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The doghouse

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Original poster

Dogs in public - Ya or Nah?

53 replies

doglover102 · 14/07/2018 21:35

As an assistance dog handler I can see both sides of the argument. Personally, so long as the dog can execute a loose lead walk down aisles, not sniff anything, or pee or poop or bark, and he can completely ignore my working assistance dog (no pulling, sniffing, barking, lunging ect) I don't have an issue with it.

What do we all think about extremely well behaved dogs in public?

OP posts:
Topseyt · 14/07/2018 21:41

I'm a bit unclear about what you mean?

Do you mean down aisles in the supermarket? Why would dogs other than assistance dogs be there?

Or do you mean that you would prefer dogs that are family pets not to approach your assistance dog in public when it is in harness and working? On that I would agree with that it is better that they don't.

missbattenburg · 14/07/2018 21:42

I am personally not a huge fan of society's current obsession with 'x being allowed as long as it doesn't impact anyone else in any tiny manner but being banned if it does'. I think it is self-obsessed and not what living in a community is all about. Dogs will sniff. Childen will point or cry. Old people will walk slowly in front of you. Teenagers will giggle. And so on. We'd all do better (and be happier) with more tolerance and less demands. That's my two pence worth.

As an assistance dog handler you'll know that extremealy well behaved dogs are not born like that. It takes time and practice and eventually that practise is going to be out in a real, live public space where some dogs will fail and have to drop back a level of two before trying again.

Topseyt · 14/07/2018 21:43

Just adding that I have no objection at all to well behaved dogs out in public. Still not clear where or what you mean exactly though.

GertrudeCB · 14/07/2018 21:45

Hmmm, I am in two minds about this. There are several dog friendly cafés near to me but I don't take ddog into some of them as there are often young children there. Ddog is lovely and loves people but he is a large lab and I would feel awful if his size frightened a child or adult .

geekone · 14/07/2018 21:57

I love dog friendly cafes, pubs and restaurants and DDog has been to many cafes in his 4.5 months and will go to more and the more we take him the better behaved he is.

I don’t think shops are a good idea most are already cramped and for a food oriented dog it would be way too tempting.

Original poster
doglover102 · 14/07/2018 21:57

Sorry for not being clear. I mean like in cafes, restaurants, shops, ect ect ect. Basically the idea being where u go dog goes.

OP posts:
Original poster
doglover102 · 14/07/2018 22:05

I would be happy with ANY dog being anywhere, but after my dog was attacked last year and had to be retired, I'd rather not have a lunging pet being dragged around the shop XD. I've only just got my new dog and she's reminded me of what independence is.

OP posts:
adaline · 14/07/2018 23:03

I live in an extremely dog friendly town. You can always find a cafe, pub, restaurant or shop that will allow your dog in. Most provide bowls of water and have treats behind the counters. Some places even have dog menus with ice cream, treats and meals especially for dogs on them!

I live in the Lake District though which is basically doggy heaven. Any business that doesn't allow dogs certainly suffers for it. We take our puppy everywhere - the only place he can't go is the supermarket!

MyNameIsNotSteven · 14/07/2018 23:18

I wouldn't go in a dog-friendly place to eat. I wouldn't like to see them in shops either. People are often deluded about their dogs. They are often worse behaved or smellier than they think.

MrsChollySawcutt · 15/07/2018 00:06

Yes I have a huge problem with dogs (other than assistance dogs) being allowed in public places. Both me and DS are hugely allergic. Exposure to dog hair and dander triggers severe asthma, sneezing, running swollen eyes and rashes.

In the case of an assistance dog, I would leave the area, understanding that the users needs far outweigh my allergy.

Where dogs are just allowed in because aww they are cute, I'm pretty angry that we have leave.

FlyingMonkeys · 15/07/2018 00:15

I have two dogs - I don't want to take them anywhere other than where I can walk them in lead near other dogs/people, or where I can let them off lead with nothing anywhere near. I don't get 'dog cafes', why would I want to take my dogs? One would shit himself in fright and the other would need to be on everyone's knees. Why put your pets in q situation they may smell an animal they take offense to and kick off with.

adaline · 15/07/2018 05:19

I love being able to take my puppy everywhere. It's great for his socialisation and he meets so many new dogs and people. All he does in cafes is flop next to me with a chew and sleep!

I understand not everyone likes dogs around everywhere but when you live somewhere like the Lake District it's pretty much the norm to allow dogs in otherwise shops would lose a bunch of trade. People holiday here and bring the dogs and part of the attraction is because the dog can come with them!

Copperbonnet · 15/07/2018 05:59

I’m happy for assistance dogs to be anywhere at all.

I don’t want other dogs to be in shops, supermarkets or cafes at all.

