Am I the only one who doesn't like dogs?!

[BlueStripedTowel]

Now don't get me wrong, some dogs can be cute to look at but I really don't like being near dogs. I've got nothing against dogs but I just don't like having them near me or touching me. It seems like if you say this to a dog owner though they look at me like I'm the devil!

When I was a toddler about 30 years ago my grans dog tried to attack me (first grandchild - dog was jealous of attention I was getting from gran) so the dog had to be put down, I don't really have memory of this but wonder if it's rooted somewhere in my brain!

I just hate it if I'm out anywhere and someone's dog jumps up on me and owners say "don't worry he/she is really friendly" and I say please can you pull them away because I don't like dogs and some owners get really annoyed as if they can't understand why some people may be uncomfortable.

Any similar experiences?

@Branleuse

Yes. You are the only person in the world that doesnt like dogs

The fact there are SO many might tell you something.

@CrumblyCrimble assistance dogs for blind people are trained to go on command. Imagine that? A smelly, slobbering, fur wearing animal being able to do that. Unfortunately, they are mammals and could possibly get short just like
you or I. I doubt your be prosecuted for it.

Caught short

No. I absolutely despise them. They are dirty, the smell, never happy unless the centre of attention, they bark, they shit everywhere, they lick.. they are just vile. And the way the owners now see them above children disgusts me. I've seen stories on social media of dogs killing children and the moronic dog owners saying 'oh please don't put the dog down, it's not it's fault'

@Joystir59

Yes, you are in a minority of one

Clearly she's not.

@Huntswomanonthemove

I wonder sometimes if people who don't like dogs change their minds if they need an assistance dog. If you became blind, would you give a guide dog a go?

Stupid comment. So people should like violent staffies and Rottweilers because one single breed of dog can be trained as a guide dog? Moron. Away back to your 'fur baby'

@TheHouseWivesFavourite think it is you that is the moron love. Staffies are affectionately known as 'nanny dogs'. They are extremely gentle. Rottweilers are placid and gentle. They obviously can be turned into vicious machines, but guess who does that? Yes, violent people do that. Also, more than one breed is an excellent choice of assistance dog, including Labradors, Alsatians and Spaniels.

@TheHouseWivesFavourite

I agree with @FireMeetGasoline. I had a personal trainer with a Staffie. I was bloody terrified. But she was the most laziest and gentle dog ever. She’d spend the day sleeping and hated going for walks. Made me realise that it’s true that it’s not the dogs that are vicious, it’s their owners that make them like that. Same goes for my cousin who had an Akita. He was so calm and not aggressive at all, really lazy. As for dogs killing children, again it’s their owners. I would never leave my puppy with a child unattended. It’s not the dogs fault either, it’s just their instincts.

I absolutely LOVE dogs.

But I dont want to touch one, nor have one sniffing my clothes and jumping on me and an owner telling me he is really friendly and loves kids and then allows the dogs to jump all over me and the children.
I am muslim also and I get really anxious when a big dogs nose is coming close to put his dirty nose on my abaya, muslim dress and I want to wear it to prayer so I want to be clean.

I am petrified of a dog jumping in the buggy too.

I also will never understand how people allow the dog on the sofa after doing a wee in the garden.

Absolutely love dogs to look at but definitely not to touch.

@Doyourememberthetime

I'm so glad that you realised that when you spent time with her.

Staffies were voted the nation's favourite dog on a programme I was watching about a year ago. It's ironic really, because if I'm not mistaken, they are also the most likely to be abandoned to rescues (probably a correct correlation there). They are absolutely beautiful.

You are right about when children who are tragically mauled too. It is the dog owner's fault. My first rescuse was a lab x. She was the most gentle thing you could come across, she would watch a spider run by her and didn't even think about eating it. My nieces were young then, and although I knew she was placid, I would never have left them alone.

@popsicleHustler

At least you appreciate dogs though, and whilst I don't agree with you that they are dirty, I respect your opinion because you haven't slated them, when actually it is their owner at fault in many of the things that have been said. I would also not allow my dog to go near your abaya, but I also would stop him from jumping up on any of my friends clothing.

You probably wouldn't like to sit on my sofa though 🤣. My dog is part of my family. I believe anyone who disagrees with this should probably not get a dog.

I like some dogs but only from a distance. I was bitten in the face by a black poodle as a toddler (so I'm told) and have always felt very nervous and uncomfortable around dogs.

I don't like them. We have one and I find her a constant embarrassment. I hate the smell, I hate the mess ans I loathe how even thought we spent hundreds on training and constantly reinforce it, she is all over every visitor we ever have, demanding attention and shoving herself into the middle and whining. I hate it. Apparently that's just the way she is. Not what I signed up for! I agreed we could have a dog if the walking and cleaning up of mess didn't fall to me. I don't walk her, don't pick up poo, but every single mess she makes in the house is up to me, and I am always having to deodorise the home and wash things that shouldn't need it because of her. It's maybe not fair to say I hate her because I wouldn't ever see harm come to her and I care if she's healthy or happy. I just don't like her. At all. Or any dog. I look at them with new eyes after owning one. They're just smelly, needy, greedy money pits.

