God I am bored of dogs

[Orteul]

And they are everywhere. Obviously barking and shitting which is annoying anyway. But also running and shitting around every tiny bit of green space in cities so that no one else can use these places apart from dog owners. Even when you go to a pub or café half the time these days it's "dog friendly" (why do we all have to be fucking "friendly" btw? "Tolerant" I could at least understand). You can't escape the fucking things. At work we even have dullards cacking on about how they want "office dogs" - nightmare as far as I'm concerned and really if you're going to be accommodating people's personal life at work surely a fucking crèche would be a higher pissing priority. Pet dogs don't even do anything. They literally just exist so that people can have pet dogs. Why the fuck are they suddenly everywhere?

I love dogs, but I agree so many bought as lockdown buddies, dog owner is definitely on the rise. Most people living in my area have dogs, it’s bark central around here. I don’t this you would like it OP!

Go into any town centre. Go into any park. Yeah, you'll see some dog shit not picked up by bad owners. Now look at the shit left by humans. Crisp bags, drinks bottles, fast food packing, remnants of burgers, chicken and chips, vape pens, beer cans, all kinds of crap that so many slobs just drop and walk away. Humans make far more mess than dogs ever do.

Ugh.

It definitely wasn't an assistance dog because an assistance dog would never do that - they are properly trained.

Dogs always come up to my kids off the lead and owners never seem bothered - but at any point my 2yo could do something erratic that could scare them. Why aren't owners more concerned about making sure they don't end up with their dog biting a child and then being put down? I hate the whole "he's so friendly" line. Maybe, but possibly not with an erratic toddler!

I don't like animals. Apart from sheep. Not sure what that says about me 🤣

*If someone else doesn't wish to be near a dog they could either a) go somewhere else or b) ask to be seated in the restaurant part of pub, where dogs are not permitted.

I wouldn't dream of trying to take him somewhere that doesn't allow dogs. That would be batshit and entitled. Taking him somewhere that the owners welcome him, is not.*

I think this is the OP's point. Reasonable approach from a reasonable dog owner but it's increasingly difficult for those of us who don't want to share everything with dogs to find places where they are unwelcome. I'm in holiday in the SW at the moment and almost everywhere we have eaten out is dog friendly. It's mentioned up front in all trip advisor reviews about how friendly the staff are towards dogs. In the village we're staying in there are 4 eateries - 3 pubs and 1 cafe. All heaving with dogs. We went on a boat trip yesterday where 2 people brought their dogs 🙄

I’m more scared of other people’s teenage children hanging round streets and parks than I am of dogs.

Dogs have been selectively bred as a companion species to humans over centuries and are now part of families and society. Some are for work (farm, police, service) and most are simply companions. It’s an inter species relationship that is unique in the animal kingdom and we have a responsibility towards them.

I agree, they are everywhere. I rarely go into cafes but it is almost impossible to find a dog free one. There's a teashop near me where I frequently see dogs on the sofas when I'm walking past. Just gross.

I while ago I stepped aside to avoid a dog. The owner told me it was friendly, "She'll just lick you to death." I looked him straight in the eye and asked why he thought I would want his dog's saliva all over me and my clothes.

I have a dog. He's pretty nice. Well trained. Friendly, but not pushy. Not too big, but not a tiny yapper, either. Quiet about the house. Likes to sleep on my feet when I watch TV. Loves his walks. Good recall, and we live in the countryside so not too many of the semi-hysterical 'put your dog on a lead!' dog-owners around.

He's a good wee chap. But he stays at home, unless we are doing a dog-specific activity. He doesn't belong in a cafe or restaurant(although occasionally will join us for a quiet pint in a pub beer garden in a warm day). He certainly doesn't belong in clothes shops. He has no need to visit the garden centre. He doesn't need to browse the cosmetics counter in Boots. He is perfectly fine at home, snoozing on his bed, for a few hours, which I imagine is less stressful for him than being dragged around everywhere.

