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Original poster

To think it's fine to let the dog lick plates in the dishwasher?

401 replies

Randomtasks · 14/12/2020 17:12

Dog is only a puppy so it's only just become an issue but he likes to lick the dirty plates etc that I've put in the dishwasher.

It doesn't bother me at all, they are getting washed after all but DH tells me it's rather gross. Is it?!

I'd normally ask my mum this kind of thing as she's shit hot on manners but her dogs have always done a dishwasher pre wash!

OP posts:
fourquenelles · 15/12/2020 16:32

Known as "the greyhound prewash" in my house. As it's only me and my two boys (dogs) I give not one flying fuck.

Spidey66 · 15/12/2020 17:02

@AskingQuestionsAllTheTime

I have a feeling that cheese, being made of milk, is also meant to be poison for dogs: a lot are said to be lactose-intolerant so it would make sense. On the other hand, they do tend to think it is the food of the gods.
I thought thry could eat cheese. Ours has any tablts hidden a bit of cheese. Falls for it evrry time.....sucker
MerchantOfVenom · 15/12/2020 17:03

What's more amazing to me is the level of emotion aimed at people who allow this. Posters who appear to be kept awake worrying about some stranger's dog they will never meet, who may or not be licking a plate they will never see, in a dishwasher they will never use. Bonkers.

Because people don’t want to go to other people’s houses and think they’re eating off plates that their dogs have slobbered over.

Equally, I don’t want people coming to my house, and wondering if I’m one of those dog owners.

Spidey66 · 15/12/2020 17:06

@AskingQuestionsAllTheTime

I have a feeling that cheese, being made of milk, is also meant to be poison for dogs: a lot are said to be lactose-intolerant so it would make sense. On the other hand, they do tend to think it is the food of the gods.
Just googled it. We're both right. They can have it, in small quantities because of the lactose.
MerchantOfVenom · 15/12/2020 17:09

She grew up surrounded by dogs and other pets on the farm and I genuinely think mucking about with animals and being outside so much has truly helped her immune system. She hasn't had one hint of asthma or chest infection since and very rarely gets a cold.

I think hang ups about hygiene have had a massive, negative impact on our immune systems.

But if you have a dog that spends time inside, then you’re clearly pretty realistic about the presence of germs, dirt, etc. And your house simply isn’t going to be perfectly 100% hygienic all of the time.

You really don’t need to have your dogs licking the crockery meant for human use, in order to ensure your family has a robust immune system. Confused

Just because you think dogs doing this is grim, doesn’t make you a hygiene freak.

Spidey66 · 15/12/2020 17:10

I don't really have that many people over, preferring to meet in a pub or restaurant. That's just me. I'm not one for dinner parties.

Any I do have know I'm a dog lover with relaxed attitudes to germs.

MerchantOfVenom · 15/12/2020 17:14

I’m not in the UK (and I’m actually beginning to wonder if this is maybe a cultural thing), because I’ve never seen a dog do this, in many decades I’ve spent on this planet (in fact, not even the decade I spent in the UK).

But our socialising is very much done at each other’s houses.

Maybe that’s why I’m having such a visceral reaction to this.

Diva66 · 15/12/2020 17:17

I’ve never seen a dog do this either MoV.

pontiouspilates · 15/12/2020 17:24

I'm a dog lover and a dog owner but I really can't get my head around letting a dog lick the dirty dinner plates.

MerchantOfVenom · 15/12/2020 17:25

We obviously move in rarefied circles, Diva...

MrsMiaWallis · 15/12/2020 17:31

I hope all those objecting have their own private plates. Otherwise you might eat someone else's saliva. But of course you don't- because, dishwasher

MerchantOfVenom · 15/12/2020 17:32

Er, I use a knife and fork to eat, I don’t lick and slobber over my plates...?

butterpuffed · 15/12/2020 17:34

I guess the people who allow their dogs to do this often lick out the dog's bowl as hey it's it's going to be washed.

Cleverpolly3 · 15/12/2020 17:36

@butterpuffed

I guess the people who allow their dogs to do this often lick out the dog's bowl as hey it's it's going to be washed.
Do you have a dog? Dogs - well my dog - licks her bowl clean as a whistle twice a day. Not a scrap left in. You can hear her pushing it around the utility floor as she does it . Grin
Cleverpolly3 · 15/12/2020 17:39

@MerchantOfVenom

What's more amazing to me is the level of emotion aimed at people who allow this. Posters who appear to be kept awake worrying about some stranger's dog they will never meet, who may or not be licking a plate they will never see, in a dishwasher they will never use. Bonkers.

