Everyone just assumed they can bring their dogs with them for Christmas day ??

[caninechristmasconundrum]

In the last year 3 members of our family have got dogs (2 puppies 1 older rescue) . We always host for Christmas and I (maybe stupidly) assumed that dogs go to kennels or stay at home for the day ? I’ve never had pets before so will admit I don’t know much ! I don’t see why a few hours at home / in a crate is bad for dogs though? We don’t live that far away.

Seems they all expected to bring their dogs with them ???

After BIL and SIL made this clear and told us that ILs will be the same about their rescue dog I’ve sent a message to everyone saying ‘Really sorry but I think there may have been some confusion on my part and I assumed the dogs would all be left at home on Christmas day. We are not able to have them here due to personal preference, lack of space and the dc are still so little. You’re all still very welcome but I understand if it’s going to be a problem leaving the dogs at home so let me know what you’d like to do xx’

DH got messages back asking is it because of my ‘germ ocd’ (in part it is that’s why I put personal preference) and telling him he has a say in it too as it’s not just my house. He replied that he assumed the same and although we have the biggest house it’s not exactly huge and having 3 dogs there too will just be too much so he’s in total agreement with me (they aren’t small breeds and the puppies are at that into everything zooming about stage)

Is this the norm now that dogs go everywhere and are never left home for a few hours ? AIBU to want a dog free Christmas ?!

😂

Not unresonable, we asked if we could bring ours, but he will stay on a lead by my side, and I'll take him for a run that morning so he is knackered. If they'd said no we'd have gone, but 5 hours is his limit so we'd have been there about 3 1/2 hours, a bit less than we'd chose but so be it. He is also non shedding and when there are no other dogs will be within about 1m of me at all times, with or without a lead.

My friends dog is the bane of my life. She insists on bringing it with her to pubs & cafes when we meet up and to my house. We don't have dogs. We don't want them. Yet she still brings it to mine. Then there are the Constant requests for me to look after the dog. Or she says in conversation with me "who can I ask to look after the dog whole I go to X". I say nothing but feel like it's a hint aimed at me in the Hope I will offer. Never.

Dogs are the new cigarettes! When I was younger, smoking was acceptable. You could smoke anywhere. People lit up wherever they were, very rarely said “mind if I smoke?”. I remember my boyfriend smoked, and on his first day at a new job, he simply lit up a cigarette at his desk. No one batted an eyelid. Dogs, however, were not taken to restaurants, no one would bring their dog when they came to visit, you’d never see a dog in a cafe, and generally dogs were chained up outside shops.

Now (rightly) smoking is considered extremely antisocial. Whilst dogs are allowed everywhere, and dog owners just assume their dog is welcome wherever they go. It’s all very strange!

I understand them wanting their dogs to experience Xmas but not at someone else’s house unless they specifically asked. We took puppies to relatives occasionally but always asked first, otherwise they would to a home carer and never at Xmas.

The rescues are full of dogs given up by owners that thought they could leave their dog alone for 8 hours …… no sensible dog owner would ever do that. On rare occasions we would leave them for max 4 hours once or twice a year if that. Mostly it’s an hour or so. A rescue or puppy can have severe separation anxiety where they can’t be left alone and that can take months before it improves.

It's pretty obvious that small children are not dogs and cannot be left at home safely at all. There may, however, be some events which aren't suitable for children and then the onus is on the parent(s) to arrange childcare or to not attend. The same principle applies to dogs.
It's very selfish to inflict your dogs on others when they are hosting you for Christmas.

While your dog might understand certain cues—like the rustling of wrapping paper or the smell of turkey—it’s less about vocabulary mastery and more about association and repetition.

Dogs are brilliant at picking up on patterns (we call it Pavlovian, not miraculous).

As for understanding family names and Christmas traditions, that’s a stretch.

A toddler might not know who Dickens is, but they’re miles ahead in terms of language comprehension and symbolic thought. Dogs can learn up to 165 words, but toddlers, even early on, grasp thousands and start forming connections that go far beyond 'presents equal treats.'

A doggy intelligence boast. I’ve seen it all on Mumsnet now.

You shouldn't have to explain to no one why you don't want dogs in your home on Christmas. If that's what you choose or prefer, they need to respect it. Unless they absolutely have no one to watch and care for their dog while their away, I would only give the exception only if it was absolutely necessary. So unless that's the situation, make everyone agree to leaving their dog at home. And for the ones who can't, maybe you can make special arrangements for someone to look after them while at your home. You want to make your holiday as less complicated as possible, and I don't blame you.
Happy holidays!!

If you build it, they will come…

This could generate a whole new type of thread.

