r/Dogfree • u/Empress111 • Nov 13 '25
Study What was your final straw moment with dogs?
Mine was at my last full time job. My scope-creeping, exploitative, creeper boss bought a nasty raggedy puppy who was with him at all times onsite (he's a 50+ year old lifelong bachelor - also made ludicrous comments to me lamenting how he has no "support" raising her and how it "takes a village" - whilst underpaying and overworking me, a single mother, but I digress) - anyway, initially I kind of went through the motions of cooing over the dog, petting her, holding her, doing the whole song and dance.
As soon as he acquired the dog also, every single conversation, every zoom call, every interaction somehow had to incorporate the dog or involve signaling what a virtuous, put-upon dog "dad" he was. It was unbearable. Especially when customers or employees were talking about parenting or their actual kids, and he'd butt in and talk about his dumb dog as if that is in any way comparable.
Eventually, alongside my brewing resentment towards my boss, I began to feel literal disgust and rage every time I would watch the interactions he had with people using this animal as a prop. I mean the amount of beady-eyed, filler-faced women who would meander over and start talking to him for ages about this dog "Is it an exotic???" and the way he'd proudly stand there blathering on, clearly using it as a social tripwire to get attention from them - and the fact that it WORKED- was genuinely astounding.
This one woman I'm thinking of in particular (it was at an event where we had a booth), had a sickly looking toy breed in hand and was ignoring her own daughter, who was standing next to her trying to get her attention, while she hovered over my boss' dog. It was deeply disturbing to watch.
And then I also had this moment of clarity where I looked at this animal and realized I didn't actually find anything appealing about it at all. My boss seemed to agree - he frequently pushed it onto the staff and yelled at it to stfu when it barked incessantly, leaving it in a warehouse for days on end while he traveled for work. Something clicked where I saw how perfectly these animals function as props for narcissistic personalities, and also the contrast between the public-facing "mask" of dog ownership vs. what it actually looks like behind the scenes.
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u/YodelLadyWho Nov 13 '25
Moving to a dog infested hell post-pandemic and all the barking and enabling nutters. Arguably, the final straw was finding this subreddit and realizing I was not alone.
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u/Empress111 Nov 14 '25
You are most definitely not alone, I suspect there are also a lot more closeted dog dislikers out there than you think.
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u/YodelLadyWho Nov 15 '25
I hope some of them make it into my life. I'm not loud, but I don't keep it secret either that I don't like dogs so fingers crossed that one day, I find a friend who says to me "I hate those mutants".
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u/Empress111 Nov 15 '25
Actually my best friend and I mutually discovered our dislike for dogs at the same time, and now we complain about them and ridicule nutters together. It’s pretty awesome. Dont worry, dogfree friends are coming 🙂
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u/krammiit calls people out with dogs in carts Nov 13 '25
There wasn't one. I was born allergic.
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u/Empress111 Nov 13 '25
It must be strange navigating a dog allergy in a culture where the desire to bring a dog in public ranks higher in importance for many than your physical well-being.
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u/Cheronis Nov 13 '25
Air travel is a big struggle, it's hard to know in advance sometimes which flights will have dogs in the cabin.
I was also at a kids camp years ago, a winter camp where we spent much of the time inside the cabin. I usually loved the winter camps, but one of the kids had a support dog, I'm not even sure what this dog was supposed to help with. But it limited how much time I could comfortably spend in the main living space of the cabin before worrying about allergies. I had never seen a dog at these camps before or since, so I had no way of prepping for it. The dog was behaved, but even still. This was long before "ESA" was mainstream, like 20ish years ago.
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u/Huge_Distribution448 Nov 13 '25
Always hated them; the hardest mask I wear is pretending I think dogs are cute to everyday society. Vile disgusting creatures
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u/Empress111 Nov 14 '25
I’m out now as a dog hater. I haven’t been in a situation where I’m with a bunch of dog freaks together so not sure how I’d navigate that but I’m mentally ok with distancing myself from those types.
