Etiquette. #3. Dogs.

Contrary to many's belief, dogs are not everyone's best friend. Anymore than everyone loves pizza or hates broccoli.

There are cultures that are afraid of dogs. Some people are simply fearful of them. I was unexpectedly bitten by our neighbors little shit dog  when I was about 4 or 5 (I don't remember the breed, it just was small and I am saying this as a memory when I was small)  and it took until I was a teenager before I was again comfortable if a dog suddenly lunged at me. People's background's  and mindset have a lot to do with how they think of dogs as well. Some think they belong out in the wild, running in the fields. Others, think they belong in your purse. There are people who make dogs members of their family, buy them wardrobes, throw them birthday parties. There are others that find this pathetic.

This is from the 14th annual New York Pet Fashion Show...

While people seem to hype about their allergy to cats more, the reality is if they have pet allergies, 9 out of 10 times, that would then include dogs. My husband and I have 2 cats and are allergic to them. Most allergies can be controlled for most with medications and an environment that is overly cleansed to deal with allergies. We get the rare guest who really can't handle being in our home. We get the occasional guest that needs some accommodation, like we happily hand out Zyrtec and have killer eye drops and nasal sprays, and the every so often guest that arrives pre-disposed that visiting us will kill them.



As a young child, I always felt bad that Snoopy wasn't allowed in the library. Not only did I think it was unfair, but I thought it sent a bad message as libraries were places to learn and we should want everyone to learn. Oh, but Snoopy is a dog and we aren't teaching dogs STEM, just new tricks. Cats, it is said, know more than we do and if nothing else, they'd rather be left alone as they haven't forgotten that in past times they were worshiped as superior beings.

In California, we have a law that says you may not restrict people from bring their pet with them if it is a service animal. Further, they need not prove it is a service animal. This I believes, becomes the problem, at least here in LA. It was bad enough when it became chic a decade or so ago for princesses to have their chihuahua's around in a purse, but recent a big muscle dude was going through Ralph's (grocery store) with his black lab. He wasn't blind. Sure, maybe it comforted his PTSD or something, though he seemed to be coping with buying beer and whatever else he was getting just fine. Outdoor dining in LA most often encourages you to bring your dog, having biscuits and water dishes waiting for your arrival. But just because you think your 110 pound "Butch" slobbering next to you while you eat is cute, the guest 3 feet away and even closer to your dog may not at all.

At least in the gay community, we've often talked about having a dog as a "dick magnet." You get dog, walk it around the neighborhood and automatically it draws attention to you. There is truth to this and even if your intentions are less motivated, you are likely to get people talking to you about your dog. Sometimes they will just baby talk to your dog and forget about you all together. This can particularly be true in a confined space like an elevator. Concluding this entry on the consistent theme of elevator etiquette, don't assume everyone wants your dog sniffing their crotch, licking their shoe, jumping on them in general. If someone pays attention to your dog, try and say something nice, or at the least recognize them with a smile. Don't ignore their existence. That isn't only rude, it is arrogant. They don't owe to your dog to be nice to him or her.