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Canals and Real ale


Dartagnan

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6 minutes ago, WotEver said:

A quick look at both of those sites for our local area shows whatpub to be way more accurate. Canalandriversidepubs lists a whole raft of pubs that haven’t been open for years

Which is why I give them feedback on pubs we have visited, and they now list dog friendly which is important to us. Any guide will be obsolete by tomorrow unless it gets feedback to update it, the big advantage this one has is that it is grouped by canal and not just geographical area.

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I don't have to be in the presence of other people's canines, with various degrees of discipline/training, when dining at home, so I don't expect it in a restaurant setting either. Dogs are fine in public bars or designated areas. It's not the animals I object to, it's the owners who haven't bothered to teach their beloved pooches how to behave.     

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3 hours ago, Machpoint005 said:

I don't have to be in the presence of other people's canines, with various degrees of discipline/training, when dining at home, so I don't expect it in a restaurant setting either. Dogs are fine in public bars or designated areas. It's not the animals I object to, it's the owners who haven't bothered to teach their beloved pooches how to behave.     

I couldn't agree more.  As an example, this summer we were in a canalside pub bar when 2 women entered being dragged in by a huge fat Labrador, which spent the next half an hour being a damned nuisance, barking for crisps and dog biscuits which it's owners only gave in to after each 3 rounds of barking.  Naturally, it had quickly learned that they wanted it to bark loudly several times in order to earn the food and, judging by the size of the poor thing, it had responded to this training very well indeed. 

On leaving they noticed our Lab lying quietly under the table. "Oh!" exclaimed one of the women, "You've got a well behaved one!"  Addressing me, she said: "You lucky thing".  I agreed, assuming she meant that I was lucky not to be born a f#ckwit. 

I was a bit surprised at the pub taking no action to be honest, but you really have to feel for biggest victim which was the poor Labrador. Tis as you say: the problem lies generally not with the dog. However, other than guide dogs, I don't want to see dogs in restaurants either, including my own, however well trained.  

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The vast majority of canalside pubs take dogs, but in the last couple of years I have noticed that quite a few small restaurants also say dogs welcome. My own informal survey suggests that dog walkers are the largest towpath user group, times are hard, so choosing not to exclude a huge number of potential customers makes sense.

Labradors are difficult because they really do like eating. When we got a dog my wife insisted that an essential rule is that the dog never gets to taste human food and this has worked really well. The dog will usually just lies happily on the floor rather than sitting drooling down our legs. Only problem is when people really want to give the dogs crisps or leftovers and to struggle to understand when we say no. One bloke gave her a whole packet of pork scratching whilst we xplaining why she is not allowed human food.  Another huge advantage of avoiding human food is an almost total absence of dog farts.

.............Dave

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59 minutes ago, dmr said:

The vast majority of canalside pubs take dogs, but in the last couple of years I have noticed that quite a few small restaurants also say dogs welcome. My own informal survey suggests that dog walkers are the largest towpath user group, times are hard, so choosing not to exclude a huge number of potential customers makes sense.

Labradors are difficult because they really do like eating. When we got a dog my wife insisted that an essential rule is that the dog never gets to taste human food and this has worked really well. The dog will usually just lies happily on the floor rather than sitting drooling down our legs. Only problem is when people really want to give the dogs crisps or leftovers and to struggle to understand when we say no. One bloke gave her a whole packet of pork scratching whilst we xplaining why she is not allowed human food.  Another huge advantage of avoiding human food is an almost total absence of dog farts.

.............Dave

Would you still lay blame on the dog though?

"It wasn't me....."

 

Edited by Goliath
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23 minutes ago, Goliath said:

Would you still lay blame on the dog though?

"It wasn't me....."

 

Thats the big advantage of having a pump out bog, I usually blame that.

Dog only ever farts when she has a bad stomach and they are totally different to anything that I could ever produce.

.............Dave

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8 hours ago, Machpoint005 said:

I don't have to be in the presence of other people's canines, with various degrees of discipline/training, when dining at home, so I don't expect it in a restaurant setting either. Dogs are fine in public bars or designated areas. It's not the animals I object to, it's the owners who haven't bothered to teach their beloved pooches how to behave.     

Well its not something I have come across much, but where I have been in pubs that allow dogs in they tend to be the best behaved dogs I come across out and about. I must admit I find it strange when abroad to be in a restaurant and see a dog sitting on someones lap while they eat there dinner and give the dogs tip bits.

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5 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

I couldn't agree more.  As an example, this summer we were in a canalside pub bar when 2 women entered being dragged in by a huge fat Labrador, which spent the next half an hour being a damned nuisance, barking for crisps and dog biscuits which it's owners only gave in to after each 3 rounds of barking.  Naturally, it had quickly learned that they wanted it to bark loudly several times in order to earn the food and, judging by the size of the poor thing, it had responded to this training very well indeed. 

On leaving they noticed our Lab lying quietly under the table. "Oh!" exclaimed one of the women, "You've got a well behaved one!"  Addressing me, she said: "You lucky thing".  I agreed, assuming she meant that I was lucky not to be born a f#ckwit. 

