To think we need to find a way to infiltrate the dog cult?

[dogsdilemma]

I'll start by saying I favour cats but love all animals. I don't want a dog just now because I find them tying. Would date someone who had one because, contrary to what I'm about to say, I like them and it wouldn't be my responsibility.

But the obsession drives me nuts. It seems no one can own a dog in a normal way anymore. As in I have a dog, the dog is a pet not a person, dogs aren't god-like solve all creatures, it's fine if not everyone loves my dog as much as me - like I am with my cat.

Someone gets a puppy and I go to their house - all conversation is about the puppy and I'm expected to fuss like they've just given birth. I can't say 'ah I've actually come to catch up with my friend, not have endless chat about the puppy's sleep schedule and whether or not it shat in the house today' because their dogs are their babies, so I should treat them as such.

Instagram accounts for dogs - captions written like 'my mum took me for a walk today, I had so much fun'. Only mildly cringy but wtf? Are you a springer spaniel mother or Katie from uni?

I do an exercise class and the owner has a puppy. She brings him along so he's not home alone. At least 15 minutes of the session I've paid for is always taken up by the hive mind fussing the puppy. Everyone loves dogs so no one minds apparently - except I DO mind. If I say this though I'm gonna be the dick.

I'm OLD, and every other profile says 'must love dogs'. I do love them but don't want one, and if I say this it's like I've confessed to being Hitler in a past life. Cue messages trying to change my mind, as though not being obsessed with dogs is a moral failure. I love my cat but wouldn't rule out someone who doesn't feel the same?

The final nail in the coffin. I've been dating someone new. Had an absolute shitter of a week so far - nothing he can help with, not really serious, just work stuff. His response is 15 pictures of his dog being cute to cheer me up. He's just trying to be nice but I do not get it. I wouldn't expect pictures of my cat to cheer anyone up except, maybe, me. I'm being narky but I actually found it so so irritating and cannot even fake enthusiasm to reply. If I say 'awwww cute, thank you' he'll continue with this approach. If I say 'cute but why would your dog cheer me up ha' I'm gonna look like a knob.

I have no problem with others doing what they want to do but recently it is infiltrating everything. I know there are worse issues but ffs it's so annoying - what is this dog cult and how to we stop it? Can I tell this lovely man I'm dating that I actually have little interest in his dog?!?!?

Who rattled Your cage??????

I am in complete agreement with the OP. The level of entitlement of dog owners is staggering.

I don’t care if they are friendly or just playing, keep them away

I think any human person I encounter in my life is far better company than a dog (to be fair any animal)

I don’t agree that they should be welcomed everywhere. Do you really need to take your dog to shop in John Lewis?

People who use the excuse that they are an emotional support animal to bring them places where they are not usually allowed are ridiculous (yes SIL I am talking about you if you are reading this)

OP, I am with you 100%. My mum nearly died in an accident, so we threw her a surprise party to celebrate a milestone birthday about three months after. Her sister didn't come because "the dog couldn't be left alone for more than an hour". That was the final straw for me!

I like them, I'll pet them and I'll even dogsit when people are on holiday but the absolute levels of insanity around dogs are... well... insane.

@jennyminch99

Having a dog is better than having a partner?!!

I don’t think.

@BakedBeansAndChips

your mums sister should be ashamed of herself !

surely even the more hardcore lovers on here don’t think that is ok?!

@LuckySantangelo35 it all depends what your partner's like really, doesn't it.

A question on puppies taking over your life, with their sleep schedules etc, has this always been a thing? Did people always give puppies this much attention?

I'm sorry that your relative's priorities are so warped (assuming that she normally has a good relationship with your mum and your mum would have wanted her at the party) but I do sometimes wonder whether certain people get dogs precisely because they then have a ready-made excuse to opt out of family or social occasions. 'I can't leave the dog alone' is exasperating but might be more acceptable than 'I really don't want to go'.

I truly don't understand when people complain about dog friendly hotels. There are bazillions of hotels that don't allow dogs. As a dog owner who travels w and competes with ours, it is a giant pia to find anyplace at all, let alone one that is not a dump. If you don't like dogs in hotels, please just move on and go to the many, many other options that are pet free.

One - your username says it all.

