Turned-off by singles, who are dog lovers

[friendsoulmate]

I am often turned-off by dog lovers and some other pets too. I do not own any pets. So many single people try to substitute a dog in place of a real human relationship. These pet lovers call their dogs their "kids" or their "babies". If these pet lovers truly believe their dogs are their "kids" or their "babies", then they need to see a psychiatrist, because I don't believe any pets can be a substitute for a real human relationship. When dogs want to threaten or attack people, just walking down the sidewalk, the dog owner will deny or play-down the incident by saying "Don't worry. He won't hurt you. He's a really nice dog." Some dog owners don't want to believe that their dog can be a mean dog. The dog owner doesn't understand why their dog would want to be threatening to strangers, if their dog is always nice to them. The only dogs I like are the ones who have had formal training from an obedience school and are well-controlled with verbal commands. Dog owners rarely have their dog formally trained through an obedience school. Most dog owners want to home school their dog, thinking they'll save some money. They don't know how to teach their dog any formal training, so they just yell at their dog to "Stop-it! Hush-up! Settle-down! Get-down!"

[vertigoxo]

I love my dog. She is my "baby" since I care for her like I would with a real baby. She is also naturally sweet to strangers. Not all untrained dogs are blood thirsty beasts, though there are some powerful breeds (pit bulls, rottweilers, German shepherds, etc) that need a strong hand and some obedience experiences.

[HouseKitten]

A pet isn't 'just' a substitute for a human relationship. Many people who live alone like the company having a pet provides. It's by no means a replacement for having a family member or partner with you, but pets can be extremely rewarding and their needs are very uncomplicated.

 

Yes, some people have bad pets, and they don't bother to train them properly. But many, many people have pets that haven't had official training and are still perfectly normal, gentle animals.

 

It sounds like you've had a bad experience with someone's dog and are stereotyping animal lovers into one big pathetic, deluded group. Whatever your experience was, it was not true for the majority for pet owners.

[Crazyaboutdogs]

With your anger and hostility towards pet owners..sounds like you need a dog to soften your heart! Dogs are not only a single person's best friend, compainion and "baby", they are also a lifeline for many handicapped people. They help the blind, people in wheel chairs etc. Some have even been used to help predict when someone is going to have a seizure. They have saved people from fires, they are used as bomb sniffers, drug sniffers etc. They are thrilled when you come home from work..are even thrilled when you come back after a 5 minute absence. They are sympathetic when you are feeling down and love nothing better than to be hugged and cuddled by you. Yes, some dogs can be pretty scary and some owners can be scarier..but those are the minority.

[Zaphodb2002]

I am a dog trainer by trade, specializing in aggression and socialization issues. I also happen to own 5 dogs, who I often refer to as my "kids". I'm also in a pretty healthy relationship and have a pretty solid social network, so your accusation that dogs are a relationship substitute certainly doesn't apply to me. In fact, most of my clients are married couples. I'm 23 years old, so my dogs aren't a sort of misguided need for children, but they do give that same sense of being responsible for another living thing, and, like children, they love you unconditionally. There are people who don't adaquately socialize their pets, and those people will probably end up being bad parents, as well. Your example of a dog that's aggressive towards people on the street is probably owned by the same sort of people who have that screaming, tantrum-throwing child in Wal-Mart. The problem isn't with loving animals, or with the animal itself, it's the failure of the owner as a caretaker and "parent". And it doesn't require "formal" training of any sort to have a perfect dog, just an understanding of their behaviour and a lot of patience. I've never met a bad dog, just a few bad owners. While I understand where you're coming from, I couldn't disagree with you more. I honestly believe anyone who doesn't like animals is somewhat maladjusted. Not that it's a terrible thing, and I'm sure people get along fine without pets, but I think those people are missing out on a great joy in life. They are not a replacement for human interaction, but people are hardly dog replacements, as well. I couldn't live without both.

