Boston now allows dogs on outdoor restaurant patios. What could go wrong?

It’s a pawsome concept — but only in theory.

A dog named Falkor looked up at his owner, Leslie Fine, as she ate brunch at a restaurant in San Francisco on Friday, May 5. Just in time for the summer dining season, the US government has given its blessing to restaurants that want to allow pet dogs in their outdoor spaces.Haven Daley/Associated Press

Just in time for summer, the city of Boston announced that outdoor restaurant patios and beer gardens can apply to offer a new treat on the menu: BYOD, or bring your own dog.

Dogs, which are essentially noses with legs, sitting right next to dining customers? Adorable, drooling faces staring at your eggs Benedict during brunch? What could possibly go wrong?

It’s a pawsome concept — but only in theory. Boston’s policy follows an amendment to the 2022 Federal Drug Administration food code in April that allows customers’ pet dogs in outdoor dining areas if state and local laws approve it.

But letting pups dine with patrons, even if it’s outside, is also a recipe for disaster.

That’s because the policy pretty much demands responsible dog ownership. Like dog parks — which more often than not pose safety risks for pooches and humans — bringing doggies to restaurants will work fine as long as the pets are well-behaved and properly socialized. In other words, the onus is on dog owners.

If you have ever taken your pup to a dog park, you’ve probably witnessed a pooch or two suddenly getting aggressive. It happened to us a few years ago in a Brookline off-leash park, where the same boxer attacked our Labrador Santo out of the blue on two separate occasions. Other than those two times, we’ve never seen Santo — who the vast majority of the time honors his name and acts like a saint — fight another dog. He defended himself or maybe Santo provoked the other dog; who knows what body cues we missed.

And that’s the point. I have no doubt that most dog owners have good intentions and adore their pets so much that they want to bring them everywhere. But who’s to say that there won’t be another dog in a restaurant patio that won’t vibe with your own? What happens if a fight or biting ensues?

The lack of socialization in dogs is a particular concern now. Dr. Kate Thomas, the medical director at Wignall Animal Hospital in Dracut and Belvidere Veterinary Hospital in Lowell, two of 14 clinics in Massachusetts that are part of the Thrive Pet Healthcare network, has seen an increase in dogs with anxiety. She points to the COVID-19 pandemic as one factor.

“Behavioral discussions used to be rare and they used to revolve around things like thunderstorm phobias or fireworks,” said Thomas in an interview. Now vets in her clinics are seeing anxiety symptoms — trembling, panting, hiding, drooling, or withdrawal — about once a week, she said.

Part of it is related to the lack of socialization seen in “pandemic pups,” but it’s also an increase of mental health issues “on the human side and it’s spilling over onto the canine side,” Thomas said.

Indeed, anxious humans equal anxious pets. Thomas told me she rarely prescribes drugs like Prozac to dogs. “A lot of times there’s basic training and desensitization that can be done, which can make a huge improvement before we get to medicating,” she said. “I think a lot of people show up looking for drugs and we have to counsel them that that’s not the answer. It’s not going to make your dog perfect.”

As for the notion of dogs in beer gardens and restaurant patios, Thomas emphasized that owners must understand that “if they’re taking their dogs to those outdoor places, they should do it for their dog” and not because the owner wants their dog to be there for the owner’s benefit.

How can business owners make sure that the dogs they will be welcoming to their patios are well-trained? They can always request that dogs have a Canine Good Citizen title, which is an American Kennel Club training program that certifies that a dog is trained in 10 social skills, such as walking through a crowd and reacting properly to distractions.

Then there are dog allergies to consider. Businesses will have to be clear with their customers who have severe allergies, so they know that the outdoor seating area is open for pooches. For restaurateurs, balancing the needs of humans and pet owners will be a tough learning experience.

Finding that balance will be challenging, but it’s ultimately doable. That’s why I’m not entirely writing off dining with pets in Boston. But I feel for Boston servers. It’s one thing to cater to unruly customers, but having to deal with untrained canines is a whole new level of stress.

I know I won’t be bringing my dogs to any restaurant or beer garden any time soon. Santo would spend all the time begging for food scraps, and Benito, the younger one, has somewhat serious behavioral issues and he’s still a work in progress.

Now, how do we ban irresponsible dog owners from Boston?