How do you feel about people petting your dog?

Boonkiemom · 11-05-2009, 01:00 PM

I know this sounds nuts, but I'm not crazy about people petting my dog....especially strangers. I have a little bichon that I'm very affectionate with and I feel like my dog has been contaminated by someone else petting her. I mean, we're now learning that pets can get swine flu and even if it's other ordinary germs, I'm not keen on someone petting my dog and then me possibly picking something up from her. I sure don't want to kiss her or pet afterwards.

Anybody else feel this way?

BooLette · 11-05-2009, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boonkiemom

I know this sounds nuts, but I'm not crazy about people petting my dog....especially strangers. I have a little bichon that I'm very affectionate with and I feel like my dog has been contaminated by someone else petting her. I mean, we're now learning that pets can get swine flu and even if it's other ordinary germs, I'm not keen on someone petting my dog and then me possibly picking something up from her. I sure don't want to kiss her or pet afterwards.

Anybody else feel this way?

I don't think that you are nuts at all. I feel the same way, but not about germs getting on my poochies. I just HATE it when kids come RUNNING up to my dogs and try to pet them without asking. I really want to smack them because it scares the crap out of the dogs when they just barrel over and shove their hands in the dogs' faces.
I never really thought about the germs...but now I am! Thanks! lol

Rottieluv · 11-05-2009, 01:28 PM

Porter loves being loved on so I don't really mind if people pet him. I just want people ask first. He doesn't much care of black men (i dont know why), and I have had an older black man come up and try to pet him when I wasn't looking. Porter didn't bite at him, but he let him know he didnt want to be touched. I've also had a little kid come running up to Porter, grab him around his neck, pull him to the ground, and lay on top of him. Thankfully Porter loves kids and just let the little boy do what ever he wanted. But that could have ended very bad! Its just much more safe if people would ask to pet any animal first.

I never even thought about him getting something for someone petting him. I guess he could get something if they had just been petting a sick dog. Now i'm going to be scared to take him places.

dleggs15 · 11-05-2009, 01:39 PM

I dont mind if people want to pet Rosie she is such a people dog usually its her walkign up to everyone asking for attention! gotta love bulldogs! there isn't a person in this world that i think she would bite or not want rubbins from! we dont go out in public much anymore since there is not many places to go around here. Our Min Pin on the other hand he is the opposite of Rosie if he don't know you he is very shy and skittish! I would prefer if people would ask of course but most of the time the dont have a chance to becuase Rosie is already asking them to LOL

NeoBodhi · 11-05-2009, 01:42 PM

I have always asked permission to pet a strangers dog so I am very surprised that most people will pet my puppy without asking. I don't mind too much though since I want Chester to have as much social interaction early on as possible. What does bother me is when adults let their children try and play rough. Really for the kids sake more than anything. My 25 pound puppy could easily knock a child of its feet and parents should realize that. When that happens I grab Chester's leash close to the neck to make sure he can't do too much damage and I ask the child politely to be careful and occasionally I give a "WTF is your kid doing" look to the parents

As far as what your experiencing Boonkiemom, it sounds like you might be experiencing a bit of mysophobia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mysophobia

Elana55 · 11-05-2009, 01:43 PM

Atka LOVES to be petted but I make ppl ask first and then she has to stay sitting for it.

I work at having people pet her when she is standing too, for her Stand for Exam for competition.

bully · 11-05-2009, 01:45 PM

Should be done on a regular basis.

FilleBelle · 11-05-2009, 01:47 PM

Part of the reason I own a dog is to force me to interact with the rest of society. I am flattered when people want to pet Alvin, as I know it means he looks happy, healthy, and well behaved.

The chances of you picking up a disease from shared contact with your dog's fur are next to zero.

CoverTune · 11-05-2009, 01:48 PM

As long as people ask first, which I think is just a common courtesy, I have no problem with people petting my dogs.. I think it's good for them to have a variety of people petting them.

pittsabowawa · 11-05-2009, 01:48 PM

I love it when people or kids come to pet bella because it so rarely happens because shes a "viscious dog"

I do agree however that kids shouldn't run up to strange dogs and in that case I usually explain that it can scare the dog if you run up fast and then I make Bella sit before being petted by the kids.

As far as germs go I have a relaxed view on it. I take precautions don't get me wrong.. but I feel that if you're always worrying about germs then you miss out on a lot of good times because your constantly stressing (I carry a bottle of hand sanitizer with me everywhere so if I feel "germy" or contaminated I can just sanitize my hands and go on with life

Rottieluv · 11-05-2009, 01:54 PM

Could a dog get mange from someone who had been petting another dog with mange? I never really thought about dogs getting sick like that. I know cats can get sick by being around someone that has been around a sick cat. But I think that is mainly the upper respiratory infection.

I also think making your dog sit to get loved on is a great idea! That's what I do with Porter so he doesn't knock anyone down, 95 lb is a lot of puppy to just be running into people.

