Willie Neslon
Footballguy
My birthday was this weekend and I was lucky enough to hang out with some friends all day Saturday. At the end of the day we decided to go to a local bar for a couple of nightcaps and a little food. We sit down and had a great time. At the far corner of the bar someone has brought their dog in and he (the dog) is sitting on one of the corner bar stools. It's a cute little dalmatian. We look at it and laugh at how cute the thing is sitting there at the bar. After an hour or two we are done and get up to leave. I have to pass by the dog and his owner on my way out. Well after a few drinks I can't resist and ask if I can pet the dog. The owner says sure and then something else but I honestly didn't hear anything after the sure part and went to pet the dog. The dog obviously likes to be pet and sticks his face up near mine (he's still sitting in a tall bar stool) and his tongue comes out for dog kisses or whatever. My face is close to the dog but we don't make contact. I'm a closet germaphobe and would never touch my mouth to a dog's mouth. I'm petting him for like 3-4 seconds maybe. After the 3-4 seconds the dog owner sternly says something to the effect of "Hey! I told you not to make contact with his mouth!" He's standing right there looking super miffed. I immediately stop petting the dog and apologize to the owner. i say something like "I"m sorry, I didn't hear you say that but I definitely didn't let the dog lick my face." He's super pissed off. He's a hipster type with large, perfectly manicured beard. I kind of say sorry again and walk out. My friends ask what that was all about and I say I wasn't completely sure as it happened so fast. Something about the dog's mouth. We had been drinking for a while and I wasn't 100% sober but I wasn't drunk either. We get in our Uber and that's the end of it.
So I wake up the yesterday morning and I feel bad about the situation. It's a bar that I really like going to and had a great time up to the last 5-10 seconds. Am I right to feel guilty about the situation? Did I disrespect the dog's owner by not keeping my distance from the dog's face while petting him? Is the owner in the wrong for bringing his dog inside a bar to interact with not completely sober, old people? I guess the bar has become more pet friendly with new ownership as they put in an outside patio and encouraged people to bring their dogs but this dog was inside the place sitting on a bar chair. I fairness to the dog he was extremely well behaved and a total sweetheart. I've never owned a dog so I'm wondering what dog owners here think of what happened? Was I disrespectful? That was the first negative social experience I've had in many years and I gotta say I feel a little bad about it still.
So I wake up the yesterday morning and I feel bad about the situation. It's a bar that I really like going to and had a great time up to the last 5-10 seconds. Am I right to feel guilty about the situation? Did I disrespect the dog's owner by not keeping my distance from the dog's face while petting him? Is the owner in the wrong for bringing his dog inside a bar to interact with not completely sober, old people? I guess the bar has become more pet friendly with new ownership as they put in an outside patio and encouraged people to bring their dogs but this dog was inside the place sitting on a bar chair. I fairness to the dog he was extremely well behaved and a total sweetheart. I've never owned a dog so I'm wondering what dog owners here think of what happened? Was I disrespectful? That was the first negative social experience I've had in many years and I gotta say I feel a little bad about it still.

Last edited: