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? 😂🤦🏾‍♀️

I quite like dogs but I have a friend with a newborn who lets her dog lick and slobber all over said newborn and I cannot bear it. Another friend let’s the dog chew on the toddler’s soft toys or carry them around in his mouth then sticks it back on toddler’s bed. Nope. Nope. Nope.

I thought this too but I have a dog so may be biased. She does shed horribly I could knit another dog from the hoover contents and I’ve gone nose blind but ❤️ 🐕

when my cousin had a dog i didn't stroke it very often and always washed my hands afterwards. Now I have a dog and don't care!

https://tenor.com/MZTx.gif

My children grew up in a house with cats/dogs and outside chickens and horses. I can count on one hand the number of times they have had off due to illness between them, and that's through both primary and secondary school. And it wasn't a case of sending them in sick, they just didn't succumb to the usual lurgies.
It might be genetic though, I am hardly ever poorly, maybe once or twice a year, if that ? I get a cold perhaps once every 18-24 months and I am definitely not the poster girl for healthy living, being obese, with a wine habit, who makes special sounds getting off the sofa

All except one.

My friend has the cleanest dog. She gets her mouth, butt and paws wiped after every walk and regular baths. Not allowed on couches or beds and all the other filthy behaviour either.

Given that so many people pride themselves on poor hygiene, I'm not surprised their dogs are filthy though. I don't visit dog homes, and I'm sure the owners are quite happy not to have me.

non shedding dog
paws cleaned on entering house
doesn’t sleep in a human bed - sits on sofa but especially with cleaned paws it’s no worse tbh than what comes in on people’s jeans etc after public transport or people who wear shoes in the house! (Sofas regularly sprayed / cleaned too)
Doesn’t lick faces
doesn’t get fed from plates / have access to human food
we wash hands after eg feeding it treats from hands and obviously after walks

in general I’m a germaphobe and friends/relatives kids with their snotty faces and unwashed hands after using the toilet etc, touch all the food that everyone is going to eat etc are way worse!

But humans are even worse. The stench from some people is worse than any dog. And dogs don't go out shopping etc. Eg just this week....a lady does a poo, she shakes her leg, and eventually it falls onto my shop floor. A man fingers his gf over the freezers. Another customer has shit running all down his legs. This isnt even rare. It's daily. So a slightly whiffy dog is welcome. Oh, and if you think I'm lying....I'm happy to send evidence. Humans are the worst animals.

I prefer Norovirus. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

I find both dogs and humans gross, to be fair. But the grossness of one does not detract from the grossness of the other.

On the other hand, parents will go around with baby sick on their clothes, or stick their finger in a baby's arse crack to check if the nappy is wet while they are going around the supermarket 🤷

(For the record, my dog has his bum wiped after every poo 😆)

I actually feel nauseous imagining the parent eating bits of food off a child's face
I can barely type this without wanting to heave
YUCK

Also yuck is sharing ice creams with a dog.
Their saliva is so viscous somehow...

My husband has cats and I think they’re revolting. I couldn’t imagine having a dog in the house.

You are joking aren't you?!

My annoyance with dogs is their hair. My son’s dad has two dogs. Son always comes back from his covered in hair as the dogs are allowed on furniture and beds (which is quite gross).

I think I've got pretty good hygiene standards. I have hard floors, not carpet, and I think that helps with regular good mopping. Bathing the dogs regularly. When I got them I wasn't going to let them on the couches but he now sleeps on my bed and why wouldn't I allow his lovely self on the couch to cuddle? He craves affection and deserves it. I do have a lot of lovely throws though, and have the couches covered and change them weekly.

My mother was a neat freak and cleaned everything every day. Probably contributed to me and my children having autoimmune conditions while my parents don't. You can find a balance.

Dog hairs all over their clothes coming out their food 😭

Get a non-shedding breed. Mine don't shed. I know that ship has sailed for your son's dad though.

I know this will outrage people! However we have a dog and probably the terrible hygiene you speak of. She sleeps on my bed. She sometimes licks DS's face. We don't stress loads about handwashing around her unless we've picked up her poo obviously!

I'm very rarely ill and DS who goes to nursery is (thankfully touch wood) also very rarely ill. Some germs are good for kids and kids who grow up with dogs have better immune systems. Not to mention all the other benefits.

So everyone has different standards I know but it works for us in our horrible dog infected home.

And what do you know, all that and you've lived to tell the tale as well. :-)

I really don't care. I have a dog and a cat and they are family members. I wouldn't wash my hands after stroking them anymore than I would touching a baby or young child. They're not dirty or disgusting to me.

Agree OP. Dogs ming.

Not all dog owners by any stretch, no. I think you already know that.

Yep, probably do have lower hygiene standards. Can I offset that with good health standards, both mental and physical? Oh, and not feeling the need to tell other people how wrong their lifestyle choices are. You may think you are superior, you’re not - just cleaner.