Why is Ireland so dog un-friendly?

ncmc

Just got to thinking about this over the last couple of weeks. We were in Ardmore a couple of weeks ago for a walk with our dog. There’s a place in Ardmore that’s a cross between a shop and a café and they have a little terrace at the back with outdoor seating. We went in and asked if it would be ok to bring our dog through the shop and sit with her in the outdoor area. We were told no! Now the beach and village were very busy but this café was very quiet, my husband and I probably would have spent the guts of €25-30 on our lunch. Our dog is only a Cocker Spaniel, so not exactly huge.

It just is so striking compared to other European countries, in Paris, dogs are ubiquitous everywhere and when we holiday in the Lake District in the UK, I am always amazed at the amount of dogs everywhere. They are not only tolerated, but encouraged! Most of the pubs, shops and restaurants allow dogs and leave out water and food for them. The hotels actually advertise themselves as being dog friendly and as a result, the Lakes have become a kind of mecca for dog lovers!

I just think in Ireland where cafes, restaurants and hotels are so pressed for business, more of them should be trying to attract the dog loving crowd. I know I would be more inclined to go away for a weekend if I could bring my dog with me, but dog friendly places are like hens teeth.

Diddler1977

ncmc wrote: »

Just got to thinking about this over the last couple of weeks. We were in Ardmore a couple of weeks ago for a walk with our dog. There’s a place in Ardmore that’s a cross between a shop and a café and they have a little terrace at the back with outdoor seating. We went in and asked if it would be ok to bring our dog through the shop and sit with her in the outdoor area. We were told no! Now the beach and village were very busy but this café was very quiet, my husband and I probably would have spent the guts of €25-30 on our lunch. Our dog is only a Cocker Spaniel, so not exactly huge.

It just is so striking compared to other European countries, in Paris, dogs are ubiquitous everywhere and when we holiday in the Lake District in the UK, I am always amazed at the amount of dogs everywhere. They are not only tolerated, but encouraged! Most of the pubs, shops and restaurants allow dogs and leave out water and food for them. The hotels actually advertise themselves as being dog friendly and as a result, the Lakes have become a kind of mecca for dog lovers!

I just think in Ireland where cafes, restaurants and hotels are so pressed for business, more of them should be trying to attract the dog loving crowd. I know I would be more inclined to go away for a weekend if I could bring my dog with me, but dog friendly places are like hens teeth.

Ireland really is so dog unfriendly.

However, some cafe owners are brilliant - providing water outside for pets, etc.

Surely they can see that there is money to be made from dog owners?

busyliving

Health & Safety...

I'm of the opinion that Health & Safety is were over the top these day...

I mean a guide dog is OK, but a regular dog isn't, is there any proof that the guide dog is any cleaner than a regular dog...

Health & Safety is a serious load of bollox at the best of times

stargazer 68

Have to agree. My mam has a ****zu - so hardly a monster - and would love to take the dog with them when they go away for the weekend. Really hard to find dog friendly hotels and those that are will charge up to 30 euro a night for the dog!! I know they say that is a 'cleaning' charge but it clearly cant cost nearly 100 euro to clean up some dog hair!!

westies4ever

totally agreed - very hard to go away with your dog. worse when you have two. places that are advertised as pet friendly and then they give you a list of rules as long as your arm - only one pet, pets not allowed on furniture, pets not to be left unsupervised in the accomodation etc etc.

Damokc

they're probably in dread that H&S officer will walk in and shut it down because of the dirty creature! Truth be know that there are shops,butchers and chippers etc. up and down the country with farmers with shìte up to their knees walking in and out of shops everyday!

I know for a fact I'd rather see a nice quiet dog sitting in a restaurant than a screaming child!

rock22

Most people do not like to have to eat with animals around. Most dog owners I know are careless about the nuisance their dogs cause to other people. For instnace, each time I have been aggressively confronted by a dog, their owners always says " he is only a pet.. wouldn't hurt anyone .. etc" .

Personally, I would leave a cafe/restaurant if their were dogs present. I assume the cafe owners know they will loose more custom from others.

westies4ever

rock22 wrote: »

Most people do not like to have to eat with animals around. Most dog owners I know are careless about the nuisance their dogs cause to other people. For instnace, each time I have been aggressively confronted by a dog, their owners always says " he is only a pet.. wouldn't hurt anyone .. etc" .

Personally, I would leave a cafe/restaurant if their were dogs present. I assume the cafe owners know they will loose more custom from others.

ehh who mentioned anything about aggression?? 'most' dog owners?? quit generalising.