When I was young, dogs stayed at home. People have become obsessed with not leaving them. It is mostly well-intentioned because they don't want the dog to be lonely, but it means the bloody things are everywhere, in places they have no need to be. The dogs I've had over the years have all been gently eased into being left alone for several hours when young. I truly believe it's better for a dog to be hanging out quietly in its own kitchen for a few hours than it is being jostled down a busy high street or squashed into a crowded train. They aren't children in need of museum trips and learning experiences (not in the same way, anyway). They like chasing a ball and relaxing in a familiar environment (mine always have, anyway). Leave your dogs at home!

gingerguineapig I simply don't go into houses which have a dog, not even if the owners say they will put it in another room. The house will always smell and will just feel grubby to me. If it offends people I am too old to get worked up about it.

I would willing babysit for some relatives so they could have nights out but they have a dog so no.

A friend acquired a dog in lockdown so I have not been to her house since. We meet at the only dog free cafe in town instead.

I think taking a dog to a country pub after a walk is acceptable and always has been. What we have now though is, tiny cafes in London allowing huge dogs in. I have been behind dogs who stand up with their paws on the counter where food is being prepared whilst the owner awaits their coffee. I find it really gross.

Finding this thread unbelievable! I guess I'm one of the weirdos who loves taking my dog to the pub/cafe/anywhere that allows him. I love seeing a dog in a pub or on a train. My dog would prefer to be out with me than stuck at home alone & so many people ask to say hello/pet him. Dogs bring joy!

I also think kids are much more of a nuisance than dogs. I get irritated easily by other peoples kids but never by a dog.

If you dislike dogs just go to the many places that are not dog friendly.

You pop up on every dog thread just to say this same thing. Why open them if you are so very bored?!

This made me a giggle a little.

Hates dogs. Hates cats. Loves birds

@Chickenwing2 That's the problem there aren't many places that aren't dog friendly.

People aren't allergic to other people.

People may feel uneasy around other adults or children but they are more likely to have phobias to dogs.

Autistic children are more likely to be scared of dogs. It makes it a very difficult world as it is having autism let alone having the world even more restricted because the world is catering to dogs over people.

I like animals. I am a vegetarian. I would never want to see any harm come to them. Yet, dogs being everywhere is causing harm to us.

It says a lot about some dog-owners here that their only defence of their substandard dog ownership is the exceptionally original ‘humans are worse!!’

If there was a thread about hating children, I might debate needing the human race to continue, criticise poor parenting, consider the value of kids who might grow up to be productive adults one day etc. I wouldn’t say, ‘but dogs are worse!!’ Because I wouldn’t need to. My argument for needing kids would stand alone.

If ‘humans are worse’ is the only defence dog-owners have, then they have already lost the argument. 😂

Complete tangent here, but Hitler wasn't actually a vegetarian. He frequently pretended to be in order to impress his 16 yo niece (who was a vegetarian) because he wanted to have sex with her. She committed suicide in the end.

I think dog people open these threads on the off chance someone says something new, insightful or useful. Maybe next time!

I don’t think there will be anything new said until the shit owners develop some insight and awareness. The voice of the decent owners sadly gets drowned out by the self-righteous dog-owning brigade.

Just got back from France. We were on the Atlantic coast for the surfing and it was full of holidaying French. Very few foreign tourists. It was a bit like north coast devon/ Cornwall. But bigger beaches!
Within a day we realised one of the main differences was that there were very very few dogs. (Oh and it was immaculately clean..)
Seems the French middle class holidaying masses managed to avoid mass pet acquisition in lock down..
It was much more lovely as a result.

I read these I hate children posts and think similar. And about the OTT of this post too, ‘repulsed’ etc

So much loathing and hatred. Odd

Children shit everywhere? When?

Ha that’s optimistic. It’ll always be full of dog people calling others sociopaths, children the worst with all kinds of invective, people twisted up with anger, the usual.

That’s agreed then, I think. These threads are pointless.

I think that goes for most threads on AIBU but here we all are ;-)

The father of someone I know as a school mum was killed in May by one of those "he's just being friendly". He was out walking in the countryside with his teenage grandson, large off the lead dog came bounding up with owner saying "he's just being friendly" as they always do, jumped up at the old man who was knocked over and fractured his skull.

Yes extreme, but proof it happens. https://twitter.com/PSOSArgWestDunb/status/1682389743512764418