To leave dogs outside of food shops

Went in a pub in Chorley where an old couple had two little dogs sat on the seats and eating off the table.I did not eat there! When we ran pubs we never minded well behaved dogs in the tap room which did not have carpet. Would not dream of taking my dog in M & S. I was in a McDonald's when it started raining heavily and a woman ran in with two dogs and sat there drying them with tissues. She did not even buy a drink yet staff never challenged her.

There are a lot of dogs around here so most of the pub/restaurants around here have dog sections and none dog sections and local food shops have water bowls and hitching hooks outside so dogs just don't go in - there just isn't space, pushchairs tend to get left outside too if the occupant is old enough to toddle round. Even the National Trust house has a no dogs restaurant and a Muddy Boots cafe where dogs are welcome.

I can't stand it, sorry.

I can think of two instances that I found amusing at the time but not now.

I was in a pub, many moons ago and a dog literally piddled up the piano and went and s--t in a corner. . It happened so quick the owner was mortified. It did cause a titter I must admit. Dog hair on seating, no, sorry.

The other time in a restaurant a Labrador sat at a nearby table with his 'lipstick' on show and slobbered until his owner fed him food under the table. The dog was wet and smelled horrible. He was a lovely dog I am sure but, no sorry, not when I am eating.

Please don't think I am a dog hater, I'm not.

I was rather charmed when I was in France eating in a restaurant to suddenly spot a large dog sitting under another diner's table. In Spain dogs seem to be allowed in supermarkets.

I do worry about hygiene quite a bit but usually in relation to humans not animals.

Someone once said if you knew what went on in a biscuit factory you would never eat a biscuit again. I've always remembered that.

And what about people involved with food picking their noses or not washing their hands when they go to the loo?

A friend was out in a restaurant having lunch with her grandchildren the other day and the waitress was running her hands all over her rather sweaty body a lot before serving the food. My friend did not complain to management but spoke to the waitress herself.

As for the M & S incident, I would not have been scandalised by the pug myself. I'd probably have petted it. I hope no-one loses their jobs.

As I have said before I am a 'Dog Nut' but could never have taken any of my dogs - they haven't all been ludicrous lurchers - into a shop or restaurant. When on holiday in Greece I had to force myself to accept that cats and dogs wandered freely in the kitchens.

Having said that I take my dog into a pub and she settles down under the table. I agree merlotgran the Lake District is a marvellous place to take dogs, they are made welcome, people stop in the street to talk to the dog, completely ignoring the owner .

handbag dogs used to be sleeve dogs way back in history. Rich women accesorized them with their clothes. My sister wanted one for many years and eventually got one. Despite my being a dog lover I found it a horrible, yappy thing so interbred that it couldn't keep its tongue in its mouth. She didn't keep the dog in her handbag but did insist on bringing it when visiting. I fell over it once and the darned thing screamed, I thought I had broken its back at least but it was fine. It lived to be 13 and was the only dog I have not liked.

And they might have put their dirty hands on the little pug.

Especially as the staff wouldn't have washed their hands afterwards!

Glad you followed it up harrigran
I think checkout assistants who work in food stores should employ the same standard of hygiene as someone working behind a counter serving fresh food.
I should imagine the M&S managers were horrified.

M&S have been in touch this morning, it is not their policy to allow dogs in the food departments except for guide dogs. They have asked for further information and it is being followed up. it will be easy to check because there are CCTV cameras.
The dog was a pug and it was being treated like a baby with assistants patting and fondling it.

Our local pub allows dogs in the public bar where food isn't served. I took advantage of this when socializing both our Jack Russells as there's no better place than a noisy pub. They now get very cross if we leave them at home! Like aka I'd rather be sitting next to a family with a well behaved dog than badly behaved children.

One of the many things I love about the Lake District is that it's doggie holiday heaven. All the pubs cater for thirsty walkers who might also fancy a quick snack (and that's just the dogs!) It's great to hear families sitting in a pub garden talking about how far their dog might have walked that morning compared to the day before, never mind the kids!