[ProtestTheHero]

Date people who aren't pet owners then. We got rid of our dog when I was younger and we were moving, but it didn't make that much of a difference to me. They can be cool and all, but the barking, the mess, and the smell can get old. Yeah, you can take steps to rectify all of that but it's a lot of effort without a lot of reward IMO, so I get where you're coming from -- but it wouldn't really have any bearing on whether or not I was attracted to someone.

[Imprecision]

Haha, I think you should work for the Guangzhou government. Interesting anecdote here...

 

A few years ago, the government at Guangzhou decided to improve the city image. The bureaucrats thought there were too many dogs. So they implemented a policy where each person could only have one dog. Unfortunately, many people had more than one dog to begin with. Therefore, all the extra dogs were killed - some shot, some beaten, etc.

[bertdru]

I hate dogs too. I wish I loved dogs though because I don't really get along with people. But dogs are annoying definitely.

[Crazyaboutdogs]

I hate dogs too. I wish I loved dogs though because I don't really get along with people. But dogs are annoying definitely.

 

 

I actually find loud children and loud teenagers even more annoying than any dog! They are all back at school now, disrupting the summer peace and tranquility of the commute to work on the bus!

[BriarRose]

I actually find loud children and loud teenagers even more annoying than any dog! They are all back at school now, disrupting of the summer peace and tranquility of the commute to work on the bus!

..

I have to agree with this.

[dragon lady]

I prefer the company of my dogs to 99% of people and I wouldn't have it any other way. I agree that children suck! They are far more annoying than most pets. I would also never be with someone who didn't like animals. That's very strange to me. Maybe I do need therapy? Who knows. At least my dogs will never have the capacity to be rude enough to tell me something like that.

[lavenderdove]

Animal lovers and people who don't like pets will never really understand each other. It is like people who like watching sports and people who don't.

 

The point in life is to be HAPPY, and finding things/hobbies/people you are compatible with. Animal lovers know their pets are not people, but pets can provide a huge amount of love and happiness for people, so there is nothing wrong with that, just like there is nothing wrong with someone who loves spending all their free spare time being a football fan, or some other hobby they love.

 

You just have to recognize that you need to find someone else who doesn't care for pets in the home. There are more pet lovers than not, but there are many people who don't like them, so just keep looking, but don't blame people who do like them, and people who do certainly aren't abnormal in any way unless they are pet hoarders and shun human contact entirely.

[TheOther]

I'm cool with pet owners and pet lovers. But moderation is key. Those that obsess and/or talk endlessly about their pets can become a turn off to a non-pet owner. And I'm sure this could be applied to many subjects, not just dogs.

[IphigeniaSaysHi]

I prefer the company of my dogs to 99% of people and I wouldn't have it any other way. I agree that children suck! They are far more annoying than most pets. I would also never be with someone who didn't like animals. That's very strange to me. Maybe I do need therapy? Who knows. At least my dogs will never have the capacity to be rude enough to tell me something like that.

 

I will now employ dragon lady to speak for me at all times.

This is exactly right. After the last thread on dating and pets, this made me chuckle.

 

It's ok that you don't want to date animal lovers, if it isn't your thing, by all means avoid them. Some people just don't like animals.

 

I like people, I want relationships, but pets are great.

Guess I'll go rock in a corner and eat my hair. lol

[dragon lady]

^ I hope it's paid employment...because I really need a job right now

 

Seriously though, I wouldn't consider having pets a "substitute" for human interaction because I get something out of being a pet owner that I cannot get out of interacting with other human beings. I find that having pets enriches my life considerably. Why is that a bad thing?

[JeckyllNHyde]

Woah..

 

 

In a way I'm glad the world has people who call their pets their "babies" and treat them well or else the pets would be neglected.

FYI people IN relationsips can be that way too... Yet there's no objection to THEM treating their pets as their babies?

