Dog People....
Discussion
DoubleSix said:
They have and do sometimes leave the pooch at home. But more often than not the dog is engineered into the plans "he hasn't been out since last night" or "i'm sure they'll allow dogs" whilst I shoot a sideways at look Mrs DoubleSix. We all drove to Westonbirt Arboretum last autumn only to discover that dogs aren't allowed in the 'old' part that I wanted to see... cue whimsical shrugs from them while I just wanted pick up the dog and throw it onto the M4...
The more you post the more it sounds as though it is not the dog that is the problem. Edited by DoubleSix on Monday 11th November 15:00
Perhaps if the wife was sent to kennels next time it might work better for all, including the dog?
I have to say, many of the sentiments expressed in this thread have struck a chord with me.
On Sat night, my GF & I met up with my friend and his GF, for drinks and dinner. This has been arranged for at least 4 weeks, yet as the night progressed, his GF started to make more and more references to "her two wee dogs" being all alone, and eventually buggered off home circa 9.45pm for this reason.
Kinda irked me to be honest, as it is getting increasingly impossible to organise anything at all due to her dogs.
When they left, my GF and I went to the pub and I had a bit of a rant. Post-rant, I thought I may have been overly harsh but in reading this thread, I know I'm not alone.
Ahh, that felt good
On Sat night, my GF & I met up with my friend and his GF, for drinks and dinner. This has been arranged for at least 4 weeks, yet as the night progressed, his GF started to make more and more references to "her two wee dogs" being all alone, and eventually buggered off home circa 9.45pm for this reason.
Kinda irked me to be honest, as it is getting increasingly impossible to organise anything at all due to her dogs.
When they left, my GF and I went to the pub and I had a bit of a rant. Post-rant, I thought I may have been overly harsh but in reading this thread, I know I'm not alone.
Ahh, that felt good
DoubleSix said:
Crossflow Kid said:
DoubleSix said:
we went to visit
Their house, their rules.(I am not a dog person by the way)
In my house it's my rules and any guests seem to survive quite well, the understanding being that at their house it's their rules. We all seem to get on just fine without getting all moody over anyone's dog nor wanting to throw it on the M4.
Its a bit of a curse, having a dog, at times.
People will all too happily look after baby.
But hand them a lead and some bags, and they run a mile.
But since you are now stuck with it without any help, you continue to feed it, groom it, hear it, smell it, medicate it and walk it. With that kind of day in/day out commitment and expense, its hard not to become super attached to it and overly humanise it. If it has become that important a family member, it can be difficult to leave it behind.
Luckily my dog's a c**t alot of the time, so I can easily forget our bond
People will all too happily look after baby.
But hand them a lead and some bags, and they run a mile.
But since you are now stuck with it without any help, you continue to feed it, groom it, hear it, smell it, medicate it and walk it. With that kind of day in/day out commitment and expense, its hard not to become super attached to it and overly humanise it. If it has become that important a family member, it can be difficult to leave it behind.
Luckily my dog's a c**t alot of the time, so I can easily forget our bond
DoubleSix said:
Exactly, which is why I called the thread 'Dog People...', I don't blame the dog, just a certain type of owner. I am a little surpised more people haven't come across this behaviour though.
Maybe I'll throw her on the M4.
Nar, don't throw her out, that would be cruelty to a dumb animal and most of us seem to have outgrown that by age 8 Maybe I'll throw her on the M4.
Seriously though whilst I was ribbing in my first post on this people who have dogs should be aware of the responsibilities that come with ownership. This is not just pooh picking or not letting it run about without a lead bothering sheep/other dogs/others in the area, but also how people you invite into your home would feel.
Ultimately though you know the score where they are concerned and now you are both parents I suggest that the next time you guys meet is halfway at a spa for a weekend with g/parents looking after 2 and 4 legged bundles of joy
OP ever thought that your mates didnt want your kid spilling juice, choc or something over the carpet ?
I have dogs and young kids - Thank fk i dont have carpet downstairs in my house it would be fked with all the stuff they spill.
It sounds a strange set up but TBH its your mates house they can do as they like.
I have dogs and young kids - Thank fk i dont have carpet downstairs in my house it would be fked with all the stuff they spill.
It sounds a strange set up but TBH its your mates house they can do as they like.
theshrew said:
OP ever thought that your mates didnt want your kid spilling juice, choc or something over the carpet ?
I have dogs and young kids - Thank fk i dont have carpet downstairs in my house it would be fked with all the stuff they spill.
It sounds a strange set up but TBH its your mates house they can do as they like.
She's 8 months old! She doesn't drink juice (only water and milk) and definitely doesn't eat chocolate!! I have dogs and young kids - Thank fk i dont have carpet downstairs in my house it would be fked with all the stuff they spill.
