I don’t like dogs. It’s not that I hate them, I just don’t like them. Some people, if not most, don’t like cats. Many don’t like rodents, be they guinea pigs or rats, and most detest snakes. I don’t like dogs.
In my mind’s eye I can see all (both) of you wearing stunned, then hurt, then suspicious looks. “He doesn’t like dogs?! That’s…UnAmerican!!”
And in a sense, it is UnAmerican because God knows, Americans love their dogs. They spend billions of dollars every year buying, grooming and caring for them. They take them on vacation (and pay extra for their rooms) and when they expire (finally), they bury them in pet cemeteries, complete with headstones and flowers.
And that’s cool. You want to spend your hard earned bread that way? Go for it.
That’s not my argument. This is: People let their dogs do things they wouldn’t let their kids do. Here’s an example: I was at a private hunting retreat with 6 friends and my wife, for a weekend. We don’t hunt; it’s just a chance to be together and have fun, drink a little and escape parenting. Since the owner brought his dog last year (2 dogs this year), everyone else felt it was ok to bring theirs. Maybe they even got approval, I don’t know. Anyway, we spent most of the weekend inside with 6 dogs. The one that greeted us at the door weighed in at 95 pounds. The remainder were from small to medium-sized animals.
The first evening, I was sitting on the couch watching most everyone else play Rock Band. Then, in comes the herd. The big dog proceeded to put his face in my face, then two of the smaller dogs climbed onto the couch and crowded up next to me. Finally, a 3rd dog climbed onto the back of the couch in an attempt to crowd one of the others out. At this point I got up and moved to a barstool. One of the other, non-playing guests assumed my seat and began snuggling and baby-talking the dogs. No one else seemed to notice.
When my wife and I arose the next day, I opened the bedroom door and there was the giant dog, nose to crotch, so to speak. He escorted us into the kitchen where people were relaxing with coffee while 5 more dogs scurried from place to place. There were more incidents, including nearly breaking my neck because of a tethered dog’s reaction to another dog, but I think I have made my point.
None of these otherwise gracious and caring people would ever allow their kids to behave that poorly. And I’m not sure I really blame the owners. They are no different than the average American, after all. Simply stated, we now have a culture that allows dogs greater rights than children.
So I don’t like dogs, ok? I like my space. If I am in your home and you have one, great, but please, make it behave at least as well as you would your child.
I’m so happy I found this post. I’m struggling right now with a dog situation and it’s ruining my relationship with my fiance. I DO NOT want to live with a dog for the same reasons you expressed above. I’ve been ashamed to admit it, bc like you said, it seems unamerican. Though, I’m becoming resentful and I’m afraid I’m going to turn into someone I don’t want to be. I do not want the dog to stare at me while I eat and crowd around my legs like a savage beast. I do not want a dog barking and jumping at me everytime I open the freak’n door. It is MY space and I should decide how I want to live in it, right???? My fiance had the dog first and loves her… so… how do I live the rest of my life (or the dogs life) like this????
It’s simple, really. Ok, it’s NOT simple but it IS simple to me. Since compromise is the watchword of marriage, tell your fiance that you will live with the dog if it is trained. Trained to NOT do any of the things you mentioned.
My brother pointed out to me (correctly)that what I really dislike isn’t dogs per se but dog owners who allow their dogs to act like most people wouldn’t allow their kids to act. Of course I still dislike those people’s dogs but I have to admit that it isn’t the dog’s fault.
There will always be people who think that dogs are people too. I don’t get it but it’s a fact. I believe dogs belong outside and should know their place. Hell, all of us should know our place. Maybe you should emulate the dog’s behavior and see if your fiance thinks it’s obnoxious.
I have to admit, if it was me, I’d simply tell him one of us would go. But that’s just me.
just wanted to add: I wonder why it is totally acceptable to detest cats but not dogs?
Me and my three children just moved into my fiance’s house, not even two months ago now.
I had known my fiance for about a year and a half before that.
I knew that he had a husky-about 3.5 years old. I gotta say…I grew up with dogs as a kid, I have always enjoyed being friendly with other people’s dogs and really only had a couple of pet peeves about dogs in general….until now!!
My fiance spent almost all his time at MY house, with me and my children, so I had very limited contact with his dog.
I had only ever been to his home briefly-in the past. ( The few times I had been at his place, I HATED it!! BECAUSE of his dog!)The dog jumps on you-is hyper as hell, and doesn’t let you alone for one single moment! My fiance spent all our time together chastising the dog and trying to control him! Grrr! I would always leave trying to be polite about the situation because I knew how he just adored this beast-but none-the-less I would leave annoyed-to put it mildly…it was RIDICULOUS!
