You Don't Like Dogs? You Can't Be Trusted.
By pumpkinjam
@pumpkinjam (8539)
United Kingdom
March 12, 2017 1:41pm CST
I don't agree with the statement in the title. I am a person who doesn't like dogs yet I am, I think, a good and trustworthy person. I have, however, come across a number of people who have said something along the lines that you shouldn't trust a person who doesn't like dogs. (I often see the same thing about children too. Apparently, everyone must like children otherwise they are uncaring, etc.)
I don't understand this perceived connection. Different people like different things and, yes, believe it or not, there are a lot of people who don't like dogs (or other animals/animals in general) but are still perfectly good people. I wonder if people who do like dogs but don't like cats (or horses or hamsters or some other commonly enjoyed pet) should not be trusted. I've never heard anyone say that you shouldn't trust a person who doesn't like spiders or mice.
While I know that lots of people do like dogs, and a lot of dog lovers don't seem to be able to grasp the concept that others don't like their choice of pet, I really don't understand what possible connection there could be between whether you like a certain thing (be it dogs, cats, spiders, trees, or the colour blue) and what kind of a person you are.
I realise that animals are instinctive creatures and if a normally placid animal suddenly becomes aggressive towards a person, there is probably a reason for it (although that reason could be anything from being an abuser to smelling of an aftershave with which the animal isn't familiar).
So, my question is, what, if any, is the correlation between liking (or not liking) dogs and being a good or bad person? Because I really don't understand it and, believe me when I say, I could quite easily offer examples of good people who don't like dogs just as I could give examples of bad people who do.
6 people like this
6 responses
@rebelann (111314)
• El Paso, Texas
12 Mar 17
I agree with you, I have a friend who doesn't like animals it's just what it is having nothing to do with good or bad.
On the other hand, if my dog doesn't like someone I am cautious, there has to be a reason why Ally wouldn't like someone. Animals are perceptive on a level of instinct that we have lost over the ages so I will trust my pup when it comes to liking someone.
1 person likes this
@pumpkinjam (8539)
• United Kingdom
12 Mar 17
I can see that, with your own animal, you would be inclined to trust their instinct, just as you might trust a human friend if you know they are particularly perceptive. As you said, though, your friend disliking animals has nothing to do with good or bad. I think it's the same with people. I mean, if my mum doesn't like someone or something, it means nothing because she hates everyone and everything. If I, on the other hand, have a gut feeling that someone is not to be trusted, I tend to pay attention as I will give anyone a chance and am nice to those who are nice to me. I think it's the same with animals, some animals are perceptive, others are complete idiots (like my cat, who will go to anyone) just like people.
1 person likes this
@pumpkinjam (8539)
• United Kingdom
12 Mar 17
@rebelann Yes, but as I always say, at least you know that cats are evil and open about it. Evil dogs often pretend to be nice.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (111314)
• El Paso, Texas
12 Mar 17
Kats are a whole nother issue @pumpkinjam they'll attack truly nice people just out of a whim then turn around a try to do the kittywaltz around their feet, I have 3 and each has a different attitude, 2 of them will either try to bite or bat at me if they're not in the mood to be bothered, moody little dickens if ya ask me 
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130233)
• India
13 Mar 17
Whoever says these things may have experienced having met those who do not like dogs not being good human beings.
1 person likes this
@pumpkinjam (8539)
• United Kingdom
13 Mar 17
Maybe, but it does seem a common myth. Surely not everyone who believes it has only ever experienced bad people not liking dogs (or non-dog lovers being bad people). I suppose it comes down to people making the assumption. I remember a friend of mine saying something along the lines of not trusting someone who doesn't like dogs. She didn't know that I didn't like them. I don't know if she now thinks I'm an exception to the rule, or if she realised that her opinion was incorrect.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130233)
• India
13 Mar 17
@pumpkinjam Or for that matter those with green are not be trusted
1 person likes this
@PatZAnthony (14752)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
12 Mar 17
We feel strongly that people who dislike dogs or other animals won't have our trust.
If someone said they were concerned about a particular breed b/c they had been attacked or gave another reason, it would make sense. But to dislike ALL dogs, to me, would be like someone saying they dislike all black people b/c they have one experience that wasn't good.
If someone said they just did not care for dogs as a pet or did not care to own one, that would be another story.
@pumpkinjam (8539)
• United Kingdom
12 Mar 17
To me, saying you don't like dogs is no different from saying you don't like cats or you don't like cheese. I just really don't see how a dislike for a single thing can have a bearing on how people view your entire personality (regardless the reasons why you don't like it). I don't dislike all dogs (although I am wary of all unfamiliar dogs, just as I'd be wary of unfamiliar people).
1 person likes this
@PatZAnthony (14752)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
12 Mar 17
@pumpkinjam What you say makes good sense.
@pumpkinjam (8539)
• United Kingdom
14 Mar 17
I also believe that if a dog (or another animal) doesn't like you, it doesn't necessarily mean that the owner shouldn't trust or like you.
1 person likes this
@pumpkinjam (8539)
• United Kingdom
13 Mar 17
I don't think there is any correlation either. I've had more than my share of horrible experiences with dogs/dog owners. Even so, that doesn't give me any cause to believe that every single dog owner (or even those I've encountered) is untrustworthy, just as I wouldn't assume all people with blue eyes are friendly, even if it is true of those I know.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
12 Mar 17
I loathe dogs and part of the reason are dog owners who can really be awful in attitude and how they treat their dogs.
1 person likes this
@pumpkinjam (8539)
• United Kingdom
12 Mar 17
That is part of my reason too. Although, I recently came to the conclusion that the dogs weren't the problem, but the owners. Of course, some are OK. What bothers me is when people are offended that you don't want their animal near you. If I am in someone's home, it is their pets' home too, and I will fuss the pet (whether it's a cat or a dog or something else) but, if I'm in a public space, it's not nice to suddenly have some random stranger's animal bugging you. If a child jumped and started shouting at a stranger, the parent would (I would hope) stop them so I don't understand why people think it's OK for a dog to do that. Not just for the person but also for the safety of the dog.
As I said, whether it is a dog or anything else, I just don't understand why a dislike of that one thing seems, according to some, a good reason to assume someone is untrustworthy.
1 person likes this
