Dog and Christmas

BitterAndTwisted

Your dog might be "part of your family" but they're not part of anyone else's. If the dog is not welcome in someone's home then the dog doesn't go. To do anything else is selfish and very disrespectful indeed. I love most dogs but don't expect anyone else to.

aileth

We would never take him if they said no, that is out of order.


I'm not sure why people keep going on about the dog and he won't know it's Christmas. I'm quite aware of this and have stated numerous times now that its nothing to so with how the dog feels, but how I feel about him being excluded and how it makes -me- sad.

Thanks everyone else who has read the posts and it has definitely put things in perspective.

Metranil_Vavin

We are staying at home this year for the first time ever. Normally we go to either my parents or OH's parents, but have decided to stay put this year as we have a new baby.

It'll be the first year we won't have to put our cat into the cattery, and whilst not quite the same as your dog situation, I am secretly quite happy that she will get to spend Christmas day with the family rather than in a cattery

RobotsinDisguse

We have an elderly rescue dog who is most certainly part if our family. Husband and I are the only people in our family with a dog, but my inlaws Love her visiting, ESP at Xmas. When cooking is going on she goes in a different room as she can get under foot and likes nothing better than curling up infront of the cooker!

So OP I totally understand your perspective. It's good your parents (I think it's that way round) love the dog and that xmas as a family sorted.

Personally I couldn't justify the cost of an hrs extra drupive to drop the dog home, so I'd leave her in the car, if it wasn't subzero, for those 2 hrs visiting. I do understand your peeve that they have animals but yours isnt welcome sadly due to the humans behaviour.

Soleil_lune

Not gonna lie. although I don't dislike dogs, I am not keen on visiting friends and family who have dogs, let alone allowing someone to bring their dog to my home! On many occasions, they either jump all over you, or sit there glaring and staring and making you wonder if they're about to pounce on you. I know some people regard them as 'family,' and to many they are, but I don't think people should expect everyone else to feel the same about their dogs.

I certainly would not want anyone: family OR friends - to bring their dog to my house if we were having a meal or get-together of some kind, and certainly wouldn't even think of taking 'my' dog if I had one. And you can't compare taking dogs to someone's home to taking children IMO.

I am pretty intolerant of some dog owners actually: I have lost count of the amount of times I have been for a walk by the river or canal, and someone has their dog off the lead, and it comes jumping up me, putting mud over everything, or sits there barking and growling at me, with the owner saying 'he won't hurt ya!' Yeah, if you say so mate! And I used to see numerous chavs around with their chav dogs when I lived in a rougher area, always off the lead... There's many a time I went half hour walk out of my way, to avoid walking past a pitbull off its lead, because the irresponsible owner thought it was fine to let it wander about.

So no, I am on your relative's side here. I wouldn't dream of taking a dog to someone's house. That said, if the in-laws say no to your dog, then you need to say - or tell your husband to say - 'well sorry, but if our dog can't come to yours, then you can't bring your dog here.'

Have to say, I can't think of one single person I know TBH, who would want someone to bring their dog to stay! Not even if they were family.

Soleil_lune

sassyblue wrote: »

You're not listening to them aileth. They've asked you not to bring your dog.

You're normally a level headed poster but you've lost your sight on this one. It's only two hours your dog won't know any different.

I used to have an over excited dog and we would leave him at home on some occasions when we knew he wouldn't settle, it is the kindest thing to do. You just have to accept that not everyone is going to welcome or love your pet the way you do.

This ^^^ ......

Angelicdevil

aileth wrote: »

Hi all,

Every year for Xmas we go to my parents on Xmas day and the in laws Boxing Day. We have a two year old dog who still acts like a puppy. He gets very easily excited and is pretty non-stop, but doesn't bite or whatever. We often get told not to bring him to family gatherings as he's 'too much to cope with', which I do understand but it does annoy me a little as to me he's part of the family (my parents love him and always want him there).

I'm sure the same will happen for Christmas, which will mean well have to do an hour extra travelling to drop him back home before travelling on. Christmas is a family time, the pup is part of our family now, you don't not invite certain children over for Christmas because they're too hyper.

Any thoughts? I probably sound silly but each time were told not to bring him it hurts a bit.

In laws have two dogs which ours gets on with well, and if we ever asked him not to bring them etc he'd be very very unhappy, so why does it only work one way?

I really feel for you aileth!

I have just been told that my kittens will not be welcome at my parents at Christmas

This is after being told several times in the past couple of months that it will be OK to bring them round, especially as they'll be recovering from their spaying & neutering.

It's left me in such a crap position. I'm not leaving them alone over xmas, nor am I leaving them with a pet-sitter who would visit for a couple of hours a day and I'm certainly not leaving them at a cattery!

My folks bring their dog round when they visit (rarely) and I'm happy to have her over despite the chaos she causes but it's upsetting when the same tolerance isn't reciprocated Especially when I have a self contained space at their house!

My only option is to not go home for Christmas, which my folks seemed pretty nonplussed about!


Have you found a resolution?

Metranil_Vavin

Angelicdevil wrote: »

I really feel for you aileth!

I have just been told that my kittens will not be welcome at my parents at Christmas

This is after being told several times in the past couple of months that it will be OK to bring them round, especially as they'll be recovering from their spaying & neutering.

It's left me in such a crap position. I'm not leaving them alone over xmas, nor am I leaving them with a pet-sitter who would visit for a couple of hours a day and I'm certainly not leaving them at a cattery!

My folks bring their dog round when they visit (rarely) and I'm happy to have her over despite the chaos she causes but it's upsetting when the same tolerance isn't reciprocated Especially when I have a self contained space at their house!

My only option is to not go home for Christmas, which my folks seemed pretty nonplussed about!


Have you found a resolution?

That's rubbish. Why have they changed their mind after saying it was ok?

Angelicdevil

Metranil_Vavin wrote: »

That's rubbish. Why have they changed their mind after saying it was ok?

If I understood how my parents' minds worked I'd be a much less complicated person

paulineb_2

I have cats and my cats don't go anywhere at Christmas but I stay overnight at my mums, I go up and down to feed the cats and they are fine. I know its different but animals wont know the difference, for a couple of hours. They don't know its Christmas Day, I don't make a huge fuss over mine at Christmas, they get enough care and fuss all year round.

You could take him with you and put him in a pen, its not a cage, there are pens on ebay which are collapsible and of a decent size. I need to get some for my cats because theres work going to be done in my flat and they cant get out and my front door will be open (I live in a flat). They cost about 30 quid.

You could possibly take him and put him in one of those (they aren't massive), would mean he would still be there, but not doing all the running around, its just a thought.

Otherwise, leave him alone and just go and enjoy yourselves. I don't mind dogs even though Im a cat lover, wouldn't matter to me if I was at someones home and dogs were there. I went out for dinner on Christmas Eve last year to someones home and she has two massive dogs, lovely. One is very lively and he has problems with socialisation as he was left on his own too much when he was a pup, so hes very excitable and always wants attention, hes also a massive dog, but I thought he was lovely.