Wolfe Tone

Because tons of people hate dogs, are afraid of dogs etc, and dont want a dog around when they are eating, perfectly understandable, at the end of the day it is just a dog.

paddyandy

We are not as lonely as people across the sea.The more loneliness the more cats and dogs.I was london for a number of years i saw a lot of people with "Oh George(dog) is one of the family" responds on greetings and usual pleasantries.Giving animals human names is a sure sign.

barbiegirl

OK I understand that some people are scared and dislike dogs, however we're just back from France and it would be such an easy country to bring our two on holidays to. Well behaved dogs are welcome everywhere and because they are, right from puppyhood, they are very well socialised and behave excellently. I have to say they put our two to shame, granted Sindy would be lovely and quiet, but the little guy Fargo would have a way to go yet before we would inflict him on the restaurant/cafe/pub going public.
I have to say that MOST (generalising) dog owners would think about others first and only bring a well socialised dog into somewhere like this, because believe me no one is more uncomfortable with an ill mannered dog usually than the person at the other end of the lead
There is a market, maybe only in large tourism areas, but it is there. It is so hard at weekends and holidays to find things to do that you can bring the dogs to. Ours are alone when we're in work so at the weekends we don't like to leave them for long periods of time too much, and weekends away are just really hard as it entails having someone stay in the house if we want to go away, or kennels which are expensive and I don't think would suit our two.
As to the they're only dogs comment, yes they are, but they're my dogs

ncmc

rock22 wrote: »

Most people do not like to have to eat with animals around. Most dog owners I know are careless about the nuisance their dogs cause to other people. For instnace, each time I have been aggressively confronted by a dog, their owners always says " he is only a pet.. wouldn't hurt anyone .. etc" .

Personally, I would leave a cafe/restaurant if their were dogs present. I assume the cafe owners know they will loose more custom from others.

No offense, but that is total BS. 'Most' people that care enough to bring their dog with them into a cafe, will make sure that their dog is quiet and well behaved. I am totally aware that not everyone likes dogs, I was not wanting to eat in the cafe, I wanted to walk through the cafe to the outdoor area.

Like I said in my OP, I frequently holiday in a place where dogs are welcomes (the Lake District in Cumbria) and I have never seen a dog in a restaurant or a pub act in the way you mention in your post. If they did, I'm sure the owners would be asked to leave immediately.

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Because tons of people hate dogs, are afraid of dogs etc, and dont want a dog around when they are eating, perfectly understandable, at the end of the day it is just a dog.

I'm not sure I understand your post, I was not suggesting dogs be treated as humans, I understand they are 'just dogs', I am merely saying that a savvy business owner could tap into the vast market that dog owners create.

I think this idea that 'tons of people' are afraid of dogs is an exaggeration. I don't think I know one person who is afraid of a quiet, well behaved dog.

Tranceypoo

paddyandy wrote: »

We are not as lonely as people across the sea.The more loneliness the more cats and dogs.I was london for a number of years i saw a lot of people with "Oh George(dog) is one of the family" responds on greetings and usual pleasantries.Giving animals human names is a sure sign.

Sorry, giving animals a human name is a sure sign of what exactly???
My animals all have human names, it doesn't mean I think they're human.

I do not see why you're not allowed to bring your dog to at least sit outside a cafe or even in the pub garden, we have asked before could we bring our dog (when we just had 1) into a garden of the pub and were told no. I can't think of another European city I've been to where I haven't seen dogs in shops, bars etc. In Venice we were in a packed cafe, not a seat or table going spare and there was an old couple with their KCC sat up on a chair between the two of them and noone was telling them to get the dog off the seat or anything, imagine that over here!! Shopping in Vienna once in Mango, a lady and her huge dog browsing the clothes. Why the hell not!!

westies4ever

i cant remember the name but there is a lovely cafe/restaurant on the sea front in dingle. we were able to eat outside with our dog (only had one at the time), the waitress even brought her out a dog biscuit and a bowl of water. she lay at my feet as quiet as a mouse and didnt trouble anyone. so rare in ireland though to be able to do that.

bullpost

I think its a combination of two things.

First one has already been mentioned , its the Health & Safety thing which is a byproduct of the PC gone nuts mentality that officialdom in this country have embraced of late.

A second reason is probably to do with the legacy of dogs being allowed to roam the streets and owners who did not clean up after them. This problem is now largely solved however but it has probably impacted on where we are right now.

westies4ever

bullpost wrote: »

I think its a combination of two things.

First one has already been mentioned , its the Health & Safety thing which is a byproduct of the PC gone nuts mentality that officialdom in this country have embraced of late.

A second reason is probably to do with the legacy of dogs being allowed to roam the streets and owners who did not clean up after them. This problem is now largely solved however but it has probably impacted on where we are right now.

too true, a small number of eejits ruining it for the rest of us.

paddyandy

Dogs drop saliva everywhere and what does it contain?

westies4ever

paddyandy wrote: »

Dogs drop saliva everywhere and what does it contain?

???????? what ?????????

ncmc

paddyandy wrote: »

Dogs drop saliva everywhere and what does it contain?

