To feel hurt that my lovely dog licking someone caused such distress.

[sweetgrape]

He's just a big affectionate softy, the only trouble is he thinks everyone loves him. We went for our walk this morning in the park and sat down on a bench for a rest. We'd only been sat down a minute or so and this woman sits down next to me. We were just chatting about the weather when all of a sudden she jumped up shrieking, "ahhh the dog just licked my leg"
Now I know not everyone loves dogs but i thought it was a bit of an over reaction. I did apologise but I felt kind of sorry for my dog, who seemed to have a bit of a hurt look on his face. Wabu to have felt sorry for my dog or should I have felt more sorry for the woman?

It's raining where you are fleamadonna? That's sad. There will be no dog walkers sitting on park benches in your part of the world this morning. If you want to be licked on the ankle you'll have to come to mine, where the sun's shining. I can loan you a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, a Rottweiler and a Dachshund if you want your own licking trio.

but ovid it's a dog themed discussion in AIBU, it was bound to become hysterical.

YY. Most of MN seem to live in a world where huge rabid dogs stalk the streets off leads, relentlessly hunting down their precious DC.

In reality the vast majority of dogs I see walk quite happily down the road on the lead, and where they don't they aren't even remotely interested in other people (much to my dismay personally, I love it when dogs come up to me to be fussed).

Fine if you don't want to be licked by the dog but then don't sit next to it. It's not difficult. Also, the dog licking someone does not mean it's 'out of control'. It's perfectly normal dog behaviour. Even guide dogs lick occasionally.

No hysteria here just a complete disrepect for irresponsible dog owners.
Just because you find your animals saliva lovely doesn't mean that others do.
If you are unable to train a dog you shouldn't own one.

A bit of amusement, too at the idea of a dog with injured feelings . I am going to have to hide this thread now, it's been fun, but it makes me think of being slobbered on by a (as I now know) feces laced dog tongue . Thank you for educating me re: the licking, I won't be sitting next to a dog I don't know now that I am aware they do that.

If you are unable to train a dog you shouldn't own one.

You can't train a dog not to lick a person who sits next to them and appears friendly. Many dogs are licky. You don't like it, don't sit next to one, problem solved.

It's hysterically funny and the woman was acting hysterically, as are a large number of posters on here but this is MN so I expect nothing else.

YAB RIDICULOUS to feel hurt (or to project that onto the dog)

Got to be honest, I would hate to be licked by a strange dog. So I wouldn't sit next to one unless I was prepared to risk it.

Same for children. They spread their dribble and saliva and snot and bum scratchings all over the place.

It is the training, isn't it?

Disclaimer: I have one of these. If you don't want to be exposed to their natural behaviour, please don't sit down beside us and then run screaming. Mine is a bit older, now though and so slightly better trained.

Mind you, the adults who cough or sneeze and so splutter out their disease ridden droplets rendered me bed bound recently. So their training was bull.

Same for children. They spread their dribble and saliva and snot and bum scratchings all over the place.

Yours may- mine don't.

The real problem is that some dog owners assume their dog is in line to the bloody throne and that everyone else needs to respect this. I would be horrified if a dog licked me.

At a family BBQ a strange dog came bounding over (it was a place where dogs are required to be on a leash) and started licking the meat. We shooed it away, looking around for owner who then went apoplectic about us spoiling his dog's day out.....

So dogs take priority over humans when it comes to seats?

Yes, if there are spaces that aren't next to me and my dog, feel free to fuck off & use them.

It's bad enough that my dog licks dog arseholes, don't want him licking human arseholes too......

Yes, if there are spaces that aren't next to me and my dog, feel free to fuck off & use them.

You give decent dog owners a bad name.

I wouldn't sit next to a dog, because I don't want to be licked or have any other interaction with a dog. But if one did lick me and I didn't like it, I'd appreciate a nice owner who apologised and pulled their dog away. It's only manners – you're in charge of a large animal and you can't stop it licking me, so at least let me know that you care it was unpleasant for me and it is actually your responsibility.

I think your OP is very honest though and reveals why there's this divide, and often confrontation, between dog lovers and the rest of us. Many dog lovers really do seem to think other people simply should love their dog, and feel angry with people who don't.

I had a big thread about a similar situation the other day and I'll repeat what I said there – how would you like it if I took a pet tarantula out and about and let it approach you and touch you? It's almost certainly less potentially harmful than a dog, so you wouldn't mind, would you? I love tarantulas, so what's wrong with you? What do you mean don't let it touch you? Oh, look at its face, you've hurt it's feelings. What's wrong with you not liking tarantulas?

cat- exactly.

I own three very large dogs, but they know their place in life and would not lick a stranger.

Oh yes, your human mammals do too, Keep. They transmit their little droplets as they breathe in and out and cough and sneeze and touch things with their resident staph aureus. We're all vectors.

Just like every other ankle biter (or licker).

I don't expect other people to love my dog or my DC tbh, it's all my responsibility to make sure they don't annoy people.

And of course dogs can be trained not to approach people, and in fact to move away from people it doesn't know. There are too many lazy dog owners who give the responsible ones a bad name.

My kids don't lick strangers though.

Only dogs with irresponsible owners lick strangers.

Ice not read all the responses but wanted to add that whilst out with my children (1&3) last weekend there was a dig bounding about, I really like dogs and really don't want my children to be scared of them, but equally think it's important that they/ we check with owners before we approach dogs, I feel owners have a responsibility for their dog as much as I have a responsibility for my children as both digs and children were 'roaming free' this particular dog bounded up to my three year old to lick his face, I was understandably worried, when I explained this to the owner he was really good about it and understood that I wasn't just being funny, it's that it's difficult to know how good a particular dog is with children?

I would be horrified if a dog licked me.

Hashtag first world problems.

It isn't a first world problem though.

Many non first world countries are not fond of dogs. Visit India, Africa, China, Indonesia- generally dogs are disliked and thought to be dirty foul creatures. In countries where rabies is endemic people would cross the road to avoid a dog.

Half the world dislike dogs.
So hardly a first world problem.
You are very wrong to suggest that.

my lovely dog

THe answer is here OP. You think your dog is lovely- others don't.

Half the world dislike dogs.
So hardly a first world problem.
You are very wrong to suggest that.

That isn't what I meant. I meant if you genuinely would be horrified if a dog licked you then you haven't got enough real problems.

If rabies was endemic in Britain, then of course people would be avoiding them like the plague they would be carrying. Or if there were packs of feral dogs. Wouldn't go near them either for a pat.

I would hate to be licked by a random dog.

If he can't be trained not to lick when out, then perhaps a muzzle?

Pang- but some people feel like that in this country. They may be afraid or simply dislike dogs.
It is irresponsible to allow your dog to go drooling over people.