# Do you consider dogs 'dirty'? (long)



## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

A lot of you know my background, my culture and my relationship with my dogs. I grew up learning that dogs are dirty in the sense that I need to wash my clothes after they touch me or wash my hands if I pet them. And when I first got Smokey I was very OCD about it. I had 'Smokey clothes' which were basically a long sleeved and pants layer I wore on top of my everyday clothes to prevent my every day clothes from getting 'dirty'. I washed my hands after playing with him, petting him, giving him food water or any kind of interaction with him. If I hugged him my husband would make me shower (still asks me to but I don't) mostly because my husband has allergies and if the doggies get in my hair it induces a an allergic reaction...

Dogs do roll around in a mess of things worst case being poo. They catch a lot of dirt in their fur and their paws leave piddle paddle everywhere. Just the other day Zeeva steeped in her own poo and brought it onto the porch stairs. They don't wipe their private parts after doing their business and then lie on the couch. Does that upset people? It doesn't upset me any more....Plus their fur gets everywhere. Mine at least don't get regular hose downs unless it's warm outside. They've gotten a grooming a couple times. But come home to roll around in dirt immediately after...

I hope this isn't disconcerting to some of you but I share everything so here goes. When Zeeva was a puppy she lived inside with us as we were afraid Smokey would harm her and she wouldn't be able to hold her own. Every time she went outside to go poo or pee, after she was done I would hose her privates to get any left over 'stuff' off. She actually had a command that she knew she had to come to the hose to have herself washed 'there'..It's actually a cultural thing. We wash our privates with water after using the restroom too. So ladies if you've ever seen a girl fill a water bottle in the restroom and then carry it into the stall, you know why now  It's very cleanly and I highly recommend it even though most of you are probably thinking I'm weird by now. It prevents UTI and other nasty issues down there :c Sowy...I HAVE to share EVERYTHING...if you are angered or upset by this, try thinking of it as educational and honesty. Don't be upset :::whimpers:::

But anyway do you consider dogs dirty? Do you wash your hands after petting them? Do you wash your hand before you eat if you've pet them or can you pet and eat with the same hand? Do you feel that extra cleanliness precautions should be taken when you own an animal? For example: a pregnant lady should be cleaning cat litter due to Toxoplasma? Do you feel like you have to shower more often because of your pets? How about do the laundry more often? I certainly still feel the lingerings of my cultural upbringing but I notice that I'm letting things slide now...Is this ok?


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## FlyAway (Jul 17, 2012)

My dog is dirty, the fur does collect some dirt, and sometimes I have to wash her butt. 

I wash my hands when I need to do something in the kitchen, but otherwise, no, not after petting. My hands get dirtier working in the garden, than petting my dog. 

I know how some cultures think of dogs as "DIRTY!".


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## LaneyB (Feb 5, 2012)

Ruki is filthy - he loves to roll in the mud like a pig. It is ridiculous. So he is often getting hosed off. But it doesn't bother me. I wash my hands frequently anyway, but not necessarily every time I pet him or interact with him. 

I feel like I clean the floors of my house WAY more due to having 2 dogs than I would if I had no pets. I have to sweep and swiffer pretty much daily. But I think you are ok to let things slide a bit.
And no way should a pregnant woman change cat litter, IMO.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Do I consider dogs dirty? Every night before I go to bed, I have to brush sand/dirt off my sheets. And I even (more/less) make my bed in the morning! Yes, dogs are dirty... haha!


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## starburst (Jun 9, 2012)

I get what you mean and to each his own but for me, I grew up with dogs and so the"dirt" doesn't really bother me.

Now, I used to be quite OCD about other types of "dirt."
I used to change clothes when I got off the bus, came back from a shopping center or store etc.
I think people "dirt" is much worse!


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## billsharp (May 3, 2011)

I was raised hearing "Don't let that filthy thing in the house!" in reference to our dogs. Since they were outside dogs that was probably true.

Liesl is a pretty clean dog (no problems "down there" as you say). The most we have to do is give her an occasional bath and wipe mud from her feet sometimes. She sheds a lot, but I don't consider hair "filth", although it has to be cleaned up regularly inside. Since we feed raw I am actually MUCH more scrupulous about washing up after handling/preparing her food than I am from petting or touching her.

I do wash my hands frequently after petting her before meals--more out of a sense of "better safe than sorry" than from the idea that they were really dirty or germy.

The biggest "slide" I've noticed is that I will sometimes feed her a treat from my fingers, then use those same fingers to hold something I am eating. (That sound you just heard was my dead grandparents all rolling over in their graves.) I used to be really anal about not doing that, but not so much anymore.


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## FrankieC (Aug 15, 2012)

I am pretty fussy about keeping the house clean and the vacuum technically never gets put away but for the joy I get out of pets, it is definitely worth a little dirt 

My last GSD made a point of jumping in our pond just before we would head home on the 3 hour drive. The whole family plus a stinky wet dog crammed in a pickup truck. Those were the days...


