[nagdu] how much is too much?

[Julie J.]

I had an interesting thing happen when eating in a restaurant Friday night.

The place was busy so we had to wait a bit for our table.  When a table came available, the hostess came over and let us know that our table was ready, but that there was a therapy dog in training at the next table.  She wanted it to be very clear that the dog was in training.  She asked if that would be a problem for our dogs.  I was in a small group that included another guide dog user.  We both said that our dogs would be fine with another dog at the next table.  They wouldn’t react or be upset or cause a disturbance of any variety.   We let her know that it wasn’t a problem as long as the lady with the dog in training was willing and able to manage her dog appropriately.

We get to the table and get seated.  the lady with the dog in training said hello and made some other polite conversation.  Then her dog started in barking, growling and shuffling around under her table.  At first she talked to the dog, later she did correct.  She did apologize, saying that he’s only 12 months old and you can’t start training until then, so the dog is new to all of this.  She also said that normally he is very good around other dogs.  The barking and growling went on for probably half an hour, until she finished her dinner and left.  It wasn’t continuous all that time, but was consistently occurring every few minutes.  

Neither of  our two guides did anything inappropriate.  They were both lying under the table quietly minding their own business.  

So what would you have done?
Should we have asked for a different table? we would have had to wait longer
should we have asked her to take the dog out?
should we have asked the restaurant staff to speak to her or ask her to take the dog out?
Was she taking care of the situation appropriately?
Should she have left earlier?
How much is too much?

Very curiously,
Julie