I like dogs like I like toddlers. It’s fun to hang out with other people’s for a while, but ultimately they’re annoying, loud, and make a mess. I feel like in the past 10 years or so, dog owners have become increasingly convinced that everyone thinks their slobbering, untrained mutt is god’s gift to everyone, and expects everyone to love it unconditionally. Dogs in restaurants. Dogs in stores when you go shopping. “Oh it’s so funny that your dog is jumping on me and getting it’s dirty paws all over me while it tries to sniff my crotch.” “Oh oops! Your dog ate my food off the counter, fucking again. Guess that’s my fault because in this house nothing is safe from the coddled fucking dog.” “Hey man can you watch the dog? It’s really easy, not like it pisses all over the floor and knocks the trash over or anything. We have to leave the house for 2 hours and it has anxiety/depression/borderline personality disorder and he’s a wittle special boy who needs constant attention.”
I’m just tired of it. Nobody gives a goddamn about your stupid dog. Stop bringing your animal to restaurants, it’s disgusting and inconsiderate. It’s not your child, it’s a dog. Dog people have made me hate dogs.
I’d agree that it’s inconsiderate to bring an untrained dog into situations where they may cause problems, and I’d even extend this to say that it’s inconsiderate to not train your dog properly. My experience is that a well-trained dog is happier - as the owner, you should be squarely in charge, and you need to help your dog understand which behaviors are acceptable and which are not.
A well-trained dog, on the other hand, should be possible to put most if not all social situations. They do not treat the wrong places as bathrooms, they do not make sounds, they do not eat things they have not been given permission to eat, and they do not greet anyone that hasn’t invited them to greet.
I believe that dogs trained to this level should be allowed in restaurants, offices and shops.
Mostly agree with the first 2 paragraphs.
I don’t think dogs should be allowed in restaurants though, regardless of training. The problem is people will say their dog is trained to an expert level, but there’s nothing to actually prove that.
A flat ban on dogs in restaurants is the right move in my opinion.
You can maybe make an argument for offices, but honestly, I don’t love dogs, and don’t usually enjoy the presence of one. I’d be fine leaving them out of this environment, but I also understand this is a place people spend 8+ hours a day at, and it’s not feasible/ethical to leave them at home all day by themselves.
I could be swayed on offices and shops, but I wouldn’t like to see them at restaurants.
What about blind people with service dogs?
Isn’t banning them akin to banning wheelchairs?
I believe there is a certificate for professional trained service dogs like that. (If there isn’t, there should.)
A conversation along the lines of “Ma’am, we don’t allow dogs in here unless they’re a certified service dog.” “No problem, here’s my permit for Chester.” should be no problem.
And if Ma’am can’t get Chester to behave, she’ll be treated like any other unruly guest and invited to take her business (and her dog) elsewhere.
Everywhere I’ve lived the vast majority of restaurants already don’t allow dogs, and when they do it’s usually in outdoor areas only. If dog-friendly restaurants are so prevalent where you live that you can’t avoid them, then surely that’s a sign that most people don’t mind (or even prefer) them, yet you think they should be banned to accommodate you
I don’t think dogs should be allowed in restaurants though, regardless of training. The problem is people will say their dog is trained to an expert level, but there’s nothing to actually prove that.
There are other instances of people bringing in potentially unwanted things into restaurants that are generally allowed. Take children for example - poorly raised children can raise hell and ruin a restaurant experience for everyone else, but children are usually allowed, with enforcement actions happening after unacceptable behavior has been shown.
I think a similar policy would be appropriate for animals in restaurants. A well-behaved dog, that goes to rest under the table without bothering anyone during the visit, should not be a problem, while an uncontrolled dog that bothers other guests, tries to steal food or uses the floor as a bathroom should be taken action against.
On the topic of offices - are dogs left unsupervised for the entire work day in the cases where they cannot be brought in? I’m asking because that’s extremely cruel and in fact illegal where I live - dogs must by law not be left unattended for more than 6 hours.
I understand how bad dogs can be a problem in offices, but my experience of dog-friendly offices have been nothing but positive - the presence of a well-trained dog generally just brings up everyone’s spirit, and during focused work, the dog rests under the desk and does not bother anyone.
Children can can be bloody annoying, but I can still usually eat. If I smelled dog piss, or found fur in my food, that would ruin my meal. I’d rather not have them near where I’m eating. Maybe as an inclusive step, there could be an outdoor/covered patio section where dogs would be allowed, so you could have the option of dining in a separate area with your pet.
I’m not sure what my local law is for unattended dogs, as it’s never been something I’ve had to consider, but I will say I’ve had neighbours leave their house from dawn until dusk and their dog was left barking on the back patio all day. If I recall correctly, it is a finable offense, and if it’s a repeat issue I think the enforcement body can escalate the situation right up to seizure of the animal.
Yeah, the offices one I can slide on, as long as I have the ability to be free of dealing with someone else’s dog. I get how for most people, it would lift their spirits. I’m really not a dog person though, and while I accept it’s a benefit for a lot of other people, I generally prefer to not have contact. If that is achievable, then I’m fine with dogs in the office.
I don’t mind one dog in an office, but how does that scale? Even two dogs feels like a bad idea, let alone multiple. I agree that if you have to leave your dog alone for 6hrs, you probably shouldn’t own a dog.
As for restaurants, you can’t be comparing dogs to small humans. It’s more appropriate to compare dogs to other animals - should I be allowed to bring my cat, or an obedient pet rat or snake to a restaurant?
