Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Jaffa Cake said:
I've got to admit, I'm not exactly keen on it either. One thing in particular I don't like is when the said dog wonders over with some toy it expects you to throw for it – you're then expected to pick up the grubby, dog-drool covered thing. Not nice.
Same here. I always feel so dirty after touching drool covered objects.
 
My dog lick me all the time, and I think its fine. Most of the time I ask the owner can I pet his/her dog, and if they say yes, it can lick me if it want. It doesn't bother me, but I can see it upsetting other people.

Not my pet peeve
 
iMacZealot said:
I can understand people not wanted to have a dog lick them, but I don't understand people who don't like dogs. How can you not? They're adorable and great companions. Some of them are kooky, but most of them are nice. My mailman I think has a mental disease because he had to come to our door and he rang the bell and then ran to his truck because he was afraid our adorable eight pound puppy was going to bite him. He came to tell us that there would be a new mail person and that we should restrain our dogs otherwise the new mailwoman would mace them. And the mailwoman came the next day and loved our dogs. hmmmm.......
I doubt he was mentally challenged in anyway.
Some people just have really bad experiences with bad dogs.
There are a couple dogs that are just mean, nast little buggers.
Some people have had one or two or three or four bad experiences with bad dogs and think all dogs are bad.

Though it doesn't take a genius to figure out bad dogs from the good ones.
 
Some people are an acquired taste. I'm sure dogs and cats know this.

Sometimes, they're just working on identifying you. Other times, they're happy to see you.

I suppose it could be disgusting but as far as germs go, it's not as bad as dealing with humans. What germs they have to share are more likely to kill you.
 
Unorthodox said:
I doubt he was mentally challenged in anyway.
Some people just have really bad experiences with bad dogs.
There are a couple dogs that are just mean, nast little buggers.
Some people have had one or two or three or four bad experiences with bad dogs and think all dogs are bad.

Though it doesn't take a genius to figure out bad dogs from the good ones.

I didn't say he was mentally challenged, I mean he functions normally, I'm just saying he has something against dogs.

I suppose that experiences can put a bad outlook on things, but he's ridiculous. We have two and a half acres and our mailbox is right on the edge of the property (several hundred feet from the house) and we have an underground electric fence that prohibits the dogs from getting anywhere near the street, so he hardly ever has interaction with the dogs. They're adorable little things, and all they do is bark. They've never bitten anyone, including him. And a few years ago when we first got him, he sent us a "dog warning card" that said that the next time our dog becomes "viscious and gets close to the mailman, the mail will not be delivered" and he didn't even get close to the mailman. I think he has a problem.

By the way, what American says "little bugger"???
 
dogs rule. at least my two do. and if you don't want to get licked, stay out of my back yard. and if you have a cat, my dogs thinks cats are a tasty food source. i think cats are wonderful for target practice. we really like the fast ones the best... between the three of us, the neighborhood is getting short on cats... tried taking the leftovers back once... that didn't go so well. :eek:

dogs are great friends, they look out for the house/yard, they play with my kids, and only require love, food, and water in return. not a bad deal.

edit: gave the mailman treats to give to the dogs over the fence. took all of two weeks, and the dogs now go outside about 1 hour early to lay at the corner and wait. no more barking, and no more scared mailman. easier to train the mailman...
 
I must say I thought this thread was something else entirely.

I've no problem with being licked by a dog. Or a person. Doesn't bother me at all.
 
Puppies lick their mother's face to let her know they are hungry. They also do it as a sign of submission. Usually a dog licking you is trying to let you know it wants something from you or that it is submissive to you.

As to dogs sniffing in inconvenient places it is their way of finding out where you've been, and more importantly, what you have eaten. Yes, they can by sniffing "there."
 
Mmmmm I don't mind it...

...oh wait, you're talking about dogs? Eeewww, that's gross.
 
My dog licks me for affection. It's her way of saying "I love you" since she can't actually say.. "I LOVE YOU". I'd love to be able to lick in return, but her hairs would stick to my tongue. :p
 
LethalWolfe said:
I'd be more worried about what's on that dollar bill in your wallet than what's on a dog's tongue.

The dollar bill is indeed well traveled and the condition of some currency makes we want to dispose of it fast, but with the dogs we all know where their noses and tongues have been on a regular basis, and resulting germs are ready to jump from one source to another.
 
I hate a dog licking my face but just love it when they hump my leg- especially the left one.
 
rdowns said:
I hate a dog licking my face but just love it when they hump my leg- especially the left one.

Just curious ... is there some sort of letdown after the right leg gets in on a piece of the action? :)
 
My dog is so effing cute I don't have to worry about it. I've never had anyone who didn't want to pet him (though I did scare the hell out of a solicitor one day in my old apartments coming around the corner.) Usually, people are like "he's so beautiful!!!!!" And then they pet him and shake hands with him. Then old couples will generally argue if he's a Golden or an Irish. :rolleyes: C'mon people, Irish's have long skinny snouts. This is a retriever!

But, George doesn't lick strangers. He'll go sniff them. Kids and women especially go for him. He's a stud, just like his daddy. :D

But, yes, I think the OP is right, owners should never let their dogs go to strangers unless the stranger shows a willingness.
 
I dont actually mind it however i do prefer cat licks. Dogs can be boistrous in which case i dont like it but i dont mind animals that are docile.
 
Dogs sniff and lick people. It's how they study us and how they show affection. That's their nature, and complaining about it is like complaining that the sun comes up.

It's fair to complain about what dog owners do, however. If I'm a guest in their home, I wouldn't expect them to lock their dog outside or restrain it. But on the street, in a store, or in another public place I expect them to prevent their dogs from making possibly unwelcome contact with other people.

Handy tip: When greeting a strange dog, it's better to put your hand under its nose (where it can sniff you) than try to pet it on top of its nose (which could be taken as a threatening gesture).
 
I bloody love em. I know all the dogs and walkers locally so it's no beef off my face.
 
mzlin said:
And once in a while you even get the angry righteous condescending pet owner who, if you show any signs of backing away, will exclaim "you don't like dogs?!" with a tone of disbelief as if you had said you were a supporter of Al Qaeda or something.

If you don't like dogs, you are a terrorist.

Okay you're right, some people do take it too far, but I live in a mostly indian apartment complex, and many of the indians literally slide along with their back to the wall when they see my little dog, who is a small (35 lbs), cute little dog with a loving personality. I can understand not liking dogs, and I can understand if somebody has a fear of dogs related to some childhood incident or something, but how can so many people be mortally afraid of a cute little dog?

Anyway, back to the point...I never let my dog near anybody I don't know unless they approach her first.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.