Using bitch for a dog

[Dunarunner]

Probably going to be told to get a grip but AIBU to think this is a little bit odd. Have been having work done on house and also have a relatively new Labrador puppy.

On Monday a man came in to do some plastering and we had a brief chat in the kitchen about dogs. I mentioned ours is a girl and he sort of looked me in the eye and said ‘yeah, bitches are best. Less trouble.’ I was a bit but told myself he was just using the correct terminology.

But on Friday, electrician was patting the dog and said ‘I’ve got a couple of bitches too’ or something to that effect.

I’m no prude (and rather too fond of the c word in the right situation)
But couldn’t help but feel the men were enjoying being able to use the word ‘bitch’ legitimately, to a woman at home alone and was, if not creeped out, then just a touch unsettled

Ohtherewearethen, so you're allowed to ascribe intent to the OP (with a spoonful of added sneer) but she is not allowed to do that to a man who gave her the creeps?

Why not?

Disney villains use double entendres to make threats - it's not so difficult a concept.

@couchparsnip much like pretty much everyone on this thread, it seems, even though they weren't there.

OP in first post: "Obviously I know bitch is the correct term and I'm not normally prudish. It was just something about the way he said it."
MN Hard of Thinking squad: "YABU lololol bitch is the correct term mate dont be so prudish lolololzzzzz!!!!!!!"

If the workman said "BITCHES are more trouble" while creepily looking at you to gauge your reaction then maybe it was a power display in his part. I have seen men do that as a 'joke'
I would feel uncomfortable in that situation too. You can't object because they'll say it was all in your head

If this is how it actually unfolded, then she should fire him (and maybe the other guy too).

The fact remains that a lot of people prefer bitches because they tend to be more docile, so his reasoning is sound.

Massive overreaction. If I was a workman, I’d refuse to enter a property if there was a lone female there. God knows what I’d be accused of. Can’t even use correct terminology now

To be clear, I'm not saying I think the two men were definitely in the wrong. Maybe they genuinely thought nothing of it - or maybe there was kind of a subtle power play going on. We'll never know, but it would have been an interesting conversation to have.

@EntropyRising what's your source for that? Because I was under the impression there had been virtually no scientific research into personality differences between dogs and bitches. There are, however, many people who are keen to project their own prejudices onto animals.

You're giving yourself too much credit here OP. I doubt either workman was that invested in you to try and make you feel uncomfortable. And if you do get a lot of that language over the phone in your working life, as have I in the past, you kind of just get used to it (not saying that makes it right) and I'm surprised it's affected you so much, especially as they weren't calling 'you' a bitch.

PS I've had two dogs and two bitches. Neither girl noticeably more docile than the boys. Current girl very much up for a scrap with any dog who gives her the side-eye, and 'plays' like a cage fighter on speed. Her best friend is a husky (also female) and they tear around beating several shades of shite out of each other while the two boys in our dog walking group (Vizla and collie) hide play nicely in the bushes.

Get over yourself FFS never read so much crap on here before this! Women like you are the reason men are treated like dirt for nothing!

Just when you thought MN couldn6get funnier....
Dogs, not every man is a predator, out to make women feel uncomfortable in their own home!
You have a girl puppy, she is a bitch. Lots of doggy people use the correct term...

Soup There are also probably many occasions when your gut instinct is wrong

No actually. Especially when I’m being creeped out by men. They are spot on. And there are plenty of other who agree with the op too

Get a grip

Oh get over yourself. They were talking about your dog not you. If you can't cope with the word 'bitch' to mean a female dog then you shouldn't have got yourself a bitch (yes I will use the correct term.

Using the word 'girl' in that context would sound juvenile and silly IMO. It's how my DDs speak about our female cats. (The technical term is a queen, but by your logic that would mean that my cats should wear crowns and I should address them as Your Majesty'.)

Newsflash: words frequently have more than one meaning.