It’s bizarre how dogs have this universal free pass.
Nope. People are allergic, people don’t like hair in their food, and a significant number of people are afraid of dogs, often due to related trauma. Certified service dogs and that’s it, full stop. Anything else is just inconsiderate. The assumption that everyone wants to interact with your dog everywhere is a large part of my issue. A dog has zero place in a restaurant unless it’s specifically a dog friendly spot lmfao.
Our neighbours across the road let their dogs roam; one has nipped at a neighbour’s visitor; they occasionally get out as a pack and topple garbages down our street. One of them poops on our lawn at night. They had a year-long ban on getting any more dogs and some taken away, but that’s expired. They’ve taken to letting cats (in)breed this past year, three litters in the past year. One kitten got run over last week, since they’re all allowed to roam free and obviously are foraging for food.
The owners are totally negligent and we wish they would get a perma-ban from Animal Services… or at least required to gate and fence properly.
It used to be we let animals roam around and killed the ones that behaved horribly. It’s not a bad system.
I think OP already hated dogs and that’s kind of sad.
Depends on the breed really. Genetics are really important. Also instincts/purpose. Dont own an Australian shepherd in a dense city.
And never ever own baby eating pitbull type of dogs. Or anything that looks like it. Also dont interact with it.
Hey everyone, this is an aggressive breed of human. Please, don’t interact with it. They are very ignorant and aggressive.
Hey wouldnt hurt a fly mauls a child
Hey, my widdle Thor and Fang are great with (what’s left of the) kids.
Show me a bad dog; I’ll show you a bad owner.
It’s not that dogs are bad.
It’s that they’re fucking irritating
Depends on the dog. They have different personalities just like people. Currently one of my roommates has a yappy, untrained little terrier that never shuts up if he isn’t given attention 24/7. The other girl I live with has a blind doxen that is like a quiet, cute little roomba- he just wanders around silently and bumps into walls. I have a firm belief that NO ONE likes untrained dogs, and it is animal abuse not to train your dog well
Gotta hand it to you man, very few posts have belonged in this community more than this one
I agree, mostly.
My parents owned a kennel and bred and boarded and trained dogs, so we had at least a dozen or so full-time residents and generally another dozen or so being boarded and/or trained. I literally grew up surrounded by dogs and I’ve always loved them.
BUT, dog owners, at this point, are fucking awful, and that’s led to a whole lot of awful dogs, exactly as you so colorfully and accurately say.
Add “people who don’t f-ing care to clean up after their dogs” to that list.
I’m scared of dogs because I’ve been attacked by one before. I have a trauma reaction to them essentially. I wish more people understood this and were at least considerate of the idea that people have valid reasons for not wanting dogs in their space. I don’t care that your dog is awesome or whatever the fuck justification you want to use for being inconsiderate of others, my nervous system is terrified of it. I especially dislike people who walk their dogs off leash in busy areas.
As a dog person, I totally get this. I like dogs, I’d generally rather spend time with a dog than a person. But I’m under no impression it’s my child. I don’t get this “furbaby” bullshit, you’re an adult human, act like one. The dog will survive 10 minutes without you in constant contact, if it can’t, then it’s a neurotic fucking mess and you should maybe find another breed.
furbaby
honestly I think this is a coping mechanism because our society makes it so hard to have a family - housing, decent wages, health insurance etc. all make families a lot easier, and we won’t let people have those things without it costing 20x what past generations paid.
But don’t call your dog your child. I have a child. I can tell you it’s not the same. Not even close.
I’ve met people that call their dogs/cats their “babies”. Yes, things can get real fucking ridiculous
I feel the exact same way with the exact same feedback to parents. I am tired of people’s shitty kids running around, crawling on floors, looking at me in public, screaming and crying for no discernible fucking reason… I think we need to look at building segregated places for parents and animal owners and those of us that are one or the other and not interested in interactions with the opposite side.
Because it’s the internet, I will clarify that this is partially a joke. It’s also partially not a joke. And I apologize as a owner of multiple dogs for the experiences that you were having. That doesn’t sound like something that’s going to make anybodys day any better.
Personally, I keep my dogs at home unless I’m doing something like going hiking or out to the lake or somewhere else that seems like a reasonable place to bring an animal. Certainly not somewhere that’s going to have their hair flying in the air and getting into people’s foods or drinks or anything like that.
Thinking about it, I treated my kid the same way when they were first born…
looking at me in public
The audacity!
I absolutely love dogs and I have one.
I absolutely completely agree with everything you have said here. None of those behaviors should be appropriate.
“iTs thE owNERs”
I blame the big pet supply stores in the US for normalizing bringing your dog into a store. It was there first, then people started bringing them into the big box home improvements stores - sure the floor is unfinished concrete and everything is hardy so it doesn’t seem like much, but it’s creeping change. Now I see them in almost any sort of store. I don’t care for it.
Also - why isn’t there a proper certification/accreditation for proper service animals? Like the ones with extensive training? Someone’s untrained anxiety comfort animal or whatever gets treated the same as a trained-from-puppy seeing eye dog?
I love my dog more than anything on this planet, but she’s mine and I don’t expect anyone else to like her just because I do, she can be annoying as fuck, but I have more than enough love for her that it makes up for everyone else who doesn’t like her.
I also agree tho, you don’t have to take your dog everywhere you go unless you have a legitimate reason and that’s what service dogs are for.