It never helped that the only stuff I ever knew about his dog, were the things he had told me…that his dog had destroyed several of his personal items during it’s lifetime! It chewed his brand new $2,000 mattress! It has chewed every kind of ‘dog’ bed my fiance bought it, it ate two of his MP3 players, his photo albums, his movies….need I say more?! I despised the dog just from knowing it’s destructive behavior!! He could and can NEVER leave the dog free to roam the house without it doing SOMETHING bad!! Every now and again he would tell me that he had given the dog another chance to be left out of his huge cage, to be free inside his house. but without fail, as far as consistency was concerned…the dog would not disappoint…just the other day I had asked him about a large stain on his rug…and of course…it was his ‘bratty’ dog…on one of his day passes…he went right into the laundry room and took a bottle of car oil out of a bag and proceeded to chew it till it opened and spilled into a huge puddle onto his rug.
You can’t leave him even in a room alone…he will tear up everything from toilet paper, to paper towels…without question, he will steal your food if left unattended and STARES so annoyingly if you even start to open a wrapper to any kind of food! My fiance has a very clutter-free house…the main reason? You guessed it…he is a prisoner to his dog and simply can’t have anything out anywhere that the dog might have a chance at ruining it! Now add all those type of events to me and my children living here…with my two cats I might add! Oh yes, my cats are prisoners in a small bedroom-for fear of the ‘beast’ deciding on having them as a play thing. Also and most importantly, the dog has snapped at (I mean a hard nashing of the teeth)and bit, at my little 3.5 half year old, my 6 year old and
ME!! It’s happened a few times and I HATE it! I can’t trust my little boy anywhere near that animal because I seriously fear the dog will remove a finger from him if given the chance.
So after what I have written here…and believe me, have several times expressed my fears and unhappiness about his destructive, possibly dangerous, suck-ass dog….(I say that,
’cause, guess what else?? My fiance can NEVER be home…anywhere inside the home…without that huge, tons of fur-shedding, beast! Oh ya! It’s his siamese twin for gosh sakes! If the dog knows he is in the house…and my fiance is in another room at anytime-without the dog…it so annoyingly whines and whines and whines….LOUDLY until it’s re attached to my fiance’s hip.
So..now..since I do not like the animal…but told my fiance I would never ASK him to get rid of it….(I just simply hoped that common sense and my fears and unhappiness as well as my children’s possible well-being…would trump his own personal feelings for his dog and he would do the noble thing and find him a good home. (and apparently he has been told by trainers that they won’t even try training husky’s ’cause it’s useless..) It’s definitely heading us toward ruin….I don’t want to be in any room that the dog is in and unfortunately, that means I don’t get to be with my fiance either…I refuse to compete for my fiance’s time…with a dog!
My fiance is still in denial, or must not be completely aware of my true feelings and how serious this is becoming for me…or he simply must not care what I think..he holds onto the idea that this, spoiled acting dog, will ‘hopefully’ grow out of his rotten behavior.
Ummmm, I don’t think I will be around long enough to see if that ever comes to be…my kids, as well as my own happiness is too important to sacrifice my sanity, my nerves and my own worth-for a dog…and a bad one at that! I probably sound just so selfish and horrible, and I, in my heart, do feel so sad for my fiance, but honestly….who would put up with this crap?? If the shoe were on the other foot…and it was my fiances children who could be possibly hurt, etc….I really wonder.
After all the money that dog has cost my fiance and all the disappointment, frustration, stress and times it has just down right pissed him off…I still don’t understand why getting rid of his dog isn’t a slam dunk?!
I have NEVER felt like this about an animal in my life! Though, I never knew one so badly behaved either!
I don’t know what to do…I even offered to get rid of my pets if he would consider getting rid of his dog…nope…that didn’t work either….
How crazy it seems to me, that we could have a wonderful life together, but this dog may be the reason it never ends of happening.
I am just shaking my head….Me and my three children just moved into my fiance’s house, not even two months ago now.
I had known my fiance for about a year and a half before that.
I knew that he had a husky-about 3.5 years old. I gotta say…I grew up with dogs as a kid, I have always enjoyed being friendly with other people’s dogs and really only had a couple of pet peeves about dogs in general….until now!!
My fiance spent almost all his time at MY house, with me and my children, so I had very limited contact with his dog.
