Dogs in pubs

[Clodagh]

This is a multi level rant and whinge and I accept I am irrationally angry with everything right now. But anyway…
Why do people feel the need to take their dogs to the pub? OH and I just nipped out for a beer and friends of ours bought their two cockerpoos in who alternated between yapping at the other dog (a silver Labrador ) and scrabbling at my legs. Oh with friends shouting ‘be quiet’ at them.
Those who remember I’m puppy sitting this weekend, they picked the pup up from its litter mates in Wales yesterday then took it to the pub while they got pissed for 4 hours. Apparently it was super quiet and well behaved. FML I’m not surprised, so would I have been.
If you are out walking or whatever and your dog knows to sit quietly then fill yer boots. But trust me even though Fluffikins is the most dog ever, not everyone will share your views.

 

[Spotherisk]

I completely feel your pain! I think it’s a useful part of education for dogs to go into places and learn to be quiet and well behaved, but I don’t particularly enjoy it.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

I do take my dog to the pub but also agree that is annoying and the puppy thing is unkind/unfair on the pup.

We went to our local on Friday night, sans dog because it's just round the corner and knew it would be busy. It was heaving so nowhere for us to sit let alone dog too. Someone in there had a really cute pup I asked to say hello to and we got chatting. The dog was doing really well but I was disappointed to hear that it was a foreign rescue and had apparently been barking earlier in the evening. When we later left it looked really unhappy again. They'd been there hours.

We take Ivy to our locals if we know it will be reasonably quiet and there will be somewhere we can 'park' her out of the way (tricky as she's a bit of a long vehicle) Doing pub dog training is good mental exercise with the dark winter evenings and it also means practicing 'settle' training on the blanket in different places which is useful. I do think by trying to do this thoughtfully to not overwhelm her, her confidence in general has grown.

That said, the only time Ivy ever barks in her life is very occasionally at me when her dinner is late. She's a very quiet girl so that does help us when we go out. Her protests are more subtle (we do still pay attention to how she is doing though!)

 

[Cinnamontoast]

It’s tricky. When staying in an Airbnb, we couldn’t and wouldn’t leave Bear, so he came with us. He was treated like a prince in one pub, sat under the table like an angel, was fed chips, got a drink and snacks before we were served! He didn’t like another dog getting in his face in another, we had to ask the owner to take her dog away, ridiculous of her to allow her dog to approach, we were vigilant and headed it all off before it got too close. He only went to one local, once indoors, the other time outside when we were socialising the little ones.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I go to the pub to get away from dogs

 

[Clodagh]

If your dog(like the lab tonight) is not going to ruin other people’s time there I honestly have no problem.
But I don’t got to the pub to listed to whingeing or squabbling dogs… or children!

 

[Morwenna]

I tend to avoid dog friendly pubs (and cafes) as, certainly round here, they tend to attract badly behaved animals with owners who are either clueless or who think it’s adorable that their dog (usually on an extendable lead) is bothering everyone else.

 

[DiNozzo]

I was in a county pub once, with my young terrier. Sandwiches had been left at home by accident so pub only option. Table opposite us had some sort of spaniel cross. Utterly enormous and incredibly unhelpful.

Splayed out across the aisle, rolled over when asked to move. The waiter was trying to take our order when it yowled at being asked to move again. Threw itself over backwards. The owner was helpless to get it to do anything, and just said "well that's not helping anyone is it?!" in the most exasperated tone of voice I've ever heard directed at a dog. Dog did not care and was in fact very happy where he was. None of us could stop laughing. Ours sat there, all prim and proper, with one paw held up and his little head cocked as if to say "what on earth do you think you're doing?". The owner apologised and said he's not normally quite so dramatic, and I believed the poor woman.

 

[Denali]

I don’t mind dogs in pubs if they just hang out. I don’t want to listen to a dog barking or get all up in your business. Nor do I like it when the owners constantly let it get tangled up. It’s not fair to the dog.

 

[EllieBeast]

We take our dogs on holiday/on weekends away with us and so if we’re out for a meal we choose somewhere dog friendly and all three (yes, 3 20kg+ dogs) come with us.

We make sure we’re in a spot with enough space and they all bundle up together under the table without bothering a soul. They’ll come out to say hi if someone asks to pet them but not unless we release them.

To ensure we are training this desired (learned!) behaviour from the start, we take our puppies for visits to the pub right from the off. They stay on our laps whilst too young to be put on the floor.

If they weren’t well behaved or if they caused any disruption/ spoiled anyone else’s enjoyment we, of course, wouldn’t take them. I really wish people would take the same approach with their children tbh. I’d much rather a pub full of dogs than kids- ideally both should have to take a test to prove their pub-worthiness

 

[Pearlsasinger]

When we take our dogs into anywhere we take a 'picnic blanket' and they know that they have to sit on it.

 

[ArklePig]

Depends on the dog, depends on the pub! The dogs in your post don't sound like they enjoyed it/actively hate it. I take fodhla rarely but I consider it a valuable part of her education because I want to holiday with her and most dog friendly accommodation asks you not to leave the dog unsupervised.

