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?!?!?

This.

I wfh and my team are all cat people, and i'm a dog person. Every day, constantly, there are cat pics being posted in our team group chat, and all the back and forth about the cats and how they rule the house and how they are such arseholes. I want to tell them to start their own group chat. Then they can ramble on and on about their cats as it's annoying and I always think the messages are work related so I'm constantly having to stop working and check and it's them going on about their darn cats. I on the other hand rarely bring up my dogs, they have never seen pics as it's really boring to talk about and share pics of pets (and children) all the time.

I don't see anything wrong with people treating their dogs like royalty or spoiling them. You never know if their pet is the one thing keeping them going every day. It's not hurting anyone. However I don't agree that dogs or any pets should be allowed in all public spaces. Especially anywhere food is being served.

@delamore @StarDolphins That’s the thing though, more and more places are allowing dogs in, and sometimes you don’t even realise it’s a dog friendly place until someone comes in with one of the gross wee buggers.

Your mum sounds fab.

I dislike pets of all kinds. Seems like a weird hobby to keep an animal for fun. Never had one and I never will. I already told my kids if they ever get pets when they grow up to never expect me to look after them !

My mum forgot my birthday, but sent presents for my pets on theirs.😆

Cult member here 🙋but a recent recruit.
DM passed away and I took on her ddog, I was a cat person.
I'm always sending photos of ddog and strongly believe that anyone who would not enjoy them is a complete psychopath 😁
Ddog wrapped in a blanket=baby Jesus photo.
Laying on her back =belly rub photo.
New dog coat =doggy fashion show photo.
I also have a superking bed that I sleep on the very edge of as ddog needs to stretch out 🙄
She's not just a ddog, she's family, although it does help that I send photos to family who love ddog because she was dm's.

YABU.

If you're not interested in seeing dog instagram accounts, don't follow them.

If you don't want a partner who cares about his dog, don't date someone with a dog.

Find a different exercise class if you feel you're not getting value for money at your one.

Everything else sounds like sour grapes about you/your preferred conversation/your topics of interest not being centred at all times.

Excellent lol

Sorry but this seemed entirely appropriate for this thread...

(Not my dog BTW).

I must be the only one on MN who likes it. 😁

Stay at home then.

HUMANS TRUMP DOGS ALWAYS!

Soz

@delamore

or you and your dog could stay home? Where your dog is probably happier

Ultimately, other people can do what they like with their time, their instagram accounts and their dogs.

Nobody gives a fuck if you don’t like them posting as their dog on social media - and I’m not saying that as someone who does it, or enjoys that sort of content. I’m saying it as someone who understands it’s not my problem, and my response is ignore / unfollow / hide / engage if I like them enough to ignore it.

If a bloke on OLD has “must love dogs” on his profile or sends you cute dog photos, that should tell you that this bloke isn’t the one for you. You’re clearly not compatible. Why would you waste your time with someone who doesn’t interact with you in a way you find positive / constructive? People don’t change and you don’t have a right to expect them to over something so harmless.

FWIW, I love dogs, I have dogs, but I don’t always like other people’s dogs. But it’s only my behaviour and my interactions I can control, so that’s what I do.

All the things you are have listed are 'you' problems, not dog owner (or "dog cult") problems.

Change what you view in Insta, the classes you go to, and let this lovely man you are supposedly dating find someone who can appreciate his dog as much as he does.

lots of independent places don’t allow dogs. Also, Costa, Wetherspoons, Starbucks etc. lots to choose from really.

If a cafe is explicitly dog friendly people are perfectly entitled to bring their dogs. Go elsewhere or stay at home. HTH.

It’s not something that bothers me. People who call their pets fur babies aren’t doing me any harm.🤷‍♀️

Completely with you. It's ridiculous.

Dogs are vile and I couldn't give a flying fuck about someone's puppy.

Completely agree -it’s ugly ridiculous. But definitely a useful filter - reassuring that there are actually reasonable people on here who don’t allow their dogs upstairs or on furniture-I no longer see a former friend who has her dog sleeping in her bed - utterly scuzzy - too gross to contemplate.

I am sure your ex friend is better off on this occasion. Her letting her dog sleep in her bed has no effect you at all.

Hilarious how many people are annoyed by the presence of dogs at dog friendly eateries. It’s really not hard to find out if a restaurant/cafe is dog friendly or not. Nobody would rock up with a dog if it wasn’t clearly stated somewhere. Just check their website, social media, google, or you could even ring up in advance and ask, seeing as it bothers you so much.

People don’t do their research then moan about the presence of dogs when it’s really their own fault.

I prefer most dogs to most people, but the bar is not very high!

I grew up around dogs (extended family's) and cats (my immediate family), and like playing with both (although it turns out I'm quite allergic to cats). I enjoy watching videos/ seeing pictures of them doing funny things.

I wouldn't dream of paying to keep them, planning my social life/ holidays around them or picking up their shit though! Each to their own.

Here's a thing. You know in those old Tom and Jerry cartoons, remember the dog, who lived OUTSIDE in a kennel? That used to be quite normal (perhaps in warmer climates). All the fur-baby-lovers would be fainting in shock.

Dogs are vile? Overreaction much?

I’m not in the dog cult and I also find people anthropomorphising their pets and talking about them extremely tedious but vile?

The word is so overused anyway but how can a whole species of animal be vile?

Honestly the more I hear from the anti dog camp the more I think maybe the doggers have a point.