To think dogs are unhygienic

[bottomsup12]

I know it sounds judgey but hear me out..

DH would love a dog and I do love the idea of having one when I see them out and about it seems really nice and fun having a dog as a companion. I absolutely love other people's dogs!

However when I get down to the nitty gritty of thinking about the actual reality of having a dog in the house it gives me the ick because...

• I hate dog poo and I don't want to pick any of it up in the garden (DH says he will but I just know this will be slack and I'll end up stepping in it)
• they're butts are just there out in the open and it will be sitting on the floor maybe even the furniture (have a baby so I don't want him crawling around where the dogs arse has been after a horrible dog poo!
• I think they all smell bad! And I don't want me or the house to stink!
• they lick everything on the floor outside and lick things in the house which makes me wince.
• they obviously walk barefoot outside treading in all sorts of shit and the streets are filthy and they'd be walking all around the house and furniture with these gross dirty feet.
• the hairs would be everywhere

I just can't get past all of that but I feel I am being unfair on DH who really wants one and grew up having them in the house

If it helps , I’ve barely been unwell since getting ddog 4 years ago. Before, was always ill. They definitely boost the immune system with their unhygienic ways.

Not as unhygienic as young children…

Dogs can be all the things you say, but then so can children. What you get back from a dog, the joy and pleasure outweigh all the down sides to me and bringing children up with animals creates such a wonderful bond and a lifetime of memories.

However we've always had dogs and I just can't imagine a home without one. Our children still talk about the lab they had growing up (all adults now) and now have dogs of their own.
It's like most things in life, there are pros and cons but to our family the pros massively outweigh any negatives.

Do you have a lot of experience of OCD?

In fact yes I do
Overvalued ideas about contamination are a common theme.

I've caught numerous colds and coughs off my kids, never anything off my dogs though.

Don't get a dog op, they are loving and loyal and don't judge. Would be wasted on a non dog lover.

I know!

I have seen so many human
arses hanging out of badly fitting jeans and tracky bottoms, in close contact with tube and bus seats, compared to that my doggies cute bums are nothing.

I agree with your list OP and it’s the same reasons I have for not wanting pets. You are being sensible and realistic by looking at it from different angles and not just steaming ahead and getting one, it’s a shame a large majority of dog owners now haven’t done the same before getting one

What a strange thing to say and I'm not sure if you were being serious.

Just in case you were, I should point out that you and your children are of the same species. You and your dog are of different species.

The coughs and colds that affect humans can be passed to and from other humans, but not dogs in most cases (there are some viruses that can cross the species barrier, but they are rare). It's absolutely nothing to do with hygiene.

dog owner here x 4. Dogs have bad tummies,'sickness, steal food (unless well trained which you'll have to spend time doing). In the winter it's hard work with muddy paws, wet dogs, wet dog smell and you'll have to think carefully about the holidays you go on, the time you've left them alone in the house every single day. They are limiting and hard work because they are little individuals not something just to take out on a Sunday.

..however if you want your child to have a forever friend..and are happy that as a family everyone is mucking in go for it. Doesn't sound like you'd enjoy it much though. Maybe wait till your baby is older and can help.

I don't think you should get a dog as I can't image you being a very tolerant, loving owner if you think they are disgusting. Your post doesn't sound like it is written by someone who likes them at all.
I have two and I adore them, they are an amazing addition to my life, I have accepted my house will never be quite as clean as my dog free friend's houses but I'm fine with that.

I've caught numerous colds and coughs off my kids, never anything off my dogs though

Well cough/cold viruses can only pass from human-human normally so not sure what your point is 😂

Dogs sniff and lick everything from dead animals to excrement to other dogs bottoms, then lick humans. I suspect a lot of seemingly random D&V bugs or skin infections are actually caused by dogs (they trasmit pathogens without getting ill themselves so we don't suspect dog and blame school or food instead)

Very much breed dependent, but yes, it’s a lot more cleaning. For that reason, my house is probably a lot cleaner than if I didn’t have dogs.
I’m highly amused by people who demand shoes are removed at the door, yet have dogs running around.
Not eating in houses where there are dogs is batshit. We do know how to sanitise surfaces FFS!

OPmaybe have a read of this

We had a dog when l was little. I still grew up allergic to them. It’s really severe.

No one ever studies me!

I find most dogs pretty cute to look at but they are so unhygienic and gross. I didn’t realise just how disgusting they are until I dog sat recently. The slobber and the smell are revolting, not to mention the dog breath - it makes me weak in the knees. Dogs eat their own faeces and bring mud/dirt into the house. They are also super needy, the one I dog sat is honestly a Velcro pup and wouldn’t allow me to go anywhere without him. All I could hear around the house is his paws on the wooden floor because he kept following me like a shadow. And he woke me in the morning by jumping on me and again the bad breath was vomit inducing.

A. You've revived a 5 month old thread and B. Like humans, all dogs are different