Dogs. Most people love them, but most people still have a reaction when they see them in a public space. Even though dogs are welcomed at most pet stores and dog parks, sometimes it can still be a little alarming to see them in a restaurant. Unless they’re a trained service animal, which means they’re on duty.
More people are turned off by this than you might assume. Even though owners often consider their pups to be like kids, it’s a little unnerving to see a dog at a grocery store or in the mall when it doesn’t have a distinguishing jacket or indicator that it’s currently working.
That’s why a lot of businesses that openly welcome dogs make sure to say so on their website. And, hey — it’s good for the supreme dog lovers among us to know as well since it’s a good location to spot some very good boys. And, it’s also good for people with legitimate dog phobias, so they know they can lessen their fear by going to a different establishment.
Even if you think your pet is completely harmless (and they likely are) it’s still good to remember that not everyone will have that reaction. And if you’re wondering whether or not your dog should tag along, take into consideration what these real-life employees likely think when your pup enters.
1. They’ll likely get some questions about health code.
What are you going to do about the dog in the restaurant?! from r/MaliciousCompliance
It doesn’t matter if your pup just came back from the pet salon. People look at dogs, and they don’t think they’re clean enough to be around their food.
This is a case where service pets don’t apply, but it still makes other customers uneasy. So much that they’ll be threatening the manager to call in a health violation.
2. They’ll make the people who need service animals look bad.
Card
It’s often hard to prove if your dog is a service dog. It’s a lot like allergies, if you think about it.
People who lie about allergies to try and get fresher food or be unique often make life harder for the people who really do depend on a chef’s allergen knowledge in order to survive.
3. They’ll assume you won’t clean up after your pet.
Because some people don’t. It’s part of the entitlement. It’s kind of like leaving the responsibility of making your bed behind when you’re traveling since you’re on “vacation.”
People think that if their pet poops outside of their home that it’s not their problem.
4. Things may have to be sanitized extra-hard.
Of course, restaurants need to properly clean their equipment.
But when they see a dog come in, they may get upset since it guarantees extra work.
The story above about a woman placing her chihuahua on a stack of apples may have happened at a Target, but if she thinks that behavior is cool, there are likely other issues afoot.
5. They know it’ll make other customers nervous.
I love dogs. I hate any dog other than a legit service dog in a restaurant.
— Matthew Beaudin (@matthewcbeaudin) July 14, 2015
So much can go wrong with a dog in a restaurant — especially if their person isn’t keeping them on a leash. It’s almost like a bull in a china shop.
Or for John Mulaney fans, a horse in a hospital.
Even people who love dogs know they don’t belong, regardless of size, because things can get chaotic — fast.
6. They know they’re disrespecting customers with allergies.
Dogs shake and shed, and can cause some really severe allergies in some people.
Pet allergies are a real bummer, so it’s best to always be prepared. If the person in question was visiting a pet store, they’d probably make sure to take some Benadryl beforehand.
But if they’re in a restaurant, not expecting to see your furry companion the next table over, they may get really sick.
7. They’ll assume you’re taking advantage of the system.
There’s a difference between an emotional support animal and a service animal. They know you know this, but probably assume they don’t know this.
And honestly, it’s a really disrespectful move.
It puts your wants over company policy, which was set up for a reason — for people who actually need an animal to help them make their way through the world.
8. They know it’s a liability.
A woman who stopped to pet a dog in a restaurant was bitten on the face and needed eye surgery https://t.co/ET2mDCvEe7
— Insider (@thisisinsider) August 20, 2018
Dogs are animals — and even though they probably mean well, they can strike if they feel uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, other patrons may not know how to read pups, and might assume that petting a strange dog in a restaurant is okay given the setting.
So really, employees know they’re playing with fire by allowing the dog in.
9. They may view you as being selfish.
If you break one rule, how many others are you willing to break? If you’re alone with the dog, will you take him or her out if they start barking? Make sure no one is allergic? Will they tip extra for the inconvenience? Probably not. And honestly, that’s really not cool.
10. They’ll probably keep their distance.
Pretty sure a dog in a restaurant is not ok RT @sdtips Arf! Take Your Pooch (Dog) to Work Day is Fri, 6/26/09 -http://www.takeyourdog.com/
— Rock BotM Brewery SD (@RBSanD) June 24, 2009
Even if they love dogs, they know they’ll be approaching you, their owner, which may make them a little defensive.
Honestly, I can’t even bring my dog to a drive-thru without an annoying issue.
You obviously want the best service when you’re out, and that’ll likely happen if you leave your pooch at home.
11. If the dog makes a lot of noise, they know that mentioning it may lead to issues.
Nobody likes being the person who says “hey, can you shut your dog up?”
Dogs bark and dogs will always bark, so the real issue is the fact that you brought a barking dog into an establishment that doesn’t handle that type of situation well.
But, you’re not the only customer at the restaurant, and they’d rather save the experience of the 10 other diners than the lady who brought her loud dog in.
12. They know they’re potentially risking the meals of all other customers.
My coat is covered in dog hair — and even though I try hard to remove it before meeting up with people, it’s kind of difficult to be dog-hair free.
Dog hair travels very easily, which means that your dog may cause someone a table or two over to ingest unwanted hair.
13. And that means refunds.
“Waiter, there’s a hair in my soup!” will be an obvious claim. I mean, anyone with any kind of furry friend knows that their hair gets pretty much everywhere.
Of course, if something isn’t sanitary (and you know why) a discount will probably be issued.
That wouldn’t have been the case if the dog didn’t enter the restaurant in the first place.
14. They might worry that you’ll complain about your own order.
Judged this snobby looking girl for carrying a small dog with her until I realized I was carrying a liquor bottle... You win this time.
— guacamolly🥑 (@molly9109) October 23, 2012
Yes, I’m going to be stereotypical here.
But people who bring dogs into restaurants that aren’t openly dog-friendly likely aren’t the easiest to get along with.
They’re the people with the overly complicated orders at Starbucks and the people who seem hard to please.
15. Your dog might be an actual threat to an actual service dog.
Again, animals can be hard to predict. Even if your dog is the kindest boy, a sudden illness or weird smell in the air may send them off.
Since you can’t openly communicate to them with words, oftentimes incidents happen too quickly to prevent.
Real service dogs are heavily trained to be by their owner, but they might not know what to do if a random dog becomes violent in an environment that is supposed to be a safe place. The last thing a restaurant worker wants to deal with? A dog fight.
16. They’ll worry your dog will get bored.
In other news we were in a restaurant today and everything was nice until my dog got bored and started chewing on some bit of corn from the ground which I proceeded to peel outta her snout under the table afterwards.
— IMickTheBread (@IMickTheBread) April 5, 2018
That, or eat the food that’s been prepared for people.
Dogs often lack self-control, so it’s very possible that they’ll be after your plate or your scraps.
And there are certain foods out there that can be toxic to dogs, so it’s almost like you’re putting your dog’s health at risk. Just know that bored dogs and bored toddlers often act the same way — they get loud, or uncomfortable, or generally nervous.
17. All that said, they probably think your dog is adorable… outside.
Just because a restaurant doesn’t want to deal with your dog doesn’t mean they don’t love dogs. In fact, a majority of people prefer dogs over people.
If you want to eat out at a place that isn’t dog-friendly, leave your pup at home.
Otherwise, look for places that will be a lot more accommodating to both of you.