I had only ever been to his home briefly-in the past. ( The few times I had been at his place, I HATED it!! BECAUSE of his dog!)The dog jumps on you-is hyper as hell, and doesn’t let you alone for one single moment! My fiance spent all our time together chastising the dog and trying to control him! Grrr! I would always leave trying to be polite about the situation because I knew how he just adored this beast-but none-the-less I would leave annoyed-to put it mildly…it was RIDICULOUS!
It never helped that the only stuff I ever knew about his dog, were the things he had told me…that his dog had destroyed several of his personal items during it’s lifetime! It chewed his brand new $2,000 mattress! It has chewed every kind of ‘dog’ bed my fiance bought it, it ate two of his MP3 players, his photo albums, his movies….need I say more?! I despised the dog just from knowing it’s destructive behavior!! He could and can NEVER leave the dog free to roam the house without it doing SOMETHING bad!! Every now and again he would tell me that he had given the dog another chance to be left out of his huge cage, to be free inside his house. but without fail, as far as consistency was concerned…the dog would not disappoint…just the other day I had asked him about a large stain on his rug…and of course…it was his ‘bratty’ dog…on one of his day passes…he went right into the laundry room and took a bottle of car oil out of a bag and proceeded to chew it till it opened and spilled into a huge puddle onto his rug.
You can’t leave him even in a room alone…he will tear up everything from toilet paper, to paper towels…without question, he will steal your food if left unattended and STARES so annoyingly if you even start to open a wrapper to any kind of food! My fiance has a very clutter-free house…the main reason? You guessed it…he is a prisoner to his dog and simply can’t have anything out anywhere that the dog might have a chance at ruining it! Now add all those type of events to me and my children living here…with my two cats I might add! Oh yes, my cats are prisoners in a small bedroom-for fear of the ‘beast’ deciding on having them as a play thing. Also and most importantly, the dog has snapped at (I mean a hard nashing of the teeth)and bit, at my little 3.5 half year old, my 6 year old and
ME!! It’s happened a few times and I HATE it! I can’t trust my little boy anywhere near that animal because I seriously fear the dog will remove a finger from him if given the chance.
So after what I have written here…and believe me, have several times expressed my fears and unhappiness about his destructive, possibly dangerous, suck-ass dog….(I say that,
’cause, guess what else?? My fiance can NEVER be home…anywhere inside the home…without that huge, tons of fur-shedding, beast! Oh ya! It’s his siamese twin for gosh sakes! If the dog knows he is in the house…and my fiance is in another room at anytime-without the dog…it so annoyingly whines and whines and whines….LOUDLY until it’s re attached to my fiance’s hip.
So..now..since I do not like the animal…but told my fiance I would never ASK him to get rid of it….(I just simply hoped that common sense and my fears and unhappiness as well as my children’s possible well-being…would trump his own personal feelings for his dog and he would do the noble thing and find him a good home. (and apparently he has been told by trainers that they won’t even try training husky’s ’cause it’s useless..) It’s definitely heading us toward ruin….I don’t want to be in any room that the dog is in and unfortunately, that means I don’t get to be with my fiance either…I refuse to compete for my fiance’s time…with a dog!
My fiance is still in denial, or must not be completely aware of my true feelings and how serious this is becoming for me…or he simply must not care what I think..he holds onto the idea that this, spoiled acting dog, will ‘hopefully’ grow out of his rotten behavior.
Ummmm, I don’t think I will be around long enough to see if that ever comes to be…my kids, as well as my own happiness is too important to sacrifice my sanity, my nerves and my own worth-for a dog…and a bad one at that! I probably sound just so selfish and horrible, and I, in my heart, do feel so sad for my fiance, but honestly….who would put up with this crap?? If the shoe were on the other foot…and it was my fiances children who could be possibly hurt, etc….I really wonder.
After all the money that dog has cost my fiance and all the disappointment, frustration, stress and times it has just down right pissed him off…I still don’t understand why getting rid of his dog isn’t a slam dunk?!
I have NEVER felt like this about an animal in my life! Though, I never knew one so badly behaved either!
I don’t know what to do…I even offered to get rid of my pets if he would consider getting rid of his dog…nope…that didn’t work either….
How crazy it seems to me, that we could have a wonderful life together, but this dog may be the reason it never ends of happening.
I am just shaking my head….
Wow. You say that you must sound like a horrible person. No. I, and probably anyone who reads this, wonder why you put up with this for even a moment! This blog isn’t an advice column but please, don’t forget to love yourself (and your kids). This guy you adore is putting a dog in front of your happiness and safety! It’d be bad enough if it was a good dog!