We train it though, in for a soft drink, in for a pint, in for more than one pint. Haven't quite bothered to go for a full meal with her yet, life gets in the way and I don't get out much. We started her training for it by taking her to an outdoor coffee shop at a pet shop. I wouldn't take her into a busy pub though, there's a live music pub in town that is often standing room only that I often see dogs in and I always think how miserable and loud it must be for them.

 

[cauda equina]

Some dogs are fine in pubs, some are a PITA; same with people really

 

[Jenko109]

I took my youngest to the pub a few times as felt it a good learning experience. He is a whippet so I brought a blanket along as a hard pub floor would have been uncomfortable for him. He was a delight and sat on his blanket quietly.

I would expect any dog in a pub to be well behaved and for other people to not even know they're there if they do not look over at them.

 

[PoniesRock]

Unpopular opinion….. but I’d rather dogs in the pub than children!

 

[paddi22]

i love dogs but it annoys me to see them in cafes and pubs. The amount of times I've tried to guide my elderly wobbly dad around tables, only to have him trip or wobble because a dog decided to shift position or stick its head out to say hi. it doesn't even need to be a big movement, a small shift can do it. Also to see friends who are genuinely scared of dogs (due to attacks as children) feel very ill at ease because people seem to just assume everyone loves dogs. apart from that once dogs make any noise or bark at other dogs they should be immediately removed, it's distracting and annoying now to see people trying to stop dogs interacting across a restaurant when they see each other. as well as the poor staff having to constantly navigate around them.

i absolutely love dogs, but there's a time and a place for them. my dog comes everywhere with me, but it sleeps in the back of the jeep when I'm at lunch.

 

[Clodagh]

I don’t mind dogs or children in pubs as long as they are quiet, well behaved and hopefully invisible.

 

[BigRedDog]

I love this thread. I thought I was the only person who felt like this.

Went to a cafe for lunch the other day, French Bulldog at the table opposite sitting on a chair! My friend had to restrain me from getting up and telling the owner to put it on the floor, it is a dog it can sit on the floor!

 

[Clodagh]

Where I work is often full of dogs as we have a well known pointy dog trainer down here and we are on his accommodation list. I have never met one of ‘his’ group that has been bought in and not had manners. I suppose if you are the sort of person who commits to a training course you probably train your dog.

 

[Clodagh]

I love this thread. I thought I was the only person who felt like this.

Went to a cafe for lunch the other day, French Bulldog at the table opposite sitting on a chair! My friend had to restrain me from getting up and telling the owner to put it on the floor, it is a dog it can sit on the floor!

Where I work they are asked to put them on the floor. Not allowed on chairs either.

 

[rabatsa]

The GSD used to go to the pub for craft group up until covid stopped play. She had her corner and stayed there without problem. Now that the craft group has moved into the dining room, as we outgrew the corner, she no longer attends. However craft night now coincides with dominoes night. One of the domino people brings a labrador, who lays down in the GSD corner, never a problem UNTIL they start to shuffle the dominoes and it must really be hurting the dogs ears as it starts to howl. Their attitude is that the dog will get used to it and apart from the noise the dog is not a nuisance.

 

[meleeka]

I used to take my JRT if we were out with her anyway, or we were camping. She’d find a spot under the table and just sleep. You wouldn’t have known she was even there. Current dog would never go to the pub, she’d find it stressful with other dogs and lots of people. I agree, as in everywhere else, there are a lot of badly behaved dogs in pubs these days.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Yep, badly behaved dogs and children would make me leave and find somewhere else. Equally annoying are loose dogs in designated outdoor eating areas.

 

[Goldenstar]

I take my dogs to pubs all the time they were in our local yesterday because we had lunch .
However you do see dogs in pubs who should not be there if your dogs barks at others a pub is no place to be with it.
I have also seen small dogs on seats in pubs that’s out of order
As is putting your dog on the bar which happened once in our local.

 

[Gloi]

When I was out at weekend there were four dogs sitting under tables. All was quiet until another dog entered, barked at one of the others and then a mass brawl ensued pulling a couple of chairs over in the the process as owners tried to drag them apart.

 

[blodwyn1]

Mak comes everywhere with me but takes her role as a therapy dog very seriously! She will stare deeply into everyone's eyes as they enter reading if they need a hug but would never go to them unless invited. She normally generates a good trade that I wish I could charge for!

 

[BallyJ]

It grinds my gears when people do this! We were in a busy pub and a guy was ignoring his dog barking, it was so bad the table next to him started trying to comfort the dog. I complained to a waitress in the end and they asked him to take the dog outside, you couldn't hear yourself think let alone hold a conversation with my MIL!

 

[Pinkvboots]

I dog walk with a friend and we often end up in a pub we have 2 dogs each but they go under the table and most people don't even know they are there.

If we are on a serious drink fest we leave them at home

 

[malwhit]

I don't mind dogs - or kids - in pubs or cafes as long as they are seen & not heard. I would also hope they are house trained and dont wee or poo on the floor.

My local pub allows dogs in - I've only sat outside as indoors is too hot for dogs

 

[CorvusCorax]

I was at a pub quiz and someone brought an old/nervous dog and no one was allowed to clap or make any sudden noises and the music round had to be abandoned.
It was a pub quiz ffs....