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 think @GreyhoundGardens has hit the nail on the head. It is lack of consideration that is the problem and this manifests itself in every area of life, not just dog ownership. I suppose the sheer number of people who own dogs not only increases the dog obsession overall, but inevitably increases the number of idiots who become dog owners. This has a knock on effect, often causing resentment towards ALL dogs and their owners, which isn't fair. Some people are crap at being dog owners. Some are great.

My neighbour has three dogs (all different breeds) and she walks them every day without any fuss or problem. They just trot along happily beside her, even off lead at our local playing fields. I hear the odd inquisitive bark when I'm putting out my bin or hanging out the washing, but that's about it. She doesn't take them to shopping centres or cafes. My SIL's dogs, on the other hand, bark every time a car pulls into their cul de sac and every time anyone walks by. It's deafening and goes on for ages. They jump up at visitors, they leap onto your lap and push their noses into your face. FIL walks them and lets them off the lead, then has the cheek to complain about people being nervous of them jumping up because 'sure they wouldn't hurt a fly'. They got SIL chucked out of a dog friendly cafe for barking, then pulled down a table of food outside for good measure. SIL sees people's discomfort around them and feels embarrassed, but gets very defensive and says that she is too depressed to train them properly. My 11yo, who was previously pretty neutral about dogs, is now terrified of them. So, yeah, incompetent dog owners spoil it for everyone else unfortunately.

Domesticated creatures are just embarrassingly stunted to me
And that's absolutely fine to feel this way. It's your right.

Your problem is that the majority of the population strongly disagree with you, so unfortunately, your wishes don't trump the majority.

I think we all have at least one issue with societal preferences we don't agree with, and gave to accept that it is just the way it is and it is up to us to deal with it, not the majority who don't have that issue.

How right you are! Personally I like dogs a lot and they usually like me, but it's gone beyond all reason now. I'm allergic to them - can take antihistamine and inhalers and am fine visiting friends with dogs for a few hours (except for certain breeds that trigger my asthma more than others) but on more than one occasion, inadvertently staying overnight in a 'dog friendly room' - however well cleaned - I spend half the night wheezing. Have had to go and sleep in the car sometimes. The worst thing is that expressing this on social media only gets you 'dog's abuse'. People seem to think that (a) it means you have a horror of dogs (I don't) and (b) that all allergies can instantly be treated with pills. They help, but not completely. In general, well trained dogs are a joy, but too few people seem to know how to train their animal companions and think they should be entitled to take them everywhere.

@NotAnotherPylon

I think @GreyhoundGardenshas hit the nail on the head. It is lack of consideration that is the problem and this manifests itself in every area of life, not just dog ownership. I suppose the sheer number of people who own dogs not only increases the dog obsession overall, but inevitably increases the number of idiots who become dog owners. This has a knock on effect, often causing resentment towards ALL dogs and their owners, which isn't fair. Some people are crap at being dog owners. Some are great.

This! ^ In my village, there are some people who have the most amazing, lovely, affectionate, intelligent, obedient dogs. But there is also an equal amount of absolute fucking nobheads who bought a dog through lockdown just for 'something to do,' not realising how hard it is owning a dog and how demanding they can be.

They walk around our village (when they can be arsed to walk said doggo,) letting their dog shit all over the footpaths, run up people's driveways and shit on their doorsteps, and bark all day long while they piss off out shopping because they can't be bothered to take doggo with them.

There's a woman that lives near me that has got a big dog. I won't say what type cause it's potentially identifying but it's quite big and has a very loud and deep bark! She actually leaves it on her front lawn to have a shit and a piss, as she CBA to walk it. I feel sorry for her immediate neighbour tbh! She has no gate, just an open driveway, and has had several occasions over the past few months where the postman won't deliver any packages or letters, because he refuses to come on to the garden with. this bloody dog there.

Also, many people now are walking an extra ten to fifteen minutes to get home to avoid walking past her driveway with the dog loose.

Quite a few people in my village now have dogs that have had absolutely NO training whatsoever, and they are a pest. As has been said, it makes people resent the animals, which is a real shame as they are potentially very good pets. (Though quite demanding and quite high maintenance.) I couldn't be bothered with a dog as I am lazy, and that's why I have cats.

