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Proper Etiquette for Pet Owners: Avoiding Unwanted Greetings and Germs

In summary, people who own dogs should take care not to let them jump on people when they are visiting, and also to keep them under control when they are not at home.
  • #101
Brandie said:
"The same folks that don't put their dog away when people come over. You have to remember that these pets are animals first. They will return to their nature."

Entirely not related--it takes poor parenting skills to leave a newborn alone outside of a safe crib environment, with or without an animal present. Just because you love your pets and leave them out when company comes over, that doesn't mean you have poor parenting skills. That's just ridiculous.

Most pet owners know that leaving a baby alone with any dog, cat, or other pet is a liability, so they don't do it. I'm one of those pet owners, and I take offense to the notion that because I love my pets I would be equated with a negligent parent. Nonsense.
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I agree with you completely! I don't put my cats away when we have company (of course, they are scared of most people and they hid anyway), but I NEVER left my babies alone in a room where the cats (or my mom's three dogs, or my sister's dog, etc.) could get to them. I KNOW pets are animals and have the ability to revert to their inborn instincts, regardless of how well trained they are.
 
  • #102
katie0128 said:
I agree with you completely! I don't put my cats away when we have company (of course, they are scared of most people and they hid anyway), but I NEVER left my babies alone in a room where the cats (or my mom's three dogs, or my sister's dog, etc.) could get to them. I KNOW pets are animals and have the ability to revert to their inborn instincts, regardless of how well trained they are.
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Totally agree! When DS was born, our dog was 15, mostly blind and deaf....and our cat was 13......we STILL never left them in a room alone with him! They weren't allowed to come near his face etc.....and the cat was shut out of his room at night, so she couldn't jump in the crib to "investigate".......I think allowing a BIG (and obviously untrained) dog near a newborn really borders on child endangerment, adn I really can't believe that a Police Officer would be that lax! He has to have seen child neglect and abuse in his job! Leaving a newborn alone in a house? I didn't do that even to go get the mail!
 
  • #103
ChefBeckyD said:
Totally agree! When DS was born, our dog was 15, mostly blind and deaf....and our cat was 13......we STILL never left them in a room alone with him! They weren't allowed to come near his face etc.....and the cat was shut out of his room at night, so she couldn't jump in the crib to "investigate".......I think allowing a BIG (and obviously untrained) dog near a newborn really borders on child endangerment, adn I really can't believe that a Police Officer would be that lax! He has to have seen child neglect and abuse in his job! Leaving a newborn alone in a house? I didn't do that even to go get the mail!
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You'd be surprised at the number of "lax" cops and paramedics there are! Of course there are MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY more that are conscientious (that's doesn't look right, oh well), but just having that job doesn't mean you think clearly at home. We have a family that lives down the street from us - his is a medic for a fire department and she is a teacher and their two DDs are the most UNSUPERVISED kids I have ever seen. Someone finally called 241-KIDS (our absue hotline) when the youngest - 5yo at the time - was out at about 7p looking for the older one (7yo) because they didn't know where she was... AND BOTH PARENTS WERE AT HOME!!!!! Two sherrifs came to their home and questioned them. Both girls eventually returned home and were closely supervised for about 9 months, but are back to wandering as they please all over the neighborhood. Makes me sick to think that if I called 911 this guy could very well respond. I'm not sure I would trust his judgement after knowing what happens at home.
 
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  • #104
Apparently I have to clarify my statement. I meant that the people that view their pets are part of the family and are to be treated as such don't see a problem when brother pooch is up the the baby's face. I've seen it a ton of times. The baby will be strapped in the carrier (at the playground) or stroller and the family pet will run up and lick all in the baby's face. How many many times have we heard about a lick turning into a bite? Fido never bit before...just the one time he ripped the baby's face off. Did ya'll watch that Oprah? Husbands Dalmation almost tore the baby's nose off. And the idiot blamed the baby!!! She was only 2 years old, but it was her fault.

Common sense says to not leave a baby unattended. Yes, those of you with pets that followed that are not bad parents. However; to me, common sense also says that there needs to be boundaries between the house pet and the humans. They are not one in the same and shouldn't be treated as such.
 
  • #105
Chef Kearns said:
Apparently I have to clarify my statement. I meant that the people that view their pets are part of the family and are to be treated as such don't see a problem when brother pooch is up the the baby's face. I've seen it a ton of times. The baby will be strapped in the carrier (at the playground) or stroller and the family pet will run up and lick all in the baby's face. How many many times have we heard about a lick turning into a bite? Fido never bit before...just the one time he ripped the baby's face off. Did ya'll watch that Oprah? Husbands Dalmation almost tore the baby's nose off. And the idiot blamed the baby!!! She was only 2 years old, but it was her fault.

