Dogs in cafes

Fennel

It’s essential to take a puppy out to socialise him/her with people and other dogs. Maybe were you quite rural so didn’t have the opportunity to take your dogs out and about?

At our local pubs it’s dog central to be honest people look out of place without one

I admit my experience of being a dog owner is rather limited.
Just the 2 border collies we had in France. Neither of them was particularly good with children, and the male would fight any other male dog, no trouble.
My parents had terriers and they loved a fight, and hated cats. Like Montmorency in 3 Men in a Boat.
I certainly wouldn't have taken any of them into a restaurant.

Fennel - very few dogs are likely to fight or urinate/deficate in cafe's. Honestly!

Similarly, dogs are so unlikely to snap at a child walking past, especially a dog who has been brought into a cafe.

I'm just back from 4 hours at a park which was full of families, many of whom had dogs with them. I didn't see or hear any issues between children and dogs or between the various dogs. I was stopped several times and asked if children could stroke my dogs. It's great to see so many parents instilling manners as well as common sense into their young children. My two are rock solid around children.
All the dogs were on lead, as requested.

Rottweillers aren't banned in this country. I wouldn't have one as a pet or indeed as a guard dog but I know several lovely Rotties

Well if dogs started fighting or weeing most owners would act! And I expect they would leave the cafe. Just like if your kid has a massive tantrum or poos on the floor. You leave

I'm also of the view that a higher proportion of dogs compared with children in cafes are well behaved and quiet - give me dogs any day! (and I'm a cat person by nature).

I agree with Siverlining, even though I like (most) dogs.
But what if another dog came into the restaurant and they began to fight? Or one of them started to pee to show his territory and the other followed?
However well trained, this could happen.

FarNorth

You ask just like dog owners do.

God yes far rather see w dog than a toddler by my table

Brattish children with overindulgent parents

I went in a café the other day in a very nice small market town. After about 20 minutes an elderly couple near me got up to leave, and it was only then I then realised they had a beautiful "lassie" type collie dog with them. She just sat under the table as good as gold. No licking or eating scraps.

Likewise I went in a dog friendly pub with relatives, who had a yorkshire terrier - again she curled up on the floor and not a peep from her.

I am a cat person mainly, but do like dogs. I think café owners should enforce the "only clean well behaved dogs" rule, which means no feeding them, and remove them if they start barking etc. There could be a sign up to this effect.

To be honest, it is often rather brattish children I have more of a problem with. You can almost hear the sigh of relief when they go!

FarNorth- simple enough to ask. We never expect to be allowed in, and always ask politely.

Callimeston - yes, indeed. We had decided not to have another dog- but found ourselves in an impossible situation where we knew Emma would be put down. I expect that in future, post Emma (bless her she is nearly 14- but fit as a butcher's and runs like a greyhound still) - we will look after other peoples' cats and dogs for short stays, as we have the ideal place here to do that.

I can imagine the day when we will be too old for the responsibility of having a dog
We've decided it wouldn't be fair to have another dog now besides which we go away to visit family and kennel fees would be extortionate. However, I look forward to seeing family dogs and am going to meet a friend's new dog this afternoon.
It's rather like having grandchildren, enjoy them when you have them but heave a sigh of relief when they go (or we go home).

Not so simple if there is no sign to indicate one way or the other.

Why shouldn’t people take their dogs to dog friendly places? If you don’t like dogs go to cafes and restaurants that ban dogs.

Simple

not a dog as well

That made me laugh. God you were brave though to do that journey with a dog and kids. How nice to find a Good Samaritan to help you.

We all have different likes &dislikes Grammaretto many people dislike dogs so should not have to put up with them in cafes & restaurants.
I understand that dog owners on GN have well trained dogs but this is frequently not the case elsewhere. Why can your dog /s not remain at home when you go out.

There are certainly, as this thread shows, people who adore dogs and others who don't.
Another anecdote, sorry, I was travelling by train from London with 2 small children and a nervous whippet who was sweet natured but would whimper if she wasn't beside us at all times. We found a table seat with the dog underneath.
A woman asked if she could sit next to us but then she jumped up shrieking "not a dog as well!"
Another elderly single traveller came along and asked if the seat was free.
This time I warned her about the dog. "Oh how lovely" was her response.
She proceeded to help with boys and dog all the way to Scotland.

No animal dog or cat should he left with any child alone.

However I love dogs and to me a pub or a cafe isn’t a nice place without dogs. Kids I can do without!

We were at a campsite in France once and a ferocious looking Rottweiler was between our tent and the loos.
DM who was of a nervous disposition found the owner and asked if the dog could be kept under control adding that such breeds were illegal in our country. This is not your country came the reply.

There was a dog expert on TV the other day after that poor child was killed by a dog. Obviously he was a dog lover and dog owner. He said never, ever leave a child alone with a dog of any size. I know I have gone off topic, but he said dogs can be unpredictable. It's all very well to say 'he/she won't hurt you'. You can't know that for sure. Dogs scare me after a few incidents.

I'm ambivalent about dogs in general and children unless they are mine.
We were at the Eden Project recently where they now allow dogs due to falling visitor numbers.
Why do people have armfulls of dogs?
I don't think they were allowed in the areas serving food. The dogs, that is, not the children.

Went to Whitby earlier this year, the place was crawling with dogs, neaarly every shop, cafe, restaurant etc allowed them in, I was with my autistic grandchild, who fortunately didn't have a meltdown ( having been attacked by a dog a couple of years previously)

None of the establishments round our way have signs to say dogs welcome or not.
The other day, though, I was in a café where there were large dogs at two tables.
Both looked restless and I was worried as we walked past with our 5yr old DGD in case a sudden movement from her might cause a dog to snap.
Luckily that didn't happen so we only had a few barks to tolerate during the meal.
(Unruly children can also be a problem but are very unlikely to give a nasty bite.)

Same here Alexa- I can imagine the day when we will be too old for the responsibility of having a dog- and when I would be so happy and grateful to see dogs when I go out and be allowed to stroke them. Emma is a brilliant dog with the elderly- when we host the village 'oldies' luncheon 1x a month- Emma always comes after the meal to say hello to everyone, and for some of the residents of the OAP home- it is the one thing they really really look forward to.

Went for lunch in a local French restaurant yesteray- packed out, so we asked if Emma was allowed. Of course, was the answer- she lay down in her bed and didn't budge or the whole time. when an older gentleman came to sit at the next door, she raised her head and I asked him if he minded her or I would put her in the car. Not at all he said, and asked if he could come and say hello, and she was delighted, and so was he- where on earth is the problem? As said, if he had said 'sorry I don't like dogs- we would have offered to put her the other side or put her in the car.

Again, bad dog owners give us all a bad name. I would never let a dog of mine go to people unless they had made it clear they didn't mind, let alone let her jump up, etc.

Oh dear, I think I'd much rather sit in a cafe with a dog than most of the posters on here...

Nonetheless, Silverlining expresses an abhorrence that many share. I believe that there is a sign here that the hospitality industry needs to provide both sorts of cafe thereby making the high street more interesting for a variety of people.