Dogs welcome

I lunched in Seatown, Dorset in a very small room in a pub and some dog owners allowed their mutts to come up to our table and put their heads on it to sniff at our plates. These women were extremely rude when I complained. You wouldn't allow children to behave like this so why dogs? I was brought up to believe that civility meant not discomforting others. I expected an apology, not a torrent of abuse. What's wrong with tying up dogs to wait outside. I attended a church in the Yukon once; a row of well- behaved dogs waited quietly for their owners outside, tethered to a rail.

Jamie. This might please you. The reason why responsible dog owners do not tie up and leave their dogs outside is because they might get stolen. A lot of dogs are stolen around the country but not being a dog owner/lover explains why you're not aware of this.

I have yet to come across a dog in a restaurant as I think most dog owners are thoughtful.
However I do not see why my dining choices should be limited because a dog owner chooses to take a dog out to dinner!

Children are people too. So they come in as many varieties as fellow adult diners..some of whom I might prefer not to sit too close to either! I cannot equate a child with a dog!

Penstemmon at least it is possible to avoid dogs when eating out - not so for unruly/noisy/bad-mannered children!

No wouldn't have taken my little one. If just having a drink in the pub then yes he would just sit under the table.
When we had camping holidays and went to a lovely local pub would leave our dog in the car, but that was for an evening meal only.

It feels like some people are trying to justify dogs in restaurants because some people behave badly. 2 wrongs do not make a right! i cannot avoid a dog if it is farting under the table next to mine!

Penstemmon, the point I was trying to make was that your choice is easy since the vast majority of restaurants in England don't allow dogs in - go to one where dogs are not going to be there!

This thread has been based on an observation prompted by ONE restaurant, local to paddyann and for all we know miles from any of the rest of us.
Good luck to them, if it turns out that the local clientele share some of the reservations expressed here, no doubt that will be reflected in the footfall.
But all in all, surely it is a Marmite situation, like or loathe.
Fortunately there is no compulsion for any of us to share our restaurant space with dogs.
Except of course GUIDE dogs whose hygiene is clearly impeccable.

We take our 2 large dogs with us, they lay under the table quite nicely. I don't care to eat much so they enjoy my meal (on a serviette I take with). My choice.

stella14 I already said I had decided to give it a miss,just wanted to see if I was the odd one out not wanting to eat in the company of dogs .

I don't know about guide dogs and hygiene, but I've only ever encountered extraordinarily well trained guide dogs so not likely to get close enough for hygiene issues.

Have difficulty in understanding why some dog owners have been upset by my repudiation of their dogs desire to hug or kiss me aka jump up at me with paw s on my shoulders and lock my face - ugh! Not in restaraunt I hasten to add - usually countryside areas and muddy parks.

I can see that you might open a purely dog friendly restaurant in response to market research showing that dog owners spend evenings with their noses pressed against restaurant windows wishing they could be inside! The dog owners I know do not actually have that problem!

You clearly mix with a different sort of dog to me mumsy!
Paws on the shoulders and a licked face? Not a problem I have encountered and I have been a dog owner for 38 years not counting our Cavalier when I was a child.
Why must people use an exaggerated extreme example and extrapolate from that?
There are innumerable small/well behaved/clean/quiet/docile/responsible (delete what does not apply) dogs around, so why do we have to base the argument on the characteristics of a hypothetical barking, out of control Great Dane?
And I was being ironic about Guide dogs BTW

Living near a National Park, with lots of dogwalkers, I can understand local pubs wanting to encourage their custom and not lose business so we carefully choose places which don't state 'dog friendly'. However, dog friendly or not, I do not think dogs should be in a restaurant area. Pets have never been allowed in the dining area in my house and I don't want somebody else's whilst I'm eating. I know the grubby things they get up to and stick their noses in!

Mawbroon As a non dog owner but dog 'liker' I do know a great number of dogs!I know many well behaved and gorgeous creatures, but in the same way some people on here have referred to the few poorly behaved children they encountered in restaurants, I sadly have known/know some poorly trained dogs/owners too! Licking faces, jumping up is common anti-social behaviour of the badly behaved ones and rather like parents of boisterous children there is always an excuse as to wy the dog behaves badly!

Just saying, not my experience.
But of course it may that of others.
It just seems a long way from one small, well behaved dog sitting under a table to the Hound of the Baskervilles
However, no doubt this thread will run and run........

in public spaces, such as a restaurant, it is important that all living things behave well!!

Isn't that obvious? Two legs or four. (Not counting pet tarantulas)

The size does not matter, the behaviour matters. We have very large dogs. They are very well behaved by any standard. They are never a problem for other diners or people on walks.

I agree with BBbevan. Surely it's a case of hygiene? I didn't think animals were allowed into restaurants. I would avoid it too - hate it when dog owners say "it's ok he wont hurt you" I'd rather not take that risk

I often each lunch where there are outside tables and they provide water for dogs. I have seen this at another cafe in the area as well. I don't think I would like to eat in a restaurant where there are dogs allowed in.

Blimey....is this stupid thread still running?

Oops sorry MawBroon, but seriously guide dogs have never ever disturbed me. And, of course, their owners need them - no choice involved.
And Norah, I daresay I have met you on walks and we have chatted about dogs or the weather or whatever. I don't think it was your large fluffy Alsatian that smiled at me, wagged it's tail and then put its front paws on my shoulders, kissed me and attempted to dance with me while I was waiating for its owner to finish buying his train ticket so that I could get mine. As it happened I didn't feel particularly threatened as it was clearly just being friendly......but muddy! On another occasion a large dog came running towards me and my adult son barking and snarling on a riverside footpath. I was picking up stones to throw at it when it's owner eventually got it under control. My son suggested quite nicely, in the circumstances, that the dog should be kept on a lead and the charming owner said, or snarled, "some people should be kept on a lead!"
It really is just a case of tolerance and consideration for others.
As for water bowls outside for dogs, well that's just kind common sense, isn't it?

"it's ok he wont hurt you"
Yep, just what our neighbour said before her dog sank its teeth into my DH's calf, drawing blood even through his jeans. Apparently he doesn't like people carrying newspapers.

The truth is, the badly trained dogs are from the same families as the badly behaved children. And there's not a lot we can do about either.

Avoid them - like the plague!