As an addendum, I have to admit, I have changed my mind. My brother pointed out to me (thanks, Bro!) that I don’t really hate dogs. I hate undisciplined, spoiled dogs…and it’s true. It just seems that the undisciplined ones out number the good ones by 100 to one!
And by the way, that dictum applies to kids too. Make your kid mind when he/she’s in public or in someone else’s home. You may believe the best way to deny your kid something in the supermarket is to let her/him lie in the floor and scream but I didn’t sign on for that, and neither did the other patrons. If your kid can’t act civilized, don’t bring him/her out into civilization. Keep ‘em home.
You don’t like dogs, well that’s you. i don’t like amphibians, yuck! ewww! cats are too stinky and act like they wanna be left alone. Birds, too noisy and feel guilty keeping them in a cage. pot bellied pigs, stinkyyyyyy and squeals a lot. I have a 1 yr. cockapoo and she is the most behaved lil’ dog ever.
I totally get it, Mason. I have amended my stance to say that I don’t like poorly behaved dogs (or the owners who think they’re human). I’m glad you and your dog are happy together. Really.
I grew up in Germany and as a child was severely phobic of dogs because Germans get terribly offended when asked to keep their dog on a leash. I ended up being chased by huge dogs a few times which is not the best experience when you are 4 years old and the dog appears to be the size of a monster. At the moment I live in the UK where strangely almost everyone prefers cats to dogs. Currently I can say that I can like a dog and not be scared of it, but it really depends on the animal. For example I have to really manage my energy when going into parks with a lot of dogs so as not to project nervousness, but I am fine with dogs that I know. I have watched “the Dog Whisperer” a few times although such programs are not really my thing I have found it quite useful when it comes to explaining how dogs work.
The reason why I mention this program is that when I read the post by Jodi one of the things that has struck me is that her partners dog is a husky and that his “bad behavior” mostly centers around destroying things, which indicates to me that the dog has much to much energy (yes this is my TV knowledge coming out here). When a big dog like that is confined without much physical activity it will be very “hyper” and start running amok. The best solution is to tire him out with high energy walks. A dog needs a walk at least once a day. Does her partner do that with him? Maybe he could cycle and the dog could follow.
At the moment I live in a flat share with 2 cats and sometimes I wish that they were dogs, because dogs, once you have found the key to managing their behavior are much easier to communicate with. I hate having to push the cat away each time I want to eat my dinner, because it stares at me all the time. Whenever anyone cooks something the cat just runs into the kitchen, stealing food and nearly causing accidents with hot liquids. I just ignore him, but it is difficult to do so when, as the other day, I was making some bread and whilst I left it to rise under a towel the cat decided to leave paw prints in the dough.
I don’t like this. It is more frustrating, because I feel bad for being angry with a cat: I know he is only an animal and (probably) didn’t have bad intentions. But if I mentioned this to his owner she would probably hate me. Somehow pet owners are terribly sensitive about their pets: they are the most adorable creatures on earth and anyone who just wants their space to eat their dinner is an inhuman, cold, low empathy psychopath who probably doesn’t deserve to live. Why should I love your pet just because it is there? I don’t like every human I come across and it should be similar with animals: either it is a likable creature or not. I would be considered nuts if I loved every human being and went over baby-talking to them! I have a very cute soft toy rabbit that shares bed with me and my partner. He has his own personality and we often have good laugh about him with my partner. But I don’t run around imposing his cuteness on other people around me! In fact I am a bit embarrassed about being attached to a soft toy.
Must of the people who own pets run around cooing and demanding validation of just how adorable their animal is, and let it do things to other people that if done by a person would be considered rude beyond imagination.
What is it? Is it that those people really, really desire taking up a lot of space, but cannot do it because of social restrains, so they get a pet to do it for them?
Basically I find animals very relaxing and beautiful, but in their natural habitat. I can relate to an animal as to another being, but I totally don’t subscribe to the culture of pets who are treated as humans, and to the culture that tells me that I have to love a smelly, farting cat just because the owner finds it cute and if I don’t I am not really a proper human, because “real”humans find every animal lovable. The first thing that the “Dog Whisperer” guy tells the owners of spoiled dogs is “stop treating it as a human, it is only a dog”. By treating an animal as an extension of yourself you are not loving it, you are doing it a disservice! Many people have developed an unhealthy dyad with their pets who have become a replacement for something that is missing in their life or a way of saying to the world “I am also strong and beautiful like my dog”, so any critique of their pets behavior will be seen as personal.
