Just to touch on the "kid" topic with my 2 cents - I have 1 child any will only have one because parenthood has proven to be the hardest, most stressfull job in the WORLD and I know I'm not cut out to have more than one.

The only restaurants I've taken him too are "family friendly" ones such as Friendly's or Denny's or McDonalds or a pizza place BUT if you are in one of those type of restaurants, I really don't think it's fair at all to scrutinize someone's parenting. Yes, sometimes it's best to remove the child until the tantrum is over, it teaches them that if they behave inapropriatly, they don't get to enjoy the experience and will have to go to the car.

The only thing I want to touch on here is, please don't give ugly stares to parents of a kid who is loud if you are in a "family friendly" restaurant, I 100% guarantee that parent is stressed and embarassed and not enjoying their meal, but the only way to teach a child to behave in public is to take them out in public. Some people have different parenting styles and choose to ignore bad behavior. That's not what I do, but I don't think anyone should ever look down on the way someone chooses to parent, especially if you don't have kids and don't understand. Even the most well behaved child has bad days and even when they're not, they are just energetic and sometimes loud, they're kids, it's how they are. If you want a quiet dinner without any children just being children, go to a fancier restaurant. The only thing I really don't appreciate is when people take their kids to a restaurant and they're constantly coughing or have a runny nose or whatever. That I suppose, goes along with the dog thing too though. People have a right to eat in a clean environment. I get upset over someone with a cold eating in the same place I am way than I would a tiny dog in a carrier or a loud child.

I'll admit to not really being a "kid person" (my own drives me nuts most days ;)) but I do respect the fact that kids will be kids and we were ALL kids once and it's just not possible for them to behave like adults.

If you snuck your dog into a restaurant and one of those mothers had a "well behaved" child in there who was highly allergic to dogs, would that turn the tables at all????;)

Yeah, me, too. Knowing how sick it makes some people would keep me from doing it even if I weren't one of them. But just as important would be not to make my Tibbe miserable in that carrier and smelling all that food as we all sat there and slurped it up and he could do nothing but sit in darkness and maybe get a bite or two. He'd be miserable throughout.

My son has an American Bulldog who drools if you eat around him. He has to let him outside whenever they are visiting and we sit down to eat. Tex is a big drooler and cannot help drooling terribly when he sees or smells others eating. We put him in the living room once during a meal and a big area of floor was wet when my son went in to bring him in after mealtime. Even if he could, I don't think my son would ever sneak his dog into a restaurant for that reason.

Please take no offense to you personally but, the problem I have is the fact that I do go to fancier restaurants and places that are not "family friendly" and people bring their kids who have no manners and are outrageously bad to these places all the time. Its like an epidemic in this child bearing generation. Then they have the nerve to ignore the fact that they are disturbing everyone's meal and time.

I have raised three outstanding young men and taught them from their baby stage "manners" and how to conduct themselves in public. Children do love to talk and question and play but there is a proper way to do it in a public setting.

I have no sympathy for parents with bad behaving children because it is the parents fault. If they would nip that problem at home they wouldn't have such a hard time out of the house.

We always took our son with us everywhere from the time he was tiny and while he was all boy and a little ruffian where allowed, he was taught to behave like a little gentleman in a place of refinement or any other place where people were trying to have a meal. It is hard to relax and enjoy your food when people or their children or even dogs are acting out or behaving unseemly. I love people, really love kids and dogs but certain behavior can ruin a good meal!

I do agree with you that if the restaurant is fancier, not a "faimly friendly" one, then you should be able to expect a more controled atmosphere. That's why I will only take my son to certain places until he's older. It's just that I've been in some family restaurants and gotten "looks" when my son was being totally fine, not misbehaving, just being excited and a normal kid, laughing etc. I also agree that it is the parent's responsibility to teach mannors and if my son is ever having a meltdown in public, we leave, it's partially how I teach him it's wrong.

Just to touch on the original topic then, I don't think it's fair to take a dog into a place where people expect a certain level of eatery "class" either. Some people are really allergic to dogs, even Yorkies. If dogs were allowed in that particular resaraunt, I'd take Alice in a purse carrier because then people who would be offended by it could avoid that particular place. Same thing as the difference between a fancy restaraunt vs. a family friendly one and the kid debate. No offence to anyone, just my opinion:D.

I do agree that teaching manners from the get go is essential with children. However, all kids have their days. My 1 1/2 year old is very well behaved, but if he doesn't have a good nap he goes a little crazy. I have learned that a good schedule goes a long way. You never know what the crazy child in the restruant has been like that day. However, a parent should use that moment as a learning oppurtunity and remove the child from that situation until he/she calms down so he/she knows that kind of thing is unacceptable. Oddly enough, the same can be applied when training your dog. :)

well said!

