Dog Unfriendly Episode

Hi Everyone,

On Saturday we went through a most embarassing episode. My husband and I went to a café with an esplanade by our house, and took Gaston (carried him, as, as you may remember he still does not have all of his vaccines). I had been to this very same café on the Thursday before, and had asked if I could be there with the dog, to which they told me yes, not inside though but we could sit on the deck outside, and that’s what I did.

On Saturday, I followed this request, and we sat outside, with Gaston on my lap. The café lady looked angry though when she put down our drinks and we proceeded to pay, then Gaston started smelling the table, and the lady had a fit, she agressively “shooed” the puppy, which even frightened me, it was that unexpected, and then proceeded to getting off at us because the dog was licking the tableware and that dogs were not allowed there (I clarified he hadn’t licked rather smelled but yes that was wrong but I hadn’t been in time to avoid it happening, and that I had asked her on Thursday if I could be there with the dog..etc). We came home feeling rather bewildered. We were expecting a pleasant moment..
Cutting a long story short, have you ever been through such with your dogs ? I was left feeling really uncomfortable, to be honest. How do you deal with these things, do they happen to you when you are out with yor dogs?
Thanks.

 

Odd woman

We are allowed to take Guide Dog pups in cafes, restraunts, shops etc with permission - and sometimes get very adverse reactions from people squealing in fear to refusing access.

Of course, Guide Dogs are allowed everywhere except operating theatres and commercial kitchens. But there are still a lot of refusal issues for them, especially from taxis and small shops.

Here is the campaign to improve things - https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/how-you-can-help/campaigning/access-all-areas/what-have-we-achieved/

 

Daft woman! She shouldn’t have taken your order if she didn’t want the dog there! I would just think, ‘Well that’s my custom she’s lost. I’ll find somewhere friendlier.’

 

That would be my last visit ! I can understand owners of cafes and restaurants not allowing dogs inside , but outside for heavens sake ? We`re lucky in that we live in a holiday area which is popular with dog owners so many establishments cater for our four legged friends , actually welcome them x

 

That's very strange, as she had previously agreed that you could be outside. I hope there's another nearby cafe with friendlier staff!

 

Hi Carla,

People can just be weird. A lot of times the "Eeek! A dirty dog!" reaction is simply because the person is afraid and doesn't want to admit it. Yes, even afraid of a puppy.

You did all you could and yes, maybe Gaston's little nose was too close to the silverware, but who the heck cares? Easier said than done, but please don't let it put you off taking him out, even taking him out to that same place as it is likely just that one woman, not everyone there. After all, you had already very politely gotten the OK to sit outside at that cafe and not from the same person, I'd be willing to bet. My guess is that you will continue to be a valued customer, just not by that silly lady. And if she IS there all the time, it would be worth having a word with the management, simply to explain why you won't be returning. In that case, hopefully there is another cafe in your town that you can try!

Isn't it amazing how some countries are different from others? In Bavaria, nearly every restaurant is not only dog friendly inside and out, but they usually have special water bowls and even dog beds for patrons to use. Wouldn't it be lovely if all places were like that?

Please keep your spirits up and rest assured that you weren't at fault.

Now, how about some new photos of Gaston. Pleeeeeaaase?!

 

Hi @Boogie, @Joy, @kateincornwall, @Granca and @Emily_BabbelHund ,

Thanks very much for your thoughts. True she is an odd woman, but using her as an example, I haven't got it that much, but it does happen from time to time here in Portugal, so I was trying to understand how it was for you in yor countries, I sometimes feel like we are still in the medieval ages ate least according to some people, we surely must be.
To me, personally, this is a discussion long gone, of where dogs can or cannot go, as, as I see it, as long as the dog is not disturbing normal service and run of things, or bothering others,I don't see any reason for them not being allowed in public places, if the law so permits. Unfortunately of course this is not up to me so of course I try to be respectful of the rules, but sometimes, even behaving according to the rules, I do come across people that are plain and simply disgusted by dogs, supposedly, and from what I gather mostly because dogs are filthy. Which is something I can't quite wrap my head around, dogs are filthy..according to what parameters ?
Well, anyways, the thing is that this episode that happened to us represents a whole discussion going around in Portugal at the moment, as a law has been passed that dogs are allowed into closed restaurants. I think it may in itself have been reason for the womans' reaction, that being due to the new law passed.
Dogs can be allowed access into open spaces since 2015. Beginning May 2017 we are now also allowed to take them into closed spaces.
This law is put into practice according to the decision of the owner of the space : so be it a closed, interior, or open, outside place, the owner decides if he will let let dogs in or not, and he signals this buy putting up a "dog friendly" sign for us to know.

