Dogs everywhere

Emmeline19

I have two children and a dog . Have to say I’ve had worse experiences with other people’s children than I’ve ever had with dogs in cafes and restaurants. Since 36% of households in the UK own at least one dog , looks like we are still a nation of dog lovers . A lot of business to lose if you exclude dogs from cafes etc . Never had a problem myself .

🫶

Susieq62

Well behaved dogs children are fine by me! It is the owners/parents who I complain about!
In a cafe/ restaurant manners are vital , no dogs on chairs or tables ! Children should have good manners , ours did!
People need to pick up after their dogs as well and not hang bags of dog poo from trees !
All cafes and restaurants should have dog free zones ! Problem solved !!

Yes, great compromise.

Nice to have a thread to express our feelings about dogs being in pubs, coffee shops and restaurants in particular. In our local coffee shop there are often a few dogs barking loudly at each other and straining to get at each other. This in a confined space where people are trying to carry trays etc. It would be lovely to have places where dogs are not allowed.

I do agree, not happy with dogs in restaurants. Also lack of consideration for other members of the public, dog owners with long leads not being aware that their dog is wandering everywhere and in danger of tripping up other pedestrians. Chatting to other dog owners blocking the pavement for pedestrians & pushchairs. My son was attacked whilst running at Christmas, dog gouging his hands and legs was off the lead, owner said it was 'being friendly'

My dog is my best friend. I don’t take him to shops. If I could afford a holiday I’d look for a dog friendly hotel or airbnb. Not all are. We eat out at a local dog friendly eatery. There are plenty that don’t allow dogs. I’d trust my dog over most strangers these days.

Riversidegirl. I can assure you there is a purpose to filming the dogs. Popularity. We had a film crew filming my son and I went to bring one of the dogs in as he is a rather lively character. Oh no was the reply dogs are very popular and quite a time was spent filming him Ok I might be biased but he is loved by all who meet him and he can be funny

275men

Totally, utterly, wholeheartedly, one million percent agree. Dogs in eateries is a no! Dogs off leads is a no! Dogs worrying sheep is a no!

I take issue, dogs in eateries is debatable but it's reasonable to think "no". Dogs worrying sheep has always been a "no".
A blanket "No" to any dogs off leads in this country? What about sniffer dogs, sheepdogs, police dogs, and retired of those the same? We've always had dogs off leads in this country.
Yes I agree there may be an issue with some owners not training their dogs properly but you cannot demonize every dog owner who walks their dog off-lead in appropriate spaces with the neccessary knowledge and command of their dog. You're lucky you don't live here where I have been taking note & at least 75% of dogs are off lead in the park fields & woods adjacent to our home & don't cause problems (the occasional reactive dog is on lead, as they should be).

I can't bear it! Smelly wet dogs in cafes nudging my arm to get a bit of cake. Dog hairs everywhere. Not to mention visiting anyone with a dog...jumping up at you with sharp claws, not great as I take blood thinners so can bleed quickly if skin is broken. Constantly trying to jump on your lap and practically knocking the cup of tea out of your hand. Not to mention the great long leads that you can't always see and can trip over. I note the dogs never try to sit on the owners lap always the visitors. I feel like I've been on an assault course visiting anyone with a dog. They even ask can I bring the dog if I come to you. Luckily I live in a flat so use that as an excuse. Naff off! Are they taking the piss?

I think you are being a bit intolerent..they are great company..just because you dont like them..I dont like cats..they crap in my garden..but I respect that people like them..

I once asked a dog loving but bat hating friend how she would feel if she came to visit me and when I opened the front door bats flew all over her body discharging dubious bodily fluids and getting caught in her hair and then I said -

"oh, don't worry, they're just trying to be friendly, once they get to know you they'll probably leave you alone".

She got it then.

My daughter and I have both been attacked by dogs - a boxer dog jumped into my pram when I was 13 months old and I still have the facial scar. My daughter was innocently walking to the station to go to work when a woman opened a car door and a rotweiller jumped out and viciously attacked her. She was hospitalised and remains traumatised 20 years on.

We both avoid dogs like the plague, but we do understand that other people do like them.

Just please don't expect us to like them. Allowing them to jump at me and slobber all over me because they apparently want to be friends with me is unacceptable and selfish.

Wow, just wow! Where do some of you people live? It sounds like an absolute nightmare of a place. Come to where I live. Dogs are walked politely, the shops aren't full of hairy beasts and the pubs welcome dogs but have areas where you definitely won't meet a dog although you might meet a hairy local.

Actually, no, don't come here. We're a rural community, pretty tolerant of unruly kids but very intolerant of unruly dogs because we understand quite a bit about animals and how they behave. When I, a city girl, arrived here over 25 years ago, I bought our first border terrier from a local farmer who was the local hunt terrier man. (sorry to all you folks who disapprove of hunting) he let me have one of his pups on condition that he helped me train it. He certainly knew his dogs, he'd been a judge at Crufts and what he didn't know about training dogs, tbh wasn't worth knowing. He was also an experienced horseman but that's another story. There's absolutely no need for anyone to have to deal with dogs jumping on their laps, trying to eat from the table in a restaurant, tripping people up because they are on extender leads. They just have the misfortune to be owned by people who don't understand how to train them, just like when i spend an hour in a railway carriage with children creating mayhem, or in a restaurant listening to children screaming or running around, I put the blame where it belongs, with the responsible adult!

Well said, foxie48! At the end of the day, it's not the dogs who are the problem, it's thoughtless, selfish and ignorant owners. And as I've been at pains to point out, we're not all like that. Most of us are actually very responsible and do take others into consideration.

I adore dogs . I've always had them. They bring great joy. I love to see them anywhere and everywhere. Always stop to have a chat.

