Not everyone loves dogs! I know, I know, hard to believe but not everyone loves dogs, and even harder to believe that not everyone loves your dog (if you have one)! It’s an unbelievable and painful truth.
But….. Don’t take it personally, what you see in your dog is not what everyone else sees and that is OK.
I remember when I got my beautiful puppy and I thought he was the cutest most adorable thing in the world. He was a K9 unicorn! Then I had a cold hard slap in the face and was told he had evil eyes… What….. No way… he’s perfect how can this person say this, I was mortified! Then I realised, it is their opinion and every single one of us is entitled to one.
Reasons for People Not Liking Dogs
Most dog people are totally oblivious to other people when they are out walking their dogs unless it’s another dog owner. They do not realise that 1 in 20 people are absolutely petrified of your beloved doodle, your Labrador, your chihuahua, the mixed breed or your Mastiff, so there is a good chance when you are out walking that you will encounter someone, whether you realise it or not, who has that ingrained fear.
I’ve seen teenage boys jump on park benches to get away from a dog, that is 30 meters away. I have seen people paralysed with fear from a slobbering, waggy-tailed, overly affectionate dog, I’ve seen kiddies cling to their mums in the fear that a dog will get too close, I have even been pushed in front of someone who was so scared that they had no option but to put me between themselves and the dog due to fear, that sudden reaction resulted in me being nipped, and neither at fault as the dog just got startled.
Some people do not necessarily fear dogs, some people simply do not like dogs end of, and that too is OK! They don’t like the barking, the relentless urinating, the smell, the neediness, the ball throwing, the dog poo, the bounding, the jumping up, the uncontrolled rude dog, not to mention the neurotic dog owner ohh the list goes on.
People do not like dogs for many reasons
- They have had a bad experience
- They suffer from cynophobia (the fear of dogs)
- It is their personal preference
- They like dogs just not your dog
So next time you are walking your dog be aware of other people around you, have your dog under control and please please don’t say to someone “don’t worry he won’t hurt you he loves people” as the feeling may not be mutual. If your dog does run up to someone before you can get him on the lead and you can see they are uncomfortable recall your dog, remove them from that person’s crutch, apologise and acknowledge that it is your responsibility to keep your dog under control.