As the discussion is so hot even nation wide, I have heard that many owners will decide against letting dogs in, even though they themselves wouldn't mind, just because of the pressure from their dogless clients who they do not wish to upset.

I am all for only taking Gaston where he is allowed, so I always check up or ask or at least try to beforehand, but I would prefer not getting mixed messages such as this episode on Saturday, so either they are fine with me being there with the dog, and are dog freidnly or they are not, as simple as that, the message has to be clear.

By the attitude of some, I think there are people that have no idea that Guide Dogs exist even @Boogie, or what they do for us humans...

I will of course never go to that specific café again, the odd daft woman also waffled on while we were leaving things such as "at least if the dog was a consumer then it would make sense for them to bring him along..I wonder if they take the dog to work too?"..etc..
Well, I am not angry at the woman specifically, it is however at large the mindset regarding dogs still, when they are members of the family, treasured companions and trained so as to be able to mingle and live within society.

Not all of Portugal is like this, mind you, we have dog friendly restaurants, shopping malls and parks for dogs to play, mentalities are a-changing, also helped along by the government as we recently have a party elected for parliament called PAN - People - Animals - Nature, which is being really quite good changing our ways in regards to animals here.
It is for sure my last visit there, with or without Gaston. Especially as the woman was so rude, had she been good manered things could have been totally different, it was just uncalled for.

There is a website, called bizidog where supposedly one can look up dog freindly places (hotels, lodging, restaurants, shops, etc) but I havent yet been able to upload it for Cascais, Portugal, which is where I live.

@Emily_BabbelHund, indeed, it is amazing how some countries are different to others - and to what extent really!

I was just using your example, of travelling the world or so to say most of it with Brogan, and being at the pub in Germany with Brogan, (now that's a civilized world for you) to my husband (use yours as example many times, you and Brogan come in quite handy actually, especially for those things he does not imagine me doing but I wanna do them with Gaston anyways, I say "remember that rottie lady I told you about..well she used to (whatever example I myself want to do..) It has been working quite well, so thanks

Some latest pictures of Gaston. He stiil doesnt do very much besides the usual puppy stuff, so the only novelty here is the Kong, which he loves (sorry, I am very bad at taking photos, my hands are always shaking in some kind of antecipation..).

 

That's great - glad Brogan and I can be of service!

Remember Brogan was even once escorted into the Vatican by the Swiss Guard, so you have a lot of leeway for those stories.

Thank you for the cute pic! And I think I can speak for many other forum members when I say that "the usual puppy stuff" is quite interesting. Bring it on!

 

Oh..just realized the 1001 spelling mistakes in my previous post, sorry everyone, had Gaston on my lap playing a bit of crocopup, so was a little distracted

 

Geez, you're right. I read that one, have to go and look it up again. Oh have I got a long way to go with Gaston ! Poor OH.
Thanks Emily

 

In the UK access to cafes / pubs with dogs varies a lot from place to place. The only legal requirement is that dogs must not be allowed in food preparation areas. I did own and run a cafe for a very short time years ago, and I must admit that I didn’t allow dogs inside ( but fine outside.) Environmental health inspections were very thorough and I dreaded the thought of them finding dog hair in the food and closing me down. ( I think I went a bit OTT to be honest, as I wore a cap which completely covered my own hair and asked my staff to do so too.)
Most places near here only allow dogs in outside seating but when we were on holiday in Devon a couple of years ago we found lots of places that welcomed dogs inside. Some even offered free dog biscuits while others cashed in by having a doggy menu.

 

You don't need to apologise for your spelling, @CMartin, your English is very good!

As for your bad encounter, this is where the power of Facebook comes in handy. I would definitely leave a negative review explaining what happened. Either they'll use the opportunity to change their attitude to dogs, or they'll make asses of themselves and lose more customers!

