How do we ACTUALLY solve the rift between dog people and non-dog people?

[Talkingtomyhouseplants]

Inspired by yet another dog thread where all the SAME arguments are trotted out again and again:

The Pro Dog People say:

• The dog is my family, you need to treat it like family
• Why would I get a dog just to leave it at home?
• It’s just a dog, it’s not bothering anyone
• My dog is less annoying than your child
• I love my dog more than I love people
• The dogs are ALLOWED to be there so it’s okay that I bring them places
• If my dog isn’t invited, I would probably choose to stay home as I prefer most dogs to people anyway
• My house is my dog’s home too, I won’t be shutting it away for anyone
• My dog isn’t dangerous - he’s a bit softy.

The Anti Dog People Say

• I’m allergic/scared/don’t like being around them - please keep them away from me
• It’s a pet, not your family
• A dog is not a child
• I won’t have dogs in my house
• Dogs are dirty and unhygienic - they shouldn’t be in shops or places where you eat
• I’m sick of dogs barking and jumping up at me in public and I keep stepping in dog poo
• There are too many places that either actively allow dogs, or more often don’t challenge people who bring them anyway so dogs eventually become allowed
• Dog owners are entitled and pushy and this is why they are now suddenly everywhere
• It’s dangerous to have dogs around children
• Dogs can bite/kill people
• There are too many untrained dogs who are treated like people

Same arguments on both sides, every time.

In my personal life I can think of at least two situations where these opposing views are creating real rifts in families because the dog person wants to bring a dog, and the non-dog person doesn’t want to be around said dog. I can feel it becoming more polarising in society generally, anti dog people are more vocal about being anti dog and pro dog people are more pushy about full inclusion of dogs in human spaces.

So what is the actual solution?

As long as the people they were going with don't get arsey about them not going, as I've also seen that. Dammed if you go and damned if you don't.

I wanted compensation for being bitten. 500 quid seems reasonable for having a horrid black, yellow bruise at the top inside of the thigh.

I wanted compensation for being bitten. 500 quid seems reasonable for having a horrid black, yellow bruise at the top inside of the thigh.

Does it need solving ? There will always be people who like dogs and people who don’t.

I definitely wouldn’t, they can make that decision for themselves but obviously some people may get arsey. I’d just be glad the dog wasn’t coming (to certain things)

It's a problem in the small public park opposite me, that also has a lovely cordoned off play area. The clash is between early morning joggers, there's a surprisingly large number, and a few dog walkers who let their dogs off lead and don't clean up the poo.

It's so very rare to have a dog kill a person.

Good grief 😞. The cost to the NHS regarding life changing injuries, the PTSD from witnessing a traumatic killing, but it's rare, so that's okay? @NoWordForFluffy

I feel sorry for people who've never been loved/loved a dog.

For those who say it isn't real love, a quick look at divorce stats will tell you humans aren't all that great at love either, and that's before we go into the ins and outs of empty shell marriages, relationship break-ups that aren't marriages and all the other problems that can arise from 'love' between humans.

Humans and dogs bonded up to 40,000 years ago.

Indeed, up until 100-200 years ago depending on region dogs were everywhere and went everywhere with humans. It's a newer thing to NOT have them everywhere.

A lot of the issues dogs cause, are man-made one way or another. Yes even the breeds that are consistently aggressive. What breed created that breed?

It is slightly insulting, perhaps even inflammatory/offensive to say to someone with no family, that they are not allowed to call their dog(s) their family.

My dog is a huge part of my life. I am an only child, I have one parent who I get along with, and that's it. And they have their own life. When they go, just me and the dog. I live alone, haven't ever been married and I have friends and am sociable but if I am at home, on holiday or doing most other things, the dog's with me.

Of course I don't take her anywhere inappropriate. But the opinions of people who haven't lived the lives of a lot of those for whom dogs are very important sources of love and company are not welcome for me or many others with similar lives.

Yeah. And why don’t people who blow their nose pick up every other person’s used snotty tissues? Until they do, they’re all the same 🤔

I am not a great lover of dogs; don't really mind them but am indifferent to them.

But, I can't really get the hate around them? Ok , you don't like them ,that's fair enough.

It's obviously, your dislike around certain dog owners who are irresponsible!

No. I'm not saying it's OK. Where did I say that?

What I'm saying is that draconian measures against dogs aren't required because of a tiny minority which do maim / kill. In the same way there aren't draconian measures against humans for the same reason.

