Dogs everywhere

i am very uneasy with the ides of preferring dogs to children on the basis that dogs give them unconditional love. To me it shows a lack of self respect. It suggests someone feels inadequate and unable to deal with real people with faults and foibles just like them and wants to retreat to a world where they only have to talk to people who agree with them.

Sounds very dull.

Dogs should be treated as dogs. We were sitting outside a cafe on holiday once and a couple had two dogs. The woman went to the loo and the dogs were wimpering and agitated. The man said 'It's ok. Mummy won't be long'.

Well that's out of order obviously.

Kate1949 try living in a tourist area. I have had several meals out some special occasions ruined by children running around, shouting ,impeding waiting staff whilst parents sit oblivious drinking their wine. They are on holiday and it's not their local.

I love dogs but we choose not to have one now. I always say hello to the dogs I meet but refrain from touching or stroking. Sometimes the owners speak as well some don't. My friend tells me that when she is walking her dog its her 'quiet' time and she doesn't want to speak to anyone. (BTW I speak to cows, sheep and horses too).I told her a smile costs nothing. I really don't like them being allowed in restaurants and I must say our local Wetherspoons is not too busy on the time we go. Its nice not to have dogs barking, sniffing and being fed from the table - which makes me gag. The annoying things here is the the front gardens are open plan and the owners think its Ok to let the dogs wee on the ornamental bushes and trees which die after a time. she bang on our window and shout - they have got to know us now.

Where are all these feral children people seem to see? We go to pubs and restaurants a lot and rarely encounter them. Comparing dogs to children is ridiculous.

And people preferring dogs to people? I just don't understand that one at all...
I admit, that's me. I'd choose dogs over people any day of the week. Dogs give unconditional love and ask for so little in return. They never let you down, unlike humans.
Ours have always been well trained and no bother to anyone. We only ever take our dog into a cafe/restaurant/pub if we are out and about in our motorhome, and we always make sure the establishment in question is dog friendly beforehand. He sits quietly beside us and bothers no-one - we've often been complimented on how well behaved he is.

I stay in hotels often and have never had an issue with dogs.

However I do think dogs have become an industry and big business as well as an emotional prop, an exercise tool and an status symbol.

I recently joined a walking group but have found there are always dogs and I feel unable to ask for dog- free walks as people just assume you'll be ok with it and if you aren't then you must be a horrible person.

And people preferring dogs to people? I just don't understand that one at all...

Yes, I'm childless by choice.

Yes, I love dogs.

No, I don't like or want kids.

Give me a shop full of doggies any day, most of which are well behaved, to a bunch of screaming, obnoxious Feral Berys and Barmy Berties getting in the way and running around!

And when I'm in the public toilet, a lot of Berys, when they go to the loo in various businesses, don't bother flushing, or washing their hands, and some absolutely wreck the loo by unravelling all the loo roll and dumping it on the floor, on the seats, in the loo, on shelves etc. I've never seen dogs doing that!

We eat out quite often as well as staying in hotels very rarely have I seen a dog apart from one hotel in York and the owners dog in a hotel we use in Jersey.
A few of the local pubs allow dogs but only in the bar not the restaurant.
I have no problem with dogs usually the problem is at the other end of the lead.

ROMILO

I am a dog lover but I don't think dogs should be allowed everywhere. For most of our long married life we have always had a dog, sometimes two who were much loved members of the family.
During all that time I have never taken my dog into a restaurant or a shop. Occasionally on a holiday walk we would sit outside a pub for a drink. I have never dressed it up like a baby or a pantomime character. Dogs deserve a bit of dignity!
However given a choice between a well behaved dog on a lead and the feral, unsupervised and noisy children that seem to be everywhere these days I know which I would choose.

I love dogs and I used to have three or four of them . I've had many different breeds and rescue dogs
They co - existed with my cats and slept in the basket together.

Now I can't go into a cafe without people bringing their doggie doodles with them.
And I hate it when they feed them at the table or put their plates on the floor.

I met one of my friends last week .
Her dog has become her baby - talked to constantly and fed unsuitable tidbits all the time from her plate and I felt embarrassed when she put her plate on the floor of the cafe for her dog to lick.
The cafe owner looked appalled.

The dog does exactly what she likes .
Their house is full of dog toys and the huge reception area has a carpet ,which is saturated in urine .
She rushes across roads to greet other dogs and refuses to return .
Last month,she was hit by a car and luckily escaped with minor injuries and her owner with a huge bill .

I've tried to suggest ways of training her .
She doesn't want to take her to classes or consult an expert -I think due to the cost .

My friend does what she always does when she doesn't want to listen to me - her eyes glaze over and she doesn't answer.

Unless things change ,it's just a matter of time before her dog is killed by one of the many speeding vehicles ,who use our road as a shortcut .

