Dogs friendly film screenings

[WobblyLondoner]

My local cinema had a dog friendly showing (I think of Barbie) today. I'd no idea this was a thing. Genuine question - do dogs enjoy being in the cinema with other dogs? Doesn't it just descend into chaos?

I'm not a dog owner as you can probably guess.

they aren't sitting on their sofas naked though

You don't think anyone has ever sat on their own furniture naked? People have sex on their sofas. I don't think no pet owners homes are as sterile as you think.

This would be torture for my labrador. His hearing is so sensitive that he can here out electric cars coming down our street and can tell the difference between ours’ and our neighbours’ so even with the sound turned down, it’d be so loud for him. He’s too big to sit on my lap or lie down on a seat and he couldn’t even stretch out on the floor because of the seats in front. Plus he’d spend the whole movie smelling other people’s food that he can’t have. I’m going to Barbie tonight but he will stay comfortably at home.

FfS. This is getting fucking mental. I like dogs but JFC it’s ridiculous ( service dogs aside of course). And I say that as an ex dog owner myself, one who had separation anxiety and it took hours of training him and lots and lots of patience so gradually he could be left alone for a few hours everyday whilst I was at work!

But why bother doing that when you can cart them fucking everywhere and make other people’s lives miserable, just to satisfy your own sense of importance and entitlement.

Again, it’s useless owners who feel the world revolves around their dog and it’s wants and needs. Train your fucking dogs properly so they can be left alone for the length of a film!!! I don’t want to pay a fortune to see a film and then have the added bonus of sitting in a screen that stinks of wet dog and get hair stuck to my clothes, because you can guarantee the cinema chain won’t use the same screen and their poor minimum wage staff ( often youngsters) won’t have the motivation to deep clean properly between screenings. What fun for those who are allergic!

Also - I wouldn’t want to take a young child in for a screening and have to wade through a lobby full of loads of aggressive, badly trained yappers or massive bloody labs slobbering everywhere. And before anyone says “oh I’d rather be at a dog screening than a kids one”….. cinema was intended for humans NOT canines and those customers are the priority, not the dog owning ones I’m afraid!! If you’re that bothered, and really feel your dog could benefit from watching a film, hire the village hall ( and make sure you clean it thoroughly afterwards ) or buy a projection screen and set up a fucking dog cinema in your own garden so the rest of us don’t have to be subjected to your batshittery. Fucking mental.

What fresh hell is this? Seems like yet another slide towards people mistaking dogs for actual human children....

Like those weirdos pushing their cats in strollers.....

How utterly bizarre they lock up animals and think it's ok because "house cats". My parents have cats that go out and hunt, bringing back mice, just because they can.

Most people don't do it on a regular basis though.... come on, don't normalise dogs shitty asses for humans

@temosmail I'm not normalising anything. In my home, my dog is welcome on the sofa IF a specific throw is put down for him first. Given the choice though, if I went to my neighbours house and they said 'take a seat - the dog sits on the armchair, and Dave and I shagged on the sofa last night' I would rather take my chances with the armchair.

My argument is simply that contrary to what many people on these threads seem to want to push - a dog free home does not necessarily equal a beautifully scented, clean home. Many, many people who own dogs have the ability to keep their homes clean to a high standard.

The whole 'yOuR hOuSe SmELLS' narrative is so odd. It's up their with calling dogs 'mutts' , like it's the most offensive thing anyone could possibly say, and there's no recovery from such an insult.

I am not even particularly worried about the germs.
I care about other people - those people who have genuine fear of dogs everywhere, or are allergic or don't want to trip over your bloody extendable dog lead on the pavement because they may be partially sighted or just getting on a bit or just anyone. I also really care about dogs and I bet if you asked them - they'd rather not be dragged around the bloody shops all weekend! Or sit in a dark unfamiliar place just so their owner(s) can take a picture on social media. If you really love dogs ! - why not get a rescue dog and treat it like a dog (plenty of exercise and training) and not one just one which looks "good on instagram"

@lawrenceofarabia
I couldn't agree more! I've got a dog and my house probably smells, but it's my house and I don't expect people to come here if they don't like dogs.

I'm sick and tired of the trend to humanise dogs, we are not "dog parents" we are owners ffs!

I'm fully with pp who avoid dog friendly places and if I wanted to go to the cinema with my adult ds I couldn't if there have been dogs in there as he's allergic ( he takes antihistamines at my house, but I think he's got used to him now), but in an enclosed space were lots of dogs have been he would really struggle.

It's batshit and needs to stop.

People do realise these are one off, doggie events that are clearly marked and scheduled. The sound and lighting are low, blankets are given out so no bums touch the pristine seats and there's treats and water available? They're not turning the cinema into a dog park.

It's also optional and clearly popular so might save cinemas for a bit longer

Unfortunately that's just what they'll turn into: dog parks. Dogs can't be expected to sit still for 2 hours and it's just not fair on the dogs and other people. My dog would hate it.

Pet screenings will put lots of people off going to the cinema so they'll lose money anyway. How about upping their game with other ideas such as reduced prices for some screenings and to stop trying to make money from overpriced snacks? I realise this has already been done, but surely someone can come up another gimmick that doesn't involve pets.

What next? Bring your horse to the cinema?

WTF?

The world has gone barking mad.

Aww dogs go shopping, eat out, go to the cinema and love having a wonderful experience. For fuck's sake don't be so wet. I don't think dogs give a shit about making memories.

Once again...these are one off screening so in all the months of a film being in the cinema it will allow dogs in once. Dogs are on leads. They leave extra space so dogs have room. The hyperbole on this site about dogs is insane. It's not like a dog park at all

Have you been to a cinema with dogs? I haven't and I can't think of anything worse. I want my dog to be a dog, not a "fur baby".

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree

It's not compulsory you know. People and dogs are different and enjoy different things. It's ridiculous to say no one should be able to do something just because you don't want to. Just go to one of the thousands of non dog friendly screenings

As soon as I saw this thread title, I knew it’d be about Picturehouse which is the company that I work for😂

You wouldn’t believe how much of a big thing the Dog-Friendly screenings are. They’re nearly as popular as the Watch with Baby screenings were you can bring your baby under the age of 1 years old with you.

It’s only done in certain cinemas and it’s usually once a month. A lot of customers are disappointed when they’ve missed it and another won’t be on for another months time. I can confirm that blankets are laid down on the seats and on the floor but I don’t work in the actual cinema so can’t confirm how thoroughly the screens are cleaned afterwards.

I personally don’t understand it at all. One cinema has a dog menu in their restaurants where you can choose a meal for your dog but doesn’t have a kid’s menu? It’s all so strange! I really don’t get why your dog has to be everywhere with you

Making a dog sit quiet and still for the best part of over 2 hours in a strange dark environment with loud noises on a chair that flips up and down when it moves sounds cruel to me