Make sure that you know your pet well
• Your dog’s personality and behavior: First and foremost, it’s essential to understand your dog’s personality traits and behavior. See their reaction around strangers and in public spaces and take it into consideration before choosing to eat out with them. For example, if they are anxious, bark a lot, or are too friendly when they interact with other animals or people, they may do the same at a restaurant and may disturb other people. Also, these factors depend not only on the dog breed but also on how appropriate the training sessions and the socializing process are. Even though your dog acts nicely at home during a meal, it doesn’t mean that they will act the same when eating in a public space being surrounded by a lot of strangers.
• Your dog’s size and age: According to a former zookeeper and a certified animal trainer at Curiosity Trained, Stephanie Mantilla, one of the most important things that you have to keep in mind when turning your dog into your dining companion is their size and age. In other words, even if your dog is a gentle giant, they can cause accidents as well, especially if the space is small. Also, “Just because your dog is small doesn’t mean they are automatically good dining guests,” Mantilla added. When it comes to their age, it’s essential to remember that young dogs are more likely to get overwhelmed, scared, and excited than adult dogs.
• Your dog’s fur: Before taking your dog with you when dining out, you should be aware that there are people who are allergic to them. Plus, try to groom them before, because eating next to a dog that smells bad can be quite disgusting for some people, not to mention that when they shake their coat, their hair can end up in their food.
• Make sure your dog listens to your commands: If you are a dog owner, you probably already know that the most important commands are “sit”, “lie down” and “no”. If your adorable dog is not familiar with them, then it is probably a bad idea to take them with you when eating out.