My kids are almost 17, 15 and 11 now. My youngest child has Asberger's syndrome (which is in the austim spectrum) and ADHD. From the time they were tiny I always left if they were trying to cause a scene. I was always so embarassed I couldn't have just sat there and continued my dinner. I am also the type of parent that always left stores or anywhere else. It didn't matter where we were, if they decided to act up then we went to the car. Sometimes if it was minor and over soon then we went back in and continued shopping, meal or whatever we were doing. If it was a bad enough then we left and continued another day.

I can promise you though even with my youngest who because of his special needs was by far the hardest to teach how to behave in public, it worked. We may have had to leave dinners, friends/family events and homes, malls and such but you do that and they know you will every single time then they do stop eventually. What really got to them is when it was only one of them not behaving so only that child had to leave. Having to sit in the car for quiet time with Mom and knowing that the other children were inside enjoying themselves was very effective lol.

Most of the time I would leave with them and my DH would stay long enough to get our remaining food boxed up and the bill taken care of. If it was an important shopping trip like the grocery that could not wait until another day and they were not calming enough to talk about what occured and take them back in then he would finish the list and join us once he was finished. Sometimes if I was the more stressed out parent then he took them out and I finished the list.

I realize all kids have their days but I guess for me if I could get mine trained enough for outings then anyone can, it just takes time and consistency.

To answer the question, I don't sneak my pets into anywhere. I am a rule person and just don't do it. I think I am afraid of offending someone or being asked to leave ( I would be mortified if I was asked to leave because of my kids or pets).

We love taking him to pet friendly places though.

Most counties/states have health regulations that determine whether restaurants and other stores that sell food can have animals. Usually it's just service dogs in uniform. Some of you sneak them in anyway, however you are risking the restaurant being reported and paying heavy fines for animals being present... possibly you too. Restaurant owners will have to raise his prices to be able to meet this cost, which will affect you as customers also. Times are tough enough.

It's hard leaving our dogs in the car/home. On really hot/cold days I don't take Roxy with us if I have to be leave her in the car at all. Now, it's even harder to leave her in the car just to run in and get a gallon of milk. She has been stepping on the lock/unlock button. I come back to the car and she's watching for me with the doors all unlocked, which is an open invitation to anyone who is interested in stealing her. (heavy sigh) She loves to ride in the car, and hate leaving her home. Am trying to figure a way make a guard for the lock buttons.

This is just it. I don't take my dogs on purpose when we know we are going to a restaurant. We will leave them at home when we go out for an evening, but we travel a lot (to visit family) and on our road trips we have to eat. Often we will drive through or go inside and (rarely) if I can park the car where I can see them AND the weather is good, we will eat inside. Otherwise, I do NOT leave my dogs in the car and yes, they do ride in their bag. The safety of my dogs is of utmost importance to me, and I will not risk them being taken.

In the almost 3 years that I have been carrying Couver, he has not once made a peep or caused someone to have an allergy attack. My dogs are bathed once a week and have less dander than most pet owners probably carry on their clothing.

However, I do understand that some people believe that dogs should not be snuck into places in bags... And I respect that.

I however feel that there are worse things I could be doing to my pets... And they really enjoy getting to go places. They both get excited when they see the bag and hop right into it. If they did not enjoy it, I would not force them to go places with me :)

I do not "'sneak" Monkey in with me when I take him places. I walk in typically march right in carrying him in my left arm. Not like I am marching with an attitude but like I know what I am doing. Folks are usually very friendly. I walk in and do my business and then leave. He never touches anything and since yorkies don't really shed I feel as if it is ok for the folks with allergies... in fact I know ppl with allergies who got a yorkie because of their allergies. He has been into our mall so I can buy my make up, UPS / Fedex stores for shipping. Whereever I can take him I will. I do refrain from entering any around the food industry (either restaurants or grocery stores) excluding outdoor cafe's of course. I don't want to break any health codes.

And don't get me started on dirty or disruptive children. The frustration there is not just for those who do not have children. If you're going to take your kids out in public, for heavens sakes... brush off the dirt, put a wash rag to their face and hands, comb their hair and TEACH THEM SOME MANNERS. Even my children are appalled at what adults let kids run around doing these days!

I'm just saying that the Health Departments don't care about any of that. The laws/penalties are the same.

Having been a business owner, I wouldn't allow it either as I wouldn't want the liability risks... again raising my insurance rates. There are way too many irresponsible pet owners that we read about nearly everyday here. It's unfortunate, but true.

Where I am from in Switzerland, and most of countries in Europe, dogs are totally allowed and welcome inside every restaurants. As long as they are kept in leash and don't bother anyone it s fine. I wish it would be the same here in the US :(

You would never get away with taking a dog inside a restaurant in UK and no way would you get it into a shop food or otherwise. We cant even take them in the shopping mall just to walk around looking in windows.