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

[Randomtasks]

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!

I have never owned a dishwasher large enough for the dirty dishes and my dog to fit into it at the same time. All you luxurious people fill me with envy -- except I probably don't use enough plates in a week to fill these behemoths.

This is just gross - shocked you even have to ask MN

Logically I know that the plates would be sterilised so it shouldn't matter but my instinctive reaction is that its really unpleasant and I wouldn't want to eat off those plates. Our old dog ate poo and the thought of him doing that then licking plates that i eat off turns my stomach

DH’s recent birthday card.
Think you can guess which side of the argument we are on in this household.
😀

No sorry not a good idea it’s not a habit I’d get my puppy into. No human food for him so no leftovers etc I wouldn’t allow him in the dishwasher.

Our dog calls it ‘ The Cabinet of Delights’ and doesn’t understand why we don’t all want to tuck in too😂
I do try to discourage her, but she’s an old girl now and it’s one of her small pleasures, when she’s awake.

It ought to be discouraged so that the dog doesn't get in the habit. Otherwise they may start stealing from plates elsewhere or may accidentally ingest something harmful.

A know plenty of folk who do, it gives me strong feelings of being grossed out. But when I see them I worry about the time they lick the sharp knife and slice their tongue and that just makes my toes curl. Even if I could put my ick aside I wouldn't let them via I don't want to be eyeballing their tongue near the sharps.

@YoniAndGuy

That way lies insufferable dog who ends up hassling and whining and being a pest for human food whenever a meal is happening. Also - just bad for them! Loads of stuff that should never, ever be in their diet.

Cousin has a dog like this and really wishes they'd been tougher when he was a puppy - all the cute 'awww go on let him' has resulted in a dog who is a complete pain the backside.

She now realises that the lovely, gentle, well-mannered dog of her childhood didn't get that way by accident...

My dog is almost nine she is allowed to lick a couple of the dinner plates (if safe to do so ) before a hot dishwasher. She never begs at the table for food. She certainly never whines either.

@SchrodingersImmigrant

It gets properly wash after🤷🏻 This is why we always washed on high temp when we had pets. When we had suitable meals for them, they got leftovers on the dirty plate. Also our cat used to invade dishwasher after we emptied it and regused to come out for some reason. No idea what he liekd in there. However, they knew well not to go after plates unless they were goven to them so it wasn't an issue in general. Don't forget though, that you are on a website where some people wash towels after each use😁

Perhaps your cat liked the warmth, in the same way they like to lie on car bonnets when the engine's just been turned off?

Disgusting and could be dangerous for your pup. Start how you mean to go on. After reading quite a few things on MN I no longer accept food or drinks at friends who have dogs.

I prefer a clear delineation between people food and dog food.

I hated it when our family dog started begging once my brother let him lick plates. He’d been so much better around food before that.

Eh, can't get worked up about this.

Our dog is not allowed to lick things that are actually in the dishwasher, but is a great help in the pre-wash cycle of gravy plates etc. She gets the ones we allow her to have, on the floor. Then we stack the dishwasher.

So she can't just randomly lick stuff that will hurt her or poison her, and it's all controlled by us what she gets and when. She has to sit and wait for it too.

If you think the stuff that comes out of your dishwasher is not clean enough, that's a separate issue you ought to deal with.

@GinnieHempstock that's fabulous!

Looks like YABU has the edge but it's close. Also its certainly not because I dont want to train him - he is a dream to train I just didnt think it was an issue until now!

@aquashiv

I'd be worried it might eat the dishwasher tablet

Mine can't, the tablet is in it's own enclosed bit which opens at a particular part of the cycle, and it's often before the tablet goes in anyway.

I think it’s disgusting, but then a lot of people let their dogs lick their faces and their children’s faces, so this is at least a lot more hygienic than that.

God - this is absolutely disgusting.

@GinnieHempstock

DH’s recent birthday card. Think you can guess which side of the argument we are on in this household. 😀

Haha love it!

Not something we allow, mostly because it is dangerous for the dog (knives etc.) and because it is a high activity area. I do let the dog clean my fried egg plate though. He loves it.

Dogs can't eat garlic and onion. We had some onion gravy we fed our dog once, just a bit on his kibble, and it caused nightly accidents.

As an aside, I am always amused by the way that on MN, dogs are filthy creatures because they lick their bums and eat poo etc., and yet cats are never ever a problem and regarded as 'clean' animals. Our cat licks his arse frequently and with great relish in full view multiple times a day, way more than our dog does, and then he uses his tongue to clean himself all over, and then he expects to be stroked and fussed. He is surely way more minging than the dog, who gets brushed and towelled off and never uses her tongue to cover her whole body in spit...

I wouldn’t be bothered from a hygiene point of view but as a PP said a lot of human food is dangerous to dogs so it just opens the opportunity of him getting ill and encouraging scavenging.

It's so gross.

They lick their arses.

Imagine going to someone's house and eating from a plate that a dog has eaten from. You might think it's fine because they are getting clean but you wouldn't eat from a restaurant that let that happen, your dog isn't cleaner.

It's a no from a behavioural perspective rather then hygiene from me as well. I remember a couple of days into adopting my dog, him 'counter surfing' and knocking a pyrex dish of food that was cooling off onto the floor. I had to rush in and wrestle him off it before he ate the entire thing broken glass and all. I don't like dogs buzzing around whilst you're eating and don't think it's very pleasant for guests. If mine learnt human plates = food for him he'd be a nightmare!

It's not a clean issue but an obedience one. I don't think its wise to teach dogs to eat off plates or eat food without being told they can have it.

WHAT!!!?? TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE