Never Say This To A Dog Owner

There is an unspoken truce between an owner and a dog that will transcend every other relationship. It’s not uncommon for a dog owner to make their social arrangements according to whether their hosts have pets or not and will begrudgingly accept those where humans are the only social creatures available. When entering the domain of the dog lover, however, there will be a slight change of rules and the proper etiquette will need to be adhered to.

Here are six things never to say to a dog lover:

“I Suppose You Will Need to Find a New Home For Rex When Donna Moves In.” Finding that ideal partner can take a long time and with the hours spent developing a relationship, it would be silly to assume that finding a human mate will undo all of this. Think back on all those road trips and walks and how just the mere presence of their human sparks up a joy that is unparalleled elsewhere. Stock up on the anti-histamines and invest in a pet-hair-control-anti-dander vacuum cleaner to accommodate a new human.

“Do Me a Favor? Can You Tie Your Dog Up When I Bring My Kids Over?” No. Absolutely not. Those who have lifelong friends will soon start wondering whether friendships are worth it when this favor card is played. Images of little ones with Sharpies using your beloved pooch as a coloring book will soon have you asking your friend to lock the kids up instead.

“No Pets Allowed.” Dog owners who love nothing more than traveling the open road with their trusted companion will find this to be one of the most annoying and inconvenient rules when looking for a place to stay, relax, or eat. This is especially tough on responsible owners who ensure they keep their dogs on a leash in public places and tidy up after them.

“Why Don’t You Rather Feed Your Dog This?” If this advice is from anyone other than a registered veterinarian, then it just becomes a bit annoying, especially if the advice happens to be for “human” food such as rice, meat, or bones. Dog owners tend to keep their pups to a specific diet for their health and deviating from this could put that beloved pooch at risk.

“Dog owners tend to keep their pups to a specific diet for their health and deviating from this could put that beloved pooch at risk.”

“I Don’t Really Like Dogs.” Not only does this person’s credibility level drop by 95%, they will also be excluded from any function where they will be exposed to your darling doggy. There are thousands of different breeds of dogs, and to exclude each and every one of them just seems wrong.

“Can’t You Just Get Another One.” If the immediate response is something harsh and cruel, count to ten slowly and remember that not everyone is geared for a solid relationship with a four-legged tub of love. Take the time to breathe and simply disregard that silly comment.

Being a dog owner can be socially demanding when those around you are not aware of the incredible relationship you share with your dog. Take care to involve those around you in the fun activities you share with your dog to allow them to foster a relationship. This will give them a better insight into this indelible love.

If you enjoyed this post, you should read “How To Make Sports And Recreation Safe For Your Pet” here.

I know I’ve been told some variation of the above, and some more than once. What have you heard said that shouldn’t be told to a dog owner? Share below!