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

@raspberryk honestly, hardly anyone I know uses the term, none of my dog owning friends for example. I get it from the odd experienced dog owner in the park and at the vets but that’s about it. I know it predates the slang (obvs) but in my east London, urban area, the other use of the word is far more widely used

It was the fact that two men chose to use the word to me while i was home alone and I got a vibe both times.

Ffs. Are you usually this dramatic?

I mean I felt they were possibly getting a kick out of using the word bitch to my face in a situation where I was alone. I may be wrong of course, but there are definitely enough creepy, women-hating men out there.

But two separate men though?

One on the Monday and one on the Friday?

Seriously, what are the chances OP?

OP... in the nicest possible way, behave yourself. Your being home alone/a woman had nothing to do with their using the word bitch to talk about your female dog correctly. We

Hahahahahahahaha

I would never call a female dog a girl. I'm an adult not a child.

I'd have thought you were a bit odd, maybe they did too.

Honestly, we are active dog people, as in showing, agility and members of clubs.

Everybody I know, even the kids, say bitches and dogs.

I find "boy" and "girl" or "lady" dog far more creepy than "bitch".

People say cow and sow, not lady cattle or girl pig, what's the stupid coyess with dogs?

It makes me wonder if it's going to get to a point in the future, where workmen will refuse to enter homes alone for fear of allegations.

I do really think it might have to head that way.

And snowflake - do we have to?

Well yes, because this is a cracking example.

It's very unlikely they'd think they could shock or upset any adult by saying bitch in that context.

Hmm. I do hear what everyone is saying and obviously maybe I’ve brought my own issues with the word into the situation, but it felt wrong somehow, both times (but as I said, more the first).

And again, showing my own prejudices but the second guy was about 18 and I have a brother not that much older and same demographic, from the same area, and I just know he’d be mortified to use the word bitch to a woman, even talking about a dog, just because, where we live,it’s usually used aggressively, and most people of a certain age round here probably aren’t even aware bitch was ever used to mean female dog (and I’m not exaggerating, they really wouldn’t!)

@lidoshuffle hmm. If I was, say, visiting a farm, I’d be far more likely to say to my husband ‘I think that pig is female’ then ‘I reckon that’s a sow’.

Honestly OP the more you try to justify this the worse it makes you sound.

Better than 'I've got a girl dog' or 'lady dog'.

If you're talking about female animals, you use

Bitch
Dam
Sow
Hen
Pullet
Queen
Pen
Doe
Jenny
Mare
Heifer
Cow
Jill
Vixen
Hind
Ewe

as appropriate. Just because a large number of the proper names have been co-opted as terms of abuse for women, precisely because they are names for female animals, that doesn't mean that they are unacceptable words when used in their correct context.

Are you serious???
If someone asked my children about our dogs they would say “we have two bitches”
Not because they find it funny but because it’s the correct term.

@rainbowcase not trying to justify anything.
Why would I need to?

not trying to justify anything.Why would I need to

Ok. Not justify. Explain. You are trying to explain. I used the wrong word.

and most people of a certain age round here probably aren’t even aware bitch was ever used to mean female dog

So these workmen only learned it as a means of abusing their customers? Do you honestly think these blokes who were doing paid work for you were trying to call you a bitch via your pet?

..although I don't think you'd be saying 'I think that might be a girl pig/female pig' if you knew exactly how easy it is to tell a boar compared to a sow. Because you'd know straight away.

This cracked me up!!!

I think you're the one who's interpreting yhis strangely. And your brother sounds a bit strange too. Those men were using normal language in an accepted context.

And again, showing my own prejudices but the second guy was about 18 and I have a brother not that much older and same demographic, from the same area, and I just know he’d be mortified to use the word bitch to a woman, even talking about a dog

Well this guy was obviously more mature than your brother.

I live in East London/Essex and just like everywhere else in the UK, 'bitch' can be used correctly or as a slang insult.

@MitziK you’ve lost me