I wouldn’t patronise a “dog friendly” restaurant.

Tbh I don’t even like seeing dogs off their leads.

adaline · 15/07/2018 07:48

I wouldn’t patronise a “dog friendly” restaurant.

And that's entirely your choice, of course. But there's nothing wrong with restaurants allowing dogs if they want to either.

Around here I'd say it's a 75/25 split of allowing dogs not or not, but the majority of places that do allow them insist they're outside only.

But all the pubs allow dogs both inside and outside - the Lake District is walkers paradise and people walk with their dogs. Cumbria is a rural and dog friendly county - I appreciate cities wouldn't be the same.

notsolittlegrebe · 15/07/2018 07:52

Why would anyone have a problem with extremely well behaved dogs in public?! (Obviously no dog is guaranteed to be extremely well behaved in every instance, but still).

mydogisthebest · 15/07/2018 08:08

I love the fact that so many restaurants, cafes and shops are now allowing dogs inside. About time we caught up with the rest of Europe.

It's great going for a lovely long walk and then being able to get a cup of coffee with our dogs.

We like to take our dogs on holiday and although we almost always sit outside to eat and/or drink it does mean if it is raining and we find somewhere that lets dogs inside we can actually eat without getting soaked.

In the past we have been refused entry even to a pub garden to get a drink. Our dog would have just laid by our table quietly but we were refused. It was ok though that the garden was full of screaming children running around

NicoAndTheNiners · 15/07/2018 08:15

I holiday 4x a year in the Lake District purely because it is so dog friendly. I don’t see any problems in the shops and cafes in Keswick which are all full of dogs. My dog is very well behaved and will happily walk off lead and to heel round Keswick centre, in and out of shops. When we’re in a cafe she sits under the table and has a snooze.

Wherismymind · 15/07/2018 08:29

If well behaved, well trained dogs are allowed more freedom to go into shops, bars, resturants it might make people try harder to train their dogs more. But it would also means a standard needs to be set and it would need to be policed. Maybe a licence for good dogs that gives them more access.

My dog has quite a lot of freedom, walked off lead, dog friendly cafes, restaurants etc. The more you take a dog out in public the better behaved they become. I find dogs that are never really out of the house other than for a short poo walk are usually badly behaved.

mydogisthebest · 15/07/2018 08:39

Whereismymind, I agree that some people need to train their dogs more before using dog friendly cafes etc but on the whole I see well behaved dogs in shops, restaurants etc.

It's just a shame people don't see the same need to train their children before taking them to supermarkets, cafes etc but of course that's different isn't it?

ParisNext · 15/07/2018 08:45

I lived in Italy for years and dogs go to the Mall/any shop and into the supermarket as you would take your children. Often lap dog types but all sorts. The biggest problem was always the barking and trying to get to each other when 2 dogs met. It would be so loud and sound very aggressive sometimes...obviously it was the owners to blame not the dogs!

missyB1 · 15/07/2018 08:55

the more you take a dog out in public the better behaved they become
Totally agree with this. Poorly socialised dogs are nearly always a problem. The advice I got from my vet when we first got our puppy was to take her everywhere and expose her to as many different situations as possible.
But puppies have to learn, and they they will get it wrong sometimes, just like kids so a little tolerance would go a long way.

Wherismymind · 15/07/2018 09:02

I think the only draw back is hair. Obvs some people are allergic to dogs and I wouldn't want to buy something that's covered I dog hair from all the doggy visitors in the shop.

My dogs hypoallergenic so he'll still be allowed though Grin

mydogisthebest · 15/07/2018 09:13

I wish some people would be more tolerant to dogs. Just like children there are well behaved dogs and not very well behaved dogs. Also, like children, even the best behaved dog can have an off day.

I don't dislike children but I get fed up with going to a supermarket and having to watch out for children running around as though it is a playground. I am used to the what seems to be obligatory screaming child every time I go.

I also get fed up with trying to have a quiet cup of coffee whilst listening to screaming children or, again, seeing them running round. Just yesterday a child ran right in front of me as I was walking to my table with a cup of, obviously, hot coffee. What if I had split some hot coffee on the child? I guess it would have been my fault

WaywardOn3 · 15/07/2018 09:28

I love being able to take our dogs to all the dog friendly places (there are even Facebook pages dedicated to locating and rating them).

What I don't like is children running up to us and throwing themselves onto our dogs or the tantrums that follow when we tell them no they can't come near our dogs (this includes the evils their parents give us for not indulging their offspring whims).

Greyhorses · 15/07/2018 13:19

I have two big dogs and don’t get the obsession with taking dogs everywhere.

Why would my dogs want to sit under a cafe table for hours or be dragged around shops?

Much better off at home!