Dogs everywhere

CariadAgain - I'm the original poster for this and previously owned dogs and don't hate them. But I'm so sick of the lack of social skills and understanding of "some" - not all - dog owners. On Sunday we went to a local pub to meet with friends for Sunday lunch. Two seperate groups of people near us had yapping whining dogs and both let the dogs sit on the bench/ seat next to them. Dogs' faces were on the tables. They fed them off their plates at the table. A bar man on his break came over and hand fed the dogs some treats, stroked them and spoke to the dogs in a baby voice, and then went back to handling glasses and serving drinks.

If I had been a hygiene inspector I would have raised this issue with the company who run the pub and would have issued a fine.

It is not the dog's fault if the owner or staff treats them like a human. I don't blame or hate the dogs.

But oh and wait a minute.... we don't get fed treats and we don't get brought water to drink while we are deciding what to order - so that is people discrimination isn't it?
I asked at the bar if a dog sausage meal was £1, what was the difference beween a dog sausage and a paying customer sausage? Bar attendant said they are the same type of sausage.
So I said - brilliant, can order a £1 dog sausage with my drink and they said "no" . Go and figure that one out!!!!

I live in a popular seaside resort and lots of people bring dogs on holiday with them, I get that, but it is January and these people are locals. They could walk their dogs and then leave them at home. They don't have to take them to places where we eat.

I've ranted enough now and I know there are mostly good dog owners reading this who agree with me. So I still think I'm not being unreasonable.

Thanks for the good discussion so far. And I don't hate dogs at all. Just don't want to eat and drink with badly behaved spoiled dogs.

gangy5

Up until the late nineties my H and I jointly ran restaurants and hotels. At that time the law was that dogs,with the exclusion of guide dogs, were not permitted in any establishment serving food. I am not aware as to when this legislation lapsed. I personally wish that it was still enforced.

I just checked on that - to see whether pet dogs are now allowed.

It seems they basically are these days - BUT:
"Businesses that allow dogs must ensure:
- no contamination risk
- dogs are well-controlled
- hygiene standards are well-maintained".

So that's something that could be quoted if a bad dog-owner is letting an untrained dog get up to all sorts and the member of staff one tells about it doesn't react appropriately (ie stands there and looks dumb instead).

gangy5

Up until the late nineties my H and I jointly ran restaurants and hotels. At that time the law was that dogs,with the exclusion of guide dogs, were not permitted in any establishment serving food. I am not aware as to when this legislation lapsed. I personally wish that it was still enforced.

It was illegal to have dogs in food preparation and storage areas, but not illegal to have dogs in public areas such as restaurants. It was at owner/manager discretion as to whether they allowed dogs on their premises, or not. Owners/Managers often said it was illegal rather than discretional as it made their lives easier (or they believed they were right). This was the case before the Food Hygiene Act 2013 and remains the case now.

Lathyrus3

I think Tenno, it’s dog owners insistence that we all share in the “joy and companionship” of their dogs that causes the problems.
😬

Yep........

...and, if we're a bit of a forager, = another reason I don't want other peoples dogs around.....as they "go to the loo" everywhere and they may have just "used" a bit of land we are about to forage from to go to the loo on (as so many dog-owners let their dogs run freely around where we are about to go food-picking).

Oreo

Iam64

I stopped at the Tebay service station a couple of months ago. I wanted to buy some of their excellent sausages and more, also to eat in the cafe.

I was pleased to see the now restrict dogs to the foyer and outside areas, not the restaurant. the sign said this change was because they’d learned not all dogs like each other 🤣

Just like people then 😂

Yes, it’s amazing that anyone thinks you can take several dogs, who don’t know each other, have just spent hours travelling in a car, take them into a totally new area, teaming with people, small children and food …….. And be surprised if a few dogs lose their composure.

I stopped at a busy service station during the storm last week. Dogs in the foyer, food area, shops etc with owners letting them meet other dogs on lead. I left my dog in the car ….

It was a bit tongue in cheek Oreo.

I’ve given a wry smile at some of the posts that have said, but everybody loves my dog when I take him along. 😬

It happens with grandchildren too. And partners.

They are sooo lovely you must love them too 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I guess th

Up until the late nineties my H and I jointly ran restaurants and hotels. At that time the law was that dogs,with the exclusion of guide dogs, were not permitted in any establishment serving food. I am not aware as to when this legislation lapsed. I personally wish that it was still enforced.

Lathyrus3

I think Tenno, it’s dog owners insistence that we all share in the “joy and companionship” of their dogs that causes the problems.
😬

Yes exactly.

Iam64

I stopped at the Tebay service station a couple of months ago. I wanted to buy some of their excellent sausages and more, also to eat in the cafe.

I was pleased to see the now restrict dogs to the foyer and outside areas, not the restaurant. the sign said this change was because they’d learned not all dogs like each other 🤣

Just like people then 😂

I live near a very popular beach and there are often FB posts with pictures of dogs that are allowed to run wild on the beach terrorising other dogs, children, and sea birds, while their owner is on their mobile or just scrolling. Or, indeed, not even to be seen!

I stopped at the Tebay service station a couple of months ago. I wanted to buy some of their excellent sausages and more, also to eat in the cafe.

I was pleased to see the now restrict dogs to the foyer and outside areas, not the restaurant. the sign said this change was because they’d learned not all dogs like each other 🤣

Lathyrus3

I think Tenno, it’s dog owners insistence that we all share in the “joy and companionship” of their dogs that causes the problems.
😬

'Some' dog owners, perhaps. It's certainly not all of us.