Same as everyone else, I hate the smell, the slobber, the noise, the shit, the neediness. I'm not scared, just repulsed. I hate the way they jump up at children and I shout at anyone who lets their dogs do that. I even punched a small dog that jumped at my baby DS when he was sat in my lap. I was having a meal in a pub with my family last summer and a young couple brought in a massive alstation which they allowed to sit up at the table (on like a cushioned bench) and fed it from their plates. It was clearly a child substitute. It totally put me off the place and we won't go back, in fact it makes me feel sick that the next people to sit at that table will be eating where a smelly, drooling dog was sat.

Dogs that jump up, well, you should be happy that they are jumping up at you, it generally means they are excited to see your miserable face. It is not always an aggressive stance for a dog to be jumping up. Most responsible owners are well equipped to stop this immediately.

Prime example of a Dog Person.

No I will not be happy that some creature is trying jump up into my face demanding attention while I was just going about my day. I will not give a tinkly laugh and say it's ok that the beast has just scraped mud down my dry clean only coat. No, it's not ok that it knocked my toddler over. It's not "just playing", it's a self centred, dominant animal that exists solely to have its needs met (since not a working dog) and hasn't been taught it's not the centre of the fucking world. Get that slobbering bastard away from me and put it on a bloody lead.

It’s interesting that people say they don’t mind guide dogs because “they’re well trained,” because that shows very clearly that the issue isn’t dogs, it’s owners.

At the end of the day, guide dogs are also dogs. They also play with their toys in the house/run up to their humans/bark at the door on occasion. The fact that guide dogs behave while in social situations isn’t necessarily to do with the fact they’re trained to guide, that is a seperate issue. It’s because they’re trained in obedience.

My second guide Dog was withdrawn when he was 5 because his dog distractions meant that he didn’t actually quite shape up as a guide dog. But even once he was a pet, his obedience was second to none. That happens with obedience training, training which admittedly is given because guide dogs have to enter social situations, but there’s 0 reason why the average dog owner can’t train their dog in obedience and have the same outcome.

i haven’t rtft but in answer to a couple of questions:

Where possible guide dog owners pick up after their own dogs. If they live alone this can be problematic, so they may either choose to take the dog in the garden on a lead and pick up straight after, or have a dedicated concrete run which is easier to clear.

When out and about the best way to pick up after the dog is to have an idea where it’s going so you can essentially follow the lead down and pick up that way. It should be noted however that guide dog owners are legally exempt from having to pick up, because in some instances this just isn’t possible e.g. if free running in the park.

If possible when picking up the owner can put the poo in a bin or take it home if not too far away. But in the absence of that they are very much told to put it either in the gutter or in bushes, and for that purpose I carry biodegradable poo bags.

yes they’re trained to go on command where possible, but the theiry and the reality of that is totally different. Dogs are animals, and not unlike humans there come times when they need to go, and the owner needs to take that into account.

I had dogs growing up (springer spaniels) as a child and staffies as a young adult. I do like dogs but haven't had one for a while. We adopted my Dad's ragdoll cat when he died suddenly in 2017. I was definitely not a cat person but have grown to love her very much. I like that she isn't too demanding well only when she wants her dreamies and they're a lot more independent than dogs.

Non dog lovers 100% accept that dog lovers love dogs. WHY is it that dog lovers just refuse to accept that some of us just don't like dogs? We are still good people and that doesn't change just because we're not worshipping some smelling, barking, needy fucking nuisance.

I really don’t like them, not through any particular negative experience I just don’t warm to them. They’re all a bit annoying, aren’t they? However admitting this mostly seems to result in people expressing aghast disbelief, or like it’s a personal insult against their dog. I don’t really get that, either. I love cats but fully accept that many people hate them or are indifferent to them, I don’t spend my life trying to change their mind.

Dogs that jump up, well, you should be happy that they are jumping up at you, it generally means they are excited to see your miserable face. It is not always an aggressive stance for a dog to be jumping up. Most responsible owners are well equipped to stop this immediately.
😂😂😂 You think we don’t like it because it’s aggressive? No, no, no. We don’t like their licky, stinky breath, fur-flying enthusiasm. Couldn’t care less of a dog is excited to see me, it can still fuck off. And the well-equipped owner can pay for the rips in my tights.

I'm not a fan. I like some dogs but would never own one as they make me feel a bit uncomfortable even though I grew up with dogs.

What I find stance about some dog owners is their desperate need for others to like their dogs. I keep rats and love them but I understand others can't stand them. I don't try and push them onto others by saying "it's ok they're friendly" or mistrusting people who dislike them. It's a very odd mentality to have and only seems to relate to dogs.

I don’t mind dogs, but despise those owners who needlessly dress their dogs in inappropriate clothing (when it’s not cold), push them about in dog prams, and refer to their pets as fur babies. It just seems cruel, I reckon a dog would much rather be running free, rolling about in cow poo, than dressed up like a baby substitute.

I dislike people who dislike dogs. Something nasty about these people I'd never trust them

Love dogs, get your sly cat away from me. Dignity? Playing with injured little critters for fun, cats are horrible and shit everywhere when they are allowed to roam about. As my mother always says ‘if you have teenagers get a dog as at least someone will be pleased to see you!’

@AndItDoesntSeemToMatter

Non dog lovers 100% accept that dog lovers love dogs. WHY is it that dog lovers just refuse to accept that some of us just don't like dogs? We are still good people and that doesn't change just because we're not worshipping some smelling, barking, needy fucking nuisance.

Maybe it's because you called their beloved pet a "fucking nuisance" 😁