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## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

Dirt doesn't tend to freak me out, poo stuck on a dogs backside does...and there is a difference.  Annie is a long stock so I have to watch the feathering near her privates. Usually she's fine unless she happens to get diarrhea, then she gets hosed off. Luckily it doesn't happen very often. 

I can't say I wash my hands every time I touch the dogs but I'm real good about washing my hands before cooking, eating etc.


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## Draugr (Jul 8, 2011)

I share silverware with my dog. 

I'm really not concerned about it. Being OCD about germs is a great way to get a very weak immune system. I grew up on a farm too, though, where dirt/manure/germs were really treated in a very lackadaisical manner. I'll hose Samson off if he has diarrhea, or if it's muddy outside I'll wipe his feet when he comes in, but nothing more than that.


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

Dirty is the least of my concerns. A little dirt never hurt anyone and you have a better immune system when you live with a certain amount of dirt in it. I think there's more fur in my sheets from the dogs than anything else. I have no problem sharing my food with the dogs with the same fingers either. 

Remember: dirt is GOOD for you.


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## stealthq (May 1, 2011)

OK, take this with a grain of salt because I have always been extremely healthy and I used to work with horses all the time, which will get you much filthier than your average dog.

My dog hasn't gotten a chance to roll in anything nastier than mud, so petting him and eating doesn't bother me, though I will wash my hands if there is obvious dirt. I do not like having dog saliva on my hands, though (slimy - I hate feeling slimy), that has to come off as soon as the game of fetch/tug is done.

As far as the pregnant woman changing cat litter - depends on the cat. If it's an exclusively indoor cat from a small-volume breeder whose cats are also indoors and who does regular health checks for such things (like mine have all been), then no problem. No way that cat carries toxoplasmosis or intestinal parasites of any kind. Also not a problem if the cat has tested clear of toxoplasmosis and hasn't had the opportunity to pick it up. Otherwise, better safe than sorry.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

To me a "dirty dog" means a dog that will soil in his kennel. At least this is how I think people who sell/broker dogs mean it and people who run boarding kennels. Often you will get charged extra for a "dirty dog" who soils the run when also taken outside to do business.

I do not take any extra precautions around dogs unless I've accidentally touched feces (or flicked it on myself when cleaning the yard) or the dog is ill.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

A dirty dog doesn't bother me. A stinky dog gets on my nerves. A dog with poop on it will result in an emergancy bath. 

And if I'm being honest...I've shared my water bottle with dogs & horses. But I won't share with a human. Weird..I know.


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## Olivers mama (Oct 13, 2010)

I don't worry about petting Ziva & then washing my hands - unless I'll be in the kitchen cooking. Just this weekend, she & I shared an apple - bite-for-bite. 

We've only hosed her off once - way back, when we got her - when she the runs.

I don't LIKE the dog hair all over, my my love for pets supercedes that, so the vacuum almost never goes in the closet. usually, I even decorate it for the holidays. 

It's a srtanding joke in our house, when an animal gets caught is say, my glasses - "Geez, where did that hair come from?" Then I'll actually try to guess which pet: the dog or which of the 4 cats.

The biggest physical thing that bugs be about the dog is that she stinks. She goes into a groomer every other month. I won't bather her in cold water & both baths have glass doors, so forget it. $50 a pop, but otherwise she stinks. Maybe it's because she plays so hard, I don't know, but our cats don't stink & she won't either, if she wants to stay in the house. Which she does.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

I was just thinking about this. Dogs are dirty? Have you ever seen a two or three year old child eating? Freakin' disgusting. Children are dirty and gross.


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

Unless he really gets into some mud for some reason Rooney is quite clean. We even have very little "dog smell" in our apartment which is a little over 700 sq ft. I even rarely give him baths after swimming in Lake Michigan or some other ponds around here. Other dirt just dries up and falls off of him.

I guess I just don't worry about dirt or germs or anything like that. I'll share anything with my dog. I really doubt that there are any germs in his mouth that aren't already in my mouth so if he happens to lick my hand I'm not going out of my way to wash it. I'm willing to bet that we drag in just as much if not more dirt into the home as dogs do. Dry stuff doesn't stick to them at all...but it will cram nicely into the soles of your shoes.


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## Carriesue (Aug 13, 2012)

When I was growing up I never washed my hands lol, my parents were not strict and never enforced ANYTHING.

But I think that has a lot to do with the fact that I rarely get sick, I haven't had the flu in well over a decade(and I've never gotten a flu shot), I've had a couple of head colds but those clear up within a day.

The only time I'll wash my hands with the dogs is if I get saliva on my hands, it just feels yuck but I'll pet them and then be perfectly fine eating something with my hands.

