Dog friendly? What would you do?

I'm not a doggy person either and don't like to see dogs in places where people are eating. However, if your friends knew you were bringing your dog, they were thoughtless and selfish.

Did they all know that you would be bringing the dog? Was there someone there who is allergic to dogs, or who has a fear of them? Some people can get an asthma attack or other allergic reactions from being in an enclosed space with a dog, and others are scarred from experiences with dogs - you might be sure your dog is friendly and harmless, but they might not, particularly as you hardly know them..

I am very much a doggie person, but I'm not keen on the current trend for having them in eateries - for one thing if there are two of them they might fight, and because not all owners are sensitive to the needs of others, letting them sit on the chairs or even walk on the tables.

I sympathise, and I would have thought that someone would have agreed to sit in the dog zone with you, but if they all thought they were going out to eat in the restaurant and it was you who changed the game at the last minute then I have some sympathy with them, too.

I'd have done as you did and gone home.
What will you do next time, if you go for a walk with them again?

Did they give a reason? For instance 'I am allergic'. 'I don't feel comfortable eating with a dog around'. Or did they just go in without an explanation or apology?

Whether any of the others were dog people or not, allergic, afraid of dogs, whatever - the fact remains that they knew the OP had her dog with her, so their actions were rude to say the very least and not very friendlike!

Yes indeed.

Since lockdown I think a lot of people have become selfish as well as thoughtless. I am glad you went home, your dog will always be a better friend than any of them.

How mean! It wouldn't have hurt them to sit in the dog friendly area with you. Hope they felt bad when you decided to go home.

How rude, and hurtful. Option 3 all day long!

no 3 and I wouldn't be meeting with them again

I would never leave a dog outside unattended and I am very surprised that none of your friends would sit with you.
I would have had eaten in another area, with my dog with me and then gone home. Just out of interest how do you feel about these friends now?

Depending on how hungry I was 2 or probably 3.

I wouldn't have felt like walking home with them again after they'd been so rude so I think I'd have gone home.
Understandably they might not have wanted to eat outside unless it was an exceptionally nice day but what was wrong with the conservatory?

I do not like eating in restaurants/pubs with other people's dogs either.

If I'd gone with my dog on a walk and ended up at a restaurant/cafe I would have made my apologies and probably eaten outside assuming I was hungry and didn't want to go home. I'd most likely choose to go home though to be honest.
I wouldn't take my dog inside where people were eating in case they felt uncomfortable (as I would).

NotSpaghetti

I do not like eating in restaurants/pubs with other people's dogs either.

If I'd gone with my dog on a walk and ended up at a restaurant/cafe I would have made my apologies and probably eaten outside assuming I was hungry and didn't want to go home. I'd most likely choose to go home though to be honest.
I wouldn't take my dog inside where people were eating in case they felt uncomfortable (as I would).

But the point the OP is making is that there were two areas which were 'dog friendly', so there's absolutely no reason why these so-called friends couldn't have sat in these areas and eaten with her. If a restaurant has areas which are specifically marked as 'dog friendly', there's no reason for anyone to feel uncomfortable.

Wow, how rude and unkind. TBH I would have been quietly furious and gone home. We frequently go walking with our dog and have lunch in dog friendly pubs and restaurants, our biggest problem is stopping him being spoiled by people without dogs. He is particularly lovely though (not that I'm biased). Get some new friends, they sound horrible!

They knew you would be taking your dog so they could have taken it into consideration. I would have just said well if we are not sitting together I shall go home.

Did you ask in advance if it was ok to bring your dog?

If they did, they were very rude. I would have gone home.

If you didn’t, you were very rude, I’m afraid. No reason why they should have to choose seating just to accommodate an unexpected dog.

Which was it, I wonder.

How terribly unkind!

Don’t you think it all hinges on whether the OP imposed her dog on the group or not?

why would it have been rude of GrannyRose if she hadn't asked if it was OK to take her dog? They're supposed to be friends, some she knows very well so who know she has a dog. Who goes for a walk and leaves their dog at home?

I was in a pensioners social group outing a couple of weeks ago and someone brought along her uninvited, unexpected grandchildren because she thought they would be interested in the activity.

Dog, grandchildren, friend, partner, bad manners to bring them uninvited to a group, don’t you think?

I would say that they selfish, inconsiderate and had no manners and I wouldn’t bother with them again unless you have to. It’s not as if there wasn’t a choice and they knew you couldn’t take the dog into the restaurant. I’m sure the conservatory would have been fine. It beggars believe that there are people who behave in this appalling way.

I would have gone home and had lunch with my dog.

I would never tie a dog up anywhere.

Our last dog, adopted as an elderly dog, could not be left alone. All our friends knew that and totally respected it- so arrangements to meet always included us + dog.

Only 1 solutions for me in such a case- 3!

Personally I wouldn't compare someones GC to someone else's dog.

I would have done 3, definitely. And then reviewed my "friendship" group.

However, I do think it matters whether the group knew you were taking the dog with you, or if you just turned up with the dog in tow.

If they didn't know the dog was coming, then maybe this was a passive-aggressive action to make it known they didn't approve.

But if they knew in advance, and didn't approve, or welcome the dog (weird people, if that's the case - personally I'd take the company of a dog over the vast majority of humans any day), then you'd have hoped that at least one of the group that you did know well, would have said something to you ahead of the walk, rather than ostracising you at lunch time.