MN seems to be very anti-dog....

[roslyndee]

....just been told I should lock my dog away or tie her up if someone comes to my house who doesn't like/is scared of dogs!

Do any of you do this?

no, I'm not going to crate my anxious, sick dog. People know I have pets. I'm happy to meet them outside my home if they don't want to be around them.

Having said that my cats aren't faintly interested in guests anyway but I wouldn't put them in another room.

My sick dog is the priority over any visitors I'm afraid. My rottie, who is perfectly healthy, is not.

DrewOB if you are frightened by being in the same area as or seeing dogs I think your phobia is pretty severe. My son is wary of dogs, there are dogs everywhere in our town and many local stays. Luckily naturally dogs don't approach or bother people and most ignore our dog too so my son doesn't get agitated or upset by just being near dogs. In London it was the fault of irresponsible owners who let their dogs approach us or had them off lead and barging past pedestrians, so he was upset daily. In a lot of cases, I would say bad owners contribute to peoples phobias. Getting his own dog has been the best therapy for my son but hypnotherapy is very good for phobias, if you want to give something a try

It's been v. interesting reading everyone's differing points of view, but I still think the onus is on the host (and basic good manners) to make someone's visit to your home as comfortable as possible and that includes putting the dog out of the way if that is what they would prefer.

Also, strongly disagree with small dc and babies sleeping with dogs. Some of the worse dog bites happen when a small child turns over or cries and startles a sleeping dog.

And just because I like dogs, I respect everyone else's right not to!

As it happens, I was attacked by a dog just after Easter (probably v. unwisely, got between my dog and a huge attacking dog who was wandering without leash or owner around the locality). (Blame the owner not the large dog!)

Thankfully got away with scratches down my legs and across my stomach (bigger dog was not aggressive to humans just smaller dogs than him) but it was still a pretty terrifying experience. So I don't think any dog phobias are totally irrational. As some previous posters have said, you can never 100% guarantee how a particular dog is feeling on a particular day (could, unbeknown to its owner, be feeling unwell or in pain) or how it will react with a particular individual (esp a child).

Let us all agree to disagree :)

But to be clear, I do not object to

a) people not liking dogs
b) people who are frightened of or don't like dogs objecting to a dog jumping up at them

I do, however, object to

a) being told to crate/lock up/tie up my dog when the guest in question merely doesn't like dogs and the dog would just sit still in the corner
b) being told my own DC shouldn't be around my dogs as honestly I think the benefits of being round animals far outweigh the risks.
c) people thinking the best way of dealing with their DC's wariness of dogs (not talking phobias here, just general unease) is to sweep them out of the paths of all animals as that will just exacerbate the issue and is no way to live.

Personally only disagree with second (a) in your lists! And even agree that most people who disliked dogs would probably tolerate it sitting quietly in a corner.

[Your furries sound great btw!]

I had a real phobia of dogs as a child, I was terrified of even the gentlest dog and worried about walking down the road in case I saw a dog. I have now cured myself of this so much that I have gone the other way and become a really doggie person with my own lovely Labrador who I love. I would still be considerate of others feelings but I urge anyone with a phobia to get treated as they are suffering needlessly when most dogs are so lovely and fun.

To be quite honest I probably would put a dog away if somebody asked...but, I'd never have them in my house again out of choice.

I'll quite happily remove a dog for a reason, fear, allergies, someone's working in the house and doesn't need a dog watching them or because the dog isn't sufficiently trained yet to stop it jumping up... But I don't like those isn't really a reason.

I really don't like those weird plaques with words on them or giant letters that spell out words like home or love - but I wouldn't ask someone to put them out of the room for me.

Fear whether it's because of an experience or just an irrational one I will absolutely keep a dog out of someone's way, I've had people with a dog phobia in, they didn't have to see the dog at all.

Allergies - I'd do my best, though obviously the house itself might be an issue.

I think it's absolutely basic that no-one coming in to the house has to interact with a dog unless they want to - I understand that not everyone is interested in dogs, that isn't an issue.

But to dislike them to the point that you want a dog asleep in a corner removed so you can't see it even though you're not scared of it, allergic to it or having to interact with it in any way? That does make me think, yep, you're not someone I want to be friends with.

Nobody has said your children shouldn't be around dogs.

You only explained about your dog being sick and anxious after you made statements about not wanting to move your dog to another room when you have guests. The common courtesy of moving a dog to another familiar place while you have guests is very different to asking a homeowner to knowingly distress their pet.

It's your house. You have every right to say I won't move my dog. Your friends have every right not to come round. You can't judge people who do ask if it's possible for the dog to not be in the room or people who are happy to move their dogs.

I have friends who put their dogs in their crates regardless of who comes round because they feel it's best for the guests and the dogs.

We all just do things differently. Nothing wrong with asking, nothing wrong with declining.

For a workman who had to be there, I would move her, but I would specifically discount workmen who didn't like dogs if possible.
Friends...I've never even thought about it. They wouldn't be a friend or welcome in my house.

I'm an owner and a trainer and I would absolutely put my dog away if a visitor was scared. The reason why they were scared would be irrelevant.

I remember a friend years ago who was deathly afraid of spiders but who flatly refused to put her large dog away when a friend of hers visited with her two little kids who were terrified of dogs.