I remember a friend (he was in his 40s) didn't like retaining the word 'bloody' in U2's song 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' so when he copied it onto a tape (showing my age here ) he edited out the word 'bloody' so that the song was meaningless. I tried to explain the meaning of the word in that context but he wouldn't have it.

As the Yorkshire saying goes, 'There's nowt so strange as folk.'

A female cat is only a queen if it isn’t neutered and usually it means a cat being used for breeding.
I have reached the age of 75 referring to female canines as bitches if a gender specific word is needed.
The words “bitchy” and “catty” have always been used as insults but the correct words bitch and cat, used in context, should not be regarded as offensive unlike the ‘c’ word which is always horrible.

@Ginger1982
You're giving yourself too much credit here OP. I doubt either workman was that invested in you to try and make you feel uncomfortable.

WTF! Are you seriously trying to say that OP is not attractive enough for men to be creepy to?! In my experience men don't need to be"invested" to be creepy and rude to women, what strange language to use.

Okay, and yes I see what you mean. Women are often spoken of as 'bitchy' and 'catty'. Those terms definitely are sexist and no one would say that the speaker is referring to the cat in that context. Same with 'bitchy'. No one ever says, 'my cat is catty' or 'my bitch is bitchy'. So that isn't a real comparison.

Thank you for correcting me. Both my female cats are spayed so they're not queens. So it's the same as a tomcat only meaning an unmetered male cat.

It's curious that female dogs are referred to as 'bitches' all through their lives. Although my DSis bought a Labrador Retriever 20 years ago. It was sold to her as a bitch but when it came to the time for her to be spayed, it turned out that she was a hermaphrodite, with no womb and an undeveloped testicle.

Maybe you need to find female workers if males using the correct words creeps you out so much.

Yeager a grip and stop trying to find things to be offended by!

He didn’t use “ bitch for a dog “ , he used bitch for a bitch .
Too sensitive I think

OP....I am a teacher...in my class of 30 x Year 1 children, some do know (and use) the word bitch to describe a female dog...not all though, I don't think (funnily enough, it's not part of the year 1 National Curriculum, so we don't explicitly teach it 🙄). The children who I have heard use it in context, are the ones talking about their own dog, so will have picked up the terminology from home I suspect.

However, if it came up in conversation (as these things do in primary schools 😂) I would tell them.

I'm really not getting your point about your TA friend...which one of your bizarre 'explanations' are you trying to prove by making this (unfounded!) point?

It's PERFECTLY legitimate (and normal ffs!!!) to use the word when talking about a female canine! I'd find it incredibly twee (and patronising!) if a man tried to 'appease my female sensitivities' by saying 'girl dog' 🤦‍♀️

As others have said...cop on to yourself 🤷‍♀️

To be honest, it’s rank idiocy like this that has a lot of males actually doubting the intelligence of some of the female population. Such pap does not do forwarding of any kind of equality a favour.

I speak as a reasonably educated female. My equally reasonably educated male OH just rolled his eyes and suggested getting out more and widening one’s social circle and possibly doing a bit more reading.

YANBU. He knew what he was doing would male you uncomfortable. Ive been in a similar situation where a dog walker started talking to me. He was lavishly referring to his black lab as a "black bitch". Grim and oppressive.

OMFG!😂😂😂😂😂😂

Even my two kids under the age of 12 rolled their eyes when I (just had) to show them your post OP and they said "seriously, what's wrong with people?". 😂😂😂

I seriously would like to know how some folks cope with every day life. Every glance a sexual intrusion, every conversation a minefield of innuendo, every question an implication of guilt.........

It’s not good for your mental stability..........honestly.

To be honest, it’s rank idiocy like this that has a lot of males actually doubting the intelligence of some of the female population. Such pap does not do forwarding of any kind of equality a favour.

This

YANBU. He knew what he was doing would male you uncomfortable. Ive been in a similar situation where a dog walker started talking to me. He was lavishly referring to his black lab as a "black bitch". Grim and oppressive.

Not this and don't forget it was two of them, so not "he". So you're saying it's a common occurrence.... I think not!