Unpopular Opinion: Not Everything Should Be Dog-Friendly

Doggy discos, four-legged foam parties, canine afternoon teas – even a fluff-filled Easter egg hunt. Those are just some of the ‘dog-friendly’ events taking over the nation that I’ve recently seen advertised lately. And I get it. As we approach the warmer months, people want to fill up their calendars and spend time with their best buds. Even better if they can get a couple of cute Instagram pics or TikToks out of it.

But while being able to bring your dog along to everything sounds like the dream, is it time to admit that the dog-friendly trend is getting a bit out of hand? 

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Hi, I’m a canine behaviourist and I don’t think everything should be dog-friendly. Yes, you read that right. While I love dogs and work with them day in, day out, I don’t want to be around them all of the time. And I don’t think they want to be around us all of the time, either.

Not everyone’s into dogs

Let’s paint the picture. You’ve had a long week at work and are looking forward to getting dressed up and having some good food and cocktails with your mates. You walk into the restaurant and are met with barking from the dog who’s sitting right by the door and not coping with strangers walking past every couple of minutes. 

Then, you sit down and realise there’s a dog trying to make their way into your personal space from the table next door. That same dog then jumps up at your table when your food arrives and struggles to settle for the remainder of the evening. Not only have you got slobber all over your nice outfit but in your dinner, too. When did this become normal? 

The likes of country pubs and casual cafes have long been places where dogs are welcome. And, as long as a dog was able to relax in those environments and both humans and animals had enough space, there was rarely an issue. But now, high-end restaurants along with activities like going to the cinema and even workplaces are being turned into dog-friendly locales. 

For some people, this may be just a mere annoyance. For others, it can be something more serious. Being allergic to pets is common in the UK, particularly for those who have allergic asthma or hay fever. And while, according to Anaphylaxis UK, severe allergic reactions from animals are unusual, it’s not impossible for people to experience life-threatening symptoms and/or require hospital treatment. 

Even standard allergy symptoms – which can range from sneezing and coughing to wheezing and skin rashes – can be difficult to deal with, especially if you’re being exposed to pets on a regular basis such as in your workplace. Yes, people can go to places that aren’t dog-friendly. But if more and more places are welcoming our canine companions, is it fair that people’s choices become limited or that they’re forced to find another job?

And what about those who are scared of dogs? According to a 2018 study, a fear of animals is among the most common phobias globally.

My partner’s workplace recently demonstrated the problem when workplaces don’t have a specific pet policy or check with staff before letting people bring their dogs to the office. One day, a colleague randomly brought their dog in as they couldn’t find anyone to look after them. The dog was very good and relaxed under their desk for most of the day. But little did they know a staff member had an intense fear of dogs and literally ran away when they saw the fluffball appear, refusing to come anywhere near that part of the office for the rest of the day.

Taking the friendly out of dog-friendly 

As well as the dog-friendly craze being not exactly ideal for those with allergies, fears, or who just don’t like dogs (I know, I know, but they do exist), it’s often not so friendly for the dogs themselves, either. Most events have been created for the benefit of people and simply allowed dogs in, slapping a ‘dog-friendly’ label on it as a result.

But has anyone actually sat down to think whether dogs want to be in crowded places with loud music, unpredictable humans (who may or may not have had a bit too much to drink) and a selection of delicious-smelling food they’re not allowed to eat? If they could speak, I doubt many of them would say: “Sign me up.”

As much as we sometimes see them that way, they’re not miniature humans, and don’t want to do the same things that we do. They enjoy exploring, sniffing, chewing, digging, chasing – all things that we often view as a problem. (I can’t imagine there hasn’t been an occasion at a dog-friendly bowling alley – yes, they exist – where a dog has pelted down the lane after the ball.)

Dogs like to use space if they’re not comfortable in a situation, making busy places with a bunch of strangers quite stressful for them. And what happens when you remove the option to move away? They may have to resort to more overt behaviours such as barking, growling or even biting.

A nation of true dog lovers

I don’t love watching visibly stressed dogs’ calls for help be repeatedly ignored by their caregivers. I can’t bear another story of how a dog developed a noise phobia after being taken to an open mic night where everyone forgot how sensitive their hearing is. Or of how they now have an issue with other dogs after being completely overwhelmed at a doggy free-for-all. I want us to do better for our dogs.

If we really want to be a dog-friendly nation, we need to look at things through their eyes. If it was up to them, they’d opt for a day out on a quiet beach, open field or a countryside stroll. A day where they could explore to their heart’s content, get some nice treats, have a play and just relax. 

And if there was to be a truly dog-friendly event? It’d have plenty of space for each dog, calm sniffing opportunities, no loud noises, clear rules about approaching and touching dogs you don’t know… Absolutely no disco required. 

So do we need more dog-friendly spaces? Or do we need to let our dogs be dogs? I’ll leave you to think that one over.