Most of us love dogs, but many places (including Wetherspoons) don’t accept dogs (even outside, even well-behaved ones).
By law, assistance dogs have to be accepted, but some places (and taxi drivers) don’t comply. If so, complain on Open Doors app).
You can’t force shops, pubs, hotels and restaurants to accept dogs, it’s usually more to do with concerns over behaviour, aggression and peeing/pooing on the floor!
Some dogs also steal food! There are hygiene laws meaning that dogs are not allowed in commercial kitchens. If you run a food-business from home, you’ll know there are laws for cooking in kitchens (not letting fur get into food!)
Check For Dog Beach Bans & Tide Times
Before travel, always check weather and tide times. There’s no point taking dogs to places where pavements are too hot, or there are no cool shady areas. If in doubt, stay at home with your dogs, or find someone you trust to look after them.
One reason to make places more dog-friendly is that some (irresponsible) dog guardians may visit the seaside and then leave dogs in cars, if there’s a beach ban.
Don’t let dogs run after driving, as it can cause bloat. Wait for an hour or two.
Read our post on keeping dogs safe by the seaside.
Dogs can die quickly (even in warm temperatures with windows ajar or air conditioning left on). If you see a dog trapped in a car, break the window and move the dog to a cool shady area, pouring cool (not cold) water over their body (not head). Then immediately call the vet. Driving with Dogs?
If you get stuck on a motorway (especially on a warm day) while taking dogs with you on trips, visit Driving with Dogs. This site (set up by a couple who ended up stranded on a motorway in a traffic jam with a dog) lists the nearest dog walking areas, by motorway exit.
So rather than having to chance it, you know which exit is the best place to let your dog out for a walk and a pee.
Tebay Services (Cumbria) offers fresh water bowls and coffee machines (so you can get a brew without leaving your dog to wait in a queue). It has northbound/southbound dog walks with family-friendly traffic-free routes offering splendid views across Howgill Fells. Keep dogs on leads.
Making Parks More Dog-Friendly
In Liverpool, the council recently banned dogs from many parks, which caused uproar. Often the excuse given is that dogs make poo messes. But dogs poo! Councils should offer dog bins with free bags (people forget, it’s human nature).
This costs less than sending staff to clean up (meanwhile it can cause blindness in dogs, children and wildlife). Offering overflowing poop bins (as councils don’t empty them enough) is no good. Nor is planting pet-toxic bulbs in parks (learn pet-friendly flowers, mulch and landscaping choices).
Where to Find Dog-Friendly Places
Visit Dog Friendly, a website packed with places to visit with updated reviews and information. But ultimately the answer is for small shops and establishments to try to welcome dogs as much as possible.
The onus is on guardians to ensure their dogs are well-trained to avoid food-stealing and aggression.
But also on business owners by not just banning dogs for no good reason. You can always add caveats like a sign for ‘well-behaved dogs only’ or asking for an extra payment to cover cleaning costs, if there are any accidents in hotel rooms etc.
Inspiration from Dog-Friendly US Towns
In the US town of Mt Laurel (Alabama), the architect designed it to be walking-friendly. So ideal for dogs and also for humans (you can walk from your house to the farmers’ market or even the fire station if need be).
One idea it has created is a dog park that’s split into two. One area is for energetic playful dogs who like to socialise. Then the other end of the park is for older, shy or nervous dogs. This enables all dogs to have fun, without one type accidentally scaring the other!
The affluent northern California area of Carmel-by-the-Sea is often cited as the most dog-friendly town on earth.
Police patrol the beach to ensure dogs are not left in warm/hot cars, nearly all shops/cafes are dog-friendly, a ‘fountain of woof’ spurts out fresh water for thirsty dogs, and there is even a local dog calendar, with profits helping animal shelters.
