I don’t see what the fuss is all about, but apparently if you don’t like dogs, the world of furry pet lovers, animal rights activists and active “cute” proclaimers descend on you like you tried to put a dog down.
See, I don’t have a problem with dogs but the problem arises when I’m told that my indifference to dogs is unacceptable; criminal even. And there are people in this world who create Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube accounts for their dogs, ask you to like every one of them and proceed to spam in a way that puts all of our email inboxes to shame. Take the growing tribe of people who dress their dogs up in coats, scarves, necklaces and even rings; that just seems cruel. It makes sense if the dog is old, tiny or ill but there is a reason they were made in their own suits of fur. Conversely, it doesn’t make sense to drape ourselves in animal fur in what some people may think is an exchange of cuteness.
There is an increasing cultural premise that people are supposed to completely adore dogs, and the owners conveniently forget the fact that some people are not beguiled by their furry pets. So if a group of people you know are playing with a dog, they expect you to play with it as well and not say, “No, thanks!” If I had to think of every time a canine invaded my personal space by slathering my feet in saliva, inserting a wet nose in my face and trying to sniff me, my thoughts will outnumber the number of times I actually considered owning a dog (hint, zero).
I don’t like dogs the way I don’t like gardening: it’s too much effort, needs TLC everyday, is messy and quite needy. Oh and cats? I think they’re best represented in GIFs on the internet and as Nyan Cat.
