Dogs now allowed in John Lewis stores

Ill-bred not I’ll bred!

Well if they should be so I’ll-bred as to yap, one just hopes their accent is sufficiently acceptable for John Lewis (“Common” yappers should only go to Matalan, Primark or Poundsavers)

Doing our posts at the same time GabriellaG!

My main worry would be that you don't know when your dog may "lift his leg". Dogs are unpredictable even if well trained and can get excitable. The main problem if we had taken our large labrador with us when eating is the floor would need to be washed as he would be drooling at the sight of all the food!! He was always ordered to his basket at mealtimes in the house which wouldn't work in a restaurant!

What happens if they yap, wee or no2...

Does that mean that people who are allergic to pets can’t use the store anymore? Also, what would happen if the dogs need to alleviate themselves when their owners are busy shopping?!

I think this could be a great idea. We have a small dog which we don't take on holiday as there are too many places where dogs are not allowed.

However, as our nearest John Lewis store is over 20 miles away, neither I nor Barney will be taking advantage.

Can I please correct a comment re dogs not being allowed near food. EU rules, which we will soon be leaving are that "dogs should not be allowed IN FOOD PREPARATION AREAS i.e. the kitchen.

All people here complaining, so it is ok for people on holiday to leave their dogs in a hot car to suffocate. or tied up outside to be stolen. I go to the Lakes because it is an Outdoor place and pets are welcome. My dog lies under the table and is no trouble. Less in fact to misbehaving children, even if some people think they are higher in the pecking order. That is a matter of opinion!

Yesterday I stopped to have a coffee at Starbucks in one of the malls in a large shopping centre. A very yappy small dog surprised all of the customers. It was in a pushchair alongside a female. The staff informed her that dogs were not allowed in the centre, unless assistance dogs. She just moved the pushchair to just outside of the starbucks seating area. I like dogs but not sure why you would decide to take one with you shopping then ignore it, and the centre rules, whilst chatting ? Working with a friend/ colleague. Is John Lewis going to allow dogs in the restaurant/ coffee bar areas? Not sure I like that.

Fair dos but commercial outlets have their choice - animals or me.

MissAdventure the h&S rules apply to kitchens, not to the eating area in restaurants.

Why on earth shouldn't dogs be allowed in shops, at the discretion of the management?
My "designer" (I.e. An intended crossbreed) dog does not track in any more dirt on his paws than people do on their shoes. He is quiet and obedient. He isn't "yappy" in particular though any dog is entitled to be vocal if frightened or stressed.
When I take him for a walk I can't do much shopping en route because of the stupid shops banning him. I don't like leaving him tied up outside - too many thieves round here. So the shops lose trade.
At John Lewis Westfield this policy is meaningless as Westfield don't allow dogs in - just as well, as that hideous overheated, echoing, noisy great shed would be a very stressful environment for a dog.

Don't apologise Lullydully. There is no reason why you should be expected to tolerate dogs in shops etc. I think we dog lovers can be unreasonable sometimes in expecting everyone to feel the way we do about our pets.

I live in a very dog friendly city and dogs are welcome in lots of stores providing they are on leash. I only pay a flying visit to big stores (similar to John Lewis) but I take my dog with me because she much prefers to be out and about than being left home alone.

I love John Lewis and I love my dogs. I can't imagine taking them into JL though, I suspect they'd be a combination of bored and over excited.
In France, dogs are everywhere. In rural communities in the UK, you find dogs welcome in pubs and cafes, what's not to like providing the dogs are at ease lying or sitting by their owners. If you don't like dogs, ignore them and generally speaking, they'll ignore you.

I like dogs but I don't like dogs being allowed in cafes and restaurants and I have seen quite a few lately in eating places. However, I've not noticed dogs (except for assistance dogs) in shops.

Outside the eating place is fine as far as I'm concerned, although someone on the next table to us when we were having coffee outside a small café was trying to control three of them. At least the one who looked most trouble was muzzled.

I thought you were in the hold with the orang-utan EllinVannin! I was going to ask if you had a nice warm coat like him/her.

I just thought it was against "the rules" to have animals were food is prepared, commercially?

No not everyone likes dogs. Some dog owners assume that everyone does.

LullyDully I am not a great fan of dogs either. I avoid any cafe, hotel etc which says Dog Friendly. We once went in a dog friendly restaurant in N Wales. There was a couple with a very well behaved dog near us. The dog was fine but every time the waitress passed it she stroked it. When she brought our food I asked if she had washed her hands. The look on her face confirmed she had not.

I know people really love their dogs.
I like most dogs though would not choose to own one. However they are not humans and a badly behaved child still has a higher place in my pecking order than a well behaved dog! Both are the result of good / bad care for which they are not dierctly responsible!

Dogs are part of the family for huge numbers of people. You cannot go through life avoiding or being scared of something so numerous.
Badly behaved dogs should not be taken into shops or cafes but the same holds for badly behaved children.
I can't go away or for a day out without taking my small dog so only go where dogs are welcome. I check beforehand if dogs ARE allowed. If you don’t want to see dogs there you should check that they AREN’T.

I may be in a very small minority but I don't like dogs much and don't want them in shops.

They seem to be in many hotels I have stayed in and in French campsites. My GD is very frightened by them and was put off when a huge dog walker past in a hotel lobby. We now have to check if dogs are welcome.

At a NT cafe we were put off by a large dog eating cake off a table, albeit outside. Not everyone loves our canine friends.

Sorry in advance to anyone who loves dogs.

I feel so sorry for dogs, especially small ones, being dragged through crowds of shoppers, sometimes getting trodden on, all they can see are legs and feet. Then getting tied up and left outside shops in the pouring rain. Surely they`re better off at home?

There are two restaurants/cafe's not far from where I live who have dog friendly" areas away from the main eating areas,they provide water and biscuits for the dogs but they must tolerate other dogs no barking etc.
With the amount of cafes in the area it is a sure way of attracting business from an otherwise empty cafe at certain times all the local dog walkers meet up and buy snacks and drink coffee therefore helping the local economy.

I've been going to the Lake District for some 30 years and they have always allowed people to take dogs into shops and restaurants. A lot of people holiday in Britain so they can take their dogs and as the Lakes is an outdoorsy place it follows that there will be plenty of dogs. I've never seen any trouble there with dogs, people take a live-and-let-live approach, IME.

I'm not an out and out dog-lover and would never have another dog but we had a dog when the children were young. We took our puppy to the Lakes on holiday as she was too young for kennels. We left her in the car while we ate out and then returned to the car only to find that she'd stood on a button and triggered the alarm, which caused a great deal more disturbance than the dog herself ever did!