Published on 12, July, 2020
Dogs are noisy and smelly. I was terrified of them for most of my life, but I'm getting better now. I can uncomfortably endure an unfamiliar dog. My sister has a dog that I'm gradually getting used to after two years of infrequent exposure.
Some dogs can have a rather overpowering and unpleasant doggy odour, whilst others don't.
God that’s one of the worst things. I have two lovely friends, a married couple, and they’re on their second dog. Both dogs have had that smell. And both have been enthusiastically friendly (terrifyingly so if not used to them or needing personal space) to the point where it will climb up on me, or start chewing my shoelaces. When I get back in the car I can still smell the dog-ness on me. Only when I get home, get a bath, and take antiseptic wipes to my shoes does that finally go away. I couldn’t live with that scenario even if I did like dogs - the nose-blindness required is too big a sacrifice. As is the knowledge that their saliva would be everywhere. I sound horrible don’t I? I just find cats cleaner and with a much less overpowering scent. Maybe I’ll get one some day.
I suppose it’s partly guilt about knowing it’s kind of an honour to be liked and trusted that much by an animal. No person would ever be so overcome with excitement just to know that I exist! And yet there’s a big part of me thinking ‘please stay away - this is really stressful… and an assault on the senses’
An aunt of mine had two incredibly friendly and affectionate dogs (different cross-breeds). One was a medium-sized female and the other a small male. As far as I know, their diet was the same. The female didn't seem to have a noticeable doggy odour, but the male certainly did. Now, I am not suggesting for one minute that male dogs have an odour issue, as my aunt had previously owned other male dogs that hadn't had an overpowering odour issue... just this one particular dog who I considered to be an adorable cheeky chappie.
When I used to visit for a family get-together on Christmas Day, my role was to keep the dogs entertained and out of the kitchen and allow them to burn off their excited energy (they LOVED visitors). For me, this was something I really looked forward to... apart from when the smelly male dog insisted upon returning the affection by licking my face. Not because I had an issue with my face being licked, but simply because of the intensity of his doggy odour. In hindsight, I possibly should have gone equipped with a nose clip (like swimmers have).
For what it's worth, I don't think you don't sound horrible for having an aversion to strong dog odour and dog saliva. We're all different in terms of what we can and can't tolerate.
Actually I do know one or two cute wee dogs with calm Temperaments. But have only met them outdoors so can’t really judge the smell factor too well.