I was a bit surprised at the pub taking no action to be honest, but you really have to feel for biggest victim which was the poor Labrador. Tis as you say: the problem lies generally not with the dog. However, other than guide dogs, I don't want to see dogs in restaurants either, including my own, however well trained.  

+ another one! My last dog used to sit under my chair whilst i played pool or went to the bar and was so quiet a lot of people didnt realize she was there until i got up to leave .... I now have a Golden Lab pup and as you say totally food driven, but he is learning his manners and how to behave appropriately in public and until the point he can be trusted 100% i wouldnt inflict him on anyone as cute as he is as he can still be boisterous .... Just like every dog i have owned he too has never been fed human food or certainly not in the time i have owned him, but personally no matter how well he behaves i wouldnt take him into a designated restaurant or eating area as i would be the first not to want anyone else to

Rick

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I'm in a Mc Spoons establishment using their WiFi.

There are two brats running around downstairs, shouting, unrestrained by their parent/minder.

I would much rather well behaved dogs were allowed in rather than semi feral children.

(And yes I am a genuine grumpy old git 'cos I'm an ex teacher!)

ETA And just now a baby has started wailing.

 

Edited by Victor Vectis
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The 'spoons has a strict No Dogs policy, not even in any outside seating eating areas, this is really good because it means that me and the dog never has to endure unruly children.

A few pubs say "well behaved dogs welcome, children must be kept on a lead".

.............Dave

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8 minutes ago, dmr said:

 

A few pubs say "well behaved dogs welcome, children must be kept on a lead".

.............Dave

 

Ah now there are (or used to be) a few amusing signs up in pubs. My fave was the one saying:

"We have an arrangement with the local bank. They don't sell beer, we don't cash cheques".

And closely behind...

"Please don't ask to cash a cheque as a punch in the mouth may sometimes offend."

And of course the ever-popular:

"Please don't throw cigarettes in the urinal, we find it makes them soggy and harder to light."

Edited by Mike the Boilerman
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On 12/28/2017 at 14:54, dmr said:

Labradors are difficult because they really do like eating.

My daughter has a theory that a Labrador is just a life support system for a stomach!

A few other general observations: dogs are (usually) better behaved in pubs than children - naturally there are exceptions both ways.

I think also that the subject was dogs in pubs, rather than restaurants, although the boundary can be a bit blurred in some cases. Many pubs take the sensible compromise of saying that dogs are welcome provided that they stay in a certain area, which seems reasonable.

The observation above that dogs (and children) are a reflection on their owners/parents is a point well made!

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On 12/28/2017 at 19:21, ditchcrawler said:

see a dog sitting on someone's lap while they eat their dinner and give the dogs tip bits.

Yuk! That's another thing I find utterly revolting!

On 12/28/2017 at 19:27, mrsmelly said:

Everyone is :lol:

My mum isn't!

8 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

Ah now there are (or used to be) a few amusing signs up in pubs. My fave was the one saying:

"We have an arrangement with the local bank. They don't sell beer, we don't cash cheques".

Yes, I've always liked that one too.

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8 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Ah now there are (or used to be) a few amusing signs up in pubs. My fave was the one saying:

"We have an arrangement with the local bank. They don't sell beer, we don't cash cheques".

 

When I was a student in the days before cash machines I reckon every third cheque of mine was made out to Courage Western,  very useful having a local,

Tim

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Have been trying to remember the canalside pubs on the cov canal. 

Swan at Fradley

Plough at Huddlesford(?)

Red Lion and Tame Otter at Hopwas

Three Tons(?) at Fazeley

Two Gates (?) at Two Gates (?)

Samuel Barlow at Alvecote

Bull at Polesworth

Anchor at Hartshill

Greyhound at Hawkesbury Jn

there must be more further towards coventry and in coventry, can anyone finish the list or add to it?

The Coventry canal is 38 miles long, it must be a good contender for having most pubs per mileage? I'd like to now if there is a better one!

Tried to stick strictly to canalside as OP asked. But could easily add 3 more at fazely within a few minutes walk, and then there's  Atherstone too.)

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2 minutes ago, Goliath said:

Have been trying to remember the canalside pubs on the cov canal. 

Swan at Fradley

Plough at Huddlesford(?)

Red Lion and Tame Otter at Hopwas

Three Tons(?) at Fazeley

Two Gates (?) at Two Gates (?)

Samuel Barlow at Alvecote

Bull at Polesworth

Anchor at Hartshill

Greyhound at Hawkesbury Jn

there must be more further towards coventry and in coventry, can anyone finish the list or add to it?

The Coventry canal is 38 miles long, it must be a good contender for having most pubs per mileage? I'd like to now if there is a better one!

Tried to stick strictly to canalside as OP asked. But could easily add 3 more at fazely within a few minutes walk, and then there's  Atherstone too.)

 

Do any of those a widespread reputation for serving top notch real ale?

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20 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Do any of those a widespread reputation for serving top notch real ale?

The Barlow and the Greyhound usually have a good selection, yes, do try those. The Anchor has the disadvantage of its bar being a looooong way above its cellar, so the beer (Badger brands last time I was in) does tend to come up a bit creamy. 

I'm surprised that you haven't sampled the ales in the Barlow.

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