Not to say that I'm a slob though! I'm pretty anal about keeping the house clean and I'm pretty OCD about washing dishes and keeping all my 'parts' clean lol. But I don't think dogs are dirty in general.


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## PatchonGSD (Jun 27, 2012)

Dogs are dirty, but I'm more concerned about the fecal e-coli found on 72% of all shopping carts than I am a little dirt and hair, lol.


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## ponyfarm (Apr 11, 2010)

I grew up around every kind of animal you can imagine. I only worry about pee/poo on them, otherwise, I really don't care. Mine like to swim alot and so I guess that takes care of the potty spot. Although, that would explain why my sheets always seem to have sand on them. I think human germs hold a much greater risk for disease than animal germs.!


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## sashadog (Sep 2, 2011)

I don't think dogs are any dirtier than the door handles we touch everyday and the money that we handle at the store. I am no anal about washing my hands or feeling like I have to shower more often. I DO feel like I do more laundry because I don't like having dog hair all over all my clothes. I vacuum at least once a day and clean the floors often because the hair bugs me but not because I'm OCD about germs. 

I do HATE it when my dogs stink or feel grimy though so they get baths and brushed pretty often. But this is only because I love cuddling with them and don't want them to stink up our tiny apartment


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## Nikitta (Nov 10, 2011)

When I boarded my horse in a barn that every Saturday morning I had to go muck out the stall, THAT is dirty! My dogs don't even come close. I try to keep things and them clean but I don't freak if it's not quite there. I don't feed my dogs off the table and I do wash my hands if I am about to handle my own food or been cleaning up their poo of course.


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## LaneyB (Feb 5, 2012)

_Every night before I go to bed, I have to brush sand/dirt off my sheets._

Yep - Ruki sleeps next to me sometimes, and one day I was giving somebody a tour of my house, and on his side of the bed it was really muddy. I was so embarrassed.

_I share silverware with my dog._

Me too, which I know is gross. I also sometimes give him a drink of my ice water.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Hmmmm. 

Yeah, dogs are dirty. Dirty dogs. Yes, I have to brush the residue off the sheets and make the bed quick so when she lays on it all day, she doesn't leave anything on the sheets. She would, if she could, take a pig's ear or hoof into the bed and eat it there. 

They sometimes walk on their poop, yes, yuck. I try to ensure they stay in the room for a few minutes before hitting the rest of the house, which one way would be my bed spread, and the other way my carpeted living room. I have been fortunate that I have caught the offensive stuff before it has made it to these spots. 

Nothing more offensive than letting your dog lick your face only to find out that she has been eating poop when she was outside or visiting the cat litter box. GROSS!!!!

But, 99% of the time, I find them very clean. Their fur soft and well groomed. I don't wash my hands after petting my dogs. But if I pet someone else's dog, and it's a smelly dog, then yeah, I will wash. 

They do clean their own parts. Not something I like to witness or think about really. No, I do not share a fork with them, sorry. And some are cleaner than others. Some are fastidius about where they poop and NEVER walk in their poop. Others, like my Bear and Milla, are not nearly as conscientious about such things. Arwen, she used to wait all day until I let her out of her kennel (outside kennel where she could poop) so that she could poop in the yard. She did not like to have poop in her kennel area at all. I still miss her. I wish one particular grand-daughter would have inherited that trait. 

And spit. Doggy spit for some reason is just not nearly as offensive to me as people spit. I was at a puppy owner's house about a week ago, and her two girls were drooling over the new pup, literally. I was there for a while and I had dog spit all over my hands and didn't think another thing of it. Then I stopped at the corner of their road for a bag of chips and a pop for the journey back. As I was driving off some man was walking in and spit on the ground. I was like, "Ewwww!!! I hope my tire doesn't go over that! YUCK!" 

I am not sure why that is. But it is. Man-spit is downright disgusting.


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## LaneyB (Feb 5, 2012)

_Have you ever seen a two or three year old child eating? Freakin' disgusting. Children are dirty and gross. _

My kids are now 19 and 16, and I am just beginning to be able to stand taking a bite of applesauce. Watching them eat baby food totally ruined it for me for years.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

LaneyB said:


> _Have you ever seen a two or three year old child eating? Freakin' disgusting. Children are dirty and gross. _
> 
> My kids are now 19 and 16, and I am just beginning to be able to stand taking a bite of applesauce. Watching them eat baby food totally ruined it for me for years.


:rofl: Oh man.... I have no kids of my own but have a couple nieces and nephews. I tell my brother all the time, "your kids are sooooo gross!" He agrees with me. :rofl:


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

LOL my mom just told me a story about this family we know that has a ton of kids (I think 13 kids and 42 grandkids so far). One of the grandkids got into their pile of bear bait (basically spoiled meat drizzled with chocolate) and was EATING it!!!


