To think dogs are unhygienic

@bottomsup12 I have a Whippet who is more like a cat.
Small, clean, arse not on display, and quiet.
My dog disliking mum allows her to stay as she’s unobtrusive.

The poo is small bore so not onerous to pick up.

But if you don’t want a dog DON’T get one as it WILL be you doing the poo picking, walking and foot washing no matter what your husband says.

Can you borrow one for a few days? Offer to pet sit for a family member or friend, just to give you the idea of the reality.
They are pretty,gross to be fair, but for those of us who love having them in our lives, the chaos they bring is nothing compared to the love and joy.

this is just your issue what is a "very clean person "

Yanbu to not want a dog. They can be smelly, most shed hair and they trail mud in from outside.That’s obviously not why I have one though. He keeps me fit and active ( he doesn’t care if I cba with exercise sometimes, we are doing it anyway 🤣), snuggles in on the sofa and he loves us. He hears my car when I get home and runs to the door to meet me. It’s so sweet. He’s family. If you’re just going to view a dog as an unhygienic animal, who’s an inconvenience to clean up after, it’s definitely not for you.

Oh another dog expert! Again, I ask, have you met every single breed of dog in the world?

Not all dogs smell and the dog haters are doing an excellent job of making fools of themselves

They all smell. It's true.

Absolute bullshit. Have you met every single breed of dog in the world? Been to houses of every single breed of dog in the world?

NOT ALL DOGS SMELL but dog haters always insist they do. Why not do some research before spouting such rubbish.

Don’t get a dog if you have a baby - nuts idea - you have enough cleaning etc and I promise you DH will not clear up poos well enough to have a toddler in the garden.

Yep. They are all these things. You can minimise a lot of it by how you manage things and the breed but yes. They don't bathe daily and they are animals.
We benefit from the dirt and germs they bring in. Dc who grow up with dogs have been shown to have stringer immune systems.

Yanbu. People who get dogs don't really care / think about it. Your list is fact. They always smell horrific. A very clean person could never have a dog.

Per ownership is supposedly great for microbiome health and stress.
Yes probably unhygienic but not necessarily a bad thing.

I adore dogs, but they are a lot of work OP, and restricting. I'm happy to put up with that, because for me the benefits are huge. If I didn't want one, I wouldn't trust my partner saying he would do everything. The person at home, when they make a mess, or need care, is the person who has to deal with it. There's no way , you'd get away with never having to do anything.

IME dogs are more hygienic than most people and children.

But if you don't want a dog, don't get a dog. You don't need to justify it as they are unhygienic. You can just say you don't want one.

Dogs are gross! I have to suppress the urge to vomit when I see people let dogs like their faces, or even worse literally their lips 🤢 just beyond disgusting!!!

Houses that have dogs in always smell, no matter how much the dogs and/or house is cleaned.

That said, I don't hate dogs. My Dad has an adorable dog, my inlaws have always had dogs. Dogs can be wonderful companions for sure, but I wouldn't consider it as I can't get past the gross side of them. I'll visit other people's dogs instead..

Maybe wait until you don't have very young children. I was a bit paranoid about germs when mine were little, but then they have allergies, so maybe a few more germs would have helped a bit?

Our dogs have increased my workload by several hundred percent (ditto my husband) but they give us so much joy.

It's totally fine to not want a dog for the reasons given and you shouldn't be pressured into it. Dogs are our families business tho so we love them but they are at times undeniably gross! But I also have horses and spend 6 months of the year covered in mud. Always had animals and can honestly say I've never caught an illness off any pet. Humans on the other hand are disgusting germ infested vestibules I try and avoid as much as possible. I'll happily eat a bag of crisps at the yard with mud and grime under my fingernails and all over my hands but won't put my fingers near my face til I've washed my hands from being at the shops

I agree and I have dogs that sleep on my bed. The main thing that bothers me is all the poo everywhere on walks….I just feel so despairing when I’m diligently picking up my own dogs’ poo next to a big heap of another dog’s poo that’s been squashed and trodden all over the grass. This depends on your area though. They eat cat poo too if they get the chance…luckily we don’t get cats pooing in our garden. I don’t care too much about germs myself but if I had a baby or young children I would probably become obsessive about cleaning.

