For someone who does not own a dog, I am surprisingly knowledgeable about the dog-friendly restaurant situation in Washington State. I have a friend with a rather large dog who goes everywhere with her, and we often meet for lunch or dinner.
She has since had her dog certified as a Therapy Dog, complete with a special vest he can wear to signal to other diners that he is allowed to be there. (Let us not discuss the rampant abuse of this program.) Even so, we still usually stick to dog-friendly restaurants.
Here in Washington, that usually means restaurants with outdoor seating areas. I have a mental list of all the restaurants within 60 miles that have outdoor seating - including patios, sidewalk tables, and back fenced gardens - where the staff will let you bring your dog, as long as it is clean, quiet, and well-behaved.
I understand that in many countries (including France) there are no restrictions on dogs. These countries tend to be less squeamish about things in general. (We Americans do tend to be clean freaks and germophobes.) I have heard that in France, you can often find a dog under every table.
Restaurants in America are not just being mean by forbidding dogs inside. They have to comply with state health regulations, regardless of how they feel about dogs. And to many state boards of health, a dog is a walking biohazard. Whether or not that is a fair designation. Personally I feel that a toddler is a much more serious disease vector than a dog, but I can understand why non-dog-lovers would feel otherwise.
One problem, of course, is that not everyone's dog is kept as immaculately clean as my friend's dog. I have seen some pretty scruffy-looking beasts in my day. Not so sure I would want to try and eat a cheeseburger with one of those dogs sitting at the next table.
Every state's rules are different, and some restaurants are more willing to break them than others. Here's a great discussion on the Chowhound boards, with some suggestions on where to eat with Fido in your own home town.
Image courtesy Flickr/Michael Fraley
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