To not understand the appeal of dogs as pets?

[Gardentiger]

I just don't get it and would love to understand! As much as I like certain dogs I meet and think they are cute, the list of downsides is massive

• they smell and make your house and car and clothes smell bad

-they can't be left alone for a length of a working day -behavioural problems and agression -if you get a barky one it can ruin your relationship with neighbours -the amount of time you have to spend training them -some seem to need constant supervision -chewing things and generally wrecking the housr -having to pick up warm freshly baked turds

I walked a friend of mines dog the other day and it was awful! He pulled on the lead the entire way, and kept trying to pee on people's doorsteps / flowerpots.

So what is the appeal!? I say this as an animal lover who has had pet rabbits, cats and hamsters in the past.

I genuinely think I have a soul connection with mine 😂. Eye contact with him is really meaningful
I have met dogs who I don’t have that connection with though, maybe their owners do but I think my dog is quite sensitive and needs a lot of human reassurance and often looks to me for it. He is very funny too and I know he does things to make me laugh sometimes

Nope, YANBU

I don't like dogs enough to want to put in the effort required to give them the best life so therefore I don't have one. I also wouldn't want to pick up after them, not that anyone seems to do that anyway where I live.......forever coming across dogs mess.

Almost everyone I've met with a dog has a house that smells of dog, they just get used to it and can't smell it.

Also a faff to sort out dog accommodation when you go on holiday.

I'm quite indifferent to most dogs. Some are cute in passing but others are poorly behaved, like the one that bounded over and jumped up on my 5 year old the other day.

Gosh where to start? You're right,OP, they can be a right PITA. But they also give you unconditional love, puncture any highly charged household situation with a wag of their tail and are way more intuitive than any human
And they force you to do the minimum of daily exercise.

What is the point of your post. Dogs don’t appeal to you. Some of us are dog lovers and some aren’t. No one is going to change their mind

You are correct all of those things are a pain in the arse but it is exactly like having kids - I could give a longer list than your dog list on why my kids are a pain in the arse

@Menora

I genuinely think I have a soul connection with mine 😂. Eye contact with him is really meaningful I have met dogs who I don’t have that connection with though, maybe their owners do but I think my dog is quite sensitive and needs a lot of human reassurance and often looks to me for it. He is very funny too and I know he does things to make me laugh sometimes

Mine makes me laugh too and I know he is showing off.

The pros outweigh the cons to be honest.

He also does a little smile at my dad where he bares his teeth and makes a funny noise. Only for my dad though and it's just so cute.

Dogs are just selfless like someone said earlier.

In many ways, similar to kids but on
a smaller scale for both the good and the bad.

I personally do find that I get much more of
the good than the not good, so it makes me happy to have a dog.

@Comedycook

I find it baffling. Even more baffling that people part with hundreds of pounds to have an animal in their home which they will have to feed,pick up it's shit and just be a general annoyance. I don't think any of them are cute either

Oh come on!

But, he's got his own little personality. He is a funny dog. He jumps out at you from behind doors etc because we do it to him.

I used to do this with my first dog (pre DH, pre kids), I'd play hide and seek with him, it was great fun!

@lynsey91

Not all breeds of dog smell. All those that insist they do have you actually been to homes of ALL the breeds in the world?

I have a good sense of smell and although quite a lot of my friends' houses smell of dog they certainly all don't. Most of my friends whose houses don't smell have the same breed of dog.

The breed I have does not moult. It has different sort of fur/hair to most dogs. They do not smell.

As I said before, if my house smelt my mother in law would tell me. She would love to be able to say it does smell. In fact she tells me it doesn't which must kill her. She certainly told me it smelt when I had a cat.

I get that not everyone likes dogs but to keep spouting the same old rubbish about all houses with dogs smelling is just pathetic

Some dog breeds smell more than others, but in my experience all dogs smell to some degree. Maybe if your dog is a less smellier breed it doesn't rub off on furniture and leave a smell, but even supposed non smelly breeds have a doggy smell if you snuff the actual dog.

Also people are just going on their own experience. In mine, every dog owners house I've even been in, you can tell immediately a dog lives there. It isn't neccessarily an unpleasant smell, but it's characteristically there. People also definately get noseblind to their own pets.

Also if you think about it logically, all dogs are going to have body oudour, unless they are bathed everyday or have no sweat glands. It's not dog hating or whatever to say that dogs have a smell.

Lol at a smaller and sadder world because someone doesn't get their enjoyment from a slathering shedding shitting animal

Indeed, I can understand why a dog would be company if you're isolated and/or lonely. I can't understand why busy people have dogs, leave them home all day, and can't look after them properly. Which is pretty common I've noticed.

I really don’t mind that he might smell like a dog

Did you ever smell their feet? Hmm dog feet smell 😍🤤

Also people are just going on their own experience. In mine, every dog owners house I've even been in, you can tell immediately a dog lives there
Of course you can. Dog owners get used to it so don't notice. Like you don't notice the smell of your own washing powder but it smells pretty strong to others.

@DeloresPickleRick were you working in an air conditioned place before? As it's more likely it was air conditioning causing those issues

@Menora

I really don’t mind that he might smell like a dog

Did you ever smell their feet? Hmm dog feet smell 😍🤤

Mmmmm yes! The comforting, biscuity smell from between my dog's toes. It's lush. Thank goodness it's not just me!

All dogs houses smell. Some smell less than others, but they all smell.

@shallIswim

Mine is a cheesy biscuit 😂

I really don’t mind that people don’t like dogs, it doesn’t offend me. Mine sleeps in my bed which is probably gross but I don’t mind! He’s so lovely to sleep with that I overlook the smell. If it’s hot he will sleep at the end of the bed, if he’s cold he cuddles right up to me along my back

My dog smells delicious! I fully appreciate that not everyone is going to think so, but we don't have many visitors so I can't care too much. The house is clean, all throws and rugs washed regularly but there is a biscuity undertone, a bit like when you go into a room where people have been sleeping. I find it comforting, it's the smell of home.

@Carrotinthesky

All dogs houses smell. Some smell less than others, but they all smell.

Everyone's house smells of something. Who gives a shit

@Carrotinthesky

All dogs houses smell. Some smell less than others, but they all smell.

As do all humans

Wet nose and a waggy bum and the inability to ever let you go in a room alone. Couldn’t be without mine. Being spaniel bombed at 5.30am is the best...

100 pc agree OP. I am convinced people in this country are strangely obsessed with dogs. People will coo over a puppy far more than a baby. I find that very odd because babies are to me far cuter.

@Jayteedee

100 pc agree OP. I am convinced people in this country are strangely obsessed with dogs. People will coo over a puppy far more than a baby. I find that very odd because babies are to me far cuter.

I find it more odd people don't understand others are different to them and have different preferences. Imo puppies and kittens are far cuter than babies. But I don't find people odd who think different than me

If you put the time on as puppies to train them well they are amazing. My son has Autism and our labrador has worked wonders with boosting his confidence and communication. When his having a shutdown our dog seeks him out and comforts him until his ready to talk to someone. He won't leave his side if his upset. Yes the dog takes work but what you get back is so much more rewarding. We're lucky as I have a 9 to 5 and dp is a lorry driver. Normally starts around 1. Kids home from school just after 3 so the dog only had a couple hours home alone on the days dp works. Only thing I will day is you can't just go away at the drop of a hat as you have to think of the dog.