What are you on about? My dog does never and has never dropped saliva anywhere. What about stuff people drag in on the soles of their shoes, should we make everyone take off shoes before entering any cafe/pup/restaurant? What about people sneezing everywhere without using a tissue? Should we ban anybody who looks like their hygiene isn't up to scratch?

This is the kind of PC, health and safety madness that makes this country unbearable at times.

paddyandy

If you own a dog and you don't know what a dogs saliva contains then what sort of a person are you?

Beggared

I like dogs but I don't want one at the next table to me when I'm eating out somewhere. No matter how much we all love our little furry friends they are still animals, talking baby talk to them and putting little jackets on them doesn't make them people.

Shanao

Far as I'm concerned, i'd rather have a muddy dog sitting at the table next to me than a screaming child any day:D Ireland is unfortunately very backwards when it comes to animals and like another poster said, the idiotic minority ruin it for everyone else

ncmc

paddyandy wrote: »

If you own a dog and you don't know what a dogs saliva contains then what sort of a person are you?

Obviously a very hygenic and healthy one, as dog saliva contains antibiotic properties:

http://www.dogguide.net/blog/2008/02/licking-wounds/

Why am I feeding the troll :rolleyes:

westies4ever

paddyandy wrote: »

If you own a dog and you don't know what a dogs saliva contains then what sort of a person are you?

Link or proof thats its dangerous or GTFO

Diddler1977

It's a very sad and sorry thing to see this H&S bull destroying the character of Ireland.

A quiet dog sleeping under the stool of it's owner (generally an old man) was always a common sight in pubs in Ireland......not any more though

What harm does a dog in a pub cause?

stargazer 68

I used to work in a pub in London and dogs were regular visitors - we didnt have a beer garden so they were in the pub under the tables. We served food etc and it was no problem. Some of the 'regulars' used to come behind the bar looking for a sausage from the fridge or a bag of pork scratchings!

ncmc

Beggared wrote: »

I like dogs but I don't want one at the next table to me when I'm eating out somewhere. No matter how much we all love our little furry friends they are still animals, talking baby talk to them and putting little jackets on them doesn't make them people.

No body is talking about humanising dogs, which is a whole different topic, I am talking about the convenience of being able to get a cup of coffee or a beer while I am out for the day with my dog. Or being able to go away for a weekend and bring her with me without having to pay through the nose for the privilage. This isn't a new idea, It works in other countries, why not here?

Diddler1977

Dovies wrote: »

I used to work in a pub in London and dogs were regular visitors - we didnt have a beer garden so they were in the pub under the tables. We served food etc and it was no problem. Some of the 'regulars' used to come behind the bar looking for a sausage from the fridge or a bag of pork scratchings!

I was asked to leave the beer garden in the Temple Bar pub with my little guy when he was a pup

The floor is tiled in this area - maybe this was the reason????

650Ginge

rock22 wrote: »

Most people do not like to have to eat with animals around. Most dog owners I know are careless about the nuisance their dogs cause to other people. For instnace, each time I have been aggressively confronted by a dog, their owners always says " he is only a pet.. wouldn't hurt anyone .. etc" .

Personally, I would leave a cafe/restaurant if their were dogs present. I assume the cafe owners know they will loose more custom from others.

Why are you on a pets forum?

Theres probabaly a pets hating forum you can join somewhere.

Kali_Kalika

I was at Starbucks yesterday afternoon with a friend and my dog. They had no problem with my pup being under the table. The waitress did make a joke about not tying her to the table in case she'd go flying with it (believe that was in a film/ad recently) :rolleyes: But it was a joke and they were fine about it. She even asked if the dog would like a coffee or if I needed a bowl for water. I assured her the dog was fine as I had a bottle of water and her travel bowl with her. We'd just been for an incredibly long walk so she was quite content to sit under my chair and watch things go by and ended up having a snooze for awhile. In the time that we were there, two "yummy mummies" arrived with their brood who proceeded to destroy the place. The screaming and running around were the worst. There was an older couple seated next to us at one of the outdoor tables who had plenty of tsk tsk tsking and :rolleyes: (eye rolling) the lady leaned over at one point and even made the comment of "I thought your dog would have been the one causing havoc - but look at those kids! Shocking. Your dogs so good I can't believe it. Its a pitty yer ones in there (jabs thumb at the yummy mummies can't leash train those kids!" :D:D Delighted wasn't the word! And as a side note - the waitress had been really nice and accomodating with our visit and she was rewarded with an 8 euro tip from the pair of us. So, to any wait staff out there - doggy people are delighted when their dog can snooze under their chair and will tip nicely for that privledge!

paddyandy

westies4ever wrote: »

Link or proof thats its dangerous or GTFO

<wise Geek > try this site.Try and be civil.