The “Unhygienic” Thing I Think Restaurants Need More Of
We all love dogs. Okay, well maybe not all of us do, but in my world, everyone loves a dog. To me, being around dogs brings a sort of comfort: a feeling that I am safe, relaxed, maybe even at home. A dog in the room while I’m eating a warm meal? Sublime.
The reality is, dogs are just as dirty as we are, only exacerbated by the fact that they walk around barefoot.
Mallory, Junior Food & Drink Editor
But dogs in restaurants have gotten a bad rap. They’ve been labelled unhygienic, unpleasant, uncouth. Perhaps there is a time and a place, but there are definitely more times and places for it than are currently available.
I would argue that the norm should be dogs in restaurants, with exceptions for fine dining establishments and smaller, more intimate haunts. A high-end pub? A pizza place? An à la carte Sunday lunch in a dining room the size of the Vatican? Dog-friendly. There are several reasons for this.
Dogs are babies
Many people today have opted not for children, but for dogs. The reasons vary: a lack of financial security to raise a family, the absence of a partner, or a general unwillingness to bring a child into such unstable and uncertain times. Instead, you’ll find plenty of twenty- and thirty-somethings not with toddlers in tow, but with dachshunds, terriers, and spaniels.
The dog has become the modern-day baby. They wear pyjamas, are sung lullabies, and even wear diapers. More than that, they’re strapped to their parents’ chests like duct tape. Many young people feel guilty leaving their dogs behind. They take them to work, to school, to the grocery store, so the thought of leaving them alone for several hours while they get pissed on sangria at the local Spanish place? That’s neglect.
On another note, dogs are more often than not far less disruptive than your average human baby, yet babies are unlikely to be checked at the door. The common Jack Russell or sausage dog is far more focused on what their dad is having for dinner, with little intention of crying, screaming, throwing up, or biting.
You’ll find plenty of twenty- and thirty-somethings not with toddlers in tow, but with dachshunds, terriers, and spaniels.
Dogs aren’t actually that gross
Dogs are not as dirty as they are made out to be. Unless, of course, they’ve been rolling around in the mud all day (which does obviously happen sometimes). The reality is, dogs are just as dirty as we are, only exacerbated by the fact that they walk around barefoot. Research has shown that human beards, kitchen counters, and iPhones harbour just as much, if not more, bacteria than a dog’s fur. The only thing that ups them just a bit is that they track their paws into the scene directly from the street — but hopefully none of us is walking around the restaurant without shoes on to pick that up. Dogs present negligible public health risks, with the actual risk of disease transmission from a properly handled dog being lower than the risk of the humans that are sitting next to you.
The company, the conversation, the staff and me were possessed with the joy of having little angels lying under tables and nudging us to say hello.
Verdict
Everyone wants to eat, and everyone wants to bring their family members to dinner with them. The reality of the now is that pets are, truly, family members, and I think they should be welcomed into community spaces, into our hubs for socialisation. In fact, recently I’ve gone to several dog-friendly spots, and I think it made the food taste better. Not the actual taste, per se, but the company, the conversation, the staff and me were possessed with the joy of having little angels lying under tables and nudging us to say hello.
Dogs bring out the best in most people, so why shouldn’t we have that energy in the places where we gather? Why should we shut the door on such joy? I do not see much reason why well-behaved dogs should not be invited into the same spaces as well-behaved babies.
