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 ?!

@K0OLA1D

Genuinely interested..how can you say your dog is better than some humans ? has your dog had
to work, to go out and earn a wage and all that entails?? Does it bring in some money to the household? Does it clean and cook and do the washing? Does it have to be an employee or a parent or care for its old sick parents or anything like that?
just genuinely curious as to how you could think a dog could be ‘better’ than a human?! they don’t have anywhere near the same demands on them!!

Did you miss my second part there duck or what?

Something needs to be done about all these dogs.

It is just me and my dog. So obviously we are both going to my parents over xmas.
She is my parent's GranDog. She is family. She will be very welcome.

🥱

They shouldn’t have assumed. Our ddog will be coming with us and mum will have gifts for him under the tree as he’s like an extra grandchild. But I know that’s okay with them and only because the first year I asked. I’ve offered to leave ddog with our sitter before and mum and dad are adamant that no, he can come. Mind you, we used to take kittens with us 20 years ago when we stayed and that was a bit bonkers. Thankfully my family is super chilled.

Our fave anti-dog person.
No one is taking dog to her house over xmas, so not sure why she even needs to comment.

Exactly

Why is bringing in money a way to rate people (or dogs)?
Guide dogs don't bring in money... sniffer dogs... various alert dogs.... the dogs who will be searching for your dead ass if you get buried during an earthquake.. no money...
And some people never bring in money either.... usually through a life long disability.

Basically, it is shit to reduce a person (or dog) to their perceived financial value.
I have my dog, and she brings a lot more to my life than any money could.

It is really limiting. Luckily I work 2 days a week so I'm around the rest of the time. He's beautifully behaved so it's quite easy to leave him with others (he's not especially attached to us, just can't be on his own, rescue dog) so our retired neighbour loves to have him. Sometimes she even requests to have him when we don't need her to. The other useful thing is that he's very happy to wait in the car, so through winter in particular life is a bit freer, I can do a food shop or go to a doctor appointment without any dog concerns. Summer is very hard work.

But, he's a gorgeous boy. Beautifully behaved and signed up to have him. So have him we do.

The entitlement of dog owners these days is off the scale. I’ve been scared of dogs since childhood and can’t tell
you the number of times owners have allowed their dog to run up
to me on a walk and jump up at my legs etc. it’s both scary and dirty. I get some scowls from owners when I shout to call it off!

i wouldn’t allow dogs in my house because they are dirty, smelly, slobbery and unpredictable. I don’t want some animal’s dangly bollocks and shitty arse near my soft furnishings, and am amazed anyone would.

Happy Christmas!

Dogs are just another animal with as much right to be on the planet as you.

The fact you are scared of them isn't their problem . You are of course quite entitled to not want anything to do with them or be around them. But it's unfair in shared public spaces to expect dogs to not behave like dogs because you have issues.

It’s not the dogs’ problem no, it’s entitled bad-mannered owners who are to blame.

And the bit about bollocks and shitty bum on my sofa is not about being scared, it’s about having a good standard of hygiene which presumably dog owners don’t seem to have, as that clearly doesn’t bother them

Well we had the uninvited dog again. To be fair she is sweet, but we don’t have a dog, want a dog and I particularly don’t want one scratching my floor/ carpet.

Are you saying it’s unfair for people to expect NOT to be jumped on by dogs public spaces because they are just acting like dogs? Because I actually like dogs and am happy to be around them and make a fuss of friends dogs but I would be very pissed off to be randomly jumped up on and have dirty paws all over me just because I happened to be walking down the road.
Dogs should be under their owners control at all times. Dogs should never be randomly running to to strangers and jumping on them. The owners have no idea whether that person is allergic, scared, on their way to an important thing in clean clothes etc.
A scared person would be unreasonable to be saying they expect all dogs to be banned from public spaces. But just not wanting to be jumped on or have them in their house? Totally reasonable.

Exactly @RampagedNerve @Fountofwisdom

I think most dog owners have been reasonable here on this thread, but if you @AndThereSheGoes are actually suggesting that people should be ok with having dogs jump up on them or even come and sniff them (after their nose has been goodness knows where) you’re completely wrong.

If you live in the UK you’re breaking the law letting your dog jump up /invade the space of someone who doesn’t want them to.

Your dog would be rightly classed as out of control which is what I had to tell my daft neighbour after she let her dog jump up and scratch my thigh. Thankfully I was wearing jeans or it may have broke the skin if I was wearing say shorts for example.

I really think we need to bring dog licensing back. It’s shocking that some dog owners don’t know the basic law around how their dog should behave in shared spaces. Law aside it’s basic decency, common sense and consideration should tell them that not everyone wants their dogs slobbering and jumping on them.

And if their dog ever bites someone they all do the stupid “aww they’ve never done that before” 😵‍💫 well how about you don’t let your dog run after that random jogger to begin with!!

I posted this on another thread earlier but having almost been bitten by a dog that was on the pavement on a long line, when I told the person walking the dog they should be paying attention to what's going on around them when they're walking a clearly reactive dog, she said "why should I have to look around me".

Well because you're the one with the legal duty to control your dog in a public place.

The entitlement from some dog owners is just astonishing.

Well hopefully OP had a good Christmas on their own.

I was in White Company yesterday and a small dog started yapping about something.

Instead of asking the customer to leave. the sales assistant said arr and smiled at it.

So we left instead.

In what world does a dog need to go into a shop like White Company? Pet Heaven, sure. But a shop selling candles?

I think in those cases you need to take a photo and say you will report it to the dog warden.

The problem is: most councils have decided to save money by doing away with dog wardens just as the dog population has massively increased.

Pet dogs are possessions, they are not wild animals doing their own thing. People who make the decision to have pet animals have the responsibility of making sure their animal is under control, behaves and most certainly does not jump up at people and make their clothes dirty. That is page 1 in the book of responsible dog ownership and the fact that you think it's OK to let dogs "behave like dogs", irrespective of how that impacts on other people speaks volumes about your shitty attitudes.

Keep your animals to yourself - it really is that simple.

We have lots of wildlife around here. I have never been jumped up at by an "awwwww, precious furbaby it's only being friendly!" otter, fox, deer, squirrel, bird...

I agree. I think it’s irresponsible to have dogs in places like The White Company. They will have their incense burners on the go, lots of strong fragrances in the air, people spraying and testing scents etc I assume that environment is irritating and overly stimulating for a dog

@caninechristmasconundrum how did it all go in the end? Have you had any pushback from the in laws?

My dad has a dog and he sometimes comes round and brings him with him, I told him he's not bringing him for Christmas, one of my daughters is terrified of dogs and it would ruin her day if he was here and he understood that and left him at home, I don't have pets but if I did I wouldn't assume they were welcome at someone else's house

Blimey, this is still going. Hope OP had a great Christmas without any unwanted pooches or their entitled, sexist, shit stirring owners.