Dogs in coffee shops

Katjoy
How nice to hear this.

I'm pleased that dogs in cafés gives you pleasure as obviously it's becoming more common and lots of us don't like it. It's good to hear there are benefitsfor other café users (not just the dog's owners).
Thanks for pointing it out.

I'm sorry for the loss of your little friend.

I do like dogs in general and have been a dog owner. However, I just do not think they should be sniffing around food.
Therefore I am anti dogs in cafés.

I was sitting outside our local community cafe when I was bitten last week. It's always been OK to have a dog outside and we put water out for dogs.
Recently, the dog lobby have persuaded management to allow dogs at the front of the shop, indoors at dog-friendly tables.
This was supposed to be a trial, but it looks like the dog lobby are winning.

In France it is quite common to see dogs in restaurants and no-one seems to mind (except British tourists perhaps). Why are attitudes so different?

We have always had dogs but don’t take them to cafes or restaurants, these places may be called dog friendly but dogs imho prefer to be walking or running and generally having a good doggy time. Instead of sitting under a table, leash tied to the leg, panting and getting bored whilst the owner enjoys what we humans like to do.
Is not necessary to take our dogs everywhere, and quite honestly not always fair.

Slightly off subject but some dog owners assume everyone loves their dog. A near neighbour has a very large Alsatian dog. When he lets the dog out of the car or brings it back from a walk as he enters our cul de sac he lets it off the lead and the dog makes a bee line to anyone outside. I was getting shopping out of my car and it jumped up at me and knocked me backwards, luckily I landed on the back of my car. The owner said “he’s just playing”. I told him “I don’t like your dog keep it away from me”. I do like dogs and both my sons have dogs but they don’t weigh as much as me or knock me over.

We had the misfortune to be in a pleasant cafe when the people next to us brought a large hairy dog in and plonked him at the side of our table. We paid our bill and left. We didn’t complain because he didn’t do anything wrong but we wouldn’t go there again.

We took a dog into a family friendly pub yesterday afternoon in Leamington Spa because it was too horribly drizzly and windy to be outside. We asked first of course.

Then we ordered tea (very reasonable) and when other family arrived we ordered a late lunch.
No fuss, luckily lots of room to sit in separate booth type benches, all so friendly and they loved the dog because she seems to smile, everyone including kids says so.

Wetherspoon pubs don’t allow dogs on any part of their premises, gardens or even car parks.
So …many do many don’t.
It was a better option than leaving the dog at home and having to rush back home.
I’ve noticed many cafes don’t ban dogs now and charity shops and quite recently our Waterstones has a dogs welcome sign on the door.
The times they are a changing,- maybe because the “foot- fall is decreasing? - unless you count drugged up/innebriates making unpleasant scenes in the middle of our towns.

However there do seem to be many many more untrained or just unsocialised/large breeds of dog, or more aggressive dogs of any size … (some little ones can be yappy and snappy- “small dog syndrome” ? )
I hope I never have a grumpy, none smiling dog on my hands but they’ll all get old or ill eventually plus there are many more rescue dogs around and because of past trauma an owner can never be too confident.
I am about 99% sure of mine just as I was her 2 predecessors.
I never take them for granted.
If someone whether child or adult is afraid or allergic for example I’d just keep away from them. I am not one for “
“ramming” them down peoples throats.
But having said that she really does get a phenomenal amount of attention from complete strangers through even the most fleeting encounters.
It always amazes me because as a single parent of two children I don’t recall half this much attention or admiration directed towards them. Funny old world ain’t it.

I had the misfortune to work the other week in a very small room with a very nice lady who absolutely stank of dog I felt physically sick and it was a horrible few hours. She had no idea

As I ve said many times I don’t hate dogs I ve owned them before but never taken them shopping or to cafes
Sometimes we can get three or more at the same time in our charity shop some whine because they re bored, some smell because they ve just come from a walk on the beach, some are in pushchairs, some just don’t want to be there, most behave well but they should be outside or preferably at home

With the huge amounts spent on owning a dog they have now risen in status and we are expected to love and adore everyone’s dog and accept them everywhere
I love animals and fully understand the value of pets but they have a place in the world and it shouldn’t be in shops or cafes

she really does get a phenomenal amount of attention from complete strangers through even the most fleeting encounters

This is what I find amazing. I wouldn’t dream of speaking to, touching, stroking, a stranger’s dog, no matter how sweet and cuddly. The same with babies that I don’t know. Why would I coo and simper over someone else’s baby?

People hardly look at, speak or acknowledge folk they don’t know. But somehow if they have a dog, it’s all different?

🤷‍♀️🐶

I don’t allow my dogs to meet n greet other on lead dogs. I take the same approach with people. Most dogs love and demand attention and it really isn’t helping their behaviour if every stranger wants tell the dog how adorable it is. My enormous lab suffers from - aren’t o gorgeous cuddle me -syndrome. He needs no encouragement to expect everyone to adore him 🐕

Responsible dog owners, on the whole, are lovely friendly people who keep their dogs in good health, ie deflead, wormed, vaccinated and well groomed.

I think signs should be should be put clearly stating whether dogs are welcome, outside the establishment, so those not in favour can go elsewhere. There’s still plenty of eateries not welcoming dogs.

As for the hygiene aspect, that doesn’t worry me as much as the state of some commercial kitchens.

Having said all that, we wouldn’t take any of our dogs into cafes, two would bark and bark and one isn’t keen on other dogs! So my caveat is it must be calm, well behaved dogs in any of these places.

