if you were going on a self-catering holiday in the UK with friends how would you feel if someone wanted to bring their dog?

[hatwoman]

not an AIBU as such - I'd just like a genuine sounding of opinion

I wouldn't have thought that a general concensus was terribly useful in this situation. The only people whose opinions matter are you and the family who you plan to holiday with. Plenty of people would be fine with it. Plenty wouldn't. There's no majority vote or grey area.

It does depend on the dog. If it is a wellbehaved, friendly dog then I would be fine with that, but my DH does have allergies so would probably spend much of the holiday sneezing over everyone.

We have a small dog and take her everywhere with us. If we were to plan a holiday then I would assume that we could take her, unless someone objected strongly.

She is part of our family, so where we go, she goes.

I would have thought that a general concensus would be very useful so that you could tell whether you were being fussy or not.

I love dogs but DH has a massive sneezy asthmatic reaction to even a bit of hair left in the carpet anywhere.

For this reason we have to book places that don't accept dogs - it's not just the presence of the actual animal that is the problem - it's the fact that there will always be hair and dander left from the last dog to inhabit the place.

Personally I think if there is any doubt then stick the dog in kennels. Yes it will frustrating to be romping through woods without him, but someone in the party, despite having been emailed, may not have felt able to do the dog-banning, especially if they don't know you too well, and may be having a rather compromised time as a result.

thesecondcoming
Our dog is a Maltese Terrier and does not shed so not a problem for allergies. Sorry, should have made that clear.

She also does not slobber and we are teaching her not to jump.

We recently left her at home when we were invited to a BBQ as we did not know the people very well and they said we should have brought her. I normally ask before taking her somewhere unless I know that the people like dogs.

We live in Switzerland, a very dog friendly country and our dog is small so welcome almost everywhere. I don't think I would like being a dog owner in UK.

oh, and she does not smell either.

I am getting a bit defensive about the slating dogs are getting here, a bit protective PFD thing going on now. Sorry

I used to live in Switzerland and at the beginning I was really amazed that there were so many dogs under restaurant tables! Fabulous in-meal entertainment for dcs. I would be happy to have a dog on holiday if it was a nice one, not yappy or slobbery.

thesecondcoming
don't come to Switzerland then. I have had complete strangers run up to my dog, lift her and let her lick their faces while making coochiecoochiecoo noises. They are seriously mad about dogs here, especially wee ones.

I'd definitely expect a family with a dog to bring the dog, without a doubt. Unless it was at some kind of resort on an activity holiday or something. But if it's a 'countryside walks, long pub lunches, and wandering around quaint villages' kind of holiday - then it'd be mad, nay cruel, to leave the dog behind!

Some people don't like dogs, of course, but some people don't like children either and I doubt many people would consider leaving those behind for that reason. Allergies aside, I think it's perfectly reasonable to expect to bring the dog. Maybe just phrase it as 'is anyone allergic to or afraid of dogs?' rather than 'can I bring the dog?'

Haven't read whole thread, but providing dog was well behaved this would be a bonus for me. i love dogs but our lifestyle isn't compatable with owning one!

"How odd.
If you want to go on holiday with people who have a dog, you would expect that they were going to bring their dog."

I don't agree at all. I would never expect people to just bring their do without a word, I would be apalled if they did actually. If you have a mother, I don't expect that you will bring her without asking either!

Some dog owners can't see past their own feelings for their dog, and expect everyone else to think the same. And get very high and mighty when people don't. I've lost count of the amount of people who will let their dog jump and slobber all over me or my children and say "its ok, hes just being friendly" or some such nonsense. I don't want to have animals licking me and scaring my kids. I don't like dogs very much and would certainly not choose to spend my holiday fitting in around a dog, which is bound to happen.

And I really wish people would stop equating their dogs to children, its silly and rather sickening. Children are small people, dogs, however much you love them are animals. Not the same thing!

Hatwoman, I would email and ask, but making it clear that I was happy not to bring the dog and had alternative plans if people preferred. Then no-one needs feel bad about saying they're uncomfortable with the dog.
I would say its definitely worth asking, as we have friends who actively love dogs but can't have them because of work commitments, and are always glad to have a 'borrowed' dog for a while.
We have a dog ourselves, but in fact we're in a similar situation atm, in that friends are coming to us, and may bring their young rescue dog - but they made it very obvious that if we weren't keen, they had a kennel all sorted out and just needed to book.

I wouldn't mind, but I like dogs.

When you are on holiday is the plan to do everything together or are you going to do your own thing a lot of the time, having a dog with you obviously restcts places you can go.

Not a problem for me. I don';t mind dogs. And another 'person' to entertain my kids !

I would be reluctant to have the dog come along, so I've tried to think why. I grew up with a largeish dog so don't have any issues with them. My boys would think it was great as we don't have a dog.

My reason, I think, is that when I think of the only dog-owning friends that we might go away with, I wouldn't want their particular dog. Because it is large, jumpy , boisterous and wakes early in the morning.

So I suppose it depends on the dog.

I also wouldn't want to be restricted by the dog's needs - we couldn't do a day trip to a nearby city, for example.

I would assume that anyone who has a dog also has some plan for when they want to go away without it, I think. Myabe that's what your friend are doing.

I love dogs and i have 2 myself, also 3 kids all under 5.

However i wouldn't want to go and share accomodation with friends and my dogs or hers.

This is because whilst i trust my dogs with my kids and i trust my kids to respect our dogs i think it is another story with other peoples dogs and other peoples kids iykwim.

it would mean i wouldn't be able to relax unless of course dogs kept seperately so i wouldn't be having to keep an eye on them constantly.

If it was just us as a family then I would take our dog, if we were going with others then I wouldn't.

I also think that IMO one of the main advantages for SC in UK as a dog owner would be in order to be able to take dog with.

If I were asked to go S/C in the UK with a family with a dog I would assume they were bringing the dog.

If I didn't want to go on holiday with a dog I would either decline the invitation or ask about it, but I think it might be rude from that side to ask to put the dog in kennels or leave it at home.

If they are good enough friends to go on holiday with I assume you already know about each others allergies/phobias, or anything else that would make a dog a definite no-go.

Its a pain in the arse if you are going out to eat or to a pub. Alot do not accept dogs.

if my family is going...dog goes too. if i was going with an other family i'd presume (unless informed otherwise) that this was fine. after all it's my dogs holiday too.

that's part of the point of SC hols as opposed to hotels anyway - much easier with pets.

i would of course make sure dog did not make a problem of herself - that also would go without saying if it weren't for the large number of slightly anti dog comments above.

it also strikes me that many of the things people worry about dogs doing (chewing things/ weeing everywhere/jumping up) are also done by children!

I never take my dogs with me on holiday )although we go somewhere where we would be allowed to) because I want a holiday! I need a break from the crazy beasts and they love their holiday home too.