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## Piper'sgrl (Apr 20, 2012)

wildo said:


> I was just thinking about this. Dogs are dirty? Have you ever seen a two or three year old child eating? Freakin' disgusting. Children are dirty and gross.


haha I need a "like button for this! lol I agree with you


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## SueDoNimm (Jul 3, 2012)

I think both my dogs are pretty clean, as far as dogs go. My little dog will roll in anything smelly she can find, though. I've never seen Jerry roll around anywhere. I wash my hands before cooking if I've been petting the dog (but I would wash my hands anyway) but I don't immediately wash my hands after I've petted them. Sometimes I've petted other people's dogs and felt kinda dirty and had to wash my hands.

I grew up with inside dogs and cats and I had horses, so animal dirt doesn't bother me much. Horses are way dirtier than dogs - they sweat, they roll around in dirt all the time, and they have stalls that need mucking.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

I have shared ice cream comes with the dogs (McD's soft serve cones).

They sleep in the bed with us ... some of them under the covers.

The only time I worried about "dog germs" was when I was going through chemo.


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## dazedtrucker (May 2, 2011)

This thread is funny  Anyway, just exactly what do ppl think they are going to get from a dog? I have never heard of anyone getting ill from close contact with a dog. I have lived in close contact with dogs my entire life, and aint dead yet... crazy maybe, but healthy :crazy:


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I got lucky. Not one of my dogs like to roll in dirt and if they see a puddle they go the other way. Besides the fur when they shed, I don't feel they are dirty.


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## FrankieC (Aug 15, 2012)

LaneyB said:


> _Have you ever seen a two or three year old child eating? Freakin' disgusting. Children are dirty and gross. _
> 
> My kids are now 19 and 16, and I am just beginning to be able to stand taking a bite of applesauce. Watching them eat baby food totally ruined it for me for years.


Too funny.. mine are the exact same age and there are still images of them eating that haunt me to this day.


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## billsharp (May 3, 2011)

@Patchon--funny that you mention grocery carts. I'm that same way about everything when we take a road trip. Gas pump handles, convenience store door handles, bathroom stalls--these to me are infinitely grosser than my dog, and I always travel with hand sanitizer and use it religiously after encountering these things.


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## cta (May 24, 2011)

wildo said:


> I was just thinking about this. Dogs are dirty? Have you ever seen a two or three year old child eating? Freakin' disgusting. Children are dirty and gross.


lol this just made me laugh so hard. i work with children for a living..let me tell you they can be pretty gross. of course, i'm semi immune to it because i see it every day. personally i'm not bothered by the dog...he's not dirty to me, he's a dog. with that being said, my mil loves the dog, but doesn't like that he lives in the house. being from turkey, she shares the same mindset that dogs are meant to live outside. dogs don't live inside there...they stay outside to protect the property and having a dog living in the house is a foreign concept to her. she loves him and is very good with him, but if she had to live with him...i don't think she could. i think she equates the dog hair with being dirty...but she also washes her hands after every time she pets him. it's just a different mindset and a different culture. when i was over there this summer there was this sweet stray dog that kept coming around the house...all covered in burrs and obviously dehydrated. my bleeding american heart couldn't take it! everyone else was like shooing him away, but all i could think of was packing him away in my suitcase after i cleaned him up and gave him a bath lol. of course everyone thought i was nuts for feeling any sort of sadness for that dog...to them he was a street rat, but to me he was this amazingly sweet bombproof dog! and one more thing...if dog hair bothers you, a GSD isn't the way to go


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## Gharrissc (May 19, 2012)

I don't think of dogs as dirty per se,but do think they get dirty if that makes sense.I knew a lady who always kept her dogs outside,but her glasses smelled of wet dog when she gave you something to drink. I've never had problems with my house or glasses smelling like 'dog',and she has said that she wouldn't eat in my house because of them living in the house. Not really what you asked,but I don't mind sharing my home and furniture with the animals. I don't wash my hands after I touch them unless they leave me a little gift like slobber or a booger.


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## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

My dogs aren't dirty. Everyone else's dogs are, but not mine.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i wash my hands before i feed my dog or give him a snack. :laugh:


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## jae (Jul 17, 2012)

Dogs aren't really clean. They roll around in, lick, and eat the wrong things for me to ever think so. But it doesn't bother me.

I know what you mean, Zeeva. I'm willing to bet we grew up with the same culture - my parents have that same mentality. I don't think you can grow someone out of it, trust me, my dog is on his best behavior 95% of the time in the house, does not smell (much) and is a god-send altogether, yet they still can't get close to him. It's just what they know.

Then again, some people *choose *to be nurses or doctors, my own mother is a hair dresser, and dogs still gross her out. Touch peoples hair all day? gross in my book. See sick people by appointment? NOPE. Pet my dog all day? Only if he lets me :laugh:


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## Todd (Sep 6, 2004)

Elaine said:


> Dirty is the least of my concerns. A little dirt never hurt anyone and you have a better immune system when you live with a certain amount of dirt in it. I think there's more fur in my sheets from the dogs than anything else. I have no problem sharing my food with the dogs with the same fingers either.
> 
> Remember: dirt is GOOD for you.


