So I thought I would write a little piece on how as a nation we are becoming more and more dog friendly, this has become more apparent as our loving dog companions come along with us to the local pub or café and it is now socially accepted! I can remember a day when it was unheard of to bring your dog with you for a pint or coffee but now it seems more and more dogs are enjoying the time spent with owners wherever you are! In a recent survey of the UK hospitality industry conducted by the Kennel Club (July 2017) 98% of dog friendly pubs believe that business has improved due to canines being allowed in their premises. How great is that!  I for one think this is brilliant why should we leave our dogs at home when they can be out enjoying life with us and socialising with other dogs and people. It is not only great for their social skills but also for us humans to enjoy their company and provides a great talking point with strangers, which gets us making new friends too!

With this in mind though there are certain boundaries as a dog owner you need to keep in mind,  for example keep your dog on a lead and realise that not everyone loves dogs – they may not appreciate your dog charging up to them and licking them in the face! I think that goes without saying we need to all be conscious of this and respect others, as you would do normally with or without a dog. I do think people are becoming more accepting of dogs in social places though now, which is great for us all! Some places particular pubs now feature dog friendly stickers in their window so people are aware that dogs are welcome – I discovered these on a trip to Edinburgh where they featured a lot – this I think is a great idea and should be adopted in more establishments, as sometimes people are wary or unsure as to whether dogs are allowed. I have also noticed the rise in dog-friendly cafes around now too – in particular on a recent visit to Wells, Norfolk right on the beachfront, its just lovely. They sell dog biscuits and treats too and provide a special water station so the dogs don’t miss out after a long walk. Chip loved it especially as it was his birthday, we took him there especially. Talking of biscuits a recent trip to one of our local pubs ‘The Black Horse -Elton’ proved a welcomed retreat. Having just walked 6 miles with several friends and dogs we were a little sceptical about entering in muddy wellies and 5 dogs in toe but they were so welcoming and offered us a table for lunch in their bar area! All of the dogs were treated to free dog biscuits and water! The Cosy Club in Stamford also did a similar thing on a recent visit, we ordered coffee and they gave us a separate cup for Chip and Brough full of biscuits! Nice touch – dogs clearly are the future! I would also like to mention our local in Oundle ‘The Tap and Kitchen’  who are also very dog friendly – with it being walking distance from our house it’s amazing to wander down with Chip for a drink or bar snack and he be welcome to lay on the  floor (let’s face it he isn’t small!). He loves seeing all the other dogs and people in there, he is always so happy when we take him, its proving to be his local now if we ever leave him at home he wants to know why!

I am so happy dogs are becoming more accepted, it’s so nice not having to leave our dogs in the house when they can come and enjoy our lives with us, being social too. I hope in the future more and more places welcome them because dogs are often underestimated and deserve pleasures just like us. They are part of our family so they shouldn’t be left out.  So remember next time you are popping to the pub for a pint bring your dog too – It’s clear dogs are becoming a bars best friend!

Annie and Chip x