Pub dogs and dog-friendly lifestyle companions

About pub dogs and dog-friendly lifestyle companions

The best pub dog is the one lying quietly under the table while you finish your drink, unbothered by the dog at the next table, the dropped chips and the child who wants to say hello. If your idea of a good weekend involves dog friendly pubs, cafés and days out, you need a sociable, steady dog and the training to match. This page covers what makes a good pub dog, how the rules work in the UK and what to ask a breeder.

What this work involves

A dog-friendly lifestyle companion needs to:

• Settle on cue. Lie down on a mat or beside your chair for an hour or more.
• Ignore food. Leave dropped food alone and not beg from nearby tables.
• Take strangers in its stride. Accept a friendly hand, or be left alone, without jumping up or grumbling.
• Stay calm around other dogs. Pass other dogs in narrow spaces without lunging or barking.
• Cope with noise and crowds. Cheering, clinking glasses, music and busy doorways.
• Travel well. Car journeys, trains and unfamiliar places.

Well behaved dog breeds are a starting point, but manners are taught. A steady temperament from the breeder, plus plenty of calm outings as a youngster, makes the difference.

Who trains and supplies these dogs in the UK

Sociable companion dogs come from private breeders, from hobby breeders to licensed breeding businesses, and from rescues, and their owners train them. The Royal Kennel Club’s Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme, established in 1992 and described by the club as the largest dog training programme in the UK, helps owners train their dogs for everyday situations through Puppy Foundation, Bronze, Silver and Gold awards, and is promoted by more than 1,700 organisations. It is open to all dogs, pedigree or crossbreed.

Whether a pub or café admits pet dogs is up to the business. Food hygiene law requires food businesses to have procedures that keep domestic animals out of places where food is prepared, handled or stored; it does not specifically ban pet dogs from customer areas, so each operator sets its own policy. Canine Breeder lists breeders; it does not supply or train dogs.

Breeds and lines

These sociable dog breeds are common sights in dog-friendly venues:

• Labrador Retriever: friendly and food-obsessed, so the “leave it” cue needs work. Show lines are often calmer than working lines.
• Spaniel (Cocker): merry and affectionate; show-bred cockers usually settle more easily in company than working cockers.
• Staffordshire Bull Terrier: devoted to people and a classic pub dog, though some are not keen on other dogs, so early socialisation matters.
• Greyhound (retired racer): famously relaxed indoors and happy to lie on a blanket for hours.
• Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: gentle, small and sociable with everyone.

What to ask a breeder

1. How do the parents behave with visitors, children and unfamiliar dogs?
2. What noises, surfaces and experiences have the puppies had before leaving you?
3. Are these show or working lines, and how does that affect energy and focus?
4. Do any of your dogs hold Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme awards?
5. Which health tests have both parents had, and how do the results compare with the Royal Kennel Club Health Standard for the breed?

Legal and welfare notes

Assistance dogs are not pets. Under the Equality Act 2010, businesses in Great Britain, including pubs, cafés and restaurants, must make reasonable adjustments for disabled people. The Equality and Human Rights Commission says it will often be reasonable to set aside a “no dogs” policy for assistance dog owners, and, citing the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, that assistance dogs should be allowed into restaurants, cafés and other food premises. Pet dogs enter only at the business’s discretion, so respect the house rules.

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a Royal Kennel Club breed and is not one of the types banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, which include the Pit Bull Terrier and the XL Bully. Government guidance says whether a dog is a banned type depends on what it looks like rather than its breed or name, so when buying any bull breed, see the mother and, if possible, the father.

Frequently asked questions

What makes a good pub dog?

A sociable, steady dog that settles on a mat, ignores food and other dogs, and has had plenty of calm outings while young. Training matters as much as breed.

Are dogs allowed in pubs in the UK?

Food hygiene law requires dogs to be kept out of kitchens and food stores, but it does not ban pet dogs from customer areas, so each pub decides. Assistance dogs should be admitted.

Is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier a good pub dog?

Many are. Staffies love people and settle well, but some are wary of other dogs, so early, careful socialisation and training are important.

Breeders of sociable, steady lines that make good pub dogs and everyday companions are welcome to list on Canine Breeder.