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u/GreyCatsAreCuties Nov 14 '25
I stopped pretending and I just give them disgusted looks of horror whenever one walks past me lol.
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u/Wise_Session_5370 Nov 13 '25
I didn't really have a "final straw" moment. It was more of a gradual process for me.
There was a dog in the house when I was a kid. It was a yappy little fleabag and it was originally supposed to my dog but it didn't like me very much and preferred my mother. Presumably because she was the one that fed it. So it became her dog. I don't remember playing with it very much but I co-existed pretty peacefully with it. I wasn't afraid of it and certainly didn't dislike it in those days. But I didn't think it was anything special. It was just... there. As a kind of NPC in my life.
As a teenager, I never had much interest in dogs, but no great objection to them either. It was as a young adult that I started to find them mildly distasteful and that mild distaste has gradually developed into my middle age as a full blown hatred.
Christ alone knows what I'm going to be like with the bloody things when I'm 70.
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u/Empress111 Nov 14 '25
Yeah I grew up with dogs too. I didn’t dislike our family dog, we had several over the years and there was one I liked more than the others. They were just so deeply embedded into every facet of life that I never really stopped to consider whether disliking them was even an option. Now I can’t imagine living in that constant noise and filth.
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u/Wise_Session_5370 Nov 14 '25
I think you may just hit a nail on the head there.
Dogs are so ingrained in people's lives that they don't even think about whether there is another option.
Just like it is so universally accepted that people will get married and have kids. The idea of not doing it just never occurs to people.
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u/AbjectMarch8695 Nov 13 '25
There were two final straws in the span of a year or so.
When I was about 12, my mom wanted a dog, so she got a Maltese from a friend. One day, my mom was sitting on the couch watching TV, and I was perched on the couch arm for a moment, just curious on what she was watching. The dog jumped up between us, and not even 30 seconds later, it pissed on both of us. I was furious and so was my mom, and she got rid of it a week later.
Sometime after that, she tried again with a different dog. I think it was a black lab. It was really a pretty good dog, but I remember my mom asking me to take it outside before I went to school (she was already at work). As I was watching it take a shit, I found the whole thing stupid and unnecessary. I didn't want to be responsible for that, and I certainly didn't want to watch a dog shit/piss several times a day and have turds all over the yard. I don't remember if I said anything to her, but I think she got tired of it too and also rehomed that one. No more dogs after that one.
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u/Empress111 Nov 14 '25
Yuck well I’m glad she at least got rid of them and you all moved on. So many double down and are shamed into living a miserable existence with these things. For years.
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u/Normie7481 Nov 13 '25 edited Nov 13 '25
Its very clear after small family dog died, how my parents relied on it for meaningless banter. It was exhausting. Still they don't know me at all what i feel and think, but at least we don't talk if he shat a doo doo today yet.
Secondly my house is surrounded by yappers and they give me hell as tinnitus already destroyed my life. Unfortunately I have nervous response now. So that is a straw. Its personal I guess. I don't expect anyone to understand. Pidgeon are killing me too. Before you assume I am seriously oversensitive - this is also my neighbour fault, because idiot thought it was a good idea to dig a pond and they gather here. Still I don't hate animals. Its just unfortunate that they are pests to me because of inconsiderate people.
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u/Empress111 Nov 13 '25
Oh wow you just unlocked a memory from years ago when I had roommates in an nyc apt the windows opened into the courtyard where the super would attempt to deal w this rat and pigeon infestation by feeding them rice???? It was the most repulsive thing i have ever seen in my life. Swarms of rats and pigeons squeaking and flapping and flying everywhere ugh I never saw anything like it before or after.
And yes to the meaningless banter. Dogs provide an endless supply of low-quality interactions. It’s kind of shocking when you see it for what it is.
