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Quality time spent wining and dining is truly time well spent. And with numerous restaurants hidden in plain sight, there’s always something to choose from. However, we find ourselves lacking companionship at times and sharing a meal with you, yourself and toi is a usual occurrence anyway. So what do you do? Well, you take your dog out on a little dinner date!
A TikTok video has been circulating around of one such occurrence, a diner spotting a lovely pair – a man and his dog – sharing a bit of quality time together at a restaurant. Before we get into the details of the story, I’d like to encourage you to upvote, comment and follow the author, so that I can take myself out for a nice meal as well. Without further ado, let’s get into it!
One evening, Gemma Colón decided to stop by a restaurant in New York City to grab a bite to eat. Whilst scoping out a place to sit, she noticed an incredibly wholesome sight, which she then took video of.
“I was presented with one of the most unexpectedly heartwarming views,” Gemma told The Dodo. “I noticed this dog seated across from his owner, perched up on a chair, acting like an absolute proper gentleman.”
It seemed the pair were on a little date, enjoying one another’s company. From afar, it looked like the man was having a glass of red wine whilst the pup had a glass bowl of water.
Gemma was very lucky to be seated in view of the adorable duo. “[The man] was doing a crossword puzzle and sipping a glass of red wine with his meal.”
“His date – the dog – was enjoying his own bowl of water, which he slurped politely,” she said. “It was really amazing how well-behaved the pup was. I saw better table manners displayed by this dog than I’ve seen from some humans.”
The scene didn’t only brighten Gemma’s day but also the rest of the diners’.
People were turning back to catch glimpses of the pair, big smiles adorning their faces. No one had the heart to interrupt their meal or come up to comment on their cuteness. Gemma did overhear a short exchange with the server, which revealed it wasn’t their first rodeo.
“I heard a waitress comment on how good the dog was at one point, and the man replied saying he brings the dog with him everywhere,” Gemma said. “It definitely seemed like a very pleasant date, with lovely company.”
Image credits: Bennilover (not the actual photo)
And lovely company it was. Dogs truly have very special places in our hearts, becoming almost the perfect friend. Kristen Fuller, a physician and author, argues that the most popular reason we have dogs is for their companionship.
Nearly 69 million households in the United States owned at least one dog according to a 2021/22 pet owners survey, with many becoming an important part of the family.
Image credits: geraldbrazell (not the actual photo)
Kristen accurately notes that one of the few instances that makes the majority of us smile uncontrollably is seeing a dog. She says: “Our tail wagging, ball fetching, dirt digging, bird chasing furry companions are usually our protectors and our best friends and the strong bond between dogs and humans has been around for centuries.”
However, should you rush to the nearest shelter and adopt a pup just because you need someone to share dinner or an evening drink with? Or should we be embracing the solo dining experience?
Image credits: guilherme jofili (not the actual photo)
Eshadi Sharif noted the modern-day taboo, as the culture of eating together has made it seemingly abnormal for people to sit at a restaurant alone.
He stated that “when we are so used to being around people, it is easy to mistake someone alone for being lonely. Loneliness itself brings a negative impression as they are perceived to be unsocial and incapable of making friends.”
However, it normally isn’t so and it shouldn’t be perceived as such. Considering the fact that most of us spend 8-9 hours in a working environment, engaging with colleagues, then coming back to housemates or family members, we rarely get to sit and enjoy solitude and the vastness of our own thoughts.
Image credits: Igor Spasic (not the actual photo)
Hence, a moment to dine alone, treating yourself to a very nice meal and drink, could be seen as a means to enjoy yourself at present.
So if you’ve been longing to go and experience the newly opened restaurant but everyone’s been too busy to accompany you, take yourself out and explore with your taste buds.
Image credits: Bennilover (not the actual photo)
But if you do have a furry friend that you’d like to bring to a café or restaurant (and I’m not talking about that overly hairy coworker of yours), here are some suggestions and tips from experts.
Josh Weiss-Roessler from Cesar’s Way believes that unprepared dogs, which spend the entire meal trying to steal food, whining, or barking at other guests, whether human or canine, can turn any dining experience into a nightmare.
Thus, start by training the dog at home before you head into a restaurant. As advised by Go Pet Friendly, asking your dog to lay on his mat while you eat is a great practice at home, which can be done multiple times every day for his whole life. It’s a great skill to have when you’re hosting a dinner party or your house is full of guests.