I'm glad you have found love and companionship with your dog, @Noodge. I never have, and feel nothing is missing from my life, as I love my human friends and family, but if that makes you happy, that's great.
I don't mind that people have dogs, mostly it's fine. However, dog ownership has increased so much, and notably bad ownership, it does have an impact on many lives and that has to be acknowledged

Then they need to sort themselves out and you need to stay out of it. I am very pro dog but wouldn't have taken my dogs (not got dogs now) where they weren't wanted. Sometimes that meant we didn't go, sometimes it meant they stayed at home for a short evening, sometimes they were invited. All good and honestly i never minded which way it went. People who thought we "should" do things we refused could fuck the fuck off. Similarly people invited to us knew we had dogs and could accept or refuse the invite, again no skin off our noses either way. I would keep my dogs under control, sometimes on leads, when we had visitors but it was their house and i didn't ever shut them away unless we had workmen in who needed doors open. baseline my house, my rules.

There is no need for a ‘solution’ because there is no problem. People can have different opinions and those opinions don’t need reconciling. Sure they do in some important situations, but this certainly isn’t one of them.

Its as daft as saying that people who’s favourite colour is black and those who’s favourite colour is blue need the rift between them healing.

ditto also fag ends, snack wrappings, vape mess......I could go on.

It’s only a rift on here

Thank you

It has, and again, that is not a fault of dogs at all.

It is the fault of the government for not regulating breeding, of breeders for their greed, of society for perpetuating the notion that greed is okay and that non-human animals' lives do not matter. Of the government for not sanctioning those who break rules, breed shoddily and tell lies. Of general humans for being stupid and thinking 'I'll get a dog, that one's cute, here's £800!' without thinking things through.

But nobody is going to do anything about any of those things. They're just going to blame dogs for human errors.

Yes, I think that's a fair point. Too many have got dogs as accessories or a lifestyle choice that they're not prepared to work at, and it's not the dogs' fault.
Mostly they don't bother me, but I really dislike them jumping up on me, so I do wish owners would do something about that, but maybe they can't.

I have never seen any of this in real life. It only seems to be on here.

I had a dog. I never expected everyone to like her and I did not "drag" her everywhere with me. We just went out and minded our own business.
Some people on here even hate the sight of a well behaved dog. You will never get them out that mindset.

Yes that is pretty stupid. We should all pick up rubbish that litter-louts leave. We should all wipe the arses of blokes who think It's 'gay' to wipe their arse. We should all wash people who smell insert other societial nuisance here.

I don't hate dogs at all, quite like them even as a cat person. But I'd like them and their owners a lot more if they could actually be bothered training them. Have a good recall and not let them jump up at other people. Train them to be calm around other dogs.

Then I would have no issues at all.

Years ago there were not these types of conversation.
Because people ( generally speaking );
Left their dogs with friends, family or put them in a kennel when they went on holiday.
Did not expect hotels or restaurants to accommodate them.
Nor did hotels or restaurants expect to have to do so.
Did not have quite terrifying large or vicious new breeds of dog.
Kept dogs on leads unless walking in a wood or similar.
Trained their dogs.
Were generally owned by ‘dog’ people. Who did not humanise them. And certainly not dress them up.
Very few people also had them at a pub. If they did they were well behaved and not usually allowed to wander.
People were mindful of other people and more considerate.
Leads were not of the extending variety. But shortish ones only.
Many did not have a dog if they were out of the house all day.
I just don’t think that many people owned dogs compared to today. That may be perception but dog ownership is high. Especially multiple dog ownership. Not one dog but two or three.

I think behaviours around dog ownership need to revert back a bit to older times.
From what I can see non dog owners have accommodated much in recent years. And time for dog owners to do so too.

Oh don’t be so ridiculous. There is absolutely no justification for such a policy, and you are being hyperbolic and ridiculous.

Are you going a campaign for the destruction of analogous risks, for example crushing SUVs, large/ aggressive men, smoking - I think this one bears examination personally but if we live in a society where personal freedom is allowed you can’t randomly infringe it for absolutely no good reason.

Don’t recognise most of the things in your OP.

The problem - for those with and without dogs, liking or not liking dogs - is people who are poor dog owners: leaving shit, not training their dog, not keeping their dog under control and so on.

To be fair I'd guess that very few delivery drivers chose that job - it's an occupation of last resort that few people actively want to do (usually self employed and paid by productivity not time, often high overheads for running the vehicle, stressful targets and customers untrained dogs etc.)