With holidays approaching and all sorts of personalities, blended families, and personal histories coming together under one roof, a time of celebration and togetherness can often be a source of stress. We give dog owners and non-dog owners tips on how to understand each other more.
Is it rude to bring your dog to someone’s house?
Yes – It’s considered rude to bring your dog to someone’s house without asking. It is the decision of the homeowner whether to allow dogs in their home. Bringing a dog to their home presumes it’s okay and doesn’t even give the homeowner a choice. You may be unaware of the suitability of their property or the factors that would go into whether or not they would allow a dog in their home.
Is it rude to ask to bring your dog to someone’s house?
No – Asking a host in advance if you can bring your dog is not rude. It is showing courtesy, which is the best way to know if this is okay. When you ask, you’re showing respect and proving that you care about the preference of the people you are visiting. Asking in advance will help you make early plans because you’re going to know what to do with your pet.
Why do some Pet Owners form such a strong bond with their dog?
Pet Owners often form quite a close bond with their pets especially if they have been through tough times together, such as long periods of illness, trauma, isolation, loneliness, past abuse or neglect, relationship breakups, situations where their security has been compromised, or depression.
The family pet has been their source of comfort at the end of the bed, or curled up on their Owner’s shoulder or neck, their constant deep breathing or heartbeat is found to relieve anxiety or loneliness felt by their owner, sending them off to sleep happily. A daily source of affection and unconditional love, as well as exercise motivation and companion and overall helping to improve mental health, as proven in countless studies.
Couples who have experienced the loss of a child through miscarriage (or multiple miscarriages), often also find that pets have helped to heal them and to also fill the void of not having children when society expects them to.
Pet Owners who have been abused or neglected by humans find comfort security, affection, and companionship from pets.
Here are some ways to relate to a Pet Owner who has a strong bond with their dog without offending them
- Don’t exclude the pet from the Christmas Invite. If you invite them to drive many hours to come see you, tell them its ok to bring their dog too if there is a suitable fenced backyard. After-all, gatherings like Christmas are only once a year, and life is short.
- You may not understand it, but try to acknowledge the high importance of the pet in the person’s life, the love, sense of security, and companionship the pet brings to your family member. Don’t tell them to “Just stick them in a kennel” and think its going to be taken well.
- Your family member sees their pet as a member of their family so it’s not a just a “thing”, it’s another being.
- It’s a financial cost for your family member to seek out a Pet Sitter or a dog boarding facility.
- Kennels can be stressful, unhygienic places filled with many caged pets that aren’t used to being caged.
- Give your pet-owning relative enough time to plan. Good Pet Sitters can get booked out months in advance and it can be difficult to locate one within a weeks notice during peak holiday seasons.
- Show some understanding and perhaps use the opportunity to bring up a conversation like “How is Fluffy/Bailey going?”
Why don’t some people like dogs?
People who are not dog lovers have no or very little attachment to animals. They have probably had friends or family as support to get through tough periods in their life.
They don’t like dog fur on their furniture or carpet, and they don’t like that wet dog smell, and the whiff of dog poo or wee, or have experienced a flea outbreak.
Perhaps the person has had a stressful or traumatic experience being on the receiving end of a dog who has attacked them, weed or pooed on their floor, destroyed their furniture or deprived them of sleep at a key time by barking.
Some people just don’t like dogs for no particular reason at all.
If your dog is welcomed, ensure you follow good dog etiquette at someone else’s home
- Don’t allow your pets to just wander through the house you’re visiting. Ask your family member, friend, or neighbour first. Don’t assume. Some people have allergies to pets which leaves their vision blurry & their nose runny for weeks after they’ve had a pet in their house.
2. If you bring your pet, take them for lots of walks to keep their energy burned up. This may help to prevent your pooch jumping up on small children or the elderly, as they can potentially scare or injure them
3. Send your pet to the groomers before they visit friends or family. This way fleas and loose fur will be groomed away, they will look better and smell better.
4. Clean up any poop they might do outside, even if its on the grass. This means bring along pet waste bags and a leash.
5. Take puppy training pads and cat litter trays
6. Take a separate bed for them.
Don’t assume your friend or family member will be okay with them sleeping on your guest bed like they do at home.
7. Take adequate dog enrichment toys and chews to distract your pet. This way they aren’t barking or destroying things.
8. Surprise your relatives by showing them how well trained your pet is.
9. Remember table etiquette and don’t feed your dog from your plate.
Save some scraps and serve it to them in a bowl you’ve brought after your meal.
At PetCloud pets and people are a priority to us, and we would love to match your pet with a fellow pet lover in your area. Join free today: www.petcloud.com.au/signup
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Read more: Hiring a Pet Sitter VS getting friends or family to look after your pet