[BriarRose]

I prefer the company of my dogs to 99% of people and I wouldn't have it any other way. I agree that children suck! They are far more annoying than most pets. I would also never be with someone who didn't like animals. That's very strange to me. Maybe I do need therapy? Who knows. At least my dogs will never have the capacity to be rude enough to tell me something like that.

..

I agree...it's one thing to not have pets because of allergies or a hectic schedule or you have to travel frequently, etc.... but to simply dislike animals? At the very least, that would be a red flag to me.

[Crazyaboutdogs]

I'm cool with pet owners and pet lovers. But moderation is key. Those that obsess and/or talk endlessly about their pets can become a turn off to a non-pet owner. And I'm sure this could be applied to many subjects, not just dogs.

 

Absolutely...parents who talk endlessly about the minutae of the their children's lives and what cute thing they did that hour.

[Cognitive_Canine]

I wouldn't date a person who isn't a dog person. Cat person...probably. I love kitties too. But, dogs are my kind of animal.

[browneyedgirl36]

Interesting thread...

 

I am a HUGE animal lover -- especially cats (but I like dogs too, even though I have never owned one), and I am also single and have been for quite some time. While I agree that animals aren't people, nor are they a "substitute" for people, they are very special in their own ways. My cat has saved my sanity a million times over her lifetime; I have a lot of friends -- some really, really good ones -- and I have a good relationship with my family, but sometimes, that soft, gentle little presence is what I need when I am feeling low and can't (or don't want to) reach out to other people. Some would disagree with me, but I truly believe that pets provide something most humans can't: Unconditional love without judgement. They are not capable of malice, deceit or betrayal; they are not critical of our flaws; they accept us for who we are. Plus, they don't nag us or start arguments when we come home from a hard day at work.

 

I am NOT saying that people are awful (though I think some people ARE). I am simply saying that there are good reasons that some of us love our pets so much and why it seems as if we treat them as if they were people.

 

I agree that some take it to extremes; I admit, I get annoyed when I go to a friend's house and we're talking and she keeps interrupting me to talk to her dogs. She will actually cut me off, turn to the dogs, and start asking them questions: "Do you want to eat? Where's your ball? Where's Daddy?" Gahhhh...a bit much. I also wish people wouldn't take their pets everywhere they go. I'm not too keen on drinking my coffee at Starbucks with a dog sitting next to me or standing in line at the grocery store next to a woman with a barking chihuahua in her purse. I do think there has to be some moderation, even when it comes to our furry little friends!

 

That said, I could never date or be in a relationship with someone who didn't at least LIKE animals. I am always going to have a pet, and anyone I would be serious with would have be OK with that. My ex is a cat person, which is one reason I am still hung up on him. I don't think I could relate to someone who disliked animals.

[Cognitive_Canine]

My boyfriend makes fun of me. Whenver we are driving and I see an animal, I'll say "awww, (enter animals name)" in this really stupid voice.

 

"Awww, cow"

 

"Awww, goooooat"

 

"Awww, lizard"

 

It's a reflex.

[browneyedgirl36]

My boyfriend makes fun of me. Whenver we are driving and I see an animal, I'll say "awww, (enter animals name)" in this really stupid voice.

 

"Awww, cow"

 

"Awww, goooooat"

 

"Awww, lizard"

 

It's a reflex.

 

I do things like this too. I'll say "Oh, cows! Hi cows!" People think I'm weird. I'm glad I'm not the only one who does this!

[IphigeniaSaysHi]

I do the same! haha

[jackie100]

I don't really understand pet lovers either... I have never had pets as a kid and never loved animals. I don't hate animals, I just don't care for them. I wouldn't hold it against someone if they were animal lovers as long as they weren;t overboard about it.

[arcadefire]

I don't have anything against dog owners, but I absolutely hate finding pet hairs in my clothes and such just after sitting down on the couch or something. And ill trained dogs who jump all over you when you're in work clothes or something. It's an annoyance that's easy to avoid if you're dating someone who doesn't own a pet!