I agree with the OP but I'm surprised to see that the majority of people on Mumsnet do too.

We moved almost three years ago and live on an estate now. So many people here have dogs, a far higher proportion than amongst our previous neighbours. We all live in flats with no gardens so not ideal dog homes.

Obviously there are some people, typically older and single, for whom a dog is an essential companion but this doesn't appear to be the case for many of them. Their owners have to take them out several times a day and clearly find it a chore rather than a pleasure - I'm not really sure whether they (or the dogs) really get much from the relationship at all although this won't be true for all of them.
Some owners are responsible and clean up after their pets but by no means all, particularly if they think nobody is watching. We have communal gardens round our properties but many people think it is fine to just let their dogs loose to bound about, rather than take them to an area where this is less troublesome for children or people who don't like dogs.
And as for the "dog-friendly" cafes, restaurants and workplaces - the last thing most of us want is a yappy or slobbery canine anywhere near us when we are eating or working.

No, we don't love your dog. No, we don't want to fondle or get to know it.

think they should be entitled to take them everywhere
It's not about entitlement, it's about what you are allowed to do. My -small- dog loves travelling and so does come with us on holidays.

No, I don't think that I should leave my dog at home just because of the very very few people who happen to have an allergy.

I don't feel entitled to be able to take my dog anywhere and demand they should be allowed even if the rules are that they are not. However, I don't think I'm doing anything wrong taking my dog where dogs are very much welcome.

I really don't get why someone with an allergy wouldn't ensure they are staying somewhere where dogs are not allowed.

I hate the noise of kids playgrounds when I am enjoying a meal. There is nothing wrong with kids having loud fun in play areas, I just make sure that I pick places that don't have kids play areas. It's really no hardship even if many outdoor places have them.

I agree with the OP but I'm surprised to see that the majority of people on Mumsnet do too.

These threads usually fill up with anti children hatred and calling people sociopaths. But the majority just vote as people feel.

It’s not ”entitlement” to take your dog to a cafe or a hotel that explicitly advertises itself as dog friendly.

If you look at the AIBU poll at the start of this thread you'll see that the majority of the people on here do agree with the OP.

Most of us on here are not dog haters though the majority are probably not dog owners. We just don't want other people's dogs annoying us, invading our space, soiling our paths and grass or frightening people.

Societal preferences change though.

Most of us on here are not dog haters though the majority are probably not dog owners. We just don't want other people's dogs annoying us, invading our space, soiling our paths and grass or frightening people

This. You wouldn't think it was controversial really, would you?

I really don't get why someone with an allergy wouldn't ensure they are staying somewhere where dogs are not allowed

Because they are allowed everywhere! OK, not all accommodation.

But if you work somewhere and people decide they want to accept dogs what do you do? It could be a shop, you could be a guard on a train, you could work in an office.

People aren't generally allergic to children, and people don't take their cats everywhere. There seems to be zero acknowledgement that dog allergies are a thing.

If you look at the AIBU poll at the start of this thread you'll see that the majority of the people on here do agree with the OP
And that's the funny part, because MN as I've already stated is definitely a world apart from my reality where I don't encounter 90% of what is described here, hence making it quite entertaining!

Yes, I've had a few dogs jumping up to me, maybe a handful of time compared to 100s of dogs I've passed and all were still puppies and learning and all in a park that is where most dog owners take theirs. Never ever happened with a dog on the lead.

My world is mainly full of people who are indifferent to dogs, with many liking dogs and those who strongly dislike dogs are a very few minority and just avoid places popular with dogs.

@vivainsomnia yes, all these people who apparently can’t leave their homes without stepping in dog shit or being knocked down and slobbered over by dogs. Not my reality at all.

You are missing out on one of God's greatest gifts. I usually find that people who don't like dogs are less likeable than those who do.

If it's truly about bad dog ownership, why does every thread have posters stating the owners are feeble minded (or similar), dirty, their houses stink and are filthy?

That's not about bad dog ownership, that's just being a prick about someone else's choices.

We are painted to be weird and perverse, because apparently we absolutely love picking up dog shit. I mean, the alternative is to just leave it on the floor.....
We can't win.