The kids were screaming, while Dog Owning Friend tutted and huffed and tried to tell them to pull themselves together, explaining that it wouldn't be fair to put the dog away (even though he was well used to pottering around the garden perfectly happily if, for example, she was mopping the kitchen floor) because "He lives here. This is his home".

Yet try to persuade her to pass within 12 feet of a tiny spider on the basis that it was harmless and she'd get extremely ratty

My friend's spaniel jumped up at 2 year old ds and knocked him over onto a slate floor. She then told him off for crying because dogs don't like high pictched noises. Some people are stupid about their dogs.

I wouldn't put my dog away, it's her home as much as ours.

I warn people that I have a dog, I tell parents of potential play friends / sleepover friends that we have a dog.

I get 'new' kids/adults to greet the dog and accept her.

My allergic sis takes anti-histamines if she comes to our house, and if we are visiting with the dog in tow I always ask if the dog can come (she always says yes, takes an anti-histamine and warns off her slightly wary son). But I bed her down in the conservatory so she can still see us, but not affect my sis too much.

MuttDog is part of the family, and we treat her as such. If we shut her away she'd be far more trouble - whining barking and scratching to get out, whereas in the same room she'll just stay asleep on her bed or her sofa (yep, she has her own sofa)

For the next 2 weeks we are dog sitting for another mutt - I've already warned off DDs friends because she is v big and bouncy and not brilliantly trained (barks, jumps up). One will choose not to come in, but that's fine, DD will see her when out.

My dad was terrified of dogs - when she visited dog owner's houses they had to manage the situation because she couldn't and neither could I. We were lucky and one of those houses we visited had very old dogs and a very patient teenager who spent hours with my dd and the dog - it was the beginning of the healing process but we still encountered badly behaved dog who would set back her progress.

We didn't get a dog to help deal with her fear - I'm not sure that's a good enough reason, we got a dog because we wanted one - we all wanted one.
And if someone is scared of our dog I either stick him in a crate, another room or on a short lead, he won't be traumatised by that.....my sympathy primarily lies with the person.

I generally wouldn't have people round if they hate dogs, and wouldn't really want to be friends with anyone who hates animals as we wouldn't have anything in common.

However, I would remove them if someone was genuinely scared as they are big and intimidating looking. I would advise anyone with a fear of dogs not to bother coming to my house though!!

SconessMcFloness is your dd still wary of other dogs? Your situation sounds similar to mine. I don't think my DS will ever be a dog person but he truely loves our DLab as much as the rest of us.

Hakluyt your friend sounds bonkers.

My StepDad is terrified of dogs and since leaving home I have always had at least two, sometimes three. I don't have any problem at all with putting my dogs elsewhere when he comes over, which to be fair isn't often - mainly birthdays and Christmas.

Same with our close friends' dcs who were both petrified of them after a bad experience with a relatives' dog. We always used to put the dogs in another room when they were visiting, until eventually, after seeing lots of photos and hearing all about the smallest one doing heelwork to music, they asked to meet her and see some of her moves. They then met all of them one by one and with careful, gradual introductions came to love them all. Since then we have even been on holiday with them and our dogs a couple of times with no problems at all.

My decision to put the dogs in a different room or outside when we have a visitor that is phobic, comes from thinking about how I would feel if I had to sit in a room with a giant dog-sized spider sitting quietly in the corner. It would absolutely terrify me, regardless of whether it sat perfectly still/slept and seemingly ignored me and I wouldn't be able to do it - phobias aren't rational.

Tomato dd is absolutely fine with most dogs now, she still gets scared if they bark though.
All those people who accepted dds fear and controlled their dogs while she visited their house contributed to her gaining confidence with dogs.
I try to do the same.

Me too SconessMcFloness my DS is where he is today because of a fantastic lab named Mojo and a lovely little Miniature Schnauzer. Dlab is a very gentle dog and really seems to understand his little human friend.

And I stop with little kids (with their parents) who are scared and ask if they'd like to pet ddog, I explain that he's young like them - I guess I'm trying to take away the fear of the unknown, they rarely want to pet him but at least they stop crying and listen and hopefully they might start to have less negative feelings towards dogs.

My dog lives in this house not you if she wants to say hello she will i put her in her cage when we have workmen here so she doesn't get in their way

"My dog lives in this house not you if she wants to say hello she will"

I have a horrible feeling you're not joking..............

no I'm not joking by hello i mean she'll come up to your lick you and wag her tail her way of saying welcome to my home her home to the visitors if they dont like it they know where the door is same as she has her toys out and sits on the sofa if they dont like that then they know where the door is they come to see me not the dog

My DDs were wary of dogs when they were little. If we were going to visit someone who had a dog, I impressed upon them that it was the dogs home and they should behave kindly towards the dog. I've always found that dogs like to greet people who visit and then after a few strokes and a bit of fuss will generally take themselves off and lie down somewhere. My DDs love dogs now and are desperate to have one.

Most dog owners do offer to remove their dogs from rooms, but I never make them do this. However, cat owners rarely offer to remove cats from rooms, no matter how much the cat jumps on the visitor or claws at their clothes. I don't dislike cats, but have generally found them to be more annoying than dogs.

No, would not ever shut my dog away. This is his home, and he is a member of the family. If someone is terrified, or doesn't like dogs, then I would keep him away from sniffing or pestering them. I would encourage the person to try to overcome their fear, otherwise life will be very difficult!

Ah. This is that special definition of "anti-dog" which means "not giving dogs exactly the same status as members of the family, and higher status than all other humans"