I don’t notice the smell, probably because I love it, especially the hormone smell from my intact dog! (Yes I’m weird!) Except for anal gland secretions…they’re not too pleasant🤣

I’ve had a dog for 3 years and she’s the best thing ever. She’s a little ray of sunshine and she’s brought so much happiness into our lives. My husband hated dogs but absolutely adores her. She sleeps on the bed with me and is allowed on her blanket on the furniture.

She doesn’t shed hair but she does sometimes smell and then I bath her. I don’t think my house smells but I may be used to it now.

The “germs” she brings in haven’t given me any illnesses at all in the 3 years I’ve had her.

I started working in a school in September and the little darlings have literally caused me to pretty much be permanently unwell since October!

Dogs can be a hassle (I have two) but they are so rewarding, especially for kids. As said upthread they are no more germy than kids if well trained. Wipe their feet as they come in. Choose a less casting breed. Have wooden floors. Lifting the dog poop - is horrendous at first, but I can only say one become acclimatised to it! (bit like the nappy change journey….) However please don't agree if you have doubts especially if your partner is likely to leave you to deal with work.

I love dogs, grew up with them and currently have 3. Was up at 3am today cleaning up dog vomit from the corner of the bedroom, one of our dogs eats her own poo, they pick up tics on walks etc etc. I absolutely wouldn't be without them. And yes our house smells of dog - but it's one of my favourite smells.

But ... I wouldn't have a dog with a baby. Certainly wouldn't want a baby crawling on the same floor that a dog had been rolling around and dribbling on. And wouldn't want the faff of trying to maintain separate areas.

I absolutely wouldn't have a dog with a toddler or small child. You either have a long-suffering dog who puts up with pulling and poking, or you have a child that gets warning nips, or possibly worse. You can't watch them all the time.

Finally I wouldn't have a dog if it was going to be left alone for long periods of time. It's not fair on the dog. You mention that you work so would that be the same for you if your dh also works?

My dog is always pleased to see me unlike the teenagers in the house 🤣

I find all this ‘immune’ system stuff a bit odd. What do they do to the immune system?

Because with a pet in the home, you have a constant barrage of bacteria, mold spores and other micro oraganisems that are often not present in a clinically clean home.
Your immune system will recognise and fight these, before you actually get ill wherever you are.

I try not to let my dog poo in the garden. He poos on walks, I pick it up and put it in a dog bin. Remember that there’ll be other animals poo in your garden potentially. Cats are a particularly nuisance for that but there are also things like seagulls and other birds, foxes, hedgehogs, etc.

Not all dogs moult. I’d bet you wouldn’t find a single dog hair in my house because mine’s a non-moulting breed and - to my surprise - genuinely doesn’t moult at all.

His bumhole is never dirty. If he were to be ill, I’d wash his rear end (wearing gloves) but it’s once in a blue moon. Although people don’t walk around with bare bumholes, a surprising number don’t wash their hands after visiting the toilet. They also pick their noses and then touch things in the house or out and about, which you then touch.

There are so many breeds of dogs to choose from. But, in all honesty, you sound like you dislike dogs so it wouldn’t be fair to the dog to get one now. Why not spend some time with some carefully chosen dogs? Not gallumphing monsters whose owners let them frolic in the bog and then run straight into the house, but more urban pet dogs who are clean and who don’t put mud in the house.

I love dogs my parents had them when me and my brother were younger growing up but now I'm older and have my own house my own DCs we have a cat and he's an indoor cat and not so messy but still
Mess from him like fur on windowsills cat food
Clean up cat poo to clean out of his litter and I defiantly wouldn't have a dog thankfully my DH is the same as me loves dogs but just don't want one I don't want my house to reek of dog the dog fur constantly cleaning up mess out in the garden ruins your grass as well were they pee etc so you end up with patches where it doesn't grow back.

And those that say they don't stink are kidding themselves or they've become nose blind because you can instantly smell dog in someone's home no amount of cleaning or air fresheners disguise that distinct dog smell.
Even bathing them etc.

I would say don't get a dog if you're both not on board it's not fair on the animal.

You’re not wrong OP! We have one, we are not remotely houseproud and rarely have visitors so dog basically has the run of the place and that’s fine with us. But yes, hair everywhere, mucky paw prints…..don’t think anyone has mentioned anal glands yet either? 🤢

But we do love the big hairy beast.