I'm thinking of sending Fido to a private school, as he's gifted and talented, he can bark Away in a Manger you know.

I got licked by a dog in a small gift shop yesterday and also had to ask someone if I could get by in a book shop as they were chatting away with their dog wandering around on too long lead.

It's tedious for me, but for others I imagine it has a much bigger impact (allergies or phobia).

So you’re only ‘nice’ if you’re happy to have 3 dogs in your house when you don’t know the dynamics of how they will get on with each other, whether they are toilet trained, whether they will try to get food and drinks, be a nuisance when the kids are trying to play with their toys, scare or bite the children etc. etc.

Well done for saying no, some dog owners are so entitled.

I can’t believe that this argument has taken up 21 pages so far! For Pete’s sake, what is the matter with people? I also can’t believe that people would actually have the nerve to ask if their dog can accompany them to a Christmas Day celebration!
The squabble between two particular posters was eye-opening! How childish can you get?
But that’s just me and I am sure I will get roundly chastised for these comments! Before you ask, I have had dogs nearly all my life (and coped without all this fuss and heart wrenching) so I am not pontificating on something about which I know little.

MIL (the walking talking rspca advert) has declared ‘you need to remember it’s their Christmas too ! Last year poor ddog was in a rescue centre he needs to experience a family Christmas’

No dog needs to experience a family Christmas, especially if it's a recently rehomed dog and the Christmas involves young children.

We have four dogs, all of whom have been rehomed in the past. Three can be left alone. The fourth becomes really stressed when left. That is a pain but it was our decision to have dogs so our problem.

I have never assumed that we can just take a dog to someone else's house. We either find someone to dog-sit, one of us stays home or we offer to host. That is sometimes mightily inconvenient, including Christmas Eve this year when we've been invited out but the nature of the occasion wouldn't work well with dogs in tow so one of us is going to miss out as a result.

The solution is not to pressure people into having a dog in their house that they don't want there.

😂😂😂😂😂😂 this thread is my Christmas present.

I think people can't read on here. It refers to the OCD not dogs in houses.

I had a pony back along, he could play a tune when he farted.
Pets Got Talent 😀

@caninechristmasconundrum

First I'll state unequivocally that YANBU.

But no, leaving 2 pups alone with a rescue dog is probably not a good idea. We have a rescue and as nice as he is, I wouldn't have done that if he'd only been with us 9 months. The rescue may be lovely, but he/she has been through some trauma and being around 2 excitable zoomy pups without their 'people' being there too may be a bit much. It's best they have supervision. So if each 'dog family' can't find other accommodations for their dogs, they need to decline your invitation.

We have crated our dog at our son's home if we all decide to go somewhere together, but he's crated in a big crate in a separate room from our son's dog.

Mumsnet is stupid about dogs (I guess it’s the snobbiness).

They should check with you if they can bring the dog. Although to be fair it’s the 15th Dec and clearly they have brought this up with you in advance, hence your post.

You are wrong in that you cannot just leave a dog in a crate or by itself all day.

It’s your right to say no, it’s their right to say “well I can only pop in for 2-3hrs max then” or “we can’t come anymore”.

So many of these stupid mumsnet threads just come down to “I don’t like dogs, I think they smell, I think they’re dirty, therefore they should never be in the house/be in cafes/in pubs etc. The world has gone mad!!!!” No, love. You just personally don’t like dogs…

Plenty of normal people like having dogs, and it’s not an issue bringing them to each other’s houses, bringing them out for the day, etc.

I would never be so uptight to not let friends or family come round with their dog. You can just put a blanket on the sofa and hoover afterwards. But if you’re going to ban the dogs, then expect that they won’t be able to come for the whole day. For example if you’re planning a lunch and dinner, then rethink that. You should probably have thought of it when they first got the dogs.

My sister used to bring the dog’s indoor kennel with them, and make sure there were frequent walks during the day. As a result, the dog happily snoozed away the time between the walks, perfectly happy in her usual safe space.

🤣🤣🤣

If germ phobe means not wanting dog hair and dog skids on my floor and upholstery, plus the smell - then glad to be a germ phobe thanks,

Plus the barking and constant aw look or my dog did this and that. It’s an animal not a human toddler, what it does is not interesting.

Because dogs are objectively awesome. Fact. 😉

• I had a pony back along, he could play a tune when he farted. Pets Got Talent 😀*

Gifted and talented on a wind instrument. 😁

The OP shouldn't have to plan for other people's dogs, FFS.

And FYI, I've never been in a home that had a dog in it where I couldn't smell the dog as soon as I walked through the door. There's a sort of miasma . . .