Two - I said the whole "cult are the same" if that's not you, scroll on

Three - there are many many normal people with dogs that do not treat them
Like human babies - this thread isn't referring to those normal dog owners though.

Four: you feel really really seen don't you. lol

You're not alone. Another dog lover here and if I could take her everywhere with me then I would. I find noisy kids in cafes annoying but love to see a well-behaved dog in the same venue.

These threads are so boring (yes I’ve still come here to say my piece) and just cater to the majority of Mumsnet people who dislike dogs. Think you will find that outside of Mumsnet there are more people that like dogs and happy for them to be everywhere then not. Hence the increase in dog friendly venues. I love it and hopefully it’s here to stay!

This username is a pun. It’s not my most used username though. I have another one I’ve been using since about 2010 which has nothing to do with dogs.

Thank you for explaining- I now understand that you are only talking about what you see as a ‘cult’ as opposed to just dog owners in general. I apologise for misunderstanding you.

I don’t understand what ‘you feel really really seen don’t you. lol’ means so I can’t respond to that.

This let the dog lovers be

100% agree! Dogs are lovely. I don’t love them, don’t hate them. Definitely don’t want one, don’t want to know about anyone else’s. I don’t bore childfree people with tales about my kids because I know how boring it is. So why don’t dog people do the same?

My pet hate is dogs in restaurants and cafes. Just no! I don’t want to hear a dog bark and interrupt a rare childfree catch up with friends. I don’t want to think of the germs accumulating from their muddy paws. Why can’t dogs just be pets that don’t go everywhere like humans do? 😂

i could not be arsed with faking interest about a partners dog either. When I met my now husband we both agreed, no pets, no kids and no wedding. We ended up with 2 out of 3 but will still never ever get a dog 😂

PatFussy · Yesterday 12:14
**
I work in a high end shop. We don't allow dogs. When people ask if they can bring them in and we say no they are most put out. One person even said "oh but you allow children?" With the Mumsnet tinkly laugh and head tilt”

TBF, lots of kids are more annoying than a trophy dog in a handbag 😁

@weloveflowerss

I agree with every word you put.

god yes. My best friend got a dog a couple of years ago and it nearly ended our friendship as she just became a real dog bore.

I love animals, I like dogs, I love my friend. But seriously, wanging on for hours on end about a pet is fucking dull.

I remember a child free friend saying to me when the DC were little how much she liked spending time with me as I “didn’t bang on about how many fucking Weetabix” my kids ate that morning. Know your audience.

Dog owners - bang on to other dog owners. The rest of us couldn’t give a shit.

Me too!

Completely get what you’re saying. My best friend and her husband left my birthday early once because they ‘had to get home to the dog.’ We had been out an hour and a half. I wanted a party cause it’s a big birthday for me this year but I’m not bothering cause if they only stay an hour because they have to go back to the dog I’ll be fuming (considering that I know I would do anything for her, whether I had my son or not.) Dogs are lovely, but they are perfectly capable of being on their own for a few hours! As puppies, yes I get it, you need to be there for toilet training etc, but they are perfectly alright after awhile

(No one come at me please)

Awww I would love it if my bf did this. I am narky about other things though so I kind of get where you're coming from. I get shitloads of my time wasted at work and I'm not happy about it.

Photos of someone’s dog would totally cheer me up.

This is brilliant, and it’s exactly how SO many people feel about the same problem - but replace puppy, with child.

People who bore on about either thing (or anything else to be fair) ad infinitum are tedious… but, live and let live! Dogs give people a HUGE amount - if you were a dog person you’d understand that.

Just don’t hang out with them so much if you don’t like it - or be happy for your friend that they’re excited and enjoying their dog so much.

We’re all different - but personally I’d FAR rather be around someone else’s dog than someone else’s child 😝

Yup they’re everywhere now. Parents are even bringing them on the school run and standing outside the school gates with them despite some children being scared of dogs.

I’m sick of seeing them in cafe’s, restaurants, on trains, buses, hotels, in the park where my kids are playing, on the beach, can’t get around town without every other person having a dog with them and I even read a thread on here earlier today about someone who works at a place where a colleague brings their dog to work!!!

The world has gone mad!

Sorry but cats absolutely bother people. At least I don't let my dog go and shit in your garden then refuse to clean it up.