I'm with on this one. Yes, Abby will lick my face sometimes. She doesn't lay on the bed but Heidi did all the time...I had two comforters to minimize the hair.

I walk Abby (and Heidi before she passed) at least three miles per day, every day of the year. I am never sick. I caught some grief from my doctor about passing on a physical the last few years. Told her the last two times I was at the doctor it was for physicals (2008 and 2009). I really think a little bit of dirt and being outside all the time is good for the immune system. I also try to convince myself that wine and beer help too!


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## readaboutdogs (Jul 8, 2001)

like above, i wash my hands before cooking,etc, but since i give them kisses on the snoot, on the head, pet them, let them lick the plate, or one of their favorite, lick the pan i cooked hamburger meat in(cooled of course!) i guess it doesnt bother me! my sweet cody passed over recently, and one of the things that tore me up was the first time i ran the sweeper, and washed his nite-nite was that i was sweeping part of him away. he was nearly 12 years old and lived that whole time in this same house, so i know there will probably always be a "cody hair" somewhere in here, painted on the wall and painted on the bench out back where he had walked past and had paint on him from brushing up against it! I'm glad of that!


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## KentuckyGSDLover (Nov 17, 2011)

Looking at my wall where Buddy always sleeps against it in his "spot" in my office, and it has a dog body mark. So yes, I suppose they're dirty, despite bathing them on occasion. Two are blowing coats right now and it's downright nasty. I don't wash my hands every time I touch them, but I do when Rey slobbers all over it or nibbles on me. And no, I've never washed my dog's privates unless there is pooh stuck to them. My dogs lick theirs.


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

I don't consider them dirty. I actually love the smell of GSDs and stick my face right into my puppy's fur. He doesn't roll in anything gross though, lol! I wash my hands before I touch food no matter what, it's just a habit. I'm way more concerned about the germs I get in public than I am about anything I'll get off my pets. I can't wait for flu season so I can be disgusted by everyone's coughing and sneezing all over the place. NOT!


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## Lucky Paw (Sep 29, 2012)

they tought me like that when i was little but i grew up and learned that is not true if you keep your dog clean and healthy and is a inside dog then hes not so dirty right .


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## LARHAGE (Jul 24, 2006)

Lilie said:


> A dirty dog doesn't bother me. A stinky dog gets on my nerves. A dog with poop on it will result in an emergancy bath.
> 
> And if I'm being honest...I've shared my water bottle with dogs & horses. But I won't share with a human. Weird..I know.


Lol!!! I share bananas and Popsicles with my horse, it's funny cause I'll take a bite and she than does, and she doesn't take a huge bite either, almost like she knows we're taking turns....the really odd thing is no way would I share with a human, that would be gross


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Karlo peed on his front leg the other morning before we tracked. Today he went in the creek and had black mucky paws and belly...so yes, he is a dirty dawg! Kacie and Onyx are just dusty.


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## gowen (Nov 4, 2011)

good_karma said:


> my dogs aren't dirty. Everyone else's dogs are, but not mine.


yes!!!!!


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## Discoetheque (Nov 2, 2011)

I trust my own dogs, and dogs that I see regularly to the point that I don't need to change clothes or wash my hands after I pet those dogs. I can comfortably pet my boyfriend's dog and eat a sandwich at the same time. I don't share furniture with dogs, though, not even my own. They aren't allowed on the couch or bed unless invited, and the concept is even so foreign to my girls that when invited to sit on the bed with me, they often won't stay longer than a few minutes before becoming uncomfortable or bored and jumping off.
Other people's dogs are another story. I work at a local feed store, and I have a pair of "work shoes" that come off pretty much the minute I get home and are put in the closet. I don't wear those shoes anyplace but to work. Work clothes are typically changed out of when I get home. While at work, I'll wash my hands a few times a day.
I never really thought about it, but I guess I do consider dogs dirty, though not maliciously or as though they do it intentionally. I watch Discoe roll in the grass. They walk around barefoot in grass, on sidewalks, in dirt that is accessible to more or less every other animal within range. It's just their nature, though it doesn't really bother me too much. I still give my girls smooshy kisses on their heads, shake paws with them and let them jump up for a hug. Just the idea of dirt directly where I sleep makes me uncomfortable.


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## vicky2200 (Oct 29, 2010)

I would say that dogs are dirty in the sense that they go out, get dirt and occasionally poop or pee on themselves. I really don't worry about my dog's germs because after living with them for a certain amount of time your immune system becomes used to their germs. I don't use a ton of caution with other people's dogs because I just love animals so much. I definitely wash my hands after petting dogs who are visibly uncared for or if it is a stray. I don't wash my hands after petting MY dogs. If I did I would damage my skin from washing so often lol. There is such a thing as being too clean as well. It can make your immune system weaker because it never gets a chance to fight anything off. Also using antibacterial stuff too often can make antibiotics not work as well. Basically my opinion is to each their own.


