I occasionally let the dog lick one of our plates after dinner if we had something yummy and dog friendly. But usually we will put things right in his dish. I can't imagine letting him lick every plate and the utensils all the time. That must be so bad for the dog plus eww.
OK, I have a follow-up "is this gross" question. Do you put your dog's bowls in the dishwasher or how do you wash them out every day otherwise? Specially dedicated sponge? I'll admit that I do throw them in.
Dishwasher, but not every day; maybe once a week. Sadie licks her bowl until it sparkles so most days we just do a quick swish with dish soap and a paper towel. I know I know, paper towel is terrible, but I’m not on top of things enough to never ever accidentally mix up the people and dog sponges. And that would be way worse than commingling dishes in a machine that sanitizes them.
OK, I have a follow-up "is this gross" question. Do you put your dog's bowls in the dishwasher or how do you wash them out every day otherwise? Specially dedicated sponge? I'll admit that I do throw them in.
Just throw them in the dishwasher or hand wash if I need it clean right away, with our regular sponge. For me it's less about the "dog tongue on human dishes/utensils" and more that it's a terrible habit for the dog. As long as it's washed it's all good.
I think the disconnect with the utensils is that the utensil is what is physically going into a person's mouth, plus they can be hard to clean to begin with and sometimes still have food on them after the dishwasher. And are they letting the dog lick knives? even butter knives can cut skin if you hit them just right. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.
I have zero logical explanation why-but licking a plate doesn't bother me, but the idea of a dog licking all the utensils is like 10/10 level gross.
But more than anything I would just judge them for it because it's bad for the dog. ALL of the dishes my god.
Lol I thought the same thing. I saw dishes and I was like - eh...kind of gross but here and there maybe ok (if food they should be eating - that's a whole other thing).
And then we got to the utensils and I was like - nope. No way. Totally over the line.
Hmm. I don't know how I feel about that happening behind closed doors - I've really never conceived of this happening, ever, anywhere - but I sure as heck don't like the idea of seeing it. Everyone does gross stuff privately, but that's the point: nobody else is subjected to it.
I do trust the dishes are clean after going through the dishwasher, so part of me wonders why it bothers me. But I'm back to thinking nobody needs to see that. And of course it's horrible for the dog, but that's not even the point here. More than anything, OP, I find this really weird. Like, why?? Are they eager to kill the dog? Do they know it bothers you and they like to get under your skin? Are your ILs generally socially clueless?
I'm tempted to start a thread about the grossest things we all do, but I don't need that on the spreadsheet. lol Who was the toenails person??
My ILs are generally not this clueless. They just don’t seem to realize that the dog is not a human.
OK, I have a follow-up "is this gross" question. Do you put your dog's bowls in the dishwasher or how do you wash them out every day otherwise? Specially dedicated sponge? I'll admit that I do throw them in.
Our cats eat wet food, and I clean those bowls regularly in our laundry room sink, bc I do not like wet cat food comingling with our food..even if it's all just going down the drain. Strong nope.
I feel like it's important to put the pet dishes in the dishwasher bc it does a heat sanitizing round, and I don't think it's gross or anything. Their bowls are dry 🤷♀️
But I wash my underwear with my regular clothes too lol.
But I wash my underwear with my regular clothes too lol.
We washed cloth diapers in our washing machine so IDK, we might be gross. Not at the same time as other clothes but I read a Dear Prudence recently where someone wanted to replace a W/D after cloth diapers had been washed there so 🤷♀️ .
I'm a cat person and I have separate dishes and utensils for cat food. When my in-laws still had cats one of them would get up on the counter and attempt to eat leftovers. Lord help me. I never accepted offers for things like a leftover turkey sandwich for the road.
My dream is to have a mudroom with a utility sink or something where I can keep the cat dishes so they're no where near our sink/dishes.
Post by mcppalmbeach on Aug 19, 2022 13:41:32 GMT -5
I think this is gross. My parents do not. they don’t have a dog, but my dad used to come over a lot when my kids were little and I had evening plans and I’d find a human plate down on the floor for our dog 🤮. I actually don’t mind dog licks, I don’t mind if people let their cats walk on counters but this is a no for me!
OK, I have a follow-up "is this gross" question. Do you put your dog's bowls in the dishwasher or how do you wash them out every day otherwise? Specially dedicated sponge? I'll admit that I do throw them in.
We wash our cat’s dishes in our dishwasher. And I generally don’t consider myself a germaphobe.
So it might not be logical, but I guess I find it completely unappetizing watching this dog — who like I said, will try to eat poop — slobber all over the spoon I might be using for my next meal, while I’m using a different spoon that has also probably been in his mouth. We all have a line, and I guess mine is that. Stuff that goes directly in my mouth should not also be going directly in the dog’s mouth. Plus, our silverware goes in a separate part of the dishwasher from where the bowls go.
I also think people generally have a higher tolerance for their own pet’s grossness than someone else’s (just like we have a higher tolerance for our own kids’ bodily functions.)
