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AIBU

Dogs in cafes

(227 Posts)
Silverlining47 Sun 14-Apr-19 11:00:41

I am having a Sunday morning coffee in a very pleasant cafe....people quietly reading the Sunday papers. A lady comes in with two small dogs which yap loudly and screeching. The waitress looks despairingly and approaches the owner but clearly there seems to be no official line about dogs in cafes and the yapping continues to destroy the peaceful morning. Nearby is another smart and trendy cafe with closely spaced tables. I went there last week for lunch. Soon a huge dog is sitting next to me, its nose almost resting on my table. The owner is either amused or unaware.
AIBU to find this unacceptable.

Goodbyetoallthat Sun 14-Apr-19 22:52:41

hicaz46
I wouldn't & I haven't! Our dog is a puppy & not fully trained yet so I would not take her to a cafe etc.
Of course places differ but where we are there are about 20 cafes that don't allow dogs & 2 that do (& clearly advertise it) so people can make their choice.

Whitewavemark2 Sun 14-Apr-19 22:54:30

What I will say though is that imo the human species is much more of a pariah species than dogs. We are destroying the world in which we all live. Dogs in cafes pales into insignificance in comparison.

Callistemon Sun 14-Apr-19 23:00:13

Silverlining I used to think that it was illegal to take dogs, apart from guide dogs, into places where food was served but apparently it is not.
The other week we went for lunch at a nice farm shop and café and a man on a table across from us sat his medium sized dog on his knee and fed it food from his plate.

A dog under the table or lying quietly in a pub is one thing but that was unacceptable in my view.

Eloethan Sun 14-Apr-19 23:00:50

I like dogs and it wouldn't bother me at all, though continual yapping would.

When we take our dog to a hotel or B&B they generally have rooms that are allocated specifically for people with dogs.

People seem to grumble about so many things these days.

chaffinch Mon 15-Apr-19 07:12:25

But I suppose years ago no one would dream of taking their dog to a restaurant or hotel so no one would be grumbling about that, Eloethan.

Anja Mon 15-Apr-19 07:31:51

Eloethan that is so true ‘people seem to grumble about so many things these days’

Sad isn’t it?

harrigran Mon 15-Apr-19 07:32:04

Any establishment that allows dogs does not get a second visit from us. I walked out of a Michelin starred restaurant in France because a dog at the next table came and snapped at my ankles.

Whitewavemark2 Mon 15-Apr-19 07:33:53

They are much more relaxed about dogs in France.

I’ve even seen a dog sat at the table with its owners being fed from their plates. No one took I blind bit of notice.

Alima Mon 15-Apr-19 07:58:39

Cannot ever remember seeing a dog in a cafe. We haven’t had a dog since our Spaniel died ten years ago. Do remember travelling with her through Wiltshire looking for somewhere to eat. Stopped in Tetbury and saw a pub sign saying “dogs welcome”. Chuffed to bits, stopped for refreshment refreshments and Chloe had a bowl of water under the table. No offence caused to anyone.

Iam64 Mon 15-Apr-19 08:11:32

Dogs went everywhere in the past chaffinch. My grandparents dog didn't have a lead, he just followed us into town, including hopping on and off the bus. He came round the market and into the cafe for lunch. There was so little traffic children and dogs had much more freedom than they do now. They were probably less anxious and fitted into life ore easily as a result

sodapop Mon 15-Apr-19 08:28:20

There is a lot of truth in what you say Iam64 also there were less dogs bred for their looks etc than there are now. There seems to be little thought given to temperament when cross breeding dogs today.

Iam64 Mon 15-Apr-19 08:38:26

sodapop - I agree with your comment about temperament. Yes, there are some lovely (for example) poodle crosses but many have temperament or health problems.
I'm not joining the bash 'designer' dogs gang, its tedious but so is the mythology perpetuated by the press that poodle crosses don't shed, are easy to train, always good with children etc etc.

