When did it become a thing to bring your dog to other peoples houses ?!

[Flowersandforests]

DH & I bought a house last year & have been really enjoying having friends / family over - but I’m getting soooo fed up of people asking / assuming their dog is invited too!!

I spent all of last Saturday cleaning my house & then friends bought their dog along so I had to reclean the whole house the next day to get rid of all the dog hair etc. I even found dog hair in my bed the next day 😱

We even had a friend who bought some manky sausages & asked us to cook them for the dog!!! I was trying not to gag.

I’ve started trying to say no, but find people take it soo personally if you don’t embrace their dog too. We’ve also had friends say they can’t leave the dog so would have to cancel (an hour before they were due to arrive) so I feel like my hand is being always being forced.

Has this always been a thing ??!! AIBU to think it’s rude and you should leave your pets at home.

I think that particularly during covid a lot of people got poorly bred crossbreeds that are really needy and neurotic. They then can't leave them at home so end up taking them everywhere. That's my experience anyway.

It's reasonable to make your own rules (including dog free) for your own home.

It's unreasonable to expect the venue for meet ups with your friends or family to be one which does not suit their circumstances.

Expecting the owner of a dog who can't be left alone to socialise in a dog free home is akin to expecting parents of toddlers to socialise in a nightclub.

So no dogs rule is fine, and your prerogative, but don't be pissy when future meet ups only happen in their home or another dog friendly venue.

I’d never dream of taking my dogs to someone else’s house.

Not assuming anything. My friends DO love dogs- or I would not visit them with the dog. I never impose her presence at all. But I might not go if I it is too far away to leave her. My choice.

I have to pay a lot of money and need to book well in advance, to have a carer in our own home. Would never leave her in kennels as she has had a difficult past.

I am a dog owner, and would never take my boy to someone's house unless he was specifically invited. Even then I'd think twice at the moment, he's a border collie and is shedding so much I'm surprised he has fur left on him!

I did take my cats with me to my DPs one Christmas (they were invited), DM had very pursed lips when Probably the Cat jumped paws first in a trifle she'd left covered with a tea towel on top of the chest freezer oops'

I did take my cats with me to my DPs one Christmas (they were invited), DM had very pursed lips when Probably the Cat jumped paws first in a trifle she'd left covered with a tea towel on top of the chest freezer oops

Any ‘friends’ that put their animal above the ‘friendship’ are not worth being around anyway.

Closed answer.

" No"

Very hard to wriggle out of and no you don't owe them an explanation as to why not.

Any "friends" who expect people to cause unnecessary distress to their animals, rather than meeting up a suitable venue are not really worth being around anyway!

No reason to allow dogs into your home, but if you have friends/family with dogs that can't be left alone, then don't expect meet ups or social events to happen in your home if its dog free!

I do not understand why some people say that they "have" to take their animals with them. I know that you cannot leave young puppies home alone, while they are in training, but grown dogs? Why not, I do not get it?

I never take my dog anywhere with me. She is often home alone, never made mess, got into any kind of trouble and seems to be living a happy and healthy life. She is 16 this year.

Any "friends" who expect people to cause unnecessary distress to their animals, rather than meeting up a suitable venue are not really worth being around anyway!

I’ve been to to weddings, clubs, garden parties etc where my daughter was not invited. I either paid for a baby sitter, went on my own and DH stayed home or we didn’t go. It never caused her distress or upset. I didn’t assume those friends were slighting me by choosing to go somewhere where children were not invited.

Why would you assume that friends would want to cause distress to an animal? They may have very good reasons to not excpect a dog, nervous pets themselves, some people who are allergic, toddlers crawling around the garden and not wanting to encounter dog poo (even when you pick it up it leaves smears on a lawn etc), you sometimes have to think of the majority and if leaving a dog or two out of the equation is required then it isn’t coming from a position of hatred.

It depends on how long they are left. Dogs are social animals and need company. I don't leave mine very often but can leave her for an hour or so if urgent. This is important as they may need to stay at a vets ECT one day. But I choose not to very often , I chose to have a dog and when I did that I made arrangements to ensure she can come to work with me, or go to daycare.
I wouldn't dream of taking her to someone's house if they didn't include her in the invite but equally then I probably would not go. Instead I would reverse the invite and invite them to ours where my dog would be comfortable in her own home.
If our guests have dogs I automatically assume they will come with them.

I always check but if I'm going to be away from home for more than 4/5 hours I need to plan for the dog and him coming makes most sense. Most people I know have dogs