It sounds a strange set up but TBH its your mates house they can do as they like.
But no, it's bugger all to do with that, it's just a midset which puts the animal far too high up the list priorities and blinds one to common courtesy.
Squiggs said:
I can't quite work out why the dog needs 24 hour supervision/companionship?
What is it with the 'we can't go here' and 'we can't go there because the dog can't come and we can't leave the dog alone'?
Do your friends never leave the dog alone ... Do they never go shopping together, never go out for meal?
The dog could suffer from separation anxiety and howl or bark the place down when they're out, and the neighbours might have complained before. If they treat the dog like a surrogate baby, that could well be the case.What is it with the 'we can't go here' and 'we can't go there because the dog can't come and we can't leave the dog alone'?
Do your friends never leave the dog alone ... Do they never go shopping together, never go out for meal?
In any case, I can kind of see both sides of this argument. I'd be pretty cross if the dog got the run of the house while I had to keep a just-toddling child on hard floors, too. But equally, some dogs can't be kept outside. I know ours would enjoy the first hour or so and then they'd be thoroughly miserable about being locked out. I think the easiest thing to do is go by the maxim "their house, their rules" and make sure you impose your own rules on them if you ever invite them back to yours.
Our dogs are put in a separate room in the house if visitors turn up. If the visitors are happy to have the dogs around, the dogs are allowed out to say hello. But if not, they stay in their room.
Edited by SGirl on Monday 11th November 16:23
I understand what you and others are saying Sgirl but I just take a different view on how a guest should be treated as I've said earlier. The idea of 'my house, my rules' is an anathema to me and goes against everything I believe a good host should be. I think the point is a little sorer given that on their last visit to us we bent over backwards to show them a brilliant time and sent them home beeming!
Maybe I should start a thread about 'hosting' lol, here's a personal bug bear and sure fire sign of a stty host; "We didn't plan anything as we weren't sure what you might like to do...." when I hear that I know I'm in for a stty weekend!
Maybe I should start a thread about 'hosting' lol, here's a personal bug bear and sure fire sign of a stty host; "We didn't plan anything as we weren't sure what you might like to do...." when I hear that I know I'm in for a stty weekend!
We have a dog (6 yr old Boxer) and a 9 month old baby girl - I love my dog to bits but when we have other people over with babies/young children we shut him out of the sitting room, he is so friendly and ridiculously exuberant that he could accidentally hurt them and I would never forgive myself.
We try and include him in as much as we can, but realistically he can't accompany us on everything we do.
People take priority.
We try and include him in as much as we can, but realistically he can't accompany us on everything we do.
People take priority.
SGirl said:
The dog could suffer from separation anxiety and howl or bark the place down when they're out, and the neighbours might have complained before. If they treat the dog like a surrogate baby, that could well be the case.
In any case, I can kind of see both sides of this argument. I'd be pretty cross if the dog got the run of the house while I had to keep a just-toddling child on hard floors , too. But equally, some dogs can't be kept outside. I know ours would enjoy the first hour or so and then they'd be thoroughly miserable about being locked out. I think the easiest thing to do is go by the maxim "their house, their rules" and make sure you impose your own rules on them if you ever invite them back to yours.
Our dogs are put in a separate room in the house if visitors turn up. If the visitors are happy to have the dogs around, the dogs are allowed out to say hello. But if not, they stay in their room.
What is this issue with small children and hard floors? They aren't going to fall far enough to hurt themselves.In any case, I can kind of see both sides of this argument. I'd be pretty cross if the dog got the run of the house while I had to keep a just-toddling child on hard floors , too. But equally, some dogs can't be kept outside. I know ours would enjoy the first hour or so and then they'd be thoroughly miserable about being locked out. I think the easiest thing to do is go by the maxim "their house, their rules" and make sure you impose your own rules on them if you ever invite them back to yours.
Our dogs are put in a separate room in the house if visitors turn up. If the visitors are happy to have the dogs around, the dogs are allowed out to say hello. But if not, they stay in their room.
Edited by SGirl on Monday 11th November 16:23
Our Lab has the run of the living areas but if someone really doesn't like dogs then we will pop him in his crate or use the downstairs living room and live him in the upstairs one.
It's up to everyone how they manage their dogs and where they let them go. Woudl the OP have objected to the dog being allowed in the same room as his child?
markh1973 said:
What is this issue with small children and hard floors? They aren't going to fall far enough to hurt themselves.
Eh? you serious?My time at home is accompanied by the reassuring thumb of head against deep pile carpet on about a 5 minute interval. The one time she tumble on our kitchen floor was not very pleasant at all!
In addition, please spend two hours crawling around a hard floor on your knees and report back on their condition as we're clearly doing it wrong, cheers.
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