Post by sapphireblue on Aug 19, 2022 14:33:47 GMT -5
I don't do this, because my understanding is that it is really bad for the dog. Also, I really hate it when pets eye me closely while I am eating, which usually happens with pets that are given table scraps.
HOWEVER, it does not gross me out one bit. I think the dishwasher gets the dishes very clean so I would not care at all if someone's dog licked anything as long as it was then put into the dishwasher and washed afterwards. I wouldn't do it myself for the other reasons I listed first, though!
I am actually a little bit surprised at how much in the minority I am!
Post by hbomdiggity on Aug 19, 2022 14:36:33 GMT -5
I don’t let her lick the plate often, but not never. She loves licking utensils which I hate, because 1) it could be something not good for her and 2) she wedges herself in between me at sink and DW and I end up almost stepping on her or tripping.
But we also love bulldog “kisses” so yeah, not afraid of dog slobber here.
Post by sapphireblue on Aug 19, 2022 14:37:02 GMT -5
About the follow-up on washing the pet bowls--some I do in the dishwasher, some I handwash, just depends.
I almost always soak them so much first that by the time they are put into the dishwasher they are practically clean.
I AM grossed out by the idea of any kind of food particles flying around my dishwasher so I tend to get things very clean before putting them in the dishwasher.
OK, I have a follow-up "is this gross" question. Do you put your dog's bowls in the dishwasher or how do you wash them out every day otherwise? Specially dedicated sponge? I'll admit that I do throw them in.
Those I do put in the dishwasher. I don't mind them mingling with our stuff but he doesn't need to eat off our plates and we don't eat out of his bowls.
Post by lolalolalola on Aug 19, 2022 14:42:18 GMT -5
We give our 3 cats canned food 2x daily and use regular ‘people’ bowls to feed them. They go in the dishwasher and it seems way grosser than dishes or cutting boards used for raw chicken or pork which also gets cleaned in the dishwasher. I mean that’s what the dishwasher is for, right?
ETA - now I’m worried that everyone who visits my house thinks I am gross and feel the need to buy an extra 12 bowls for the cats exclusive use. Even thought I know it’s irrational!
About the follow-up on washing the pet bowls--some I do in the dishwasher, some I handwash, just depends.
I almost always soak them so much first that by the time they are put into the dishwasher they are practically clean.
I AM grossed out by the idea of any kind of food particles flying around my dishwasher so I tend to get things very clean before putting them in the dishwasher.
I hand wash mine for no reason other than I am concerned about rust.
Irrational because they are stainless steel so will likely not rust.
Over my lifetime family pet cats have licked egg/tuna/chicken off plates after we were done eating. Then into the dishwasher the dishes go. I'm pretty sure no one has ever let the cats lick silverware or let them lick plates in front of guests.
I hand wash pet bowls only because I want to use them again before we run the dishwasher. I use reusable sponges and throw them in the wash after one time use. Like one wipe down of the kitchen counters and then into the washer they go. One wash of pet bowls and into the washer they go. I do laundry daily these days and have 8+ sponges so it's NBD.
We give our 3 cats canned food daily and use regular ‘people’ bowls to feed them. They go in the dishwasher and it seems way grosser than dishes or cutting boards used for raw chicken or pork which also gets cleaned in the dishwasher. I mean that’s what the dishwasher is for, right?
ETA - now I’m worried that everyone who visits my house thinks I am gross and feel the need to buy an extra 12 bowls for the cats exclusive use. Even thought I know it’s irrational!
I know it isn't true but I find my cats way less gross than my dog!! They don't go outside and eat goose poop. I really wouldn't be bothered by feeding them out of bowls in our human bowl rotation. Again, I realize this makes no actual sense but it's just my weird rationale. I use disposable paper bowls for the cats but realize I probably should reconsider something more eco-friendly. I just hate the wet food bowls/morsels being in my sink blech.
I can remember a Little House on the Prairie episode when Mr Edward’s allowed the dog lick their plates clean. Haha. He was babysitting and Mary and Laura were horrified.
I would not do this and was unaware so many people did. I already was anti potluck. If I wasn’t this would seal the deal.
This might sound a little nutty but I’ve never been convinced dish washers 100% sanitize anyway. There are way too many ads about stuck on food and how to get them to clean better for them to be working that well. I think they probably do if you use them perfectly every time but do most people actually do? Does everyone use the sanitize cycle every time?
I never had a dog growing up and wasn’t a “dog” person. Until we got our goofy guy and I’m seriously now obsessed with him. Even I do not let him lick off our plates or utensils.
My grandmother did this when I was really small with her little poodle and would joke with me that Brandi was “doing the dishes” and I would get all gaggy. Still do when I remember it. And I remember it so vividly too! 🤢
I have very spoiled dogs and this grosses me out. And whoever said to do it in front of guests is abominable was correct lol. It also means the dogs will be begging for scraps all the time and I hate that.