- Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.
Dog lovers rejoice: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently updated its food code to allow dogs on restaurant patios and other outdoor dining areas.
Of course, it’s up to the restaurant—as well as state and local regulations—to decide if they want to welcome canine dining companions.
But it’s certainly good news for people who like to take their dog with them as much as possible—and potentially for the restaurant industry, according to Larry Lynch, senior vice president for Health, Safety and Regulatory Services at the National Restaurant Association. Lynch says the revised rules build on existing food codes that will be appealing to both customers with dogs as well as those without, especially—now with more guardrails in place—those with concerns about dining in proximity to pets.
“Restaurants are heavily focused on a safe dining experience—to create a good, clean, sanitary location,” he says. “The food code’s been around for 30 years addressing sanitation, addressing temperatures, addressing cross contamination, addressing employee health and safety. So it’s already part and parcel of what a restaurant does. This [update] just becomes the extension.”
The FDA’s updated food code allows pet dogs in outdoor dining areas “where approved.” Photo credit: Jen Reeder
The new FDA guidance is also an extension of efforts to bolster the restaurant industry in the wake of challenges created by the COVID pandemic. Many cities worked with local restaurants to add outdoor seating on sidewalks, for instance.
“Restaurants need to do everything they can to get people back into restaurants,” Lynch says. “For the dog owners, it’s a perfect opportunity to have a fun time out. So I think it’s going to be a continuously growing trend.”
Pets are family. The new rule just extends what’s happening with families.
Lynch feels the revised code “harmonizes” the approach to making outdoor dining with dogs as safe and enjoyable as possible for staff and diners.
“It’s not a new trend by any stretch. Pets are family,” he says. “I’ve got a 3-year-old Husky we just adopted last September, and she is as much a part of the family as anybody else. So I think this just extends what’s happening with families.”
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Doggy Bag, Meet the Dog Menu
The FDA’s revised food code lays out restrictions and requirements for restaurants to safely cater to canine companions, such as not permitting dogs to pass inside restaurants to access outdoor areas, cleaning and sanitizing areas if a dog pees or poops, developing protocols to ask patrons with disruptive dogs to leave, and servers refraining from petting dogs. The National Restaurant Association’s website also shares a “Pups on Patios” resource with tips for restaurants allowing dogs.
If restaurants as well as patrons with dogs cooperate, Lynch believes establishments will increasingly offer pet promotions, from special dog menus to “yappy hours” to benefit local animal shelters.
Dog lovers can encourage these trends by being responsible when dining out with dogs, says Nicole Ellis, CPDT-KA, a Fear Free certified dog trainer, pet lifestyle expert, and author of “Working Like A Dog.”
“Dinner out together can be super fun and enjoyable for both [people and their pets]” she tells The Dog People. “It can also be stressful for you and other guests dining if your dog is anxious and not able to settle down.”
Dog trainer Nicole Ellis dines at an outdoor cafe with a friend’s dog. Photo credit: Brandise Danesewich
How to Prepare Your Pet for Restaurant Settings
Ellis suggests starting training at home to help set your dog up for restaurant success. One important skill is learning to “settle” or “relax” on a blanket or mat. (She prefers no-slip mats.) Her tips for teaching the cue include:
- Place a mat or blanket on the floor and reward your dog for stepping on it.
- Moving forward, reward your dog for sitting or lying down on the mat.
- In the next few sessions, reward them for staying on the mat for longer periods of time.
- Once they’ve mastered place training, sit and eat at a table in your home with your dog staying on their mat.
“When you’re ready to venture out, consider a coffee shop or café, where if your pet is anxious and needs more practice at home, you’re not locked into a longer meal setting,” she advises.
Be sure to pack a few supplies for your dog, including their mat, water and travel bowl, and treats to reward good behavior. Ellis, who enjoys dining with her dogs Maggie and Rossi Bear, notes that giving our dogs table scraps can cause unwanted behavior like begging and medical issues like pancreatitis, so it’s best to stick to dog treats.
“Some restaurants offer dog water and even snacks, so I love to tip a little extra to thank them for their pet-loving efforts,” she adds.
Ellis says she “absolutely loves” the FDA’s new change to its 2022 Food Code, but she hopes people will consider whether their dogs will actually enjoy dining out. Anxious dogs showing stress signs like yawning or lip licking—or barking at other dogs—might be happier at home, or benefit from working with a certified trainer.
“Dining out should be fun and positive for everyone, including your dog, other dogs that might be eating there, or other people,” she says.
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A New Standard for Restaurants, and Pet Etiquette
Nick Hoover is government affairs manager for the Colorado Restaurant Association. His state already allowed dogs on restaurant patios, but he says the updated code will eliminate a lot of the confusion that Colorado restaurants often faced from customers who wanted to bring their dogs with them. He also thinks it will help other states see the benefits of allowing guests to dine al fresco with their pets.
“Colorado is a beautiful state and there’s a lot of dog lovers in the state, and they want to be able take their dogs onto patios when they’re out exploring,” he tells The Dog People. “Before those rules went into place, we would get a lot of calls [from restaurants] in the summer about, ‘Can I allow this? What are the rules? What can they do? What can’t they do?’ So the FDA allowing for dogs on patios in their model food code I think is going to be good for restaurants that want to offer that as a service for their customers.”
Hoover, who has a Husky named Sage, hopes diners with dogs will remember that even outdoors, they are still in a restaurant and food codes apply.
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“Make sure you’re controlling your dog, make sure you’re not letting them go and beg from other tables, or barking, and please don’t put them on furniture. The food code doesn’t allow that, so that’s going to put you in an awkward place with the staff,” he notes.
Service dogs who assist people with disabilities, such as guide dogs for people who are blind, are the only dogs permitted indoors. Emotional Support Animals are not considered service dogs in the FDA’s food code and need to eat outside.
“If you have a legitimate service animal, please bring it into restaurants because we want you to be as comfortable as possible when you’re patronizing our members,” Hoover says. “But if you do not have a service animal, please do not try to pass it off as one because it muddies the waters in those situations where someone legitimately needs their service animal with them.”
Ultimately, if everyone plays by the rules, more restaurants will begin inviting pets to their patios—and potentially expanding offerings. In the meantime, Hoover offers simple advice to dog lovers.
“Communicate with the restaurant, be kind and courteous to everyone around, and it will be the best experience for everyone in the long run,” he says.
