I want to start by saying…I happen to like dogs, and have had a few as pets in my childhood and adult lives.
It seems these days people take their dogs everywhere. I understand the need for service dogs (around here, those wear an identifying vest)…but I’m talking about pets…not service dogs.
Many folks don’t put their dogs on a short leash. They let the dog move around in a large area….and sometimes where there are a LOT of people. And they don’t seem to care if their dog barks or growls at others.
I recently worked at the elections, and it was a busy place. A number of people brought their dogs with them, and some were ill behaved…jumping around, barking, even growling at others. I had absolutely no regulation that gave me the license to tell these folks to have their dogs behave. But this is going to change. Going forward, dogs will need to be on no longer than a 2 foot leash.
Why can’t people leave their pet dogs…at home…not at grocery stores, busy places, etc.
And please don’t get me going about unleashed dogs on hiking trails. We know someone who was bitten, and not just a little nip. The owners said “but the dog likes to run loose”. Sorry, not a good reason. The bitten person asked them to pay their (significant) medical bills, and the owner balked…but eventually did.
If you have a pet dog, please be a responsible dog owner.
I adore dogs and never mind a well manner, leashed dog at an outside restaurant.
Absolute no to bringing an aggressive antsy dog to a public place.
My friend and her dog were attacked by a dog at a cafe as she was walking by on the sidewalk! I’ve also seen servers being bitten when they approached the table.
Don’t get me started on the fake service dog people. Planes are the worst.
I love my dog, he rocks. He was a hospice therapy dog for years. Was attacked twice in his life by off leash dogs and became very leash aggressive. Now he’s old, mostly deaf and a grumpy, sometimes unpredictable guy if startled. He stays at home. If we have to be out (usually only the vet at this point) he’s confined to a carrier.
While I would love to take him to an outdoor restaurant, he’s not behaved well enough. People should be well aware of their pets behavior and limitations. Sadly a small minority of owners don’t care or think the rules don’t apply to them.
I won’t even bring my dog to a dog beach in the ocean. She’s old, isn’t fond of other dogs (fearful not aggressive), and doesn’t like the ocean, so barks at the waves and other dogs going into the water. My husband always suggests going (he also takes her to the small dog park on occasion, where she sits by his side staring at her leash, she gets so excited when he puts on her and they get to leave). When we took her to kids’ games, if she wasn’t walking, she was barking - not fun for anyone.
This. Non-service dogs don’t belong in any retail/business establishment, period. The very idea of dog-friendly restaurants/hotels creeps me out, but at least these establishments usually post that policy so people can choose to avoid them.
I’m with you, I love dogs (and have one who I totally adore), but no, dogs shouldn’t be everywhere.
It doesn’t matter how cute or friendly you think your dog is—some people simply aren’t comfortable with a dog sniffing them or coming too close, and that needs to be respected. And of course, dogs shouldn’t be in grocery stores or indoor restaurants. I certainly don’t want dog hair on my produce or in my food!
The number of “service” dogs in our market is RIDICULOUS! Big sign at the door but when challenged by staff, people say it’s a “service animal”. Yeah, right. The only place it’s more regulated seems to be our outdoor farmer’s market because you have to go by law enforcement and they’ll ask for proper documentation if you try to bring in a dog. Big ICK!
I think we need some signs that say “no shirt, no shoes, no dogs, no service”!
There are some places I think are ok - and those places are ok for SOME dogs. Dogs have different personalities! Sitting at the foot of their owner at an outdoor restaurant with people walking by works for some dogs…and for others it’s triggering.
I blame selfish owners. All for assist dogs. And they are a gift for those who really need them. But bringing your dog to the crowded farmer’s market has to be frightening and overstimulating for the dog, uncomfortable for visitors (not everyone likes dogs - that’s ok too!) and is just plain selfish. Go to the market then go home and take your dog for a nice walk in your quiet neighborhood.
Don’t get me started on dogs off leash. Go to a dog park if you want free roaming area. You never know when a dog off leash gets spooked. Take it from someone who had that happen, hit a dog with my car - buddy didn’t make it. I was a mess for days even though hitting him was unavoidable.
So no dissing dogs here. It’s dog owners that are the issue.
I love dogs. My Instagram feed is flooded with other people’s dog content. That said, dogs do not belong everywhere. Our dog is incredibly intelligent and loves people. She’s also been attacked 3 times while on leash by other people’s off leash dogs. She is no longer a fan of her own kind, so we do everything we can to avoid other dogs. I would never bring her anywhere she might come snout to snout with another dog.
Another “dogs don’t belong everywhere” person. A yoga instructor used to bring hers to class. I like dogs. I had a dog, but I’m also allergic to dogs. I hate being expected to ooh and ahh over the dogs sniffing me during yoga class that then makes my nose run and eyes itch for the duration of class. I came to class to practice yoga, not have an allergy attack!
As a runner, I also don’t like loose dogs! The “oh s/he doesn’t bite.” My response is “Yeah, they don’t bite YOU! I’m a different story.”
But I am fine with hotels being dog friendly. Lots of owners take their dogs from Point A to Point B and need hotels in between.
As a person who has severe pet allergies, I am a resounding “no” to allowing pets (other than true service animals) everywhere. Some places seem to prioritize pets over people with allergies which is disconcerting.
We’ve also noticed that people refuse to leash their dogs. We take our dog hiking in a popular park and seriously, it’s unusual for a dog to be leashed. Out of the woods a dog will come bounding at us with someone out of sight yelling “she’s friendly” or worse, saying absolutely nothing as if daring you to take issue.
It’s just obnoxious. Maybe my leashed dog is unfriendly? Maybe some hikers are fearful of dogs?
The worst was last week two people had about a dozen unleashed dogs ( maybe a doggy daycare) that they obviously couldn’t control. My dog was terrified.
I won’t take my dog to the park, the beach or the hiking trails anymore because of all the unleashed dogs. For a while the police were ticketing owners of unleashed dogs but that stopped during Covid and they never restarted.
My dog gets to go around the neighborhood because I’m able to cross the street to avoid other dogs, otherwise he’s in our yard.
I used to carry some in my last house because we had a neighbor whose dog was unsupervised outside all the time and routinely came through their invisible fence. She killed another dog in the neighborhood and still the owners didn’t supervise and the police said they couldn’t do anything unless a human was bitten. Not particularly reassuring.
I flew home on Sunday. As I was waiting for my friend to deplane, a man walked off with one of the largest German Shepherds I have ever seen. This dog had no service dog vest (but he did have a muzzle on and was leashed). I didn’t even know this dog was on the flight - he wasn’t in the aisle. The man must have bought a seat for him and boarded early.
No, I don’t think they should be allowed everywhere. I don’t mind well-behaved dogs at outdoor restaurants, breweries, parks, etc. I don’t need to see them in the grocery store, nail salon, mall, etc.
My youngest used to be absolutely terrified of dogs and we had many scenarios when she was young of having to deal with her extreme reactions to unleashed dogs that would approach her. Thankfully she grew out of that fear. I don’t think people really consider how real and terrifying a fear of dogs can be. They assume that everyone wants to greet their dog.
Another one against dogs in places they don’t belong. I have dog allergies, so that is one issue. They don’t belong in places with food, that is unhygenic - so restaurants, grocery stores, etc. They should be on leashes when in public (with he exception of dog parks). And don’t get me started on “my dog is an emotional support dog.” No that is not a true service dog, your dog was never trained in any way (proven by its bad behavior).