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

I do wash my hands frequently, including before and after I feed dogs, before I eat, etc. That's partly from years of being an RN and partly because both people and dog spit can be a hazard to my parrots. I will eat after my parrots because they have no saliva. I will not eat after a dog, though. I have no issue with having them inside, on the bed, getting cuddles and pets, and giving kisses. I just need to protect ALL my animals, and the most susceptible is my flock. I used to think my GSDs were mess makers in the house before I had parrots.  Hands down, parrots are THE messiest roommates ever!


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## Mooch (May 23, 2012)

How many of you that share cutlery etc with you dogs de-worm themselves?? My mum used to give us de-worming tablets when we were kids.
My friend who's a Vet Tech told me the Vets at her clinic worm themselves with dog de wormer LOL
I always found it funny that I go out and spend a heap of money on wormers for the Dogs, the horses, the cat and the goat but not myself LOL

I try to wash my hands after I touch the dogs or the horses, especially if I'm going to have something to eat etc. 
They are not allowed in my bedroom especially as my DH is allergic to animal dander. When i was living by myself the dogs were allowed in my room but only on their own beds. My Hubby used to think dogs were dirty disgusting dogs and he was really scared of them when he first moved in - he's now playing with them, picking up their slobbery toys etc. I generally have to go tell him to wash his hands LOL


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## Cheerful1 (Sep 27, 2011)

Joey is always cleaning his fur; when I bury my head in his neck or kiss the top of his head, I don't smell anything but a nice dog smell. 

Never thought I'd be picking up slobbery balls, or let a dog eat out of my hand, but after a year with Joey it's so second nature. I do wash my hands afterwards.


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## briantw (Oct 1, 2012)

It's not so much that I think dogs are dirty as much as that they are dirty. There's nothing wrong with that, and I love both my dogs (the Boxer sleeps on the foot of my bed at night). However, I'm not going to let them lick my mouth, nor will I eat after playing with them without washing up first. I also make sure they are clean after I take them out before I will bring them back in.


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## robk (Jun 16, 2011)

I think dogs are only dirty because they are closer to the ground. Kind of like children! Also just like children, they are only as dirty as you allow them to be.


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

I have to say I do not concider "my" dogs dirty. I don't feel I have to wash my hands after petting them unless it's been a long time inbetween baths and they don't feel as soft and fluffy as they should. I do wash my hands very frequently but not because I am grossed out by "dog". Always after cleaning the cat box. I am on mostly sand so they really don't get covered in mud. They do have a few issues that gross me out like Kiya's poo mouth so I am sure not to take kisses from her. A lot of times if Apache lifts his leg to pee, he'll step in the pee, I make sure he walks out in the yard a bit before he comes in. I don't feel the need to wash thier private parts unless needed. If they have a "cling on" I will grab a leaf or two and help pull it out. Even hubby will share utensils when he gives a little something "after our dinner is done". When ever one of them is cleaning themselves we say "go give daddy kisses" or "go give mommy kisses" so never take kisses then.
I have to take all the blankets & top sheet off the bed in the morning so I can shake the sheet off to get hair & sand off the bed. It freaks me out if hubby makes the bed because he doesn't shake the sheet. I absolutely hate having gritty sheets. I've shared bites of food with my horse, then took a bite.
People gross me out way more than any animal could. I'd never pull a cling on out of anyone's butt even with industrial type gloves.


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## briantw (Oct 1, 2012)

robk said:


> I think dogs are only dirty because they are closer to the ground. Kind of like children! Also just like children, they are only as dirty as you allow them to be.


I think dogs are dirty because they are animals who have little to no concept of keeping clean or bathing. 

Although I will admit my Boxer is a pro about staying clean. He'll actively avoid stepping in puddles or poop when I take him out if at all possible. My GSD has gotten better about it too, but I doubt he'll ever be as great at avoiding messes as Loki is.


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## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

You know, I find all these answers very enlightening and amusing. Thanks for making this post so much fun for me!!!  

But could you say that different breeds vary in terms of their cleanliness? 

For example, I find my husky to be pretty darn clean. He licks away all the dirt on his paws, walks around his poo and pee areas (amusing to watch because he will go behind the AC, behind the plants and walk the parameter of the yard to avoid those areas). He will pee on his foot but then rub it on the grass as if to wipe it clean or lick it...

Do you have a different breed dog that is 'cleaner' than your GSD??? Or do you feel that your view on a dogs cleanliness is an umbrella statement for all dog types?


