General Chat

namelessone :-D :-D :-D

Many, many more places are now dog-friendly compared to 20 years or so ago. We like to sit outside if possible, and the weather is OK, but our mutts have always been well behaved, although our previous one did have a tendency to get in the way! We generally go to cafes or pubs, for anything 'posher' we wouldn't take the hound :-)

Island I'd say you are more dog-friendly when it comes to eating establishments for sure.
Names...handbag dogs aren't "real" dogs they're just live toys
:-)

If I ever got a dog, I'd get something like a Yorkshire Terrier. It has a proper snout, and used to have a proper job , so it would be trained like a 'real' dog, but also be small enough to cuddlewithout crushing me, and not take up too much of the bed!!

But for a real cuddle you need a bigger dog Maggie :-)

Grand daughter's Carpathian Sheepdog gave me a cuddle and kiss.
I had no say in the matter.
It resulted in a dead leg and my make up removed in one lick!! :-S :-D :-D

I don't agree with dogs in restaurants unless they are guide dogs but I am not a dog owner.

Near us, however, us we have a doggy diner! My younger grandson and his dad took their dog for a treat a couple of years ago. Dog ate food, they had coffee and cold drink.

There must be other doggy diners around England?

Why just service dogs Joy? Nobody seems to give a reason on this - obviously I know why guide dogs etc are (generally but not always) allowed in restaurants but they are still dogs.
We tend not to use restaurants these day but probably wouldn't have taken our dog to one as I don't think he would have liked the experience. He did like cafes though.

Our local garden centre has a dog friendly room apart from the main café and it is brilliant! Dogs are well catered for with mats and bowls with water on tap. It is also quieter having a lower ceiling than the café so no echoes, clanking of cutlery, loud voices and bratty children - it's very well thought out, I must say I prefer it for myself :-D

One of our local garden centres has the same, Island and I agree as I think children can startle animals without realising.

I believe the doggie diner here now does food for humans too but I don't think it did at the beginning.

Perhaps part of the answer to "Why only service dogs" is that if a service dog can't enter an establishment then neither can the owner. I think this is particularly true of guide dogs for the blind but is true of all service dogs that alert the owner to danger. If you have a "ordinary" dog and they are not allowed in a particular establishment, then you have the choice of going in without your dog. Someone who is dependent on their service dog doesn't have that choice.

Joy, noisy children who don't stay at table can 'startle' humans too.
That wasn't my point though.

Vera, good point re service dogs but they are still dogs. I'm wondering why some say 'I don't agree with dogs in restaurants except guide dogs' and I did ask nicely :-)

I think I'm just used to living in a dog friendly town :-D

I think why people say 'except service dogs' may be because I think to deny service dogs and therefore their owners might be contravening disability laws. But also it could be that we know service dogs are well trained and less likely to re-act badly to a loud noise or other distraction, whereas some dogs are not trained properly as was the one I mentioned in my previous post. I do think it would be wise to limit the number of dogs at a time though as some dogs are aggressive to other dogs.

Now I get your point, Island. I thought your ‘Why just service dogs’ meant service as in service to all - as in dogs get food, why not the same service for humans?

The understanding is usually 'well behaved dogs welcome' - how often do we see 'well behaved children welcome'?
If a dog misbehaved in a dining establishment I'm sure either the owner would take them out or they would be asked to leave. How often are parents asked to to do likewise with their unruly children?

That does get away from my unanswered question re 'why not all dogs'? though.

Ann, we never experienced a barkathon or such like when we took ours into a cafe, pub or dog cafe. I just don't think owners of badly behaved dogs take them to such places.

Joy...... are you having a laugh? Trained dogs aren't just for the visually impaired hence 'service dogs'. I can't believe you thought I meant '.... the same service for humans'

I think I'm flogging a dead horse here tbh. Nobody wants to say why they have an aversion to (non service) dogs in restaurants.

On Wednesday the old gang met up for coffee in the pub garden and one had bought her little dog. I forgot about it until suddenly there was something furry around my legs.

Well, panic set in and I thought the rats were back ( long story). The owner was so apologetic and I was laughing. Latter the same dog had a snarling match at a bigger dog.

I’ve never had dogs but have known some beautifully behaved dogs. But I don’t want strange dogs or badly behaved children wandering around when I am eating.

Sorry Caroline I have only just read your reply, I had never heard the term 'upscale restaurant' before but assumed that it was like a posh or silver service place. I don't see why they can't admit dogs as well but I don't frequent them so I don't know..

Island I would say that the answer to your question is 'some people just don't own or like dogs that much which is fine. I am not a lover of cats but adore guinea pigs. Although I have never been tempted to take one out for a meal. :-D :-D
I think Ann may be correct in that people accept service dogs are allowed because of the law but may not like them being there.

My dog had a nasty experience in a so called dog friendly pub, maybe I should have done a trust pilot review. We went to the bar to order and the pub owners dog attacked her!! We nearly walked out but the guy said he would shut her out of the bar. When we left we wished we had walked out as he had tied his dog up outside!!!!. Ours is a fairly small and normally fine with other dogs. But why would a pub advertise as dog friendly when their own dog is unreliable ?

Take a guinea pig out for a meal - surely the guinea pig IS the meal.

:-S

Kentishmaid, surely a pub dog is a guard dog or is certainly on it's own territory and ought to be restrained during opening hours. Your poor little pooch must have had a shock or did she give as good as she got?

digressing..... something I can't abide while eating or drinking out is loud women, especially the ones who laugh as if they're about to lay a very large egg.