loose dog in small local Sainsbury

Naughtyneine

ViceVersa... It still maybe but the person it's assisting is not able to make it aware that it is by putting a harness/lead on the dog and the staff are aware/ have been made aware of the situation.

I think still that to be classed as an assistance dog, there has to be something to signify that - or else anyone could just walk in with a dog and claim it was an assistance dog.

My DS is very allergic to dogs , my DD has two dogs as do most of his friends. He says he has to take an antihistamine most weekends and if his children come home from being with their friends all their clothes are taken off and washed . It is a big problem for many and worse nowadays as so many more dogs around . He has investigated being de sensitised but apparently not possible as it’s very time / labour consuming and risky 🤷‍♀️. Does anyone know if this is the case ?

I'm aware that in my particular local park the huge majority of dog owners are really responsible, ie good judgement about on/off leads and their individual dogs, and areas designated dogs on leads.

I think Sainsbury's have made good judgments overall about dogs in supermarkets, support dogs only.

In the rare case of someone claiming its a support dog when it isn't known if it is officially, I think common sense is to insist the dog is on a close lead.

I honestly don't know about small shops except to "hear"what people have said about allergies. A very difficult one. but surely "on the lead" is a common sense rule?

I spoke to my sis who is a retired doctor and has always all her life had 1 to 3 dogs and she doesn't take them in shops simply because she knows that some people are afraid and potential hygiene issues.

ViceVersa... It still maybe but the person it's assisting is not able to make it aware that it is by putting a harness/lead on the dog and the staff are aware/ have been made aware of the situation.

Naughtyneine

Yes in normal circumstances you would think the dog would be on a lead/harness but if the disability was a mental rather than physical one then maybe the young man wasn't able to comply with the norm.

Then it's not an officially recognised assistance dog.

Caleo

My Romanian can eat off my fork but I have almost trained him to sit politely while he does so.

A plate well licked by a dog saves on the washing up liquid.

🤣🤣🤣

Yes in normal circumstances you would think the dog would be on a lead/harness but if the disability was a mental rather than physical one then maybe the young man wasn't able to comply with the norm.

Lovetopaint037

The shop was used to the dog coming in who was obviously well behaved (despite being a mongrel). I understand not wanting a store full of dogs but this was a small local store and the customer was a regular. When you see other customers in their pyjamas or nightdresses looking as if they have just rolled out of bed and possibly helping themselves to items in the bakery section or someone on roller skates then give me a well behaved dog any day.

I couldn’t have put it better myself.
The staff were obviously used to the dog who probably behaved very well.

Calendargirl

Naughtyneine

I suppose it is just possible that the young man has an unseen disability and the dog was therefore an assistance dog...the staff may well have known this but it would not be appropriate to tell the OP .

Surely an assistance dog should have been on a lead though?

If it was a real assistance dog, then yes, it would have been on a lead or harness.

Naughtyneine

I suppose it is just possible that the young man has an unseen disability and the dog was therefore an assistance dog...the staff may well have known this but it would not be appropriate to tell the OP .

Surely an assistance dog should have been on a lead though?

I suppose it is just possible that the young man has an unseen disability and the dog was therefore an assistance dog...the staff may well have known this but it would not be appropriate to tell the OP .

Lots of places don’t take dogs try those

I agree with Caleo!

Also, @watermeadow, there are many more of us who are allergic to dogs than you might realise. My dog is a Cairn Terrier and does not moult - one of the reasons we chose him - which means he is generally not a problem for people like me who are allergic to most breeds of dog. Cats are even worse for me.

I remember when I was a child in the seventies that there were campaigns to change the law and make it illegal for dogs, apart from assistance dogs, to be allowed in shops. Most people were very happy about this, as far as I recall. Since the pandemic, there has been more and lenience about where dogs are allowed and, even though I am a dog owner and lover, l do not agree with it. A loose dog in Sainsbury’s is a step too far and l agree with others that it would be a good idea to complain to someone higher up in the company.

My comment was obviously a generalisation. With adopted dogs (of which I have had a few) it is more difficult but nevertheless, if dogs in general are trained from puppyhood not to be scared of other dogs it is a good start. My grandson's 18 month old French Bulldog bitch has started to be aggressive with other dogs which is no doubt a breed characteristic but with proper training he will hopefully be able to overcome this (to some extent anyway). It's just that all too often the reaction from a dog's owner is one of fear when they meet my own dog which is totally unnecessary as she is a Labrador and completely non aggressive which should be pretty obvious to anyone that meets her.

Unfortunately, it's not always as simple as that. Some dogs will be reactive no matter what kind of training they are given. A great deal depends on why they are reactive in the first place. If it is a rescue dog, for instance, the owner may well have no idea of how it came to be reactive, making solving the problem a lot harder.

Reactive dogs can be trained not to be reactive. My dog is super friendly with everyone whether humans or other dogs. I have to curb her enthusiasm when she spots someone, whether human or canine, particularly if the other person/people do not have a dog in tow. If they do have a dog and it is aggressive or agitated my dog has the sense to back off. It seems to me that reactive dogs have owners who pass on the message to their dogs that other dogs are a threat but if they trained them properly they could learn to like other dogs. Life would then be more pleasant for both dog and owner.

watermeadow Very few people are allergic to dogs and almost all dogs are friendly.
Oh well that's OK then. GG and my son don't actually count, if they die they die <shrugs>
I do believe I've read annoyed comments from dog owners who have reactive dogs they keep on a lead when someone else's unleashed 'friendly dog' bounds up to say 'hello'. They've complained about the lack of control and consideration when the other owner says 's/he's only being friendly'.

RosieandherMaw I am definitely not grumpy but I would like to stay alive.

(Have been resuscitated twice, scary for family, I was unaware)

Bukkie

Watermeadow - As earlier stated a typical entitled dog owner answer. Not everyone loves your dog as much as you do.

Totally unfair.
Nothing in that answer merits the scathing “entitled”
Goodness what a load of grumpy grans we have today.

Watermeadow - As earlier stated a typical entitled dog owner answer. Not everyone loves your dog as much as you do.

Allira

I do think some dog owners have become more entitled as to what is appropriate for their pet and some have no clue about boundaries or training either.
I speak as one who has owned dogs, although, sadly, not now.

Definitely the case. I think the problem has been exacerbated by those who got dogs on a whim during Covid, so the dogs probably weren't properly trained or socialised, and we're now seeing the results of that. Far too many get them as some kind of novelty or fashion accessory now, and that's not fair on anyone, least of all the poor dogs.

Yes, dogs are everywhere. They are part of our families, like toddlers or old people and we like to have them with us wherever we go.
Very few people are allergic to dogs and almost all dogs are friendly. They can’t safely be left outside shops and WHSmiths, which allows dogs in, has chocolate down to floor level so is not safe for dogs.
Supermarkets are probably the only place dogs shouldn’t be.

I do think some dog owners have become more entitled as to what is appropriate for their pet and some have no clue about boundaries or training either.
I speak as one who has owned dogs, although, sadly, not now.