I know a woman who has several rescues from Eastern Europe. It has taken her years to train them to stop barking with separation anxiety. And, they smell!

The local town where I do most of my shopping is a dog friendly zone, and generally the dogs are well-behaved, but not so the owners. The pavements are narrow, some owners bring two or three dogs together, meet friends with a similar number and stop to chat, completely blocking the pavement, dangerous because the one way system means there is always traffic in the equally narrow roads and no space to squeeze past.
There is a resident who has up to five dogs at a time, of the small yapping variety, the sort who jump up at or on you, skitter round endlessly and yap the minute anyone moves. Harmless, but irritating, particularly when in the pub or cafe.

On New Year's Eve she was heard bawling abuse out of her bedroom window about the five minute firework display in a neighbouring garden at midnight. A response on Facebook referred to the dogs' incessant yapping which was tolerated by all, to which she has taken great exception; she is now trying to get fireworks banned entirely.

I couldn’t agree more. On the train from Durham to London recently, a woman let her quite large (something)-doodle sit upright in the seat next to her. The young man who had been sitting there (he’d been to the loo) threw his hands up in the air and walked off. Luckily the train wasn’t full. The dog then proceeded to stare at my sandwich as if to beg. I was really irritated and hoped the guard might do something about it, but no such luck …

I like dogs, but not badly trained or over indulged ones.

I am a dog lover but I don't think dogs should be allowed everywhere. For most of our long married life we have always had a dog, sometimes two who were much loved members of the family.
During all that time I have never taken my dog into a restaurant or a shop. Occasionally on a holiday walk we would sit outside a pub for a drink. I have never dressed it up like a baby or a pantomime character. Dogs deserve a bit of dignity!
However given a choice between a well behaved dog on a lead and the feral, unsupervised and noisy children that seem to be everywhere these days I know which I would choose.

I walk with a friend once a week, her dog comes with us.

She has him on a long lead, he weaves about from one side to another. Consequently, we can’t walk side by side, (some of the paths are narrow). I am always having to watch where I walk as it’s easy to trip over his lead. He gets the damn lead taffled round his own legs. When he does a poo, it often gets on the lead. 💩

As she scoops it into a bag, I think ‘well, rather you than me’.

* friends dogs locked in another room!

Erica23

Yes I agree. I have two friends that are absolute slaves to their dogs they turn down invitations often and now seem quite depressed.
I’m allergic to them too, as are many members of my family, but it doesn’t seem to matter about us, I have to take an antihistamine to visit them.

That’s awful I’m guessing with an allergy even if those friends were locked into another room, which is what I do when those who don’t like dogs visit us, you’d still suffer.

Arrange to meet them somewhere else? After all it is the dogs home

Ooops Groomers! Please please can we have an edit button

Gran22boys

It’s gone too far. We even have a shop here totally devoted to dogs. Another one sells flapjack for dogs! It’s absurd. Dogs have always been allowed in pubs and I’m fine with that but they should not be allowed in restaurants or cafes. It’s quite disgusting. Let’s face it, they sniff the rear ends of other dogs. A cafe near here which has a beautiful garden does not allow dogs and the owners have been on the receiving end of awful reviews because of their stance on dogs. They told us that bags of dog faeces have been left on their doorstep. It’s vile.

We have a great dog grommets, which we regularly use, next door they’ve cleverly opened a “dog cafe” for owners either to wait in or have a cuppa with their dog either before or after their dog is groomed.

I love both places, but only mad dog owners such as us in our house would appreciate this.

Yes I agree. I have two friends that are absolute slaves to their dogs they turn down invitations often and now seem quite depressed.
I’m allergic to them too, as are many members of my family, but it doesn’t seem to matter about us, I have to take an antihistamine to visit them.

Sarnia

Blame Boris. Get a dog, he said. And here we are.

I happen to like dogs but can see the OP's point that they are everywhere. Boisterous dogs are as irritating as boisterous children in places like cafes and restaurants but often those in charge seem oblivious to their bad behaviour.

I agree 100%

Sadly, thanks Boris, so many “covid” dogs ended up in rescue refuges or otherwise rid off!

BTW There are still plenty of hotels and restaurants NOT allowing dogs, do a bit of a google first before booking, hopefully you’ll be dog free.

We love dogs and always had one until our last dog died, now we are too old and caring for my husband means I just can’t care for a dog as well, thankfully our dear cat Bags doesn’t need as much attention.
But I agree totally, things really have gone too far and is not to the dogs advantage to sit and pant under a restaurant table for any length of time, or to be restricted in a hotel.
This is all about making more money and dog owners make for a lucrative market.
But do not be under any illusion that these places are dog friendly, they are dog owner friendly, the only dog friendly places are the great outdoors and their own home.