To compare the desire of (some) smokers to be permitted to smoke in pubs with your desire for pubs to be dog-friendly. The key difference is (ignoring the people who are allergic to dogs etc.) that the smoke harms everyone, while the dog harms nobody.

I can see where you're coming from when you say it seems too pushy now. However, I can see that smokers have failed to kerb their behaviour to the general detriment of everyone else (smoker and non-smoker alike). And without firm, in-you-face legislation (like this) I can't see that changing.