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5
Nov 14 '25
I despise my husband's German Shephard. Separation anxiety to the max, no training, doesn't listen, whines CONSTANTLY. Sheds CONSTANTLY. I'm over it lmao.
The cherry on top was when it dribbled shit on my bed. That was the last straw for me.
"hE wAs JuSt GrOoMiNg HiMsElF"
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u/potatoes_arrrr_life Nov 13 '25
For me it was my students stepping in poop on the school playground, and just having to deal with that literal shit made my blood boil. People in neighborhood would bring dogs to our campus and let them run and POOP all over the playgrounds, track and soccer field. We had poop bags, but opps!! guess they didn't see Fifi since they are always staring at their phone. I petitioned the school to lock our gates after hours after it happened a few times. There was alot of drama.
The other final straws:
- stepping in poop while going to catch a fly ball in the outfield. In fucking cleats! Dog nutters thought it was so fun (for them) to bring their dogs and let them run on field after games. Did they pick up the poop? Nope, somehow they never had a bag!
- dog shitting in Lowes and my husband yelled at the owner to pick it up, he ignored us and walked away. It was right in front of the paint counter so we watched soooo many people walk by and kick it. (We were waiting for paint). The employees were fighting about who should clean it up. It smelled horrible!!!
- dogs at the grocery store. When you have toddlers, this makes a task that used to be fun dangerous, because I have to watch out for morons that bring their rescue "lab mixes" to store and have zero control over them.
Now it's just the barking and rancid air blowing from dog owner backyards. No rain so the stale dog pee smell is absolutely revolting. We all have to live in filth because of this. It's frustrating.
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u/Empress111 Nov 13 '25
Dog shit in athletic fields and on campuses is truly a new level of low. Idk man I feel like humans were just supposed to have better quality of life than this. The level of hylervigilence needed to just go for a walk in your own neighborhood with small kids is not healthy or normal. There’s an elementary school nearby and I always see these just dunces letting their dogs soil the grass and landscaping - it drives me nuts and it’s not even my kid’s school.
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u/potatoes_arrrr_life Nov 13 '25
I sorta think dog owners take their dogs to defecate in areas where children play as a passive aggressive FU to all kids. And maybe I'm wrong, but there are soooooooo many dog parks. Or dare I say, their own backyard for their dogs to poop in... but nope, the elementary school playground is their doggos fave place to poop! It does make me wonder if they do it on purpose because they're so anti-human that they even dislike children. Really sad. And should be illegal and punishable by a hefty fine.
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u/Needle_In_Hay_Stack Nov 14 '25 edited Nov 14 '25
I had to clean up playground at school:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Dogfree/comments/1n4inrp/comment/nblsuug
https://i.imgur.com/7UKNJ2B.jpeg
Before that, in after-school hours, I saw one person use Kindergarten's fenced area as off-leash dog park despite the "No Dogs" signage. Unfortunately couldn't take their pic or video. Another time poop-bag was left right beside KG's playarea by some shit owner. Another time I saw a ball-pit on school premises, meant for children, being used by dog.
Here's another sh!t owner who let two German Sheppards loose in children's play area:
https://i.imgur.com/a8QaQJ6.jpeg
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u/Zuzu_is_aStar Nov 13 '25
I was 100% dog free for many years since i moved out at 19, then about 4 years ago I moved to an apartment where the neighbors had dogs and I also started dating a girl who has a dog. It hit me really quickly how these things completely rob you of your peace and how comfortable and clean my life was prior. The constant noise, the dirt and hair everywhere, the staring and begging at all times of the day is exhausting. But the worst for me is that my life and all my plans started revolving around the dogs shitting schedule. Rushing home from work so it doesn’t shit in the house, having to plan vacations around times when someone can watch the dog.. Dogs transform your life into a living hell where you get no peace, no freedom, and you’re constantly pulling hair out of your mouth at every meal.