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## jae (Jul 17, 2012)

How about those who ride the subway, trains, buses, and grab the poles, then do what they have to do without washing or sanitizing. People open doors, grab money on the ground, wipe their noses, dig for gold, brush their hair, scratch under the waist, then will probably eat popcorn without washing up.

People are disgusting. Merely walking around NYC I feel more/less one hundred times dirtier than laying next to my dog while he munches a raw meaty bone.


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## Radio (Aug 28, 2012)

When my husband moved in his one mandate was that the dogs and cat stop sleeping in bed. I was actually really upset when he first said they needed to be kicked out but once they were gone, I realized how gross and dirty they made the bed. I'm SO happy to no longer wake up to hair in my mouth or feel little pieces of dirt/kitty litter in the sheets. They slept there for years and it didn't seem gross _at the time,_ but once it was gone it opened my eyes.

That said, their dirty-ness doesn't bother me around the house. Our border collie is religious about cleaning his paws and pulling any thorns or leaves from his fur. We collect a lot of hair/dust bunnies, but those are easily swept up. I'm not paranoid about washing my hands unless its something poo related, then of course.

I'm curious how people feel about pets on the furniture. We don't let the dogs on the couch unless they're specifically invited for a short cuddle session. This isn't really due to them being dirty though, they just put massive wear & tear on the fabric and I got sick of having to replace couches after just a few years.


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## briantw (Oct 1, 2012)

Zeeva said:


> Do you have a different breed dog that is 'cleaner' than your GSD??? Or do you feel that your view on a dogs cleanliness is an umbrella statement for all dog types?


Generally speaking, I think short-haired dogs are more prone to cleanliness than long-haired dogs because they have less fur to store dirt, mud, grim, and other stuff. It's much easier to clean my Boxer (take a wet paper towel and rub it around on him) than it is to clean my Shepherd because of this.

And as I mentioned below, my Boxer is absolutely cleaner than my GSD, but I'm more inclined to believe that it's due to personality differences rather than breed differences. I know other Boxers that will run through mud puddles and lay down in them and have no concept of cleanliness. My Boxer, on the other hand, runs around puddles, almost never lays down in them, and licks himself clean like a cat inside the apartment.


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## briantw (Oct 1, 2012)

Radio said:


> I'm curious how people feel about pets on the furniture. We don't let the dogs on the couch unless they're specifically invited for a short cuddle session. This isn't really due to them being dirty though, they just put massive wear & tear on the fabric and I got sick of having to replace couches after just a few years.


I let both my dogs on my couch and loveseat. Then again, I have leather couches that are really easy to clean and aren't easy to tear or destroy. They've gone through over a year of two dogs romping on them and still look fine.


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## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

briantw said:


> Generally speaking, I think short-haired dogs are more prone to cleanliness than long-haired dogs because they have less fur to store dirt, mud, grim, and other stuff. It's much easier to clean my Boxer (take a wet paper towel and rub it around on him) than it is to clean my Shepherd because of this.
> 
> And as I mentioned below, my Boxer is absolutely cleaner than my GSD, but I'm more inclined to believe that it's due to personality differences rather than breed differences. I know other Boxers that will run through mud puddles and lay down in them and have no concept of cleanliness. My Boxer, on the other hand, runs around puddles, almost never lays down in them, and licks himself clean like a cat inside the apartment.


<3 boxers...do you have pictures?


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## Cheerful1 (Sep 27, 2011)

"How about those who ride the subway, trains, buses, and grab the poles, then do what they have to do without washing or sanitizing.......People are disgusting. Merely walking around NYC I feel more/less one hundred times dirtier than laying next to my dog while he munches a raw meaty bone"

Amen to that! I work in NYC and I wash my hands as soon as I get to work, again when I get home, and many times in between!


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## katdog5911 (Sep 24, 2011)

I think dogs are actually less dirty than people! I work in a hospital and dogs aren't the only ones that poop and pee on themselves.... At least dogs don't come in reeking of body odor and alcohol. I mean really....we have soap and deodorant and powders.....We should have no excuse for being stinky. 
And my 3 year old grandson would beat anyone in a dirty contest. My own boys were pretty dirty too as kids. I always figured that the dirtier they were when they finished playing outside, the more fun they had.
I kiss my dogs right on the snout or nose, share utensils, let them lick the plates and I think I would let Stella in the shower with me if she had the urge. (she doesn't) I do try to avoid getting kissed after she has tongue bathed herself or eaten something nasty, and I try and hose her off if she has rolled in something stinky. 
*I guess dogs aren't really dirty, they just are a bit messy*. Paw prints, hair, sand or dirt on the bed....that sort of a thing.


