If you’ve always wanted to take your dog to have a coffee and a treat with you, but you aren’t sure if your dog is ready for the environment, here are some things to consider.
Start With Less Busy Times
A good way to ease into visiting a dog-friendly café is to visit at a time where fewer people and dogs are likely to be there, such as midafternoon on a weekday. This helps ease your dog into the experience of being out in a restricted public space with other dogs. Avoid lunchtime and happy hours, which are naturally busy times for cafes. It can be much harder to maneuver around the café with your leashed dog if the place is packed with other people and animals.
Introduce Yourself and Your Dog
If you’re feeling nervous about visiting a dog-friendly café, introducing yourself and your furry friend to the staff is a great way to get help. The people who work at the dog-friendly café may have tips and tricks to help your dog feel comfortable faster. They can also seat you in a spot that isn’t too busy to keep your dog from getting overstimulated or place you near the door in case you need to get out quickly to help your pal calm down.
Take It Slow with Treats
Many dog-friendly cafes offer treats designed to delight your pups. While they are delicious, you don’t want to give your dog too many at once until you see how your dog reacts to the treat or drink. For example, some dogs can have trouble processing too much dairy, so you may want to limit dairy-based treats to a few times a week.
Come Back to The Dog-Friendly Café Often
Practice is the best way to help your dog learn how to behave in public. By bringing them to the dog-friendly café often, you’ll help them start to recognize the location and smells. Your dog is smart enough to associate certain places with the behaviors required in that space, so over time, you can look forward to them recognizing the dog-friendly café and displaying better behavior at each visit.
If you have never taken your pet to visit a dog-friendly café, there is no better time than now to check one out and start getting your dog used to this fun activity.