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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To panic about people spitting when a dog is around

97 replies

Lis1992 · 13/08/2022 22:29

So - as in the thread title. I was at a BBQ today and the host’s dog was there. There were lots of fruit flies with the heat and someone mentioned that they had spat on the grass/ground as apparently a fly was in their mouth or about to go in their mouth or something. The dog was inside at the time I presume as he was in all morning with the heat, but came out around 20 minutes
later. He was sniffing around as dogs do.

I felt weird about the fact that someone had spat where the dog could easily have sniffed it or licked it. Nobody else was bothered at all including the owner and all laughed when the person mentioned they had spat due to annoyance of the fly. Wondering AIBU in people’s
opinion. I get very anxious about hygiene etc. And I know dog’s get into lots of germs things. But maybe it’s because they’re a different species or something- I just worried about him sniffing it! So AIBU to feel like that about a dog and human saliva? Would you think anything if it was your dog?

OP posts:

SuspiciousMind33 · 13/08/2022 22:45

This is one of the more ridiculous concerns I've ever read on here.

I've seen my dog eat human shit, thanks to some scumbag leaving it in some bushes complete with toilet paper. I thought it was disgusting obviously and didn't let her near me afterwards. I wasn't concerned for her health though! I've also seen her eat dead birds, a long dead wisened rabbit's paw, all kind of mouldy crap. That's what dogs do.

userxx · 13/08/2022 22:45

vodkaredbullgirl · 13/08/2022 22:36

My dogs will eat anything, if they could get hold of it. Cat poo, sheep poo, rabbit and hamster poo.

Cat shit is like pate to a dog. Yum.

mynameisnotmichaelcaine · 13/08/2022 22:45

OP dogs are really, really good at dealing with germs. My dog regularly snacks on horse poo on our walks. The only thing she has ever eaten that has made her poorly was raw onion. Every other scavenged "treat" has done her no harm at all.

She is not allowed to lick our faces, and she never comes upstairs, but luckily for me I am not anxious around germs, although I do try to dissuade her from eating droppings of any kind.

Have you looked into therapy for your germ anxiety. I used to have hypochondria that impacted my wellbeing and talking therapy and CBT cured me of it. Despite actually having being diagnosed with an incurable life-limiting condition (MS), I am now one of the least anxious people I know around health. It's been a revelation and there's absolutely no shame in seeking help. You deserve not to be anxious about this.

SuspiciousMind33 · 13/08/2022 22:46

Oh yes, who could forget cat shit. A delicacy.

userxx · 13/08/2022 22:47

TheWayoftheLeaf · 13/08/2022 22:41

Also my dog once managed to come across me after I fell asleep on the couch. I awoke to him licking the inside of my nose. He's fine.

The dog did what ?

TheDogsMother · 13/08/2022 22:48

I'm sorry you feel so anxious about this. The spitter is vile but my dog ate the most horrendous stuff including his own vomit so I'm sure it's fine.

badbaduncle · 13/08/2022 22:49

My friends dog is banned from my house because he treats the cat litter like a snack box 😂😂😂 I think a bit of spit is ok

sunsetsandsandybeaches · 13/08/2022 22:50

Dogs are gross.

Mine eats shit of all species (except dog). He's especially partial to cow, sheep and cat poo - the fresher the better.
He'll also eat vomit (his own and the cats')
He licks his bumhole and often the cats' bumholes (much to their disgust).

A bit of human spit is nothing!

FionnulaTheCooler · 13/08/2022 22:52

Spitting for the sake of it is minging, but I wouldn't judge someone for spitting out a fly that had flown into their mouth. Neither would I worry about the dog, as plenty of posters have said, dogs are also minging and will happily consume much worse things than a spat out fly.

vodkaredbullgirl · 13/08/2022 22:53

Dogs are gross lol

TheOrigRights · 13/08/2022 22:56

Why didn't you say you have germ anxiety in your OP? It's clearly relevant and something you recognise as skewing what would be a normal reaction to a dog licking spit.

Original poster

Lis1992 · 13/08/2022 22:57

@TheOrigRights oh I thought I did. Well I said it enough times on the thread anyway!

OP posts:

Kanaloa · 13/08/2022 23:00

I really don’t like people spitting in public - it’s dirty and not a bit antisocial in my opinion. However, my main concern wouldn’t really be ‘what if a dog licks it?’ More just ‘eww gross why is that person spitting?’

curlymom · 13/08/2022 23:01

My dogs lick each other’s bums 😂.
if someone spat I wouldn’t like them to lick that to be honest although it wouldn’t do any harm. Bit disgusting spitting at someone’s party to be honest just use a tissue yuk

Hellocatshome · 13/08/2022 23:03

Lis1992 · 13/08/2022 22:43

@Hellocatshome it may seem like that to you but as I’ve said I have anxiety around germs and associated things

I understand that which is why I cant understand why the act of someone spitting on the ground doesnt seem to bother you when it is such a high risk of spreading germs. You only seem to be bothered about the spit in relation to the dog which is what I find odd

Verbena87 · 13/08/2022 23:03

Your worry is a bit like the time I was carefully plopping my crawling baby’s plastic teething toys into Milton at the sink and looked down to see him chomping on the rubbery sole of my sandal. Not completely mad to think there was a potential risk, but pretty pointless fretting about it compared to all the other risks (fox shit for dogs, shoes for my baby. He’s nearly 5 and in grand health even though I decided I couldn’t be bothered to sterilise chewy toys after that moment.)

worriedatthistime · 13/08/2022 23:06

This is why we don't allow our dog to lick people as I have seen what he licks

SuspiciousMind33 · 13/08/2022 23:08

To be fair, of course it would seem odd to anyone who doesn't have germ anxiety. It's not something that someone without a very specific germ anxiety would worry about. Which is presumably why you started the thread? To check if this was related to your anxiety or not?

vaingina · 13/08/2022 23:11

My dog has just sampled the delicacy known as slug. I was too late to stop her. She is just about to sleep on our bed with us.

Put · 13/08/2022 23:12

That would probably be the least gross thing the dog has licked today!

Kerrrmieee · 13/08/2022 23:14

My dog licked up blood from my miscarriage gush 😭 That pretty much broke me for a while.

Somebody spitting a fly out, no.

I really hope you can get some help with your germ phobia as dogs are probably the worst for eating or licking anything.

FOJN · 13/08/2022 23:14

My dog will eat anything he finds in the street if I let him and he loves rabbit poo but sheep or cow shit will do. I wouldn't worry about the dog sniffing a bit of human saliva but I would take issue with the person spitting, it's disgusting.

Yes I have different standards and expectations of dogs and adult humans.

Kerrrmieee · 13/08/2022 23:15

FOJN · 13/08/2022 23:14

Yes I have different standards and expectations of dogs and adult humans.

They had a fly in their mouth, they weren't just Hocking and flobbing on the grass 🙄

Herejustforthisone · 13/08/2022 23:17

Have you sought support for your germ fixation? Because this is one hell of a weird and disproportionate concern to have.

QuestionableMouse · 13/08/2022 23:55

Mine recently rolled in a dead rabbit. I normally have a strong stomach but I was gagging while trying to bath him.

You're being unreasonable, though I feel for you because anxiety is horrible. @Lis1992@Lis1992

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