Common sense says to not leave a baby unattended. Yes, those of you with pets that followed that are not bad parents. However; to me, common sense also says that there needs to be boundaries between the house pet and the humans. They are not one in the same and shouldn't be treated as such.
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O.k., this explaination makes more sense. Still don't totally agree with you about pets needing to be put away when company comes, but I'm glad to know that you don't think those of us that don't put our pets away are automatically bad parents. I don't mind not agreeing about boundaries with pets, but I get a bit touchy when I think people are telling me I'm a bad parent. Thanks for clarifying!
And now back to the regularly scheduled debate about pets already in progress!:p
 
  • #106
Chef Kearns said:
Apparently I have to clarify my statement. I meant that the people that view their pets are part of the family and are to be treated as such don't see a problem when brother pooch is up the the baby's face.
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My pets are part of my family and are treated as such, but I'm not stupid!! Because one or even a few people do something doesn't mean everyone does. That is a whole different debate.
Just as I wouldn't leave a newborn alone with another child, I wouldn't leave a child with the "friendly" man next door. How many times have you seen that a child who was left with that "friendly" man next door scared for life. I guess all parents would do this RIGHT?
Common sense!

OK now I'm not letting these kind of comments get to me, I don't care what somebody think of me cause my heart is big and I love my babies with everything in my heart. There is nothing in this world I wouldn't do for them and I'm not ashamed of this. When times have been tuff in my life I have always had that special friend to be there and make me smile and thats all I need:) Now Rufus, Ruby, and my little baby Sassy need a love and a treat!
 
  • #107
My dogs were my child-substitutes when I was dealing with infertility issues and miscarriage issues. They were there when I needed them, and they are still here today now that I have two beautiful (human) daughters. They always could sense when things weren't going well and they seemed to know just how to react to help me out.

I know it's hard for someone who is not an animal-lover to understand the bond between human animal and canine (or other) animal, and that's why this debate is so heated. If you don't like animals, it's hard to fathom how people treat them as family; on the flip side, if you love animals, it's hard to fathom how anyone could dislike them.

I got cranky earlier because the statment made seemed to imply that animal lovers were akin to child abusers (or at least negligent parents), which simply isn't true. Morons are morons whether or not they have pets. Good parents are good parents whether or not they have pets. I will say this, though: having my dogs before I became a parent really taught me a lot about patience and compassion--two things that are tremendously important in parenting!
 
  • #108
Brandie said:
Morons are morons whether or not they have pets.
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Thanks, well said:D
 
  • #109
Brandie said:
Morons are morons whether or not they have pets. Good parents are good parents whether or not they have pets.
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What a perfect way to sum it up! I completely agree! (And it made me laugh.)
 
  • #110
Wow, read half this thread then gave up...whew...I'm tired now.

Anyway, have to chime in with a funny story my mom always used to tell us...

When she was little and lived in Illinois, they had a neighbor who had a relative who always would "magically" show up around dinnertime to visit and just stick around for dinner. She'd never bring anything, offer to pay, help clean up, etc., etc. (Of course this was in the 1940's or 50's but still that was overbearing). Anyway, after months of trying to tell her they were busy, wanted family time, hinting, then bluntly asking her to not come at dinner and still having her come they came up with a plan...

Next time, they finished dinner and before she could "conveniently" excuse herself to the other room and avoid dish duty after imposing on another meal, the husband bent down, let the dog lick his plate then got up and put it in the cupboard. The lady (uninvited guest) cringed and the wife did the same. The lady then cringed again and said, "Don't you wash them afterwards?" The husband said, "Why, don't you know how clean a dog's mouth is? We're sure it is fine, we've never gotten sick and it saves on water since our food bills are high."

Needless to say, the lady NEVER showed up uninvited around dinner again! Of course, the couple had to go wash all their plates and silverware in their cupboards but agreed the time was well worth it...and having a dog saved their sanity.
 
  • #111
that was pretty darn funny Janet! What a great story! Sounds like something my Dad would come up with! Trying to get my mother to jump on board might be hard cause she's a clean freak. She would have had to taken out every dish in the house and SCRUBBED IT TWICE!:eek: :rolleyes: !!! LOL!:D
 
  • #112
My mom did say that they emphasized that they took ALL the plates, etc. out and washed them before the next meal. :)
 
  • #113
I'm talking about dishes in cabinets across the room!!!!! She is that bad! My Dad says she is obsessed with cleaning and that it has become so bad now that us kids are gone. He playfully says she has a disorder!
This actually freaks me out a little because I just can hear her when she's at home with my Dad after she visits here! I am not the cleanest person! I am most definetely not a slob BUT I will let the dishes go after dinner and play with my kids and do them at 11:00 at night when eveyone goes to bed! My office is pretty scarey looking and I just sometimes don't care that things aren't real clean cause I'd rather be enjoying my kids while they are young!
Now don't get me wrong.... I do have a nice looking home most of the time! I just don't care to always be cleaning! I clean cause I have to, not cause I want to! My Mom is very opinionated and she likes to gossip and although I love her dearly, I dread when she comes here cause she makes me feel like a slob. She follows behind me cleaning everything and she freaks my kids and hubby out. We end up spending a lot of money eating out so that my hubby doesn't have to see me miserable! I love that man!;) :)
 
  • #114
I have 2 little dogs and a cat. The cat doesn't go around anyone. 1 dog is overly friendly and the other is friendly but to only certain people. ( he was extremely abused by his past, first, owners. So we have worked with him to get him over his "issues") I am also one who can not stand the sniffing of human parts. We do not allow it in our home plus respect that some people may be allergic or just plain don't like animals. Everyone is also told they are a part of the family.

