AIBU to think dog owners have low hygiene standards.

[ThisQuirkyPeachHare]

I'm not a pet owner, although have had pets in my childhood.

Many of my friends and family members have dogs... And I'm just always so surprised to see how their hygiene standards change when they get a pet....
No dogs on the sofa/bed... But how is it suddenly acceptable?
Dogs around the table and sniffing around food that's low eg coffee table.
And then the owners stroking the pets and letting it sniff/lick hands and then eating without washing first??
My sister in law is awful for it... Her and her children are all petting the dog while eating and then taking more food from the plates which are for everyone. In-between this, the dogs led licking it's nethers before coming back for another sniff around the food 🤢
I can't be the only person to think this is disgusting? 😂🤦🏾‍♀️

When you've been around MN long enough, and seen enough of these threads, the 'all of x group do x/have x/think x' generalising goading hatey threads...

Starts to feel a bit school-yard-ish really.

Small child: 'You've got a dog, your house smells like pooh, ner ner ner'

Dog owners: 'So what, we love our dog, considerably more than we care about your opinion. Ner ner ner'.

Eh? Troll? You sound rattled...
Did you read my starting post? I'm not talking about dogs and whether they're clean, dirty, disgusting... Other people have said that 🤷‍♀️

I let my grubby dog slobber all over me and get up all on my furniture. I feel healthy and clean enough, life is too short to freak out at the thought of muddy paws or dog germs

Prepare to clutch your pearls…I have 3 foul beasts!

‘Psychopaths’ is somewhat extreme!

Though having said that, I can never warm to anyone who tells me they actively dislike dogs. To me it seems that something’s missing - they will never be more than acquaintances. Which I dare say suits them fine, too.

It was hyperbolic, obviously I don’t mean they are actual psychopaths (my comment was meant in jest but people have lost their funny bone on here a little!) - but there is a common saying to never trust people who don’t like dogs…so like you, I avoid them. My dog is likely better company anyway 😌

Oh @Blondiney, they are all beautiful 😍

They’re worth every stray hair and muddy paw print 😁

I hear you @Blondiney.

Here’s my revolting, stinking, unhygienic mutt, who has my whole heart.

I have never been ill as a result of contact with my dog. On the other hand, I can’t seem to spend 5 minutes with my young nieces and nephews without catching some kind of lurgy.

Ahhh, gorgeous 🥰 Not a forrin’ is it? 😉

Ah whatever... I was genuinely just "thinking out loud"... If you think I'm a troll, fine, whatever you say 👍.

I never expected so many replies actually... And I'm not responsible for them or people's wildly varying opinions on the matter...
Interestingly, the votes are 50/50! Maybe 50% trolling dog avoiders and 50% dog snoggers 😂

Yeah, that's right, ALL dog owners have low hygiene standards. And ALL people who don't own pets are prissy, cold individuals who lack compassion and soul. Do you see how bigotry works? Sigh.

The "sitting with no pants on" part of your post made me cry with laughter, but I have to tell you, in 16.5 years my Westie only rolled in fox poo once (when he was a young puppy) - I don't think he liked it either!😂

The hygiene differences between dog owners and non-owners are as varied as there are people and people who care about hygiene don't suddenly stop caring because they get a dog. We have a cupboard of towels next to the back door and when our Westie comes in from outside, stepping on to the Turtle mat, we're ready and waiting to wipe his paws and underbelly (his tummy's low enough to the ground and his fur thick enough to get wet on grotty days) before he's allowed into the rest of the house. I have a furry, washable throw on the main sofa, so he can sit with us if he wants to, but which I ensure is freshly washed before visitors arrive (he can't get up on the sofa without us picking him up, so he can't "contaminate" it). I vacuum our living room carpet at least three times a day and wash all the hard floors daily. I am OBSESSED with ensuring my home never smells of "dog" and friends assure me it doesn't (I even take him in the shower with me once a month to shampoo him and keep him fresh). From personal experience, I would say I'm at least as hygienic about my home as my non-pet owning friends - and more so in some cases! If we have friends round for food and he begs at the table he gets a firm NO and usually settles at our feet - on the rare occasions he doesn't, he gets put in another room. And if I give him a treat and his mouth makes contact with my fingers I wash my hands.
Maybe you just need to choose more hygienic friends?

EXACTLY THIS! There are plenty of people who are unhygienic without the help of a dog.

Maybe I just have PTSD from the very lovely but very disgusting dog we had when i was a child!! He was adorable but he was the naughtiest dirtiest dog ever ! Rolled in fox poo, rolled in other dogs poo, we are pretty sure he rolled in human poo once. He would eat the most disgusting things too - if he could get to something he would eat it and we are talking my little brothers dirty nappy contents , vomit, the cats poo from the litter tray he was just terrible !!!
Always into some kind of trouble too and liked to dig the garden up much to my parents dismay 😂

Nope, nor mine. My Westie neither slobbers or moults and is too short-legged to sniff at food on tables. I'm obsessed with not wanting my house to smell of dog so I vacuum/wash the floors daily and keep a washable throw on the main sofa to protect it. The fact that some people who don't own pets can't grasp this daily cleaning routine makes me wonder how clean their homes really are?

@Chocolatecookiesandtea

Maybe I just have PTSD from the very lovely but very disgusting dog we had when i was a child!! He was adorable but he was the naughtiest dirtiest dog ever

PTSD isn't a substitute for 'memories'

You have memories of your dog, not trauma.

My SIL and BIL used to allow their dogs to do this to their two toddlers too, which I found gross, although it made them giggle and they've grown into strapping big lads. I'd never owned a dog then, but even though I do now I still wouldn't want it licking my face, let alone a child's. Fortunately, my Westie doesn't do this.

WTAF?!!! Where do you live that so many of your customers are like this? 😱

Not all dogs moult - my Westie doesn't. Now how could you not love this gorgeous little chap .....?

EXACTLY this! I'm cleaning every single day as I'm conscious of not wanting the house to smell "doggy".

Do you know that spaniel's on your chopping board? (You hum it lad and I'll play it.) 😉😂