More and more dining establishments with outdoor seating are allowing guests with their pups to enjoy a meal out on their patios. This practice seems to be growing in popularity in many neighborhood restaurants across the United States.
Teresa Kerr, owner of Ohana Café in Palm Harbor, loves that they have adopted the pet-friendly policy.
“People bring their puppies and eat on our patio. We never have any issues,” said Kerr. “I don’t think guests would bring them if they felt there would be a problem.”
Many patrons really love the idea of pet-friendly restaurants and wish there were more to choose from.
“I think dog-friendly restaurants should be everywhere!” said Cara Rosenthal, a frequent visitor to the Palm Harbor area. “For those who don’t have children, our dogs are our children and we should be able to bring them out to breakfast, lunch and dinner with us.”
Currently, in U.S. restaurants, dogs are allowed to dine with their owners only in restaurants that are pet-friendly and where there is outside seating.
“I love dog-friendly restaurants,” said Jarine Dotson of Safety Harbor. “In Europe, they allow them inside the restaurants.”
European establishments welcome pets almost as much as their owners, not only in restaurants, but in non-chain hotels and various modes of transportation as well.
But here in the United States, there are many patrons who are not quite so enthusiastic about this initiative. Those who don’t care for animals feel it is inconsiderate to bring an animal around others who are dining, people with pet allergies don’t want to deal with the associated issues, some believe the pups to be unsanitary and others are concerned that the pooches will misbehave and possibly hurt someone.
“I love dogs, but I have to admit I don’t think I would want them in the restaurant with me, “said Toni Osbourn of the Tampa Bay area. “Not every dog gets along with every person and we can’t control who is in the restaurant as a patron.”
Richard Cook of Oldsmar has mixed feelings on the issue. He feels both sides of the argument have valid points.
“I love animals and would enjoy seeing them in restaurants, so it’s not really a problem for me,” said Cook. “But, I might have issues with the wait staff petting a dog and then going back to serving customers.”
Bottom line, some dog owners feel it’s nice to have the option to bring Fido if they choose and would like to see an increase in the number of pet-friendly restaurants. For those who prefer dining without dogs, consider yourself lucky, you have many more alternatives available to you than those who wish to dine with them.
Ultimately, the decision for a restaurant to adopt the pet-friendly policy lies in the hands of the business owner.
For a list of pet-friendly restaurants near you, go to: www.bringfido.com/restaurant/
Here are a few tips for those who choose to dine with dogs.
- If your pup is not social or well trained, take the time to train them before putting them on display in restaurants.
- When dining out with Fido, choose a table that is out of the way of other diners and the wait staff.
- Make sure you are aware of what is going on around you so you can ward off any issues before they arise.
- If Brutus decides to live up to his name mid-meal, apologize to the other patrons, ask for a doggie bag and be on your way.
- Clean up after your pet! This should go without saying, but apparently some people need to hear it since it’s the most common complaint amongst patrons.
- If your pooch behaves as professionally as a service dog, remember to thank the restaurant management for allowing your pet to dine with you.
If you like the pet-friendly policy, be courteous to the other patrons and restaurant staff and hopefully your restaurant choices will continue to grow.
Here are a few tips for those who end up dining near dogs.
- If you saw someone dining with their children, you probably would not go up and ask to pat their head or scratch behind their ears. It’s a good idea to do the same with someone dining with their dog. You can look, admire and comment if you like, but don’t touch, so as to avoid getting the pup all excited.
- If you absolutely cannot resist the temptation to pet someone’s canine friend, then be sure to ask for permission first. Don’t be offended if they say no. They may be doing their best to maintain proper puppy protocol.
- If you have allergies or really don’t like the idea of seeing dogs at restaurants, be sure to dine indoors to avoid any dining discomfort. If you prefer to dine outdoors, you may want to choose a restaurant that has a no pet policy.
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