I have done some extended reading in dogs so I can be better prepared as an owner. I would recommend the Cesar Millan book "The Natual, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems" and the Tamar Geller book "The Loved Dog".

One of the huge thing I learned is that humans have (numbers will be off but hope you get the idea) 5000 smell recepters in the there noses, dogs have 20,000 smell recepters in there noses. The dogs "sniffing" you is there way of meeting you. They do this just like we shake hands. Everyone has there own smell. Plus they can "sense smell" what kind of a person you are, determining if you are someone to be affraid of or someone to be friends with. (learned lots of other things but to many to list)

I am not at all saying that everyone should be okay with the "sniffing" and that owners shouldn't stop there dogs from "sniffing" but it has made it easier for me to understand why they all dogs feel the need to do this.
 
  • #115
I read something like this one time, which also said that dogs like to stick their heads out of the windows of moving cars... with all the smells rushing past it is like an orgasm for them! Next time you are on the highway and see a dog with it's head out the window, think of this and it will make you giggle!
 
  • #116
JAE said:
If we're talking about God here, He did say humans were to rule over animals, not the other way around. We are to love people. God never says we have to love animals. And I'm not saying we have the right to be mean to them, either. People come first, in my opinion.
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Are you serious????
 
  • #117
evk1972 said:
Are you serious????
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This thread was from 2007...let's let "sleeping dogs lie"...
 
  • #118
evk1972 said:
Are you serious????
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Ummm, yeah - nothing like digging up a 3.5 year old post to be indignant about....let's keep it current, okay?
 
<h2>1. Why do people let their dogs answer the door?</h2><p>People may let their dogs answer the door because they view their pet as a member of the family and may not see any harm in it. They may also feel that their dog is friendly and won't harm anyone. However, it is important to remember that not everyone may feel comfortable with dogs answering the door, and it is important to respect others' boundaries and preferences.</p><h2>2. What can I do to avoid being jumped on by a dog when entering someone's home?</h2><p>If you are uncomfortable with dogs jumping on you, it is important to communicate this to the pet owner before entering their home. You can politely ask them to keep their dog restrained or to put them in another room while you are visiting. You can also try to avoid eye contact and turn your body to the side to make yourself seem less threatening to the dog.</p><h2>3. Is it okay to let a dog lick me on the face or hands?</h2><p>This is a personal preference and can vary from person to person. However, it is important to remember that dogs carry bacteria in their mouths, and it is possible to get sick from being licked. It is always a good idea to wash your hands after interacting with any animal.</p><h2>4. How can I politely decline a dog's unwanted greetings?</h2><p>If you are uncomfortable with a dog's greetings, you can politely decline by saying something like, "I'm sorry, I don't feel comfortable with dogs jumping on me. Can you please call them away?" or "I prefer not to be licked by dogs. Is it okay if I pet them instead?" Remember to always communicate your boundaries respectfully.</p><h2>5. Are there any etiquette classes for pet owners?</h2><p>While there may not be specific etiquette classes for pet owners, there are resources available that can help educate pet owners on proper pet etiquette. Some local animal shelters or training facilities may offer classes or workshops on responsible pet ownership. It is also important for pet owners to stay informed and educated on the proper care and behavior of their pets.</p>

1. Why do people let their dogs answer the door?

People may let their dogs answer the door because they view their pet as a member of the family and may not see any harm in it. They may also feel that their dog is friendly and won't harm anyone. However, it is important to remember that not everyone may feel comfortable with dogs answering the door, and it is important to respect others' boundaries and preferences.

2. What can I do to avoid being jumped on by a dog when entering someone's home?

If you are uncomfortable with dogs jumping on you, it is important to communicate this to the pet owner before entering their home. You can politely ask them to keep their dog restrained or to put them in another room while you are visiting. You can also try to avoid eye contact and turn your body to the side to make yourself seem less threatening to the dog.

3. Is it okay to let a dog lick me on the face or hands?

This is a personal preference and can vary from person to person. However, it is important to remember that dogs carry bacteria in their mouths, and it is possible to get sick from being licked. It is always a good idea to wash your hands after interacting with any animal.

4. How can I politely decline a dog's unwanted greetings?

If you are uncomfortable with a dog's greetings, you can politely decline by saying something like, "I'm sorry, I don't feel comfortable with dogs jumping on me. Can you please call them away?" or "I prefer not to be licked by dogs. Is it okay if I pet them instead?" Remember to always communicate your boundaries respectfully.

5. Are there any etiquette classes for pet owners?

While there may not be specific etiquette classes for pet owners, there are resources available that can help educate pet owners on proper pet etiquette. Some local animal shelters or training facilities may offer classes or workshops on responsible pet ownership. It is also important for pet owners to stay informed and educated on the proper care and behavior of their pets.

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