Humans are nowhere near as much fun. And children can be hugely annoying. And I've got 4 of my own and 4 grandchildren so I'm not a childless dog lady

Wow, just wow! Where do some of you people live? It sounds like an absolute nightmare of a place. Come to where I live.

😂

Come to where I live too!
I'm on the coast. OK our dogs frolic on the beach and get a bit salty-smelling from the sea water, but once in the town they are kept under control and don't jump on laps, lick plates in cafés, or tie people up in extendable leads. If you walk by the river then you have to accept they might come and shake next to you, but they don't bark loudly in pubs and chase around under tables.

The Sunday Times calls my town "genteel". Seeing as more than an average number of people have a dog which they take out with them, I can only assume that our four legged friends here are better behaved than those in other parts of the country, or maybe their owners are!

foxie48

Wow, just wow! Where do some of you people live? It sounds like an absolute nightmare of a place. Come to where I live. Dogs are walked politely, the shops aren't full of hairy beasts and the pubs welcome dogs but have areas where you definitely won't meet a dog although you might meet a hairy local.

Actually, no, don't come here. We're a rural community, pretty tolerant of unruly kids but very intolerant of unruly dogs because we understand quite a bit about animals and how they behave. When I, a city girl, arrived here over 25 years ago, I bought our first border terrier from a local farmer who was the local hunt terrier man. (sorry to all you folks who disapprove of hunting) he let me have one of his pups on condition that he helped me train it. He certainly knew his dogs, he'd been a judge at Crufts and what he didn't know about training dogs, tbh wasn't worth knowing. He was also an experienced horseman but that's another story. There's absolutely no need for anyone to have to deal with dogs jumping on their laps, trying to eat from the table in a restaurant, tripping people up because they are on extender leads. They just have the misfortune to be owned by people who don't understand how to train them, just like when i spend an hour in a railway carriage with children creating mayhem, or in a restaurant listening to children screaming or running around, I put the blame where it belongs, with the responsible adult!

What makes you so sure that the place you live is full of totally responsible owners and perfect dogs? There’s certain to be some problems with dogs/ owners because they are everywhere.
Very few dogs seem to be trained and far too many are allowed off lead.I haven’t been hurt by a dog as yet but many times have been angry when an enthusiastic dog jumps up at me with muddy paws.The owners invariably laugh it off.

ViceVersa

Well said, foxie48! At the end of the day, it's not the dogs who are the problem, it's thoughtless, selfish and ignorant owners. And as I've been at pains to point out, we're not all like that. Most of us are actually very responsible and do take others into consideration.

But it is the dogs that are the problem ( tho I know what you mean) it isn’t the owners jumping at us and depositing mud on us or sniffing and snarling as we walk past or biting us, it’s the dogs.

I like dogs and used to have one years ago, and was even thinking that when I retire we may get one, but between all the cons mentioned above plus the danger posed to a small dog by other dogs when out walking it, I don’t think we will do.

Oreo

ViceVersa

Well said, foxie48! At the end of the day, it's not the dogs who are the problem, it's thoughtless, selfish and ignorant owners. And as I've been at pains to point out, we're not all like that. Most of us are actually very responsible and do take others into consideration.

But it is the dogs that are the problem ( tho I know what you mean) it isn’t the owners jumping at us and depositing mud on us or sniffing and snarling as we walk past or biting us, it’s the dogs.

But if those dogs had been properly trained and were being properly supervised by those owners, then they wouldn't be a problem in the first place. And mine does none of those things...

I love seeing folk in the village out walking their dogs. It’s a very sociable activity and dogs are a great ice breaker. The majority of dogs are reasonably well trained when I’m out walking mine. I have only once come across a snappy dog off lead at a local park - not bad in thirteen years, I think. Anyone with an extendable lead usually has not trained their animal and the leads are dangerous and cause accidents. Once there was a barking dog in a smart cafe which was annoying for everyone. Generally I think dogs aren’t really much of a nuisance. I prefer them to women who talk loudly in restaurants clearly believing we are all interested in their conversation. 😊

but once in the town they are kept under control and don't jump on laps, lick plates in cafés
It was in a local farm shop where I saw a man lift his dog on to his knee and let him finish his meal and thoroughly lick the plate. Certainly not a rough area!
I vaguely recognised the man, could have been from church.

Allira

^but once in the town they are kept under control and don't jump on laps, lick plates in cafés^
It was in a local farm shop where I saw a man lift his dog on to his knee and let him finish his meal and thoroughly lick the plate. Certainly not a rough area!
I vaguely recognised the man, could have been from church.

Yuck!

Talking of church, many cathedrals have recently changed their policy to become dog-friendly, Salisbury,Chichester,Bristol,Canterbury to mention a few. They welcome well-behaved non assistance dogs to regular services. I think Winchester (?) does too, though I'm not sure they get invited to tea and coffee with The Dean afterwards. God forbid they'd lick the plates!

Oh yes, I forgot, and Tewkesbury Abbey has two black labs that meet and greet the congregation!!

275men

Totally, utterly, wholeheartedly, one million percent agree. Dogs in eateries is a no! Dogs off leads is a no! Dogs worrying sheep is a no!

Are you suggesting that dogs should never be allowed to run? Obviously dogs should be allowed off lead in open land, parks, beaches etc, anything else would be cruel

Glad to read this post - thought it was just me being an old grouch who hates dogs in eating establishments. When I am out walking too - when a dog off the lead jumps up at me, only for the owner to say “he wont hurt you”!,

I think businesses are free to choose their customers and individuals are free to choose which businesses they support. If you think a catering business is in breach of hygiene regulations, then report them.