Dislike of dogs

You can't have him! He's mine!

Of course I'm kidding, but my dog genuinely is very quiet and not much of a licker at all, so definitely not into face-licking. It's partly a breed thing (greyhound) but mostly just him being a bit odd, I think. He really does seem like a dog running on cat software.

I don't like dogs either.  Partly I think as I was knocked over by a black labrador when young and my grandmother also had a snappy jack Russell.

Having said that when I broke up and was staying with a friend who was out one night, her dog Bert noticed I was upset and comforted me. His barking also woke us up when I accidentally set fire to the kitchen. So I liked Bert.

The other week I went to something where two people brought dogs which were wet. I realised how much I hate the smell. One tried to sit on my lap after which I needed to leave, go home shower and put my clothes in the wash!

So yeah not a fan.

The dog being the prime mover is much less common, however.

Homebird said:

Then there are two types with dogs on leads. There are those who take up the whole path with their two dogs and are oblivious,

100% this! Especially where the dogs are on long leads as well. What you have there is two moving tripwires!

After receiving my new diagnosis; it has helped me as my thought was that I loved all animals because they arent as scary as humans but this was funny to me; when I went to possibly buy some fish, it was strange as I felt so intimidated, but in an article I read, it says that autistic people dont like the way the fish and dogs stare as it makes us uneasy, where a cat apparently doesn't do that mostly unless they are a bouncy starey cats (lol), but I think it depends on the dog as they are some breeds who are aware of these disabilities; but quite expensive as they are trained to a high level.

I once found myself with only a sandwich bag to hand..

There also a problem with dogs acquiring unsuitable humans..

It’s pretty much the other way around with my dog..

I like dogs..

If a dog exists that isn’t noisy and into face-licking (vom) then that’s the one for me. It’s a cat isn’t it? 

There is also a problem with people acquiring unsuitable dogs. Dogs, for many hundreds of years, were bred for specific tasks and some breeds do not make good family pets. Any dog breed that was ever bred for aggression against humans, such as sheep or cattle guard dogs - I don't mean sheep-herding dogs - do not make reliable family pets.

I do too. You're not alone. I disapprove of owners who cannot properly train their dogs, it's incredibly bad form. 

rustyb said:

I just don’t really get it and I find them unpredictable.

I can't wait till I'm old and can properly scold this irresponsible behaviour. BTW - a noticeable difference, in my experience, between the UK and the US is 99% of dog owners in the UK have their dogs properly trained - off lead, they do not pay attention to anyone but their owners. The US could use help in this matter. 

You don't have to like or love them and certainly a large furry tooth-filled thing hurtling at you at full speed can be terrifying ...however I'm also a dog owner who has on occasion had my own dog a pup run up to people in the same manner...although he did flopover and insist on belly rubs.  I was brought up with cats so getting a puppy was a huge learning curve.

If it helps you to feel more relaxed, maybe have a look online at dog body language so you can tell if a strange dog is friendly or not.  Obviously you are not obliged to interact with dogs if you dont want to.

I am definitely a cat person. We once had a quite enormous (not fat, just unusually large) Siamese tom, who would eyeball the neighbourhood dogs, get them totally rattled, then chase them.

Like the author James Joyce, on long walks I carry a walking stick, not because my legs are bad, but as a means of deterring dogs. I understand cat body language, but dogs seem to be hugely more unpredictable. Plus they make sudden loud noises, which make my sensory problems with sound go off-scale.

The wasps made me laugh because both me and my partner are afraid of them. We had a giant queen in our bathroom last summer and my partner shut it in there and asked me "what are we going to do about that wasp?"

There is no 'we' in this situation. It's every person for themselves.

I’m a cat person! Dogs are too unpredictable. I had a dog when I was younger and she was lovely and gentle, but I’m quite scared of dogs these days. 

Thank you for putting this post. I too thought I was the only one who didn't like dogs. 

I don't have a problem with people owning dogs if they like them, but I do have a problem if they invade my personal space. 

A lot of people near me walk their dogs off the lead which is ok if they are obedient and stay with owners. I no longer walk across a local open space because that is an area where other dogs have been attacked. 

People saying they are ok does not help. I don't want a dog jumping up on my clothes and slobbering all over me. Then there are two types with dogs on leads. There are those who take up the whole path with their two dogs and are oblivious, then there are considerate people who cross the road or move over. 

People not clearing up after their dogs makes walks less relaxing. Also with a strong sense of smell I can smell where any fresh deposits have been.

The other thing I find hard is when they suddenly bark as I am jumpy at sudden noises. A lady apologised to me yesterday and I accepted her apology as I think me coming around the corner probably made the dog jump too. 

My ideal, like some places are dog friendly, would be to have the opposite, open spaces where we could walk knowing we didn't have to be on high alert. Failing that I wish all people who take their dogs for a walk would train them so they are in control and be considerate to those who may not be dog lovers.

You may be pleased to know that my dog is extremely helpful and always poos close to bins so that minimal poo-carrying is needed

I'm not a dog person at all to be honest. I love cats but I find dogs can be too energetic and I don't like the feel of the fur of rough dogs or the slobbery ones as it grosses me out. I'm okay with friends dogs though once I get to know them.

I'm definitely more of a cat person! 

Wasps and bluebottles are pretty annoying but nothing freaks me out as much as crane flies / daddy longlegs  The way their legs hang in that weird way as they're flying and that tapping noise they make as they hit off the ceiling and walls - it's the stuff of nightmares for me! It doesn't help that they're prone to just flying straight at you when you walk into a room... whenever there's one in my house I have to get a family member to catch it and put it outside because otherwise I can't relax.

I'm fine with most other spiders, except those house spiders that grow to a gigantic size and can move faster than the blink of an eye