Dog Etiquette Question/Thread

[fishbrains]

It would never occur to me to bring my dog to someone else's house without asking permission ahead of time.

And in the unlikely event I had to bring my dog (again, only with the homeowner's permission ahead of time), the dog would be on a very, very short leash.

Did I miss a memo where I'm expected to tolerate other people's dogs when these people show up at my house? Admittedly, the dogs are often better behaved (and better-liked) than the people's kids, but dogs aren't people. And having other dogs in the house drives my dog nutty.

Wondering if it's just me.

[Parasaurolophus]

I'm with you.

Though we do have a friend with a small dog who is welcome to bring her any time. But in that case, we all know she has the dog and is expected to bring it. No asking required for her.

[Langue_doc]

I like dogs, but have had it with dogs in the subway and also in places like bakeries. A few weeks ago I complained about a dog in one of the much ballyhooed ones that had a sign prohibiting animals only to be told that service animals were allowed. I would certainly not be happy if someone brought their dogs to my home. I don't have animals so I wouldn't have any qualms about not letting them inside on the grounds that I have allergies. So much entitlement these days!

[ciao_yall]

Not a dog person myself. Where I live people bring them everywhere. Okay, fine, I'm over it.

Most people are pretty good about picking up after their dogs. Still, the dog isn't "watering" the plants. It kills them. We have a very sad street tree that is the first one out of our building and they use it as kind of a doggie "Kilroy Was Here." It looks like the Charlie Brown Xmas tree while all the others are much happier.

Don't get me started with people printing "Service Animal" certificates off the internet and then bringing the darn, untrained critters into stores where they lick things they aren't supposed to and curiously stuff their noses elsewhere IYKWIMAITYD.

NOT EVERYONE LIKES YOUR DAMN FAMILIAR DOG.

[nebo113]

I ALWAYS ask if I can bring my canine and say that NO is an acceptable response!!! 

[AJ_Katz]

My partner and I are absolutely sick of seeing dogs in grocery stores and restaurants.  When did this become okay?  It may be in your purse, but we all still know it's there.  Please stop bringing your pets into stores with food or any store for that matter. 

As for bringing a dog to someone's house, same story.  They should leave it at home unless they asked permission or were invited to do so.  Sheesh...

[secundem_artem]

Both Mrs Artem & myself come from a European heritage where dogs are allowed pretty much anywhere, including restaurants.  We continue to wonder why dogs are considered generally welcome in much of Europe, but regarded as very much unwelcome in most of the US.  IMHO, it's people's bratty kids that cause more ruckus and general annoyance than your average pooch.  I'd rather go out for dinner with your dog than your toddler.


If we bring a dog depends a lot on the dog.  Artem dog (RIP) was consistently well behaved and never a problem.  So we would bring him along occasionally (to other's houses who had a dog and with permission).  Artem pup is an unholy terror and the only place we bring him is the vet's office, the groomer, and the local independent pet store. He's not a good dog to take visiting to someone's house.  Hell, I'm not even sure he's a good dog when people come to OUR house!

[apl68]

While we haven't seen it here, I'm told by colleagues that some urban libraries have been hit hard by getting caught between people trying to pass their (often very poorly disciplined) pets off as service animals on the one hand, and people who lose their minds at the very sight of a dog and demand that the whole building be deep-cleaned for alleged allergens and dog-germs before they will come back.  The current American genius for polarized attitudes around things is evidently not limited to politics.

The standard professional advice is to accommodate service animals where the owner can demonstrate that the animal is actually certified for that purpose.  One of my nieces once worked for an agency that placed service animals, and could testify that true service animals and their owners had to go through a pretty serious process of certification.

[onthefringe]

The standard professional advice is to accommodate service animals where the owner can demonstrate that the animal is actually certified for that purpose.  One of my nieces once worked for an agency that placed service animals, and could testify that true service animals and their owners had to go through a pretty serious process of certification.

In the US, at least, the policy you describe may be illegal, depending on what you mean by demonstrate. According to the ADA,

If you are working at a business or state/local government facility and it is unclear to you whether someone's dog is a service dog, you may ask for certain information using two questions.

You may ask:

Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?

What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?

You are not allowed to:

Request any documentation that the dog is registered, licensed, or certified as a service animal

Require that the dog demonstrate its task, or inquire about the nature of the person's disability


I agree that people with their poorly trained "emotional support" animals have made this all much more difficult, especially if they are willing to lie in response to the questions above.

I did think they "emotional support" hedgehog one of my students carried around this year was super cute though.

[Sun_Worshiper]

I love dogs, but agree that people should ask before bringing their dog to a friend's house house. As for restaurants, it is really up to the establishment if they wish to allow dogs. Personally I don't have a problem with dogs being on a restaurant's outside on a patio, but bringing them inside seems a bridge too far.

Caveat: Service dogs are a different story.

[jerseyjay]

As to the original question: it seems rude to bring your pet to somebody's house unless (a) you were specifically invited to do so; (b) you have asked the host about it; or (c) you regularly bring your pet.

Among obvious reasons: people might have allergies; might have children or others who are afraid of dogs; might have dogs (or other animals) of their own that would not appreciate different animal visitors.

One relative brings his (adorable) puppy to my wife and our apartment regularly. It invariably gets into an altercation with our (elderly) cat and relieves itself on our floor. I am fine with this because it is family. I would be much less acceptable if somebody else just showed up with a dog. And if my relative's puppy were here, plus my cat, plus our young grandchild--and somebody else brought another dog unannounced, we would be less than happy.

[Wahoo Redux]

I think it goes without saying (or should) that you do not bring dogs or any pets to someone's house without expression permission to do so, and certainly not unannounced.

Who does this, anyway?  I've never known anyone that rude or clueless.

fishbrains, can you share this ridiculous anecdote with us?

[nebo113]

I think it goes without saying (or should) that you do not bring dogs or any pets to someone's house without expression permission to do so, and certainly not unannounced.

Who does this, anyway?  I've never known anyone that rude or clueless.

fishbrains, can you share this ridiculous anecdote with us?

My self centered, egotistical, dumbass, clueless cousin did it to me.  After being an hour late, she and hubby  brought their dog to my house.  I very quietly put my dogs in my bedroom and closed the door. 

[apl68]

I have no pets to bring, and would not if I did.  My parents have brought their dog when they stayed with me. I was fine with that.  He and I are on good terms.  The only problem was, he turned out to be quite an escape artist when efforts were made to confine him to my kitchen while the rest of us were away.

I don't keep a dog because I live alone and am away from home during most of my waking hours, and would not be able to give a dog the attention that a dog deserves.  I love visiting friends who have dogs.  Although the family who have a dog that's built like a cinder block and thinks that she's a puppy can be a little awkward....

I once visited the house of some friends by mistake when I didn't learn that a Bible study scheduled for there had been moved at the last minute.  Their dog greeted me, and even invited me inside.  When I finally realized there was nobody home, I coaxed the dog back outside, so that they wouldn't come home and wonder how the dog got in.

[Wahoo Redux]

I think it goes without saying (or should) that you do not bring dogs or any pets to someone's house without expression permission to do so, and certainly not unannounced.

Who does this, anyway?  I've never known anyone that rude or clueless.

fishbrains, can you share this ridiculous anecdote with us?

My self centered, egotistical, dumbass, clueless cousin did it to me.  After being an hour late, she and hubby  brought their dog to my house.  I very quietly put my dogs in my bedroom and closed the door. 

Ah, yes.  Family.  It figures.  Woof!!