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?!?!?

I get people who love their dogs.
I don't get them expecting me to love their dogs. They seem to be everywhere these days too.
YANBU @dogsdilemma

I feel the same about children. They are bloody everywhere.

I have dogs but they don’t have their own social media, they don’t attend everything with me and I don’t tend to discuss their bowel habits or schedules because they are just dogs. Loving and loyal to me but not a trophy to get out and show off.

Alert alert alert

Poster comparing dogs and children.

Alert alert alert

I agree with you OP. It’s totally out of hand now.

Comparisons to children and dog owners calling themselves pet parents both make me feel physically ill. Dogs under control I’m ok with, but often owners are the most inconsiderate people, they put their dogs needs before other people.

Why do you feel the need to bring up children when this thread is about dogs.

I think it was the dog haters who started complaining about dog owners treating their dogs like babies/children so it was them that brought up the comparison in the first place.

Dogs are a huge commitment, very time consuming and expensive but they are not babies/children not even remotely like babies/children.

I don’t think anyone has actually condoned this. I adore my dog, but do not take him everywhere as he is perfectly happy at home on his own from time to time. Quite like a trip to a dog friendly pub after a nice walk on occasion, but wouldn’t expect him to be welcome everywhere I go.

I would definitely complain if my paid for time was being wasted every week - dog or no dog.

😂😂but she will probably get another dog, most likely within a week of breaking facebook with sobby posts about her 'irreplaceable' life companion
Is this type of post really needed? What good does it do to show so little empathy?

Any one is entitled not to like dogs, or not want them close to them or not understand/appreciate those who seem obsessed with their dog but to laugh at someone who might express grief over the loss of their dog, well that's just quite school yard nasty.

Commenting that animals aren't children is actively not comparing them, so nope, your point isn't correct.

That’s easy to fix - don’t leave your back door open then! Who leaves their door open all the time if they have a dog? Constant garden mess/muddy footprints etc. in the house. Cats are free roaming animals whether you like it or not and yes, I do understand the damage to local wildlife. You can only control your own behaviour, not someone else’s.

Yeah, the point was about hotels though. Who knows what people have got up to in a hotel room!?!

I’m with the previous poster, they will have to get used to dogs in the long term. Would you also complain about a guide dog being at the school gate or in a shop? Do you avoid parks completely? As long as it is well controlled and is not jumping up at people of course. Limited exposure can help phobias.

Why not?

I already said: This thread is about dogs.

Alert alert

Poster acts like a bloody child and doesn’t appear to have many language skills!

Alert alert!

@JamJar59 sorry mum

And don’t for one minute think you’re going out dressed like that!

It's not your place to decide who has exposure therapy and how.
Btw to answer your questions as an adult with a dog phobia, yes I avoid parks, and I have zero issue with service dogs, police dogs etc because I know they're well trained and will be on a lead.

Who leaves their back door open? Are you for real? 😂 In the south of England where the sun shines and the summers are long and life is perfect and there is no muddy garden mess, 🙄 we like to leave our back door open. Just me then!😂😂🥰

One thing that’s always missed out the conversation around dogs and that is their carbon footprint. An average dog produces a similar amount of Co2 that a car does. If you were to take away all dogs in the country then there wouldn’t be a need to have electric cars or heat pumps (not that we shouldn’t do those things anyway!). But don’t you think it’s strange we have to pay more to be green, and be shamed for eating meat while dog owners seemingly get to be excluded from the discussion around what’s sacrificed in order to keep Co2 down.

Read my further response to that poster!! My own child has severe learning disabilities and just DOES NOT UNDERSTAND ABOUT DOGS OR WHY THEY ARE AROUND!! It’s extremely difficult trying to explain that to someone with severe learning disabilities! How do you propose I navigate this?????? I’m sick of people telling me my child will have to get used to dogs! NO SHE DAMN WELL DOESN’T HAVE TO JUST GET USED TO THEM!! Just keep your dogs away from my child, she doesn’t want them near her end of!!!!! Oh and it’s not a ‘phobia’ she has of them either!!!

I just googled "dog free restaurants" in my local town.
Google didn't recognise the phrase and only gave me results for "dog friendly restaurants ".
Wetherspoons it is then!

It’s my post that poster was quoting and I agree with your response. I don’t know who some people think they are! Exposure therapy ffs for a child with severe learning difficulties!

Come on now - it's hardly a war.

I've never expressed a serious interest in his dog because I've never met the dog and tbh I'm not interested. When I said I was really stressed/sad he thought - I know what I'll do! Send her 15 pictures of my pet rather than any sort of comforting words, a joke etc.

It caused some frustration, stacked on top of all the other things I've noticed and that have annoyed me recently - I'm only human.

I'm actually a lovely human and you'd be missing out