I agree. I don’t mind dogs. I grew up with them but have never wanted to own one. They smell and are dirty. Now my school is bringing in a therapy dog. At no point were staff asked if they would mind having a dog in the building. No one was asked asked about allergies or his for is a dislike of dogs.

There seems to be zero acknowledgement that dog allergies are a thing.

They are certainly minimised a lot. I'm allergic to dogs and cats - I generally have cold symptoms, a sore and scratchy throat and sometimes my eyes fill up with fluid. I have had to take days off with it because my eyes were so badly swollen. DP is also allergic and has the added joy of breathing difficulties, which I don't get. He has asthma though. Our eldest DS is affected with similar symptoms to mine. It is utterly miserable and goes on for a few days after exposure/contact. He takes regular antihistamines for hay fever, yet is still affected by pet allergies.

I like dogs but I just want to be able to go out for a walk without staring at the ground, trying to avoid the piles of crap. I can’t remember what the sky looks like anymore.

Also listening to wheezy dogs like pugs hobbling around looking like they are about to go into some sort of respiratory arrest - no.

Owners in welllies walking briskly with well trained dogs beside them - lovely, hardly see them anymore.

I just want a shitless, non wheezy walk please

Yep totally agree. Don’t get it at all. Especially in places that serve food. Just sick to death or seeing them everywhere. There’s dog shit outside my garden almost every single day and it’s fucking infuriating.

I don’t actually dislike dogs at all though, just sick of them being literally everywhere.

I’m feeling it as well and I do genuinely like dogs. There’s just too many of them! There’s something not quite right about it. And I would prefer to see more tolerance in general for children who are a very important part of life on earth as well. Like barking dogs = ok but noisy children = no. I must be weird cos I prefer noisy kids.

There seems to be zero acknowledgement that dog allergies are a thing.

I’ve noticed that and never understood why. All other types of allergies are acknowledged but dog allergies are often minimised despite the lack of choice of how and when you encounter them. I do think indoor, public places should by law advertise whether they’re dog-friendly, cat-friendly, only allow guide dogs, etc. Food allergies are now asked beforehand and listed everywhere, why not when it comes to animals if they’re being allowed in indoor public places?

Some dog owners really can't take it that others hate their dog and think it is disgusting, one on here has taken offence its hilarious. Obviously if you have a greasy drooling creature in your home you will have to clean constantly or the house will be dirty, have wipe down sofas etc. Or don't have a dog if you want to mop and hoover once a week. They undeniably stink and all houses with them stink, just do, no matter what, many people have a bad sense of smell but if we can smell them outside be sure we can smell them inside. Dog poo does leave marks, it's dirty. Even after pick up. And it is awful to see the minimisation of allergies, do these people also send their kids to school with Nutella allergies? Also the minimisation of letting dogs touch people, if it gets anyone muddy or puts paws on them it is clearly too close and out of control, children don't touch strangers ever so why would it be ok for a dog? Not to mention the total weirdness of even mentioning kids, no comparison at all. One person said their dog is worth more to them then any child, I don't believe in any emergency that would hold for any decent human.

Many years ago a dog came and did their business right next to where my family were eating a picnic. I was 5 my brother 2. My father was furious and took my poor brother over to the dog owner and said ‘this is my son who we have toilet trained recently, I will allow him to pee next to you when you eat your lunch 😮. A couple of years ago a large dog came bounding over to another family picnic, scared cousins toddler and ate her sandwich. The owners couldn’t even stop him or come over to apologise. I don’t dislike dogs, but don’t want the cost of the commitment and they do have a carbon footprint. So many friends get in big cars every day to drive their dogs to a park. We have a yappy dog next door that gets locked in the garden with plastic grass …. Which is far from
ideal with dogs…. Luckily they are away a lot!

I like dogs … but I do have to say that I very much like the idea of a “dog tolerant” restaurant or cafe. There’s a “nice” restaurant near me that people sometimes bring dogs to. Nice dogs that when told to lie on a blanket or towel, stay there and cause no bother - lovely.

The other day someone had a horrible dog on her lap. It growled and went mad with rage whenever anyone (customer, wait staff) walked past its table. A couple of children were really quite frightened. This wasn’t fun for anyone … and it’s quite an expensive place. That dog should have been left at home.

This, 1000x over.