AmyBeth · 11-05-2009, 02:00 PM

I don't mind if people pet my dogs but they need to ask first. Especially kids, Tanner is very fearful of children, we're working on it and he's getting a lot better. But when a kid just walks up and shoves their hands in his face he freaks out and tries to run. But if they come up calmly and let him smell them first, then he let them do pretty much what ever they want to him. Buster usaully walks right up to people and bigs to be be petted but I still think they should ask before they do.

As fa as germs go I don't really care. I work in a pharmacy so if I don't pick it up at work, then I'm not going to get it.

RedyreRottweilers · 11-05-2009, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boonkiemom

I know this sounds nuts, but I'm not crazy about people petting my dog....especially strangers. I have a little bichon that I'm very affectionate with and I feel like my dog has been contaminated by someone else petting her. I mean, we're now learning that pets can get swine flu and even if it's other ordinary germs, I'm not keen on someone petting my dog and then me possibly picking something up from her. I sure don't want to kiss her or pet afterwards.

Anybody else feel this way?

It does sound strange, in particular the fact that you feel that others touching your dog contaminates her.

It sounds like OCD.

Terrie · 11-05-2009, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BooLette

I just HATE it when kids come RUNNING up to my dogs and try to pet them without asking.

I feel the same way!! There's these two little girls that live next door to us and every time I take Lexi out to potty they come over to our yard and start petting her and touching her face! Lexi loves it but I'm scared she might get too excited and bite them. Not to mention, then she takes 20 minutes to decide to pee.

I wish they would at least stay in their own yard, jeez I wish we had a fence.

And I personally never touch anyone's dog unless we are at the dog park and the dog comes up to me for attention.

michelleboston · 11-05-2009, 02:16 PM

I don't mind it at all. I live in the city and constantly get stopped by people asking to pet Bailey. I don't really ever have anyone pet him without asking, that might bother me. But 9 times out of 10 it's Bailey who's asking to be petted--anytime he gets oohed and aahed over he either sits pretty or stands on his hind legs. He loves the attention.

When he was really young it was hard to take a walk with him because every time someone walked (or jogged, or biked) by, he'd stop in his tracks, sit and look at them like "I'm cute! Don't you want to come say Hi?"

Boonkiemom · 11-05-2009, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FilleBelle

Part of the reason I own a dog is to force me to interact with the rest of society. I am flattered when people want to pet Alvin, as I know it means he looks happy, healthy, and well behaved.

The chances of you picking up a disease from shared contact with your dog's fur are next to zero.

Not exactly. http://www.2ndchance.info/zoonoses.htm

There have also been more than a few cases of humans getting e coli from their dogs. I would also point out that if someone is ill and pets your dog and you in turn pet your dog in the same area, of course you can get transference. It's no different than any other object that an infected person has touched.

And by the way, I sure do appreciate all the amateur psychologists analyzing me! LOL! Believe me, I don't have these disorders. I'm just trying not to pick up something because of health conditions. Also, I'm a bit possessive of my dog. She on the other hand, loves everybody and believes everybody loves her. Which they do naturally!

Northern_Inuit_Luv · 11-05-2009, 02:58 PM

I only mind when I am on a walk. When I start walking, its like a job for me and my dogs, and I like them to be focused...when they think they can stop and meet every person on the way, it makes walking more stressful for me because I feel like I have to work that much harder to make them work. However, at the dog park, if we are visiting people, or on situations like Halloween where lots of people are coming over, I definitely like people petting them and loving on them. Its good socialization, and they are filthy even if people don't pet them

Curbside Prophet · 11-05-2009, 03:01 PM

I don't have any issues with it, but I do try to avoid kids. One time we were mobbed by a group of kids. Wasn't a problem until one of the knuckleheads decided he wanted to control my dog away from the others. He literally started choking Elsa by pulling on her leash. Thankfully I restrained myself from going Darth Vader on him and reclaimed my dog without touching him.

Terrie · 11-05-2009, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Northern_Inuit_Luv

I only mind when I am on a walk. When I start walking, its like a job for me and my dogs, and I like them to be focused...when they think they can stop and meet every person on the way, it makes walking more stressful for me because I feel like I have to work that much harder to make them work. However, at the dog park, if we are visiting people, or on situations like Halloween where lots of people are coming over, I definitely like people petting them and loving on them. Its good socialization, and they are filthy even if people don't pet them

I agree with you on the walking. I'm in the process of leash-training so, it's quite annoying when people try to pet my Lexi. Especially when they are kids because there are usually groups of them and they like to gang up on her. I really need to find some deep woods to go for a walk in! Darn suburbs!

JLWillow · 11-05-2009, 03:05 PM

I'm not too fond of it only because Willow isn't. If Willow loved to be petted, I wouldn't care, and I'd be happy for her, but she's very very shy, and still isn't entirely out of her shell yet. I tell people how to greet her, but not to expect much because she isn't all that social. I wish she liked people more.