Gally Oh the "mummies" don't remind me,one evening we where serving a full restaurant and on arrival a couple of the mums had "parked up" their babies and buggies outside whilst the children where asleep one customer came and found me and asked where was the childs mum as he was very upset and crying reaction from "mummy" was but he was asleep when I left him,yes he was but that was about 2 hrs ago madam !!

Somehow dogs in pubs seems ok and quite normal, but I do draw the line at restaurants/food shops with the exception of guide dogs.

I once dined in a very upmarket restaurant in France next to a table where a Saluki was reclining on a couple of chairs with its owners. The staff rushed about fawning over it, bringing it dishes of nibbles and water. On another occasion at a less salubrious establishment, a lady sat with her poodle on her lap, its face resting on the table, and it was a case of one forkful for you and one for me - I found that hard to 'digest' .

Some children in restaurants, on the other hand, are worse than dogs. In a former life, I owned a small coffee shop and often had to do my 'Joyce Grenfell' act (while the mummies were engrossed in conversation and not giving a fig about their children's behaviour) and say 'we don't drink out of the milk jug here/stand on the table and lick the window/swing off the curtains/pour the milk into the sugar bowl......... and as for the noise

BB the point is it's not against any law

I would, and have, taken my dog into a dog-friendly pub that served meals. Usually these are rural pubs or walkers pubs. I always ask the landlord first and if possible sit outside. Many of these places have other dogs already there.

I'd sooner have a well behaved dogs sitting under a table near me than some of those dreadful children who don't know how to behave in public.

ducks for cover

I too haven't seen any dogs in shops but I would NOT want one carried or not either - leave them at home
I really thought it was law didn't realise it was one of these laws that you can obey or not as you please,- what's the point
Absolutely cant BEAR dogs dressed up, coloured or made into accessories i any way it makes me feel ill to see

This must be a very rare occurrence. I've never seen a dog, apart from a guide dog in a food shop, restaurant or café in this country. I do see dogs tied up outside shops in this small town and Waitrose puts bowls of water outside in hot weather. If I had a dog I'd no more leave it outside a shop than I'd leave a baby.

Harrigran I do not think that is good either. As for hand bag dogs! Why not just carry around a soft toy.
Dogs should be dogs not fashion accessories.

When I went to Italy some years ago surprised to see large dogs extending their social life in the lingerie department of a big store. Apparently some stores have kennels at the back. But later on I saw Angus Deaton (used to present HIGNFY) queueing at the entrance of a restaurant (where i was already sitting down having lunch - smug emoticon ) with his dog.

Agree with Iam that this is very rare. I'm too scared to leave my dogs outside a shop, unsupervised, but I'd never take them in either. It's a cultural thing.

Mishap suggest you make yourself a and grab a or you will get all stressed out.

Don't get me started!!!!

No law exists to prohibit dogs from shops, cafes etc. though many supermarkets, restaurants and similar will put notices up banning dogs, except aid dogs.

How is it not against the law? If it isn't against the law to carry dogs, perhaps those of us with large hairy dogs (like mine) should have a wander around the M&S or Co-op food halls. I bet that'd soon be found to be against some law. So, if a shop doesn't have a sign that says 'no dogs, only assistance dogs', we can all wander in at will can we.

I complained to the Manager in my local Co op about this and he told me it was not against the law.

I'm surprised the owner wasn't asked to leave the store, if she had a dog with her.
It wouldn't stop me shopping at M&S though, that seems extreme for what must be a rare occurrence.

I used to leave my dogs outside our local shops and supermarket, but am wary of doing so these days because so many dogs get stolen.

I confess to having a degree of prejudice (horror!) at the sight of these little dogs being carried around everywhere. That's the worst thing about this story for me. There is a fashion for hand bag dogs. They may be tiny, but they are dogs, people don't want dogs in food shops and I don't like seeing dogs carried around, when they should be walking on their four tiny little legs. It's just wrong