This is crazy. Grow up, people and stop imposing your spoiled, bratish pets on other humans. Once you have them under control, we might even like them!
Anna,
Thank you for so eloquently saying what I have been trying to say over many posts. I hope ‘Cog’ hears from you again.
I think people who have dogs are needy, way to needy. It is NOT unAmerican to not like dogs. People who have bad behaved dogs have a problem with themself. If you can not get rid of a beast that is distroying your life then you are extremely needy or need therapy. I dont think it is normal to live in a home that smells like poop or urine especially if you have small children. That is unsanitary! No wonder Americans have high allergies and sicknesses. If you want a companion go get a spouse or have children or adopt. A long time ago animals lived outside. People did not have them in their homes. Dogs are meant to work, not be children. They are animals. As for the unAmerican part, you do not know a thing about America. That is a lame excuse! America was not founded on making dogs into children. I think people who trap an animal in doors need to revaluate themselves. If I offended you, I do not care. The only people who will be offended are the people who have a problem internally or trap an animal where it was not meant to be. If you read online about the nature of the dogs, it will tell you they have a working life. Yes, if you trap it inside it will turn and go wild. It is not where it belongs and it knows that. It is the people who dont!
Thank you. So glad to hear I’m not the only person who doesn’t want an animal lapping my face, sticking their wet nose in my crotch etc. I get ill when I see people allowing dogs to lap their lips and face. I don’t care how clean a dogs mouth is, that’s disgusting.
I’ve also noticed pet owners bringing their pooches into the food market. I really don’t want buy groceries that have been sniffed by a dogs wet snout. Or dog hair in my opened bag of fresh bread.
Dogs are animals.
I feel you guys! I decided a while back that I don’t like dogs. I detest them. But not all dogs, of course- I have three criteria for liking a dog:
1.) It must not bark all of the time.
2.) It better not jump on me.
3.) It must smell nice.
So basically, I like dogs who have owners who train them and groom them. And if they do jump on me they should at least have short claws and be cute.
So. Why don’t I like dogs? Here is a list:
1.) They smell bad, so if you pet them then your hand stinks.
2.) People’s houses usually reek of dog. I hate that smell.
3.) I don’t like it when dogs jump on me, especially when I am wearing shorts or stockings and they have long claws.
4.) Dogs bite, and when they bite, it hurts. Why keep an animal that can easily tear you apart if it wanted to?
5.) They often have destructive behavior that cannot be prevented easily because they can get past things and jump on things to get to them. One of my friends has a wolf-dog that will push aside tables and chairs and somehow undo the baby lock on the refrigerator and get into the fridge to eat their food.
6.) They will often sit right in front of you while you are eating and breathe into your face, thus spoiling the deliciousness of the food.
7.) They have to be walked frequently and get anxious if left alone.
8.) They poop everywhere if you don’t let them out.
9.) They usually aren’t even soft to pet.
10.) Shedding.
11.) They sniff your butt and crotch uncomfortably.
12.) They often intimidate guests.
13.) It annoys the hell out of me when I’m walking down my own street casually and everyone’s stupid dogs are running amok outside, and chase me down the borderlines of their properties barking at me when I am trying to enjoy myself. I usually tell them to shutup.
14.) When dogs bark inside and you tell them to be quiet but they keep barking.
Why keep the savage beasts? I don’t understand why people are so obsessed with dogs. I was at a graduation the other day and everyone was obsessing over their “Cute puppy, Cosmo”. I didn’t like the little puppy because it wasn’t really a puppy anymore, it wasn’t that cute, and it smelled, BAD! And it was running around jumping on me and yipping and annoyingly and scratching me. The second it entered the room the entire room reeked. I just ran away from it.
Personally, I prefer cats. Sure, they have their qualms too, but I can handle their negative aspects much better than those of dogs.
I’d much rather get a real alarm system.
I’m a dog person and am guilty of treating my dog like a member of the family. He’s a labrador retreiver but stays inside mostly. He sleeps with my on the bed with me and my girlfriend. He’s spoiled rotten (yet obiedient) and I enjoy spoiling him. I take him outside frequently for a game of fetch or to go swimming in the pond. I love my dog….love him. He gives me so much joy that I often wonder why other people wouldn’t or couldn’t understand this. I did a google search on why people don’t like dogs and it brought me here. I must say that after reading the posts that I have a much better understanding. It just goes to show that we all have our likes and dislikes…. The next time I have a guest in my home I am going to assume that he/she doesn’t like dogs…just to be safe. I’ve probably unknowingly pissed off a lot of people by assuming that they’ll like my dog as much as me.