NZ is not dog friendly. We have the odd café where dogs are welcome (outside) but dogs are never welcome inside, and they can't ride on public transport like they can in Europe or Canada.

 

I hadn't noticed any mistakes - too busy looking at the photos of Gaston!

It's taking time here, too, for places to become dog-friendly, often because there are always the few who spoil it for the rest, eg having out of control dogs, not clearing up poo - particularly on beaches. It seems that some beaches are now winter months only for dogs and prohibited during the spring/summer, when families are likely to be around.

A pub I visited last week had a dog bowl outside, with a barrel on its side marked 'dog beer' to refill it! Later I noticed on the mantelpiece by the fireplace there were glass containers of dog biscuits. Sadly I didn't have the dogs with me, but I've marked it down for future reference!

 

Another one - into the cockpit of an Air Dolomiti flight to Florence. HE got invited in by the co-pilot, while I had to wait outside!

So many places for Gaston to go!

 

I love Gaston's long legs, by the way. He's already so big!

 

I think it's quite a good idea for them to cash in on giving access to dogs to their premises. I see lots of people hanging out with their dogs. This could be a business opportunity for many if they decide to take advantage of the new law, while it's fresh.

My sister also tells me she does not like the idea of dog hair flying around in a restaurant. I do get this. On the other hand, I guess the fact of really liking dogs makes me see things easily through my eyes, of course..

Before 2015 no dogs were allowed in restaurants or bars or coffeeshops, inside or outside in Portugal. So it's all quite new here. I guess people also don't see why we would want to take the dog with us to these places. Why do we feel the need to do such..

 

Thanks about the English.. I grew up in South Africa (hate the accent though which I believe I was lucky enough to lose along the way, I work mostly with English, Irish and American folk. I am a remote worker and the only one in my team based in Portugal).

Really @Xena Dog Princess ? I would never have guessed that would be the case in New Zealand, I mean NZ is nature per se.
Everyone on Facebook is having a go at everyone else in Portugal because of this new law (dogs being allowed in restaurants..). It's quite amusing actually. But we do come across violent extremes, I hate extremes.

I don't think this place even has Facebook. It's a one man show, so it's the angry lady and at most one other person. The angry lady is the owner.
Thankfully, we do have other cafés in town within walking distance. There is one that even lets' me have coffee inside, Gaston on lap. They don't have an outside esplanade, so they are very nice in letting me in no issue. Never again that angry ladys' café that's for sure.

 

Thanks @Granca. You are absolutely right, there are quite a few people who ruin it for us. They don't use the poobags, they let their dogs hang around town on their own (instead of walking them) so the dogs poo everywhere the see fit. I have dog poo at my front gate and it is not Gastons' for sure. It is disgusting.
An awful thing happened in a park in Lisbon city center, someone threw pieces of bread with nails stuck in them. Someone that was very upset that dogs poop in the park they themselves stroll and where they take their children to play..so this is how they decide to sort matters out. By harming the poor dogs.
Fortunately, a dog owner (having breakfast in the coffeeshop across the street whilst keeping an eye on his dog pooping in the park,) saw something strange and went to take a look and came across the bread with 2 or 3 shiny new nails in each piece before it was gobbled up by any innocent dog. There are also cases in which dogs are mysteriously poisoned..Thus I think it's really important to train dogs not to eat anything from the street or ground. Easier said, especially with labs.

 

Thank you for the photos of Gaston, he is adorable

There are quite a few dog friendly places near me. Costa coffee is fantastic even though you have to sit outside. They always bring Harley some water and a dog biscuit and fuss her lots. There are a few dog friendly restaurants and pubs too. In Plymouth (South UK) where my daughter lives there are so many dog friendly places. We stayed in a hotel on the outskirts of Plymouth with Harley and she was allowed in the bar and restaurant areas. It is a steak house in the evening but still happy to have dogs.
I hope you find a few more dog friendly places as it really is nice to take your dog with you.

 

Yeah, I do find myself proudly admiring his legs, a couple of weeks ago they were 4 wobbly fat stumps.

They grow so fast..I didn't remember. Must make the most of this pee and poop in house, needles for teeth and whimpering for attention stage, it will soon be long gone. (The nights have been so much better so that's almost over already I'm sure..).