allergy zones, which seems common sense to me, is giving many asthmatics permanent lung damage. I'm sure you'll argue, "tough" but I'm only asking for zones free of dogs which is not available in any of the recent dog welcoming restaurants I have been in by mistake as I assumed they were dog free like they used to be. All the pubs where I live have dogs welcome, most cafes. And yes, yes, commercial sense but I'm just wondering if their can be a compromise.

I don't n

I do know, that they are causing those allergic to have many health problems, do you mean what are the stats on people with reactive asthma to dogs?

I don't think I've ever seen a guide dog in a pub or restaurant and of course they are expected to be prioritised but at the end of the day that isn't really the issue as well you know.

I don’t expect a dog free area in a dog friendly pub but I do expect clear signage that it is dog friendly. Somewhere.

And people with stinky dogs are the worst.

As a dog owner who does take her dogs out with her on occasion, having a section for dogs and one without gives everyone the best of both worlds. I actually wouldn’t take mine to Bills though as it’s always really busy near me and my dogs would not enjoy that.

Well you responded to my post which asked for said statistics, so I was rather hoping you might be able to provide them.

I'll ask the question for a fourth time on this thread (emphasis added for, well, emphasis):

Has anyone got any statistics which prove that dog-friendly establishments are causing an epidemic of illness which is solely attributable to the presence of dogs?

Because to be honest unless it can be proven that dogs present a real risk of infection and spreading disease and that their presence is actively causing an increase in said spread, then all this palaver about hygiene is just subjective opinions and personal squeamishness rather than being grounded in reality.

This is always the response as if guide dogs are a common thing to encounter 🙄

But your request is really incendiary rhetoric as you know that very specific research hasn't been done.

Allergies aside, most of the issues people dont like about dogs in public places, wont apply to guide dogs, anyway!
They arent going to be eating from.cafe tables, barking and yapping at other dogs, sitting on public transport seats, jumping up at people with muddy paws etc etc.
A man regularly travels on the same train as me with a guide dog. Its barely noticeable because the dog is quiet and stays close to its owner

Dog allergy induced asthma is a real fucking thing with permanent damage to the lungs. I know your obdurate position on this means this is irrelevant to you and to businesses who only care about dog owner customers apparently but it's still a bloody fact!

Well exactly.

I am sensitive to dogs. It’s not quite an allergy and my dad has a dog, but a very old staffie who has never smelt and doesn’t shed. (My mum is bonkers about doggie smells and fur everywhere - she loathes them)
walked into the range earlier to buy a specific birthday present for the weekend, had to wait whilst someone dragged their springer spaniel through the doors, around all the soft furnishings (it seemed to particularly like the Halloween themed cushions and bedding) and around to the back of the store before I could walk in. I knew if I walked in straight away I’d be coughing and sneezing, as their dog was very jumpy and the air was full of fur.
went upstairs to the section I needed, and turned a corner to find a golden retriever in my face. Eyes started streaming and I started coughing, trying to get away. Managed to escape and went to the tills, little fluffy shoe brush thing is literally licking the freezers in the Iceland part of the store, keeps being picked up and asked “which do you want” and being shown a box from out the freezer. The couple are literally holding their dog over an open freezer door and allowing said dog to lick boxes that they are putting back.
It’s just so gross. I don’t normally shop in the range, and this is probably why! Why do dog owners think they should go everywhere. I get service dogs - and in that case they usually have a vest and I can speak to the owner and we generally keep a wide berth, but none working dogs are EVERYWHERE!

If it hasn't been done then how can posters on this thread assert with such confidence that dogs are too unhygienic for restaurants etc?

General observation, leaving the house and talking to people would tell you that, despite the rise in dog ownership and threads on MN (for example) complaining about the presence of dogs in public, we're not seeing a commensurate rise in dog-related illnesses.

It's ok, you can just say "no, I can't prove it".

Of course dog allergies are real; I don't believe I have denied the existence of allergies.

I am responding to posters who claim dogs are unhygienic because of paws, licking, and "shitty arses" and asking for proof.

Unfortunately businesses are not charities, and allowing customers to bring dogs can boost revenue by as much as 50% if you're in the right area with the right target market. Given the wider economic circumstances, you'd have to be an altruistic business owner indeed (or doing very well already) to be able to ignore that.