We spent a few days in Dumfries and Galloway last week in our motorhome. Just across from the lovely campsite, right on the bay, was a great little pub and, a few doors along from it, a nice little cafe, both of which were advertised as being dog-friendly. We had our black Lab with us and went into both. He's very calm and laidback, and although there were other dogs in both places, he simply laid down under the table and never bothered anyone. It's not something we make a habit of doing - we don't take him into eating places at home, but many campsites don't allow you to leave dogs unattended, so having the option to go out for something to eat with him when we are away is a bit of a treat for us. We also found a lovely farm shop/garden centre which doesn't allow dogs into their indoor cafe (absolutely fair enough!) but they had a great outdoor (although partially covered) 'bothy' area which served fantastic dogs. There were several people with dogs there - none of them causing any nuisance whatsoever. Would that I could have said the same for some of the children I saw, running up and down screaming, even when people were carrying hot food or hot drinks.

Iam64

I don’t allow my dogs to meet n greet other on lead dogs. I take the same approach with people. Most dogs love and demand attention and it really isn’t helping their behaviour if every stranger wants tell the dog how adorable it is. My enormous lab suffers from - aren’t o gorgeous cuddle me -syndrome. He needs no encouragement to expect everyone to adore him 🐕

I so agree with this!
My lab is an assistance dog puppy in training and people either want to fuss him or are very wary of him because of his large size. He has to go in cafes to learn to be anywhere in any circumstances and still only focus on his adult partner or just quietly relax.
He wears a bandana but most people see him and react first then if I’m lucky they see that he is working!
We started outside cafes but now we are inside two local cafes with very understanding staff.
It’s hardest inside and outside the cafe when other people’s dogs are off lead and allowed to approach him. I can’t begin to tell you how hard he’s working at the age of 10 months to look at me instead of sniff them!
That said, the regulars in our parks and cafes are so supportive.

Just avoid cafes and pubs with dogs in surely. I do where children are concerned. If I see a place heaving with unruly, snotty nosed little darlings using it as a playground, I know it's definitely not for me.

My lab is an assistance dog puppy in training and people either want to fuss him or are very wary of him because of his large size. He has to go in cafes to learn to be anywhere in any circumstances and still only focus on his adult partner or just quietly relax.

Ali23 We regularly have police dogs being trained around a local shopping mall. The Customs people were training 'sniffer' dogs recently and I couldn't get over the number of people who by-passed the police and customs people and went straight to cuddle the dog. One man sent his young son over with a handfull of crisps to feed the dog while he was recording it on his camera.

We were watching through a coffee shop window and the senior policeman was facing us and you could tell by the look on his face he wanted to knock the phone out of the man's hand and stamp on it. Instead they all just smiled and led the dog away to a quieter place.

I like dogs but I feel uneasy in public places where they are allowed, I nearly tripped up over one little dog allowed to be on a very long lead in a garden centre and it has put me off going again as I can't relax. I do think it is unhygeinic for dogs to be allowed where there is food, except for guide dogs.

We take our dog into dog friendly cafes, coffee shops, pubs, etc. She sits quietly in the corner or by the side of our table out of the way. Give me dogs over children whinging, crying or running around any day. And yes I have children and a grandchild but they were expected to behave appropriately when in public and did.

I do think it is unhygeinic for dogs to be allowed where there is food, except for guide dogs
Out of interest, why are guide or other assistance dogs deemed to be more hygienic ?

I assume it’s not considered guide and assistance dogs are any more hygienic, but they are trained, on leads, and just look more placid and quiet.

Plus how else would their owners be able to go to cafes etc, which of course is unacceptable.

Calendargirl

I assume it’s not considered guide and assistance dogs are any more hygienic, but they are trained, on leads, and just look more placid and quiet.

Plus how else would their owners be able to go to cafes etc, which of course is unacceptable.

Then why not say so instead of hiding behind the "unhygienic" argument?

Guide and assistance dogs are obviously no more hygienic than other dogs but society accepts their benefit to their owners outweighs hygiene considerations.

Not a dog bite but could happen with a dog, my dd feeds stray cats until they can be picked up n neutered etc. this stray Ferrell cat bit her, the infection started tracking up her arm, had 3 lots antibiotics all her hand knuckle swollen.
End result was, general anaesthetic, wound cut open washed out, overnight stay in hospital n stitches, this was over 7 weeks ago it . So do please keep eye on any bites !

A feral cat is precisely that - wild, not a pet moggy which has had its jabs at the vet and is going to sit on your lap and purr.
And should be treated as such.

Babs03

We have always had dogs but don’t take them to cafes or restaurants, these places may be called dog friendly but dogs imho prefer to be walking or running and generally having a good doggy time. Instead of sitting under a table, leash tied to the leg, panting and getting bored whilst the owner enjoys what we humans like to do.
Is not necessary to take our dogs everywhere, and quite honestly not always fair.

This.

biker gran - my daft lab accidentally caught my wrist as I attempted to pull him back from retaliating at a German shepherd dog that lunged at him aggressively.
It was a minor tooth mark on my wrist. This was Saturday. I went to the pharmacy and bought the covers and cleaning stuff the pharmacist recommended. He said if by monday there was any sign of infection, see my GP
I expected antibiotic cream but my GP prescribed antibiotic tablets specifically for animal bites. He insisted I return in a week or earlier if the small infected area worsened
I had an existing appointment that Friday but the GP I saw insisted I take the dressing off and shoe her the injury. She was pleased but said I’d need anti biotic cream for a week and to return if any sign it wasn’t continuing to respond.
This was one tooth mark, not a deep cut - thankfully it mended and is my only superficial injury in 75 years of living with dogs