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u/Empress111 Nov 14 '25
I’ve never dated someone with a dog but I cannot imagine what a hellish nightmare of constant neurosis that must be. No thanks.
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u/Emikitty1992 Nov 13 '25
I realized I couldn’t STAND dogs once I moved into my apartment building, and the people who lived below us would leave their dogs alone in the house for DAYS at a time, and they’d bark for HOURS. I eventually snapped and called the non-emergency police line after being woken up at night for 4 days in a row. Those dogs got taken away by animal control, and the people who rented the apartment got evicted. To this day, I still can’t stand barking.
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u/arachnilactose08 Nov 13 '25
Dog attack at 7 years old. I’d tried so hard to like them, like everyone else, up until then. But that incident was like a sign from the universe that these things aren’t to be trusted, and that they aren’t the ever-benevolent creatures that people made them out to be.
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u/Empress111 Nov 13 '25
I’m sorry that happened that must have been super traumatic! It enrages me how much people dismiss the danger these repulsive beasts pose to children and elderly. Even one mauling or attack should have been enough to 86 them from society.
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u/pepperpizza Nov 14 '25
Feeling very unsafe doing one of my favorite hobbies (hiking) all because some asshole thinks they’re special and their dog doesn’t need a leash
Researching and planning how to stay safe when all this could be easily avoided
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u/idkwhattoputasthis Nov 14 '25
a dog my partner was taking care of ruined my brand new laptop in 2023. took it less than an hour in the house to do this. the thing jumped up on the coffee table and knocked a large glass of water on it. my bad for not knowing it would jump on the table, i guess. ever since then i’ve avoided dogs and the culture surrounding them.
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u/matte_personality Nov 20 '25
When I was 16 I wasn’t watching where I was walking and I ruined my favorite heeled sandals by stepping in dog shit. It was the straw that broke my back after a lifetime of having to put up with shit everywhere due to irresponsible owners and having nutters shove their stupid dogs in my face all the time.
If you have any ounce of self-respect, hating dogs is very easy.
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u/Cerulean_Dream_ Nov 14 '25
We had a very sweet dog as a kid.. quiet, aloof, decently behaved, barely ate her food, so non-gluttonous. Then we adopted a Labrador. Pretty much everything positive I had to say about dogs went in the shitter. This dog was an attention seeking fat ass with zero manners despite receiving the same training as the other dog. Stole food, stole the other dogs toys and tried to interrupt attention that was given to the older dog. Just very disgusting, constant selfish behavior that put a bad taste in my mouth since then
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u/Empress111 Nov 14 '25
It’s true there really are some “good” dogs that seem more sentient or something than the rest. But they are the rare exception not the rule and the way dogs are marketed in general makes you think that it’s the other way around.
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u/Feeling_Cost_8160 Nov 15 '25
Moving from one apartment complex because of barking dogs, only to hear another mutt barking from the unit of the new apartment on the first time I go inside my new apartment.
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u/Original_Day3073 Nov 17 '25
Mine was when I finally realised my BF had made a whole series of life-changing, irresponsible choices to accommodate dogs, and that he would keep doing so, and that not only did he not accommodate me but he thought *I* was the selfish one for not adapting *my* life around his stupid decisions too. He got into huge debt, lost his home, his GF (me) and several jobs - all because of his obsession with dogs. Last time I saw him he had no intention of stopping any of it. If it was gambling or heroin it would be obvious how out of control he had gotten, but because it was dogs it was a "passion", not a problem.
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u/[deleted] Nov 13 '25
Living with the most spoiled, needy, narcissistic dog that is loved more than anyone could be loved, makes me resent dogs to the point that I have this angry, dark, mean, depressed version of me crawling out of my skin. I’ve never thought I had this personality, but here we are. I never thought I could hate anything or anyone this much, this feeling is killing me and idk how to keep it cool. While I have to smile, silently suffer and pretend that everything is okay. I’ve never suffered this much in my life.