By Kelly Keene

Paula brought her dog, Stella, to the bar on Saturday. Stella is a rescue. Some sort of chihuahua mix with Dobby ears and an aggressive underbite. I know that her previous owners passed away, and that she and the other dog she had lived with were separated at the shelter. Paula adopted her, and they have been so good for each other ever since. However, Paula also feeds her human food, and brings her up to the table at restaurants. Stella makes a high-pitched whining sound whenever Paula gets up from the table too. Even though we all love Paula, no one in our friend group has the heart to complain about these little quirks.

What a relief it must be to be able to bring your best friend along to happy hour so they don’t have to sit home all day alone. What a joy it is to see new cute furry friends at the coffee shop on Saturday mornings. And how appetizing it is to eat eggs benedict at brunch as dander floats around in the air. 

I’m not sure how I feel about dogs in restaurants exactly. I have pets at home that I miss when I’m away, and I’ve enjoyed an outing even more because a new friendly pup was there too. But there are consequences for public displays of pet ownership. I’ve been the one to mop a sticky bar floor at the end of a shift made worse by dog hair, drool, and “accidents” that owners are too negligent to notice. I’ve missed trivia points because barking dogs are “just vocal.” I’ve watched individuals without boundaries push the acceptable limit too far, and prop their pooch up on the booth and even request that THEY also be served a side of bacon. 

Ridiculous. 

Dogs are animals. They don’t know where they are allowed and where they are not. They learn what is acceptable from us. The humans. We are the ones that need to get our acts together. We need to remember that just because we love Fluffy, doesn’t mean the wait staff should have to work harder than ever to maintain health and safety standards. When a dog owner decides to bring Rufus along, they need to understand that their dog changes the dynamic of the social event. It is not the barista’s job to fill a metal bowl with water between handling muffins and croissants. It is not your friend’s job to keep Fido’s leash secured to the leg of their chair, and it is not the expectant mother‘s job to look out for Rex’s extra long tail so she doesn’t trip on it when she gets up to use the facilities. 

Let’s hold dog owners to a higher standard. Boundaries are good. They can create beautifully demarcated spaces for dogs and humans to exist together. And the good news is, we already have some great examples; Dog Parks, off-leash beaches, hiking trails, patio spaces, and designated campsites are just a few. Dogs can be in public, and do often bring joy and cheer to their surroundings. But a dog owner must remember that not everybody benefits from their pup’s privilege, and there’s a time and a place for crotch sniffs and yelping; the inside of an art museum isn’t one of them.