To not like dogs

[AnonyMousee]

I just... don't!!

Most of them smell, get their hairs everywhere, dribble on you, their breath makes me heave, they beg for food and get their food/water everywhere when they eat. They're expensive and needy and annoying.

But why do people get so angry when others don't like dogs? I feel like I can't be honest about dogs when I meet them and their owners, and I always end up pretending to like them. God forbid you say to a dog owners face you don't like dogs, you might aswell just say you've killed a baby!

I personally think there are just far too many dogs around these days

What a charmer you are

What's wrong with that comment? It's an expression of opinion that we're all allowed to have. There are too many dogs. And they are allowed in too many places. I'm thinking of the "I don't understand" thread here, but I don't understand why dogs are allowed in clothes shops for example.

I don't get the attraction at all. Expensive, smelly, need too much looking after. People's kids leave home and they promptly tie themselves down with a dog or several.

What's wrong with that comment? It's an expression of opinion that we're all allowed to have. There are too many dogs.

It’s funny- you can play Mumsnet Bingo on any thread where the OP has made polite enquiries re adopting a puppy, there’s multiple responses reminding them about the thousands of dogs waiting for homes in rescue thanks to irresponsible breeding etc.

But as soon as someone points out that yes, there are a lot of dogs about, that becomes an offensive observation to make.

Yes, there are a lot of dogs about. There are also a lot of cats, many of which poo in other people's gardens.

I find them too needy and exuberant and smelly and too much commitment. Theyre always looking at you, wanting love and a fuss or a walk. They notice every fucking thing you do. Its worse than having children.
Reading ^ I was saying to self, oh yes, love them so much!!
Love the exuberance, and yes sometimes they stink, are into everyrhing, have an irresistible lust for life, and always so happy about everything, such 'up' and 'lets go' attitudes. Love love love.

I wouldn't want to subject my happy beings to ppl that would be any less than the same back, certainly not around any that would be angry at them, and vice versa.
There's no point really.

I have a family friend who doesn't really do ddogs, however, despite her words she does seem to enjoy my happy ones!

Weighing in a little late on this topic, but it's always good to add another dog owner's view, right?

I don't judge people who don't like dogs - not in the whole 'must be something wrong with you if you don't like dogs' sort of way. I do judge people who are unkindly dismissive of dogs - a real life example was a visiting colleague who constantly referred to my dog as an 'it' rather than taking two seconds to ask 'he or she?', and referred to a picture of puppies someone else was showing round the office as 'maggots'. I definitely judged her as rather thoughtless and perhaps lacking in social skills.

Honestly I wouldn't invite anyone into my house who wasn't ok with dogs. There isn't anywhere I could shut them away, and I don't think I have any friends who don't like (or at least accept) dogs. If I made a new friend and they hated dogs I would probably not have them round for dinner/whatever. I don't think the friendship would last on purely practical reasons. Just as people with kids understand the obstacles they bring to socialising, people with dogs are more likely to understand that my house is a shared space for my family, human and animal alike.

I'd also struggle to socialise with someone vehemently anti-dog as it would be pretty clear that they were judging me as a person for inviting something 'smelly, hairy, jumping up, out of control, etc' into my life and living space. I don't have very slobbery dogs, they're certainly a lot less smelly than many other dogs I've met, yes one is constantly moulting, but so am I! I have a hoover and I use it frequently. There is an implied suggestion that my dogs are untrained and wild and that, I think, is why a lot of dog owners are put out by people who say they don't like dogs.

@shriek , I dont hate dogs for that, and I rather like it in small doses, but id find it hard to live with. Theyre a bit sensory overload.

It’s totally fine to not like dogs but it’s pretty rude to specifically say to a dog owner ‘I don’t like your dog’.

Bran I don't know whats wrong with me but I just still think..awww...love...
I think it's definitely not fixable

I don't like dogs. I'm genuinely perplexed that so many people have them...

No you're perfectly entitled to. I love dogs personally and hate cats

Bran I feel exactly the same.
Myself and Dh have two dogs and two cats. I seem to spend 99% of my time wrangling forbidden things from the dogs mouths, shouting at them stopping them when they try to hump the cats and when they decide to bark like overadrenalized lunatics at the neighbour, etc, etc.
Yes, they are cute and they have their moments, but I much prefer my cats (even though one of them insists on following me into the bathroom and YOWLING at me while I shower. Actually, I might just have odd animals)

I don't hate dogs or children. I just can't eat whole ones.

I'm not a fan, and we have a family dog!!!! Husbands not mine- dog is actually lovely but given the choice I wouldn't have one.

When I mention the above to dog lovers they are taken aback and can't understand why on earth I wouldn't feel as they do- they almost assume if your not a dog lover/animal lover that you wish them harm!

No, I just don't feel anything.....don't ind the walks though

purse your animals don't sound peculiar to me!!
A dcat frequently scares the living daylights out of me literally thundering along our hallway and then taking a flying leap up to the end of the sofa, at my back.
He doesn't tear around anywhere else. Wtf is he up to? The bugger gets me every time. Is he scared of the hallway?! He shouts at me whenever I get milk from the fridge for anyone else's drinks and he shouts at others that get milk too, even visitors! the ddogs are too scared of the dcats to try to hump them

I have a dog. Mostly i adore her but sometimes she gets on my tits.

I also have two DD's. Mostly i adore them but sometimes they get on my tits.

I don't expect anyone, except possibly my DH and my DP's, to feel the same as i do about my dog and my DD's.

I like dogs. From afar.

Most I’ve met arent that well trained. Or if they are trained the owners don’t bother giving them the command to get down/go away etc as they think their pet is just 'being friendly'.

I’m just wary of an animal that has the potential to hurt or kill and is everywhere! I’m very very short so even medium dogs seem large and intimidating. If one jumps up their teeth are uncomfortably close to my face. Never mind the fear when the jump up on children.

I’m even less fussed about cats!

But guinea pigs - I proper love them. 😍

Our dog is old, and perfect! It has taken him 15 years to get there!

Like when you go into someone's home and they have a dog, the dog is obviously excited to meet a new human so is jumping up and down trying to meet you, smell you (shed fur all over you) and as not to be rude you have to just accept it and pretend you like them.

I always check if people are ok around dogs before they come to my home. If they're not, and it is someone like a plumber or a boiler engineer, I will shut the dog away while they're here. If it's social, I don't invite people who don't like dogs but meet them outside the home.

And no matter how hard you pretend to like them, I bet it's clear you don't!

I like dogs. And horses, cats, snakes, even spiders.

Can appreciate not everyone else does, and am happy to shut my Ddog away for visitors. It wouldn't offend me if someone didn't like my dog; we're all different.

I have a friend who doesn't like dogs. She still comes to my house because she is my friend. Sometimes I shut the dog out, sometimes he sits at my feet and she tolerates him. I certainly don't expect her to touch him or let him invade her space.