Do you wish to take your dogs to cafes? But you don't feel so confidence to? Or do you regularly take your dogs to cafes but you have questions to ask? Café is a place where we can enjoy our inclusive moments with our beloved pets. This place usually are full of temptations for our animals, such as the smell, the food, other animals, and people etc. It could be very challenging for some! There are things that we as owners could do to help them to be more comfortable.
Here are some tips for Café etiquette:
1. Give a toilet break!
Always take your dog for a 5-10minutes toilet break just before you go into a café, it would be even better if you could take a 15-20minutes walk before you go inside. The reason being is because once the dog arrives to a café that is full of other dogs' scent, it naturally triggers the dog biologically, stimulating the bladder to go toilet. So, instead of the dog having to hold their bladder in the café, or having a toilet accident. It would be beneficial if they were given the chance to go to toilet first.
2. Prevent Barking
If your dog is regularly highly aroused at new environments, it is best to choose to go to a quieter café in a much quieter time. You can always call the café before you go to check the occupancy of the place, also pick seats that are more suitable for your dog, avoid sitting near the doorway or where people will regularly walk past, as it can triggers the dog, and the dog might also be more alert too. Teaching and practising with your dog at home, the command: "Settle" or "Quiet" would be useful too.
3. Staying on one spot
Imagine the dog is nice and calm sitting by your side while you enjoy your perfect cup of coffee or having the delicious meal. Training your dog how to "Stay" at one spot, requires consistency and time. For our tips, we teaches dog to stay on 'something' such as a cushion, a chair, or a small blanket on the floor. We also have to consider the temperature and comfort level with where the dog is staying on, if it's too cold or uncomfortable, it might be a reason why the dog does not want to stay, the tip for that is to put a small blanket underneath. Ask us more on how to teach the dog staying on one spot!
4. Food Manners
While your dog is comfortable staying at one spot, it shall be less distracted by your yummy food, and some cafes offers menus for dogs, to keep the food manners consistent, once their food arrived, the tip is to ask them to wait, until you give the release command, that would help dogs to understand not to jump on the table or on the food when the food arrives. However, if it is the case of dog guarding around food, café might not be the most suitable place to go, but if you must, it would be the best to sit far away from other dogs and people to avoid any accidents. Please seek professional help from positive dog trainers.
5. Be considerate of the others (always ask before greeting)
Be respectful to each other's space, if your dog wishes to go up to other people or dogs to greet, please always ask beforehand. Dogs sometimes reacts in a different way when they are trying to adapt in a new environment.
We hope the tips are useful for you and your dogs and bringing you more insights into café etiquette for dogs. Please feel free to send us any photos of your dog in cafés, or contact us if you have any questions at IG @doggotraining.miss wu
We are excited to be sharing our next tips soon!
Click to explore the Top 10 Pet Friendly Restaurants in Hong Kong 2023
About Doggo Training (https://petahood.com/shop/S4190/doggo-training)
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Doggo Training believes in ALL GOOD DOGS by improving the perceptions and understanding of dogs based on evidence and science. We provides varieties of services including private training, group class, behavioural modification, dog walking, dog sitting, media production assistance. We promote more than dog training, as we value owner's point of view and feelings, and care of their dog, their well beings to their quality of life. Miss Wu is also an honorary dog training consultant at stray dogs' shelter. We strive for inclusive community. |
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Cherrie Wu is an International Qualified Dog Instructor and University Lecturer who teaches Animal Behaviour. She focuses on training dogs in forced free and positive methods based on dog science. She is the first Guide Dog Instructor who was sent to the UK and helped to developed varieties of dog training programme in HK such as positive reinforcement training, socialisation training, partnership, and apprentice training and many more. Most recent programme included Hong Kong Custom PuppiesTraining Development. She continues her passion into bringing the positive training and professional knowledge into the society and started the "Doggo Training" company. | |
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Zoe, dog assistant, mongrel, age 3, adopted from 1 year old, sweet and confident girl, has helped manydogs to gained their confident, likes dog play, chew bones, and soft toys. |
