Dogs welcome, leave your kids at home

Dog vs. KidGermans love their dogs, but they hate their kids. This is probably why the German population is dwindling.

When you dine at a restaurant, the first thing you will notice is that some mutt will be running around, and no one but you will notice it. However, if kids show up to a restaurant, every German will take note and be completely annoyed by their presence.

deutsche Übersetzung für Astrid

14 Responses to “Dogs welcome, leave your kids at home”

  1. Stine Says:

    You definitely have to watch where you are walking while walking on the sidewalk too! Maybe that’s why German’s don’t greet everyone they pass, they are busy watching the sidewalk.

  2. Thomas Says:

    True in parts. My impression is that Germans hate dogs as much as they hate children. Don’t even try to rent an apartment or a self-catering holiday apartment with a dog. It’s not impossible, but definitely difficult. I’m always amazed by the sheer number of dogs people walk in New York. Looks like they’re actually allowed to keep them where they live!

  3. Mel Says:

    It all comes down to the dog or child, right? I would rather have a nice quiet kid instead of a slobbering, barking dog. But on the other hand, I’d prefer a nice, quiet dog over a hyper-active kid screaming and throwing toys around…

  4. Florian Says:

    False!

  5. db Says:

    The thing is: you can teach a dog to be quiet, but you can’t teach a kid to do so. Therefore, kids are much more likely to annoy all people in the restaurant than dogs are.

  6. Oberlehrer Says:

    true!?

    Es kommt allerdings auf das Restaurant an. Im Gegensatz zu Spanien und Italien ist es hier in Deutschland eher gefühlt “kinderunfreundlich” in den Restaurants und Geschäften. Deswegen funktioniert hier auch McDonalds so gut: hier kann man die Kiddies (Kinder) einfach laufen lassen. Dabei ist das Essen “§$%§&!!!!

    Ich hasse diese Blicke von den genervten Tischnachbarn, wenn meine Jungs sich mal beim Essen die Füsse vertreten müssen. Und wünsche mir, daß sie später beim Zivildients im Altersheim genau diese Leute wiedertreffen und sie mit dem Rollstuhl die Treppe runterfahren lassen.

    Aber mich würden auch Kinder nerven, wenn Sie schreiend und völlig unkontrolliert durch den Saal laufen und mich mit Nudeln beschmeissen. Was ich aber noch nie erlebt habe…

  7. DeeHexi Says:

    I can not understand why others can’t tolerate that I want peace and quiet when I go out to eat anywhere. Or when I go to the movies I don’t want to listen to any babies crying. When I go on vacation I don’t want to listen to screaming kids in the pool… I choose when I deal with strange kids. I don’t go to the zoo on weekends…too many kids.
    I don’t need to drag the kids everywhere. That doesn’t make me a bad parent. And no, I don’t have any on my own. Never wanted any. But I don’t dislike kids. And kids RESPECT me…and they behave (much to their parents surprise).

  8. Florian Blaschke Says:

    I agree. Ear-piercing and incessant screams from babies or kids (regardless of whether they are on the move and throwing things around or not) are definitely painful and not at all conducive to the sense of well-being you expect from holidays or eating out (in short: they’re “!recovery”, as the denizens of de.alt.sysadmin.recovery would say). I can tolerate kids rollicking and being loud in the street if they’re not too close … but in the pool, I don’t think I’d tolerate that in the longer run. I wonder why that’s so hard to understand for parents. I certainly don’t approve of them dragging them around everywhere and consider that pretty pointless.

  9. Borderline Says:

    @DeeHexi - we are not in any way sociophobic, are we? :) Your inability to deal with a certain amount of noise, dirt and general restlessness of people is your failure - not of any kid. Better lock yourself away then. Kids “respect” you because they feel you’re a weird and distant personality. In general it is your attitude that composes a society hostile to kids.

  10. DeeHexi Says:

    @Borderline…Better late than never…
    What is wrong with you? Just because I don’t want to be around kids I am sociophobic? I don’t have any problems dealing with noise or dirt or whatever, but I CHOOSE WHO MAKES THAT NOISE!!! And I just don’t want to hear screaming kids around me. And no, kids don’t think I am weird, they respect me for telling them what not to do…something parents don’t dare to do anymore. They let them run wild, don’t teach them respect and manners. I am not in any way blaming the kids. I blame the parents. They are not capable of raising kids.
    They have more interest in their own life than teaching the kids how to behave. If the kids dictate their lives that is their
    problem. But my life is dictated by me and only me.
    Florain has the same opinion, but he is ok with you?
    Just accept that I choose who to be with in any sense. And if I can avoid your brats then I will…

  11. Florian Blaschke Says:

    100% agreed, thanks DeeHexi for expressing it better than I was able to.

    It seems that for most people, there are only two possible ways to raise kids: the “authoritarian” way (i. e., involving unnecessary cruelty) or the “anti-authoritarian” way (i. e., not at all). Children are neither recruits in the army whose will must be broken, nor are they diminutive adults; they are perceptive but immature human beings who have yet to learn to accept limits and rules. Non-education or excessive pampering is just as abusive as repressive or even sadistic education because it, too, disrespects and hurts the children and makes them unfit for later life. Both are lazy cop-outs and do not give evidence of love.

    I firmly believe that consistent education works for most children by far, without making abuse (or humiliation and intimidation) necessary (mentally handicapped children are a wholly different story). Parents and children will keep challenging each other, but all children also deeply desire parents that they can unconditionally trust: they are not spiteful, just testing their limits.

    There’s a German proverb that points out that the parents of piglets are swine.

  12. Sven Says:

    I have always found Germany to be very kid-friendly. People are even comfortable enough to kneel down and talk to my kids. It’s a less guarded atmosphere than in Canada or the US, where everyone is afraid to be labelled as a weirdo just for interacting with kids. There will always be people who are annoyed by every little noise made by anyone. They’re a relatively small fraction of society, and luckily, most kids don’t ask them first if it’s OK to be a kid.

  13. Manuel Says:

    @Stine
    You were obviously never in Paris. Dog [crap] everywhere.

    And Mel got it right.
    Hopefully Germans never become so “political correct” like US Americans. Of cooooourrrse you have to love children… no matter how annoying they are. “Ohhh, they are so sweeeeeet”
    If the child is qell behaved, no problem.
    And this has nothing to do with dogs vs. children.

    Editor’s Note: Please refer to repugnant objects by their least offense names. My mom reads this.

  14. David Says:

    General rule never ever invest in something that uses fuel/energy or eats and (I apologizes for the next word) poos. It is one general rule in Germany..
    And please remember if you go against this rule in public, then you will be targeted with “Schadenfreude” / “glee”.

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