I think Tenno, it’s dog owners insistence that we all share in the “joy and companionship” of their dogs that causes the problems.
😬

Not many on here have spoken about the joy and companionship dogs give to owners who live alone . My neighbour rehomed a dog after her dh died very suddenly . This little dog has been a godsend for her. He gives her a reason to get up every day and walk him . And being outside is always good for your mental health. She’s met and made friends with other dog owners. She’s healthier and fitter due to daily walks . The dog knows when she’s sad and grieving and jumps up for a cuddle. There’s a reason why dogs are called man’s best friend.
Tbh I really wonder where you all live , as my market town and the surrounding woodlands and heath lands are nothing like some of you describe. We have a lot of horses and deer where I walk my dog and the dogs are either on leads or well trained in their recall . My dog is trained to the whistle with high value treats and turns on a sixpence when I call him .
And I’d ban extendable leads as theyre dangerous . Ditto ball chuckers . I know two dogs who’ve had spinal surgery due to jumping up and twisting to catch a ball from a ball chucker.

I agree with Romilo

We have always had dogs until a couple of years ago and never took them into pubs or restaurants. Very occasionally we took them to a beer garden but they were very well behaved and just settled down under a bench.

My friend and I popped into quite a posh seaside cafe one rainy day and it absolutely stank of wet dogs and some were drooling or shaking their wet coats everywhere. Horrible!

About time - very brave and needed.
To pick up this thread. My local garden centre today has banned all dogs from their nurseries too due to incidents which aren’t explained. I for one am pleased although an animal lover.

Yes to the posts from foxie and sodapop

I agree foxie48 so many people buy whichever breed is on trend at the moment or one which boosts their ego. No thought given to the needs of the dog. Irresponsible breeding is also a problem.

Iam64 I think covid and lockdown together with more people wfh has contributed to the increased popularity of dog ownership. However, some will be first time owners who were unable to get the help in training and properly socialising their dog during lockdown, others I fear, do see them as a bit of a fashion item. My present dog got attacked as a puppy, which made him a bit reactive and it took a lot of work and re-socialisation to get him to accept that not all dogs were going to kill him. He's still a little bit nervous of big dogs off lead but as an adult dog he reads their body language so much better than he did as a pup. I am gob smocked by the number of dogs I see on leads because they have no recall, not just little lap dog types but bigger working type dogs which I know are very trainable. It makes me so sad and don't get me started on big dogs that are kept cooped up in flats all day! FGS why don't people buy dogs that are suitable for their life style? Sadly they give responsible dog owners a bad name!

Owners who don't pick up their dogs' poo are disgusting. We live on a river and there's open space for dogs to play, but that doesn't mean you just leave their business on the ground. There's bins on the way out of the gates too. You don't have to take your bags home even.
A few dogs here, including one of ours, have been ill recently with gastric problems. I paid £300 for medicines and blood tests last month because I thought it was something sinister he was so sick. The only thing the vet could think of was eating other dogs' faeces, which being a retriever he does.
Just clear up your own dogs' shit, fgs!
It's worse too in the tourist months, when people are on holiday, they don't seem to care.

What has caused the huge increase in dog ownership? What has contributed to the growing numbers of reactive dogs?
Is it a reflection of what seems like a decrease in respect for social norms, a desire to indulge ourselves at the expense of others ?
I’m meandering really, maybe I need to look at myself, as someone whose current pair are my 11th and 12th dogs, not counting family dogs I grew up with. I like living with dogs, I’ve loved long walks in our countryside with my dogs.

Reactivity is now number one reason people seek out trainers. I have my first reactive dog, the result of a series of on lead incidents when off lead dogs caused distress to mine. He’s doing brilliantly but it’s not been a quick fix.

Im as unhappy as others here about people walking off lead dogs with no manners or recall. I’d ban extendable leads, they’re dangerous, especially when in the hand of someone with three, yappy dogs on a main road, or a woodland walk with small children, bikes, buggies.

Too many dogs left home alone, walked in an unstable, off lead pack of eight dogs by a commercial dog walker

I’ll stop

As a dog owner who always clear up after my dog I'm pleased to see owners fined heavily for letting their dogs foul public places.

My issue is with an owner who is happy to bring to my gate and let it donuts business at my gate and not clean up. I just get laughed st
I did suggest perhaps they get a dog toilet for there garden but they didn’t like the mess or smell
I have to suffer and clean up!

Agree - impossible to go anywhere without dogs around. The dog owners with the stretchy leads that take up the width of the pavement, the ones that think you will welcome their dog jumping up at you and the ones who traipse them round clothes shops allowing the dogs to weave in and out of the garments! As for being inside eating establishments.....

Yes, ridiculous to hear owners calling dogs their baby and themselves dog mum and dog dad, but that doesn't affect me. What does, is the amount of dog poo everywhere. You never hear a dog owner admitting it is their pets mess! Too often there are people putting notices up that their dog is missing - hours later it returns. Where do they think their dog went to the toilet? As for the ones who pretend not to notice their dog messing the pavements or grass because they are looking at their mobile phone.........

Dogs should be on leads in all public places, short leads. Dog licenses should be introduced to pay for the dog bins and clean up costs. Dog owners should understand that many other people do not want their dog near them - too often when you step away they say loudly "Tut, it's not going to bite you, tut".
I'd not let my child jump on them or wipe their feet on their coat - why do some think we all want dog slabber or muck on us?

And yes - fear of dogs is real. I was bitten by an Alsatian in a park as a 5 year old - that was terrifying and painful.

This is probably going to upset some people, but I think part of the problem is a change in attitude of many dog owners. When I was a child the owner used to be the master or mistress of the dog, but now they refer to themselves as mum or dad. This change goes along with the dogs not being trained properly but being constantly indulged.