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## Linda P (Oct 2, 2012)

I know my being a nurse I have to say I have dealt with some pretty nasty people that come into the hospital. I feel like generally speaking dogs and cats are cleaner than some people.aw:


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## NewbieShepherdGirl (Jan 7, 2011)

Dogs are dirty, but I kinda grew up under the mindset of a little dirt never hurt ya (unless of course you have a compromised immune system). Actually research has shown that this purell generation actually has weaker immune systems since they aren't being exposed to as many thing, consequently they aren't building up immunities to things. But I digress....Yes, I think they're dirty, and sometimes it bothers me. Sometimes I'd just like to cook a meal without seeing tuffs of Sasha hair, or take a bath without seeing he hair in the tub because it has come off of me in the water, or have a car that didn't get hairnadoes whenever I have the windows down, etc. But if I didn't have those things it would mean I wouldn't have her, so I just kiss her dirty little head, and carry on with life.


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## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

newbieshepherdgirl said:


> dogs are dirty, but i kinda grew up under the mindset of a little dirt never hurt ya (unless of course you have a compromised immune system). Actually research has shown that this purell generation actually has weaker immune systems since they aren't being exposed to as many thing, consequently they aren't building up immunities to things. But i digress....yes, i think they're dirty, and sometimes it bothers me. Sometimes i'd just like to cook a meal without seeing tuffs of sasha hair, or take a bath without seeing he hair in the tub because it has come off of me in the water, or have a car that didn't get *hairnadoes* whenever i have the windows down, etc. But if i didn't have those things it would mean i wouldn't have her, so i just kiss her dirty little head, and carry on with life.


lol!!!


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## Shaolin (Jun 16, 2012)

I don't consider my dogs dirty, but I keep up on them pretty well. Finn, for some unknown reason, urinates on his front leg...even when he lifts his leg to urinate. He's obsessive about licking it off his leg if I don't get to him quick enough to clean it off. He is quite the shedder, but it doesn't bother anyone in the house much. We have lint rollers by the front doors and in every bedroom.

He gets a bath anytime he smells, or if we're out in the woods and he's gone through things I may not have seen; hubby and MIL are severly allergic to Poison Ivy and Poison Oak, so I give him a good bath before he can get in the house. Personally I feel that some humans are dirtier than most animals!


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

I agree, as an RN I've taken care of TONS of people who were way more disgusting than any dog could be. My Pug is a diva... she's cleaner than any shepherd I've had so far. However, because of the position of her nose, she always comes inside with a dirty nose! We joke that our mutt is a cat/dog because she licks her entire body like a cat and keeps herself very clean.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

For me personally I consider them dirty because of the things they like and do as we all know. But it doesn't bother me. I actually admire them because they can be who they are, show who they are without worrying about what some other dog or human thinks of them. For me dirty doesn't mean unhealthy. I think that door knobs, soap bottle in bathrooms etc are much dirtier than a dog. But I will wash my hands when I make or sit down for a meal because I know my dogs.....


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## vicky2200 (Oct 29, 2010)

I already posted my response but after reading other responses I will admit that I do "eat after" my dogs. I feed them off of my fork or let them lick my ice cream. I have done this for years and never gotten sick. I wouldn't do that with a strange dog. It just doesn't bother me. My mom hates it though.


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## briantw (Oct 1, 2012)

Zeeva said:


> <3 boxers...do you have pictures?


I've got an album of Boxer pics on here.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

Zeeva said:


> But anyway do you consider dogs dirty? Do you wash your hands after petting them? Do you wash your hand before you eat if you've pet them or can you pet and eat with the same hand? Do you feel that extra cleanliness precautions should be taken when you own an animal? For example: a pregnant lady should be cleaning cat litter due to Toxoplasma?


Toxoplasmosis has nothing to do with whether an animal is "dirty" or not. It is a parasite that can affect pregnant women and/or the fetus, so if there is a chance that the cat may be carrying it then I would take precautions...
Toxoplasmosis is less common in indoor cats, however if you ever get a mouse in the house, they could transmit it to the cat (if the cat eats the mouse)-- and it can also be gotten from eating raw meat (or unwashed fruit/veggies but most cats don't eat those .) 
Dogs can become infected with Toxo too, though.


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## Jenna&Me (Sep 27, 2012)

Dirty ... no. Messy ........ oh yes lol.

I have lived with various combinations of fur, messy drinkers, messy eaters for 17 years now and wouldn't have it any other way.

My son used to go lick for lick with icecreams with our first shepherd.

Our last one was a bit kinky and loved to lick between my toes. Took strength to sit still for that


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## harmony (May 30, 2002)

well we all know how dogs can carry worms even if they did not have them  Wash your hands


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## TriciaMilitia (Feb 17, 2011)

Nate is squeaky clean for the most part. He is HORRIFIED if he steps in poo, and limps until I wipe off the offending footie. He sleeps on the bed (I have an extra blanket on top of the comforter.) 
I think my two inside- only cats are dirtier than the dog is. Litter on the bed is one of the most digusting things I can think of. It's a great motivator to make sure I've made the bed everyday. 
I'm the oldest of seven children.:hammer: Kids are way more disgusting than any animal I know.


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