Kittye Mon 15-Apr-19 09:05:19

Oh dear ! all I can say to most of you is don’t go to Norfolk.
It’s the most dog friendly place I know. We take our dogs there for that reason. We’ve taken them into eating places and they’ve been really well behaved, just lay down at our feet and been no bother at all. We’ve been in places where very badly behaved children have been screaming and running around while parents sit there talking on playing with their phones. It’s all down to the owners ( or parents ) of naughty dogs or children to keep them under control.

Deedaa Mon 15-Apr-19 17:52:26

We took two Border Collies into the Cafe De Paris in Monte Carlo and no one was at all bothered. Also took them round a museum and everyone seemed to think it was quite normal.

sodapop Mon 15-Apr-19 19:25:49

And your point is ?

Mycatisahacker Tue 16-Apr-19 21:00:05

God where do some of you live?

Out local beautiful pubs are dog central. In the bars obviously not the restaurant but you can eat in the bar.

Much rather see a few dogs than kids.

But I love dogs grin

Callistemon Tue 16-Apr-19 22:04:07

I like (most) dogs too and seeing a dog snoozing under the table or in front of the fire in a pub is lovely.

But I was not keen on seeing a dog sitting on its owner's knee in a café being fed from the table then snuffling around in the plate of food.

Perhaps it is just me that thought this was not acceptable then.

Anja Tue 16-Apr-19 22:14:09

Callistemon so long as it wasn’t your plate of food I wouldn’t worry.

Also most cafes and restaurants have very hot, efficient industrial dishwashers which is why you rarely see a pattern on plates on these places.

Mycatisahacker Tue 16-Apr-19 22:16:05

Wouldn’t bother me anymore than seeing a toddler with a runny nose wiping it on their fingers and touching the table. Apparently research shows that the average mans beard has more bacteria on them than the average dirty dog. grin

Humans are pretty gross. Dogs are lovely and their best point? They can’t talk grin

Moocow Tue 16-Apr-19 22:50:23

I don't like it but understand needs must for the owners. However like cafés with people taking up a whole table with their laptop and long finished cup of coffee I rarely include coffee stops in my outings now. Saving a lot of money!

BlueBelle Wed 17-Apr-19 00:00:41

I don’t understand why the doggie people on here keep quoting good behaviour, it’s nothing to do with the dogs behaviour I totally trust that most people bringing a dog into a cafe or restaurant will bring a well behaved dog it’s the fact that dogs however clean have a doggie smell they can slobber they can wash their bits they can shake themselves In my experience they are fed and drink off the plates and saucers (as I said I watched happening in an earlier post) There’s nothing wrong with sitting in an outside area or garden with your dog but in a confined indoor space ..no
I ve yet to see a man with a beard clean his bits in public and although I don’t doubt it could happen I ve as yet not watched a child with a runny nose sniff on the table cloth

Eloethan Wed 17-Apr-19 00:55:45

Well, the answer is simple really. Just don't go in anywhere that allows dogs if you don't like it. It won't be a major issue for you because most eating establishments don't allow dogs.

Anja Wed 17-Apr-19 07:09:10

I have never seen anyone feed their dog off a plate in a cafe.

And yes, the answer is simple.....if I have my dog with me I ask ‘is it ok to bring Fido in?’ So I suggest others do the same and ask ‘are dogs allowed in here?’ and if the answer is ‘yes’ then find other watering hole.

sodapop Wed 17-Apr-19 08:30:30

I am most definitely a doggy person but I agree with BlueBelle, dogs are fine in outdoor areas but not in confined indoor ones. We dog owners should not inflict our pets on others who often have good reason to dislike them.
In response to Eleothan and Anja I would say that cafes and restaurants are for humans not canines.

Iam64 Wed 17-Apr-19 08:38:27

If the place states dogs are welcome, those of you who don't like dogs indoors have an easy choice, don't go in. Those of us who want/have to keep our dogs with us will obviously choose establishments that welcome dogs. I know, I've already posted similar comments but it really isn't complicated.
Dogs who are taken about with their people are rarely smelly or badly behaved because they'll be bathed, groomed, trained properly . Like Anja I have never ever seen a dog eating from a plate of human food.
Another issue is that many holiday lets that take dogs, do not want the dogs left alone in the accommodation. British weather isn't always conducive to sitting outside whilst you eat.