Don't want my brother's dog at Christmas

[Keepoffmyartichokes]

Every year we host Christmas for both families, it's always a lovely day but a bit chaotic. This year my brother who has to travel about 40 minutes but due to sharing custody of his children only stays about 3 hours wants to bring his cockapoo. We don't want the dog in our house, we don't have pets, we have nice flooring we don't want scratching, nice furniture that we don't want to dog jumping on. It's a spoiled dog and not very well trained. My DS who is 13 said he doesn't want it there as it's jumpy and he's not keen. My MIL has had a knee replacement this year and is a bit unsteady still and I think it will cause stress for her as a trip hazard. But how do I tell my brother kindly without coming across as a dog hater.

I think you need to read my post again carefully. You spectacularly missed the point. There are people that own dogs and are cruel to them, and there are people that live their lives alongside dogs and love them. There is clearly a difference. Of course not owning a dog/living alongside a dog is not indicative of cruelty - what a bizarre comment!
As to taking a puppy away from its mother - no mother of any species (including human) expects their offspring to be with them for life.
As you despise dogs so much you clearly have no understanding of what it is like to have a relationship with a dog - so your pontifications are really irrelevant.

As to taking a puppy away from its mother - no mother of any species (including human) expects their offspring to be with them for life.

You clearly haven’t read some of the MIL threads on here…

Dear OP,

He can walk his dog thoroughly before driving over. He can be with you for a few hours, then go home to walk the dog again.

If he's really stuck, there are dog-sitting services he can contact for the time he's away from the dog. Rover has dog lovers in most areas. Just Google them.

I love dogs, but feel that it's awkward if your brother brings the dog. I'm sure the dog is lovely, but wouldn't it be happier left at home for a long snooze?!

Are you proud of yourself? Being so horrible about someone’s child who has done nothing to you? You sound really nasty.

The season of goodwill is lost on you.

Why?

I hate kids, but they're everywhere.

Then what on earth are you doing on a parenting forum?

PS. Kids are mini people - they have the right to access people spaces

Why? Because I won't let a dog be put before everyone else?

@Musley then I suggest you go on dogsnet

'The season of being miserable because your family are emotionally blackmailing you into bending to the wants of others in your own home' doesn't have such a good ring to it, in fairness.

Tell them all to get to feck and enjoy your pet hair free home and happy kids on Xmas day, babes.

The entitled always show themselves.

Not your problem.

Never trust people who don't like dogs. It's more than likely that they lack empathy and compassion towards people as well. I spoke to a few of my dog walking friends who quite happily state that they prefer dogs to people.

Dogs aren't some wild creature that has been dragged in to our living rooms. There is archaeological evidence proving that dogs have had a symbiotic relationship with humans for thousands of years. In fact, some academics believe that modern humans could not have evolved if it wasn't for the help of dogs.

I pity you if you have never experienced the loving relationship between a dog and its family. You may not consider "a bloody dog" as part of someone's family but I can assure you that most dog owners do.

I respect your wishes not to have a dog in your house. That's up to you. But if you were my family you just wouldn't be seeing me for anything longer than an hour or so....

@Toker and I think it is pathetic to prefer the company of dogs to people and don’t trust people who do.

Thankfully whilst some dog people seem intent on treating dogs better than the people in their lives, others realise that an animal is not more important than their human relationships.

There are far too many dogs. As I type this my selfish arsehole of a neighbour is letting her dog bark away with all her windows open.

The most empathetic and compassionate person I know doesn’t like dogs. Wouldn’t want them to come to any harm, but doesn’t want to interact with them at all.

I pity people who have never met someone like her. Perhaps they wouldn’t need to rely on dogs if they had.

Probably does it on purpose given your attitude!

Let’s ignore the fact that this woman lives several doors down and she and I have never interacted and imagine for a second that despite the fact that she couldn’t possibly know what “my attitude” is and she is in fact doing it to spite me. What about all
the other neighbours? It once again demonstrates the entitlement of dog owners that their dog needs to be inflicted upon anyone else that is the crux of the issue here and the OPs original concern (although her brother as it turns out sounds completely reasonable).

I am allergic to dogs. My considerate friends make space for me in their home separate from the dog. Because human relationships are more important than dogs.

Firstly I do like dogs, I've just spent the afternoon with my brother and his dog. I grew up with dogs as pets and so did my husband. Since when does but wanting a dog in my house, with a child who doesn't like dogs, and a 75 year old MIL who is unsteady on her feet make me lacking in empathy and instantly a dog hater.
If you were part of my family I wouldn't want to see you anyway because you sound insufferable and judgemental

Merry Christmas! 😂

This doesn’t sound unhinged at all.

It's November!

@Toker

people who prefer dogs to people only do so because dogs can’t talk and answer back and challenge you in any way.

and why wouldn’t you see family who don’t allow your dog in their home for only an hour? Do you never leave your dog for more than an hour? Don’t you have a job?

Lovely people on Mumsnet aren't you? I sometimes wonder how you cope in real life, away from the keyboard. How do you deal with people with different beliefs, different wants, different opinions, different experiences? So far I it has been suggested that I am unhinged, insufferable, judgemental and weird. I and others have been accused of equating dogs to children, wrong in claiming that we consider them part of our family. The best of all! Liking dogs means that you are more likely to be a psychopath!

So I'll leave it to one greater than myself who also preferred the company of animals to people.

Near this Spot
are deposited the Remains of one
who possessed Beauty without Vanity,
Strength without Insolence,
Courage without Ferosity,
and all the virtues of Man without his Vices.
This praise, which would be unmeaning Flattery
if inscribed over human Ashes,
is but a just tribute to the Memory of
BOATSWAIN, a DOG,
who was born in Newfoundland May 1803
and died at Newstead Nov. 18th, 1808.
When some proud Son of Man returns to Earth,
Unknown to Glory but upheld by Birth,
The sculptor's art exhausts the pomp of woe,
And storied urns record who rests below:
When all is done, upon the Tomb is seen
Not what he was, but what he should have been.
But the poor Dog, in life the firmest friend,
The first to welcome, foremost to defend,
Whose honest heart is still his Master's own,
Who labours, fights, lives, breathes for him alone,
Unhonour'd falls, unnotic'd all his worth,
Deny'd in heaven the Soul he held on earth:
While man, vain insect! hopes to be forgiven,
And claims himself a sole exclusive heaven.
Oh man! thou feeble tenant of an hour,
Debas'd by slavery, or corrupt by power,
Who knows thee well, must quit thee with disgust,
Degraded mass of animated dust!
Thy love is lust, thy friendship all a cheat,
Thy tongue hypocrisy, thy heart deceit!
By nature vile, ennobled but by name,
Each kindred brute might bid thee blush for shame.
Ye! who behold perchance this simple urn,
Pass on, it honors none you wish to mourn.
To mark a friend's remains these stones arise;
I never knew but one—and here he lies.

Lord Byron

I know @Toker

But the first three lines of your last post aren’t exactly kind and heartwarming to people who don’t like dogs are they??

you advise never to trust people who dislike dogs. You then say that those people who dislike dogs likely lack compassion and empathy to people too!!!!

so please look at your own posts too.

Not an uncommon opinion among millions of dog lovers.....obviously despised by dog haters.
It was a genuine question in response to the childish name calling that seems to be directed at anyone with a different opinion to some people.
I and others were attacked and ridiculed long before that...