The dog-friendly restaurants where the meat is best served on the bone...

The Bluebird restaurant in London has launched a new dog-friendly menu to win over dog-owning customers. (Alamy)

On Friday, invitations went out to next week’s “VIP launch night of Bites and Bones” at the Bluebird restaurant in London. Held to celebrate a new dog-friendly menu, the event promises “doggie cocktails, canapés and goodie bags”.

The place is not alone. On Sunday, Rivington Shoreditch restaurant in east London will celebrate the Queen’s birthday with the “All the Queen’s Corgis” event. Owners of real-life corgis, who show up for lunch with their pooch will receive a free bottle of prosecco.

Last month, George, a members’ club in the capital held a special party to launch their new dog menu. The model Yasmin Le Bon and the shoe designer Patrick Cox brought their pets (Luigi and Caesar, respectively) to be the first to try the canine cuisine, the proceeds from which went to the Dog’s Trust.

The events reflect a wider fashion for owners to indulge their pets. Behind the doggie-menus at George and the Bluebird is organic pet food company Lily’s Kitchen, while “Bites and Bones” is sponsored by Pets Pyjamas, a “luxury pet lifestyle website”. What’s more, one woman is trying to raise funds on indiegogo.com to open a café where patrons can play with sausage dogs while drinking coffee.

Dog lovers may well see this trend as just another way to reward the unfailing loyalty of their pets. For everyone else, it might look like another step along the path towards the end of civilisation.