Image credits: Baker County Tourism Travel Baker County (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Kārlis Dambrāns (not the actual photo)
If you are headed to a restaurant, make sure it’s pup-friendly, as some places will not approve of your four-legged companion. Once that’s sorted, make sure to feed, exercise and relieve your dog of toilet duty, so that they have no discomfort or leftover energy that’ll make them zoom around the place.
At the restaurant, don’t feed them off the restaurant’s plates or utensils, unless they’re provided for that purpose. And, lastly, bring something for them to do. Chew toys and tough-to-chew treats can be fantastic ways to keep your dog distracted throughout the meal and elicit good behavior.
This is just a friendly reminder that you shouldn’t randomly film strangers without first asking their permission. Same goes with approaching their pets for cuddles and a chat. Be respectful, ask first. OK, agreed? Nice!
Image credits: Evija Daukste (not the actual photo)
We hope the man and his pup get to have plenty more little dinner dates and that it inspires others to do the same. Because, truly, the greatest amounts of goodness can be found in the goodest little pups and doggos.
Leave us your thoughts in the comments below and comment which kind of beverage you’d choose when dining out. I shall wish you a splendid little day and until we see one another again!
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Egle is a Content Creator at Bored Panda, specializing in Good News. She has a First-Class Bachelor's Degree in Film and Creative Writing from the University of Essex, and has studied subjects such as Propaganda & Film, Sci-fi Writing, Psychiatry & History of Mental Illness, and more. Previously a Senior Video Editor, she is now pursuing Writing as her main interest. Alongside this, she is a passionate artist and painter, as well as a creator on TikTok. She enjoys baking, learning new languages and watching True Crime documentaries on Netflix. If you enjoy happy, inspiring, and heartwarming content, give her a follow! You can also reach her at egle.radziute@boredpanda.com
I love taking my pups out for lunch or dinner. There was a great restaurant that I would go to that had a Pup Menu where they would grill chicken and vegetable and serve it to them on the table.
Wish I lived in apartments that allowed dogs (I could only have cats). I certainly would’ve done this myself when I was single. Then again, I got to where I kinda liked going places and doing things by myself. Ever been somewhere you’re really excited to see, but the person you’re with is being a total drag, and you wish you’d just gone by yourself? I can’t tell you how many friends and boyfriends ended up being that way, so I finally just said f**k it and started going on my own—-and had way more fun! Luckily I married someone who gets just as excited about going places we both like as I do, yet isn’t bothered if we sometimes split up for a couple hours to do stuff we each like separately, because we each want the other to indulge their own separate interests as well as those we both share. We don’t force each other to sit through something that bores us.
My Dog Donna is such a part of my life if people see me without her they immediately ask if she is Ok. She had a couple of tricky knee ligaments operations (TPLO) and I got more calls to aske how it had gone on the day then when I was in hospital. Everyone loves her, she comes to the office, to the coffee shop next to the office, shopping, to concerts and festivals. I can't imagine life without my beautiful baby.
I love taking my pups out for lunch or dinner. There was a great restaurant that I would go to that had a Pup Menu where they would grill chicken and vegetable and serve it to them on the table.
Wish I lived in apartments that allowed dogs (I could only have cats). I certainly would’ve done this myself when I was single. Then again, I got to where I kinda liked going places and doing things by myself. Ever been somewhere you’re really excited to see, but the person you’re with is being a total drag, and you wish you’d just gone by yourself? I can’t tell you how many friends and boyfriends ended up being that way, so I finally just said f**k it and started going on my own—-and had way more fun! Luckily I married someone who gets just as excited about going places we both like as I do, yet isn’t bothered if we sometimes split up for a couple hours to do stuff we each like separately, because we each want the other to indulge their own separate interests as well as those we both share. We don’t force each other to sit through something that bores us.
My Dog Donna is such a part of my life if people see me without her they immediately ask if she is Ok. She had a couple of tricky knee ligaments operations (TPLO) and I got more calls to aske how it had gone on the day then when I was in hospital. Everyone loves her, she comes to the office, to the coffee shop next to the office, shopping, to concerts and festivals. I can't imagine life without my beautiful baby.
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