I just emailed a very well known large, outdoor restaurant in Big Sur asking if small well behaved ;-) dogs were welcome. We had wanted to go down there from our home in San Francisco to spend the day and have lunch.

The quick response made me laugh. "Dogs are not allowed, even small well behaved ones. If we allowed one, we'd have dogs all over the place."

I was tempted to write back and tell him that dogs do not bred like rabbits and our little ten month old Shih Tzu Zebby was neutured a few months ago. so there is no way that he could personally add to the doggie population.

He was kind enough to thank me for asking in advance.

Nina

check http://www.dogfriendly.com and http://www.petswelcome.com to find more welcoming places.

Hi, Nina. I am a dog-lover too and I also have a well-behaved Shih Tzu. One time we were traveling and I asked if we could use the outdoor seating with our little dog. We were told that health codes prohibit dogs, even in outdoor seating. Perhaps the owner of the restaurant you emailed wasn't very tactful, but I bet health codes are the real reason.

P.S. I should have told him that ONE dog alone, does not a litter make. ;-)

Nina

LOL Nina!!! I bet it is a health code issue however. But thanks for the good laugh.

PM, the Health Code restrictions was the answer that I had expected, that's why his made me giggle. I'm not surprised nor offended.

Some restaurants in SF, with outdoor seating, welcome dogs and the other diners seem to enjoy their company. My mother would have stayed ten blocks away from a restaurant that allowed dogs, even on the sidewalk or on the back patio, so I always call first.

cmcfong, I'll check out the info you gave me. Thanks.

Carmel is known for being dog friendly, so we will probably eat there instead.

Nina

I always think it's so odd that so many US restaurants/municipalities forbid dogs - even in outdoor seating. In the last few weeks there has been debate in my home town re whether they could be allowed at sidewalk cafes, etc. and people just came out of the woodwork to protest at the city council. "Dogs are soooo unsantitary". Give me a break

I just love it in my European travels to see dogs/cats lounging in village pubs in England, ladies carrying their tiny dogs into posh department stores, and sidewalk cafes in Paris w/ a dog sleeping under maybe 1/4 of the tables.

Why did we go so wrong on this side of the pond??

While I have a pup and try to take him everywhere with me, I am still aware that there are people out there with dogs who do not have the same consideraton of others that we have ( we meaning myself and those on this thread)...
My dog has been welcomed in most of Portland but in NYC, there were many outdoor cafes that wanted him tied to a parking meter instead of by the table.
It is about healthy regulations most often, but it is also about how many complaints they get from non-dog diners.

"It is about healthy regulations most often, but it is also about how many complaints they get from non-dog diners. "

Yeah, I know. That is what I meant by "Why did we go so wrong on this side of the pond??"

I lived in the UK for several years - and the folks down at my local pub ( a nice country pub/restaurant) always laughed that the only people who ever complained were American tourists who often said "Well! That wouldn't be allowed back home!" and stomped out looking for a "cleaner" place to eat. Every time it happened I bore the brunt of it for several days until we found something else to joke about.