Because people don’t want to go to other people’s houses and think they’re eating off plates that their dogs have slobbered over.

Equally, I don’t want people coming to my house, and wondering if I’m one of those dog owners.

You could always take your own crockery and cutlery?
fairycakes1234 · 15/12/2020 17:44

my kids used to give the dogs their cereal bowls to lick, i always think its fine because its going into dishwasher, then later i forget to put dishwasher on and take a plate out and give it a quick rinse, then i remember as im half way eating that the dog had icked it earlier so ive stopped them doing it....and my friend saw my daughter give the bowl last week and she yelled at me to stop her, i had to pretend my daughter never did that before and gave out to her a bit (she did look a bit confused but went along with it) because she was horriied (she hasnt dogs) :)

MerchantOfVenom · 15/12/2020 17:46

You could always take your own crockery and cutlery?

Thankfully I don’t need to, since as I say, it’s not a thing here. I’ve never seen anyone’s dog do it.

My ILs are in Ireland. They have a dog, and have had dogs (plural). We’ve spent a fair amount of time at their place.

Zero plate licking, in or out of the dishwasher.

Viviennemary · 15/12/2020 17:51

Disgusting.

Thinkingg · 15/12/2020 17:57

I can see that logically it's probably okay... but I still find it yucky. Can't really explain why; I'm normally quite relaxed about this kind of thing.

Strawberrycreamsundae · 15/12/2020 18:03

@exLtEveDallas

Many years ago, looking after my friends dog for the weekend, I had to pull her out of the dishwasher after turning my back when loading it - friend didn’t have one, so the dog thought it was fair game! (These days I doubt even her head would fit, let alone her body)

We don’t do this in general, it’s not a good idea from a training POV, but MuttDogs favourite meal in the whole world is Lasagne, so whenever I make it, I make enough for the dog to have her own portion and all the crunchy bits from the dish. She’s been known to sit gnawing at the dish for 30 minutes and doesn’t leave a single speck behind!

I’m not worried from a hygiene POV - we let the dog lick all wounds etc, so a bit of dog spit doesn’t bother me at all.

God that last paragraph is utterly grim 🤢 Goodness knows what bacteria could be introduced into a wound! No common sense whatsoever 😡
bridgetreilly · 15/12/2020 18:11

I think it's (a) gross and (b) potentially dangerous for the dog. Train the puppy not to do it now.

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 15/12/2020 18:22

But if you have a dog that spends time inside, then you’re clearly pretty realistic about the presence of germs, dirt, etc. And your house simply isn’t going to be perfectly 100% hygienic all of the time.

Likewise, children are completely filthy -- and every disease any of mine had, he or she caught from another child, never from a dog.

Goodness knows what bacteria could be introduced into a wound!

Science is not on your side. Dog saliva is actually antibacterial. “Dog saliva does contain chemicals that are antibacterial and it’s very unlikely that saliva by itself would be a direct cause of infection,” says science. The same is true of human saliva: licking a wound does actually help it not become infected. (Dettol is probably better, even so, but I don't carry that on walks.) Histatins are wonderful things.

What dog saliva may do is trigger allergies. According to a study published in the European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, dog saliva contains at least 12 different allergy-causing protein bands.

Cleverpolly3 · 15/12/2020 18:31

@MerchantOfVenom

You could always take your own crockery and cutlery?

Thankfully I don’t need to, since as I say, it’s not a thing here. I’ve never seen anyone’s dog do it.

My ILs are in Ireland. They have a dog, and have had dogs (plural). We’ve spent a fair amount of time at their place.

Zero plate licking, in or out of the dishwasher.

Sorry I was being a bit silly with that statement But seriously you can’t trust dog owners clearly by this thread
SchrodingersImmigrant · 15/12/2020 18:35

@MerchantOfVenom I don't know where you are but I am not from UK and where I am from it's common to let dogs pre wash. And cats. I think it is all over. Though there are considerable cultural differences in other things when it comes to dogs.

Nyctophyllia · 15/12/2020 18:38

You need to join the " extreme dishwasher loading" Facebook page, its hilarious, dogs are the pre rinse cycle